blogombal 22: King Riku
22: King Riku
Lingling's commotion startled the surrounding crowd, who all turned to look.
Several soldiers dressed in the uniforms of the Riku army hurried over.
"Hey! Big guy! Calm down!"
The soldiers tried to dissuade her, but Lingling's attention was completely focused on the "passion candy" and she wouldn't listen.
She reached out to grab the trembling stall owner.
"stop."
A calm and authoritative voice rang out, and an unfamiliar figure quickly blocked the stall owner's path.
The man was not wearing armor, but only simple everyday clothes, yet he had a tall and upright posture.
He steadily caught Lingling's arm, which she instinctively swung out with one hand. Although she was pushed back half a step by a huge force, she managed to steady herself.
Lingling stared at the other person with slightly reddened eyes. The person met her gaze without fear, their eyes conveying both reassurance and determination.
"Child, calm down. Violence won't solve anything."
Lingling's breathing became rapid, and she stared intently at the other person: "Candy... passion candy... I want more!"
At this moment, Oro and Gails, who had heard the commotion, also arrived.
Oro immediately recognized the person who had stopped Lingling—Riku Dold III, the current King of Dressrosa.
He strode forward and gently pressed down on Lingling's shoulder, which was trembling slightly with excitement. A faint golden light silently seeped into Lingling's skin, soothing her restless nerves.
"Lingling, take a deep breath."
Oro said in a low voice, while looking at Dold III and nodding slightly: "Thank you for stopping her, Your Excellency. My little sister... is simple-minded by nature and a bit greedy."
"But it's been a long time since I've been this excited about food. It seems the candy here is quite delicious."
Dold III glanced at Oro, then at Gails who was quickly checking on Lingling's condition, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.
These three young people have extraordinary qualities, especially the blond boy, who is so composed that he doesn't seem like someone his age.
"It's alright."
King Dold III waved his hand, signaling the soldiers to step back.
"This 'passion candy' has a special ingredient and a potent aftereffect; it's really easy to lose control if you try it for the first time. It seems you're all new to Dressrosa?"
"Yes, we are from Elbaf, we came with a caravan, and we want to see the world."
"Elbaf? The village of warriors?"
A look of understanding flashed across Dolder III's eyes; no wonder this girl possessed such extraordinary strength.
He glanced at the gradually dispersing but still whispering crowd around him, and gently extended an invitation:
"It is not convenient to discuss this in detail here. If you gentlemen do not mind, would you like to come with me to the palace for a chat?"
"I also want to do my best as a host and have the imperial chef prepare some more delicious snacks for this young lady to alleviate her discomfort."
Auro and Gails exchanged a glance and shared their thoughts.
"It would be my great honor."
Oro nodded in agreement.
......
The Riku Palace sits high in the town, overlooking a vast expanse of colorful rooftops, but its interior is not luxuriously decorated.
Instead, it exudes a simple and solemn air that has been tempered by time, creating a subtle contrast with the overtly festive atmosphere of Dressrosa.
On the way to the reception room, Dold III pointed to some slightly worn decorations and corners under renovation, speaking in a calm tone:
"Please excuse my poor appearance. Dressrosa may seem prosperous, but the national treasury is not abundant."
"I use most of the tax revenue to reduce the burden on ordinary people and for infrastructure development, hoping that my people can live a better life."
In the simple yet elegant reception room, exquisite snacks and fragrant black tea have been prepared.
With the comfort of Gails and the solace of the snacks, Lingling calmed down completely and focused on the food in front of her.
Dold III didn't beat around the bush; he looked at Oro and asked, "You're not ordinary caravan members, are you?"
"When I was young and traveling, I was fortunate enough to see a few of the Titans of Elbaf, but I have never seen such a unique combination as yours before."
Oro took a small sip of his black tea and said frankly, "We do represent Elbaf, but we also carry our own course."
"Having come to this land of flowers and swords, besides broadening my horizons, I am indeed quite interested in the upcoming auction."
"The auction..."
Dold III tapped his fingers lightly on the oak armrest, letting out a barely audible sigh, a lingering gloom settling between his brows.
"It involves 'intermediaries' with World Government backing, as well as many forces entrenched in the underworld."
"For the sake of national stability and to avoid unnecessary conflict, I cannot forcibly stop it; I can only strengthen vigilance and do my best to maintain order."
"I just hope this auction won't shatter the hard-won peace in Dressrosa."
His tone was filled with deep helplessness.
Oro could clearly sense that the monarch genuinely loved his country and people, but in the face of a larger power struggle, his power was indeed limited, and he could only try his best to maintain a dangerous balance through compromise.
"Peace is indeed precious."
Oro put down his teacup and calmly looked back at Dold III.
"However, as anyone who sails the high seas knows, the weather on the Grand Line is unpredictable and ever-changing. Sometimes a storm is not caused by a particular ship, but rather it is an inherent feature of that sea area that cannot be avoided."
Dold III gave Auro a deep look and understood his implication.
These three young people may be part of the storm themselves, or they may be the ones who bring about the storm.
He was powerless to stop the storm from coming and could only hope that the harbor he had painstakingly protected would weather the storm safely.
"Dresrosa welcomes friendly guests."
"That's what Dolder III said in conclusion."
"But please remember that beneath the flowers and dances, this land holds countless souls yearning for a peaceful life."
The brief meeting ended in a subtle, unspoken understanding.
As the sun set, the three returned to the secluded coast.
Gails shared her observations on the medical conditions in Dressrosa.
Lingling, savoring the taste of the royal pastries, muttered, "That king was actually a nice guy, it's just that 'Passion Candy' was awful!"
Oro then compiled the information he had obtained from the black market and taverns and told it to Lingling and Gale:
"The auction was presided over by Count Jupiter, a 'middleman' with ties to the World Government, and King Riku was powerless to interfere..."
"The Magnet-Magnet Fruit is the grand finale of this bullring auction, and the competitors may include an extreme metal-worshipping organization called the 'Metal Cult'."
"It is said that several powerful figures in the underworld are also very interested in the Magnet-Magnet Fruit."
"The frequent patrols by the Royal Army of Riku recently, besides maintaining order, are probably also to guard against these unstable factors."
After speaking, Auro looked towards the town in the distance, which was dyed golden and red by the sunset, his gaze deep.
If this were just a simple auction, he could easily acquire the Magnet-Magnet Fruit with his wealth.
At most, it's just to guard against possible robberies after the auction.
But now...
Tsk, we need to get that old bastard Rocks to pay more.
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.
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