Chapter 107 Wapol's Reign
At the dock of the Drum Kingdom, the ministers had been waiting for a long time.
The cold wind was biting, and the ice and snow felt as sharp as knives. Despite wearing thick coats, the cold air still crept through like a snake, chilling the bones.
But the ministers did not dare to show any discomfort. They stood obediently, following King Wapol's orders.
The gold from the sky was collected once a year, and its amount was directly tied to the nation's strength. This process was essentially a form of bloodletting.
Each of the allies hated this ritual, but they could only smile and bear it. They had to show the utmost respect to avoid offending the World Government in any way.
It was like a slap to the face, but they still had to smile brightly.
The warship slowly sailed into the harbor, and Major General Scord led his men as they disembarked.
The minister of the Drum Kingdom rubbed his frozen face and approached with a forced smile.
"Dear Major General Scord, welcome to the Drum Kingdom. It's freezing cold out here, you've worked hard to travel all the way!"
"King Wapol has prepared a banquet at the castle. Please join us for the feast!"
Major General Scord returned the salute.
"Thank you to King Wapol for the hospitality. We'll be honored to attend."
He then organized his men, and they made their way toward the castle.
In the world of pirates, the relationship between the World Government's allied countries and their navy was generally cordial.
The navy protected the allied countries, and in return, the military expenditures were funded by these countries.
Most of the funds, however, were taken away by the World Government...
Soon, the navy arrived at the castle, and the banquet began, turning the castle into a sea of joy.
Though Wapol was a fool with an obsession for food, he was still from an orthodox royal family. He was arrogant toward the common folk and his subordinates, but when it came to someone like Major General Scord, a representative of the World Government, his speech and behavior became much more polished and respectful.
Everyone drank and chatted, and for a time, the host and guests enjoyed the festivities.
While the castle was bustling with celebration, two unexpected guests entered a bar in the town.
It was Smoker and Sanai.
"Boss, give us two glasses of hot wine. Do you have any barbecue? We'll have some too!" Smoker called out.
"Coming right up!!"
The boss didn't seem too enthusiastic. He served the food and wine before sitting aside, quietly wiping glasses.
Smoker and Sanai took a sip of the wine, and the warmth spread through them.
Looking around, Smoker observed the other patrons. Most of them wore tired, numb expressions or had faces filled with sadness—few were smiling.
Smoker asked in a low voice, "Boss, why does everyone look so down?"
The boss gave them a long look before responding.
"Are you from outside the country? Today marks the start of the annual medical holiday week here in the Drum Kingdom..."
"A week off? Vacation?" Smoker asked, puzzled.
The boss smiled bitterly. "Vacation? What good would that be? It's a mandatory medical leave. During this week, doctors across the country are forbidden to practice medicine..."
Smoker was taken aback. That wasn't part of the known plot.
Seeing business wasn't picking up, the boss set down his work and began to chat more freely with Smoker.
"It's a new rule, only a couple of years old," the boss explained. "It was implemented to accommodate the system of collecting Heavenly Gold. They thought it would help reduce the strain on doctors and give them a break. But it's just made things harder for everyone."
The Drum Kingdom was renowned as a major medical hub, attracting people from far and wide seeking treatment. Foreign medical institutions and doctors often visited to exchange skills, further boosting the kingdom's reputation. With the constant influx of people, the kingdom reaped significant financial rewards, and its citizens benefited from the prosperity.
However, the increasing number of visitors wasn't without its drawbacks.
One year, when the navy came to collect the heavenly gold, the sheer number of ships almost led to a disaster. The navy chose not to escalate the issue, considering it an unfortunate accident, but if it had occurred during the reign of the old king, an apology would've been issued immediately.
But under King Wapol's rule, things were different. Wapol, fearing displeasure from the navy, saw it as a serious problem. However, there was little he could do about the foreign ships. So, in an attempt to prevent any future issues, Wapol came up with a solution: he declared that the day the heavenly gold was collected, plus the three days before and after, would be designated as a "medical holiday week."
During this week, doctors in the Drum Kingdom were forbidden from practicing medicine, with the harsh consequence that any violation would result in their property being confiscated.
Smoker was stunned by this absurd rule.
"What kind of ridiculous decision is this?" he thought. "It's like something out of the playbook of a leader with no common sense."
He glanced out the window, reflecting on the bustling activity he had seen at the pier earlier.
"I thought it was a festival or something," he muttered, "but this... this is just absurd."
Smoker continued to observe the kingdom's streets, noticing that despite the strange law, the shops were still open, and life appeared to continue as usual. He turned back to the boss.
"Your kingdom is famous for its medical prowess. Even with all the heavenly gold, this shouldn't be too much of a blow to your livelihood, right?"
The boss sighed deeply, shaking his head with a bitter smile.
"It used to be true when the old king ruled... but now..." he trailed off, giving Smoker a pointed look.
Smoker understood enough not to press further. There was an unspoken truth hanging in the air, and he could tell that it was something the boss wasn't eager to share. But the hint was clear: things were changing, and not for the better.
Here is the revised version with grammar and flow improvements:
The Drum Kingdom was indeed wealthy in the past.
Although the tax burden was heavy, it had not yet reached the point where the people were struggling to survive.
But since Wapol became king, the situation took a dramatic turn for the worse.
In an attempt to curry favor with the World Government, he devised a shocking move that stunned everyone.
He decided to increase the tax on Heavenly gold!
This decision shocked the ministers, the people, and the surrounding nations!
"Why are we all working together, yet you're going against the grain?"
But the World Government was pleased. Not only did they lavish praise on Wapol, but they also gave him a seat at the World Conference.
As a result, several neighboring countries despised the Drum Kingdom to such an extent that they severed trade ties.
The Drum Kingdom, already a winter island with scarce resources, saw its people's living standards plummet.
Smoker suddenly understood.
"No wonder the tiny Drum Kingdom can attend the World Conference. Among the more than 170 countries that are part of the World Government, only about 50 are invited…"
"The Drum Kingdom, a small nation, has somehow participated in many World Conferences."
"I originally thought it was because of advanced medical technology, but it turns out it's because they paid for their seats…"
The boss finally did the math.
"The Drum Kingdom has a population of less than 40,000. They used to pay 12 billion beli a year. Although it was difficult, it wasn't impossible to pay."
"Now it's doubled, plus other exorbitant and miscellaneous taxes—it's a total of 30 billion beri. How can we survive like this?"
The smokers were stunned.
"How much did you say?!"
30 billion beri, for just 40,000 people—that's more than 700,000 beri per person per year...
In the original plot, Bellemere was mercilessly killed by Arlong for being unable to raise a mere 200,000 beri.
When you factor in purchasing power, the burden on the residents of the Drum Kingdom is 70 to 80 times greater than that of the villagers in Cocoyasi, and this happens every year!
Despite this, the people haven't been drained dry yet. The foundation and the speed at which they generate money are truly astonishing...
After a meal, Smoker and Sanai left the tavern and wandered around the town.
As a typical winter island, the scenery here was particularly unique.
The landscape was a sea of white, with red bricks and green pine trees complementing the view, giving it a distinct charm.
Smoker glanced around with great interest, occasionally chatting and joking with the locals.
After a while, Sanai curiously asked, "Mr. Smoker, we've been walking around for quite some time. Where are we headed?"
Smoker chuckled.
"I don't have a specific destination in mind. What I really want to see is their king."
"But before I meet the king, I want to get to know the country first!"
Suddenly, a loud noise interrupted their conversation.
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