One Piece: Lost in the Tutorial #71

In a dimly lit, secretive location within the bowels of Lvneel's labyrinthine city, a group of nobles gathered under the flickering light of oil lamps. Their faces were shadowed, their expressions tense. At the center of the group stood their leader, Count Armand, the only one who had openly objected to Blake during the coronation.

Count Armand was a tall, imposing figure with a sharp, calculating gaze. Beside him stood a towering man covered in heavy clothing, a hood obscuring his face entirely. The air was thick with anticipation as the nobles awaited their leader's announcement.

Armand cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention. "Gentlemen, I thank you all for coming. We are gathered here to discuss the removal of our so-called king, Blake." He gestured to the hooded figure beside him. "This pirate is our solution."

The hooded figure remained silent, his presence alone sending shivers down the spines of the gathered nobles. One of them, Baron Lucien, shifted uncomfortably. "A pirate? How can a pirate be the solution to our problem?"

Armand's lips curled into a thin smile. "Blake's position as king is tenuous at best. His legitimacy depends entirely on the reputation he builds for himself. If he fails to establish himself as a fearsome pirate, the World Government will have no use for him, and his kingship can be easily revoked."

Confused murmurs spread through the room. Viscount Edgar, a portly noble with a perpetually worried expression, raised his hand. "What do you mean by that, Armand?"

"I've done my research," Armand replied, his tone dripping with disdain. "Blake's bounty originated from his attack on a Marine branch and his defeat of a Vice Admiral. But beyond that, he has only ever defeated one pirate. For the World Government to truly make use of him, he needs to be feared by pirates, not just the Marines."

Comprehension dawned on the faces of the nobles. Marquis Dorian, a shrewd and cunning man, spoke up. "I see. That's why his crew left the island while he stayed—to hunt pirates and build that reputation."

Armand nodded. "Exactly. But we can undermine that effort. This," he said, gesturing to the hooded man, "is where our guest comes in. He is a pirate of considerable skill and strength. We must pool our resources to pay him to go after Blake's crew, to sabotage their efforts and ensure Blake fails to build the reputation he needs."

The room buzzed with hushed discussions as the nobles weighed their options. Eventually, they reached a consensus, agreeing to the plan. Terms were discussed, and a substantial sum of gold was promised to the hooded man, who remained silent throughout, his presence a looming shadow over the proceedings.

As the meeting concluded and the nobles began to disperse, none of them noticed a figure slipping out of the shadows, moving swiftly and silently. The spy, loyal to Aldric, had heard everything.

Back in the castle, Aldric received the spy's report with a grave expression. He knew that Blake had enemies within the kingdom, but he didn't think they'd act so quickly. "I suppose I'll have to report this... find a way to make yourselves useful, or so our king said..."

...

Aldric navigated the labyrinthine halls of the castle, his mind racing with the revelations from the secretive meeting of the nobles. He needed to inform Blake immediately. As he reached Blake's chambers, he hesitated for a moment before pushing open the door.

Inside, the scene that greeted him was far from what he had expected. Blake was in the middle of the room, holding out a piece of meat and calling out commands. Sif, his ever-loyal companion, seemed more interested in using Blake's head as a chew toy than in performing any tricks.

"Sif, sit!" Blake commanded, waving the meat enticingly. Instead, Sif pounced, her jaws clamping around Blake's head from behind. Blake staggered but remained standing, seemingly unperturbed by the wolf's assault.

Aldric stood speechless for a moment before finding his voice. "Blake, are you alright?"

Blake glanced over, a grin on his face despite the precarious situation. "I'm fine. Just a little disagreement over treats, right, Sif?" He chuckled, patting the wolf's head even as she continued to bite down.

Aldric stepped closer, noting the blood trickling down Blake's face. "You're bleeding."

Blake shrugged. "Don't worry about it. Sif just had a bit of ketchup."

Deciding it was best not to argue, Aldric sighed and began his report. "I have news from the nobles' meeting. Count Armand is leading a conspiracy against you. He's hired a pirate to go after your crew, hoping to undermine your reputation and position as king."

Blake finally managed to pry Sif off his head, tossing the piece of meat to her as a distraction. "Interesting," he muttered, wiping the blood from his face. "So what do you think we should do?"

Aldric frowned, still trying to process the bizarre scene before him. "I think we should take action. Armand isn't foolish. If he believes in this pirate's abilities, then the man must be very strong."

Blake's expression remained calm, almost amused. "My crew isn't made up of pushovers, Aldric. They can handle themselves. And if this pirate is as strong as you say, then it'll be good training for them."

Aldric's skepticism was palpable. "You're willing to risk their lives on that assumption?"

Blake's eyes gleamed with confidence. "Yes. If they can't handle this, then they won't be able to handle the challenges ahead. Besides, it'll give them a chance to prove themselves; the strength of a crew is a part of the captain's reputation, after all."

Aldric was about to protest further when Sif finally released Blake, her ears perking up at the mention of hunting. Blake scratched behind her ears, grinning. "See? Everything's under control. Just promise her a hunt, and she'll be as good as gold."

Aldric took a deep breath, trying to steady his thoughts. "So what are we to do we do about the nobles, then?"

To his surprise, Blake's answer was simple. "Nothing."

Aldric's eyebrows shot up in exasperation. "Nothing? Why?"

Blake continued to pat Sif's head, the wolf's eyes closing contentedly. "Anything we do to them now is meaningless. We don't have solid evidence of their conspiracy."

Aldric sighed, rubbing his temples. "And you think waiting for the nobles to strike first is wise?"

Blake smirked, scratching behind Sif's ears. "I'm perfectly capable of scheming if that's what you're asking, Aldric. But I prefer to keep it minimal."

Aldric frowned, confusion etched on his face. "Minimal? You've done nothing but make a mockery of every tradition... aside from telling the nobles to piss off at your coronation..."

Blake leaned back, still playing with Sif. "I'm not doing 'nothing'. I'm simply for the nobles to lose patience and attack me head-on. That way, I'll have a valid excuse to get rid of them."

"And what if they don't attack?" Aldric questioned, still skeptical.

Blake's grin widened. "Oh, they will. Here I am, a king who openly shows contempt for them and has the power to eliminate them, yet I do nothing. It’s only a matter of time before their paranoia and frustration get the better of them."

Aldric nodded slowly, piecing it together. "You're trying to get into their heads, waiting for them to lose their cool and make the first move."

"Exactly," Blake confirmed, chuckling. He glanced down at Sif, who was now nuzzling his hand. "And it'll happen soon, especially once the news spreads that the pirate they hired to go after my crew has been defeated."

Aldric watched Blake with a mixture of admiration and concern. "You're playing a dangerous game, your majesty..."

Blake shrugged, his eyes gleaming with a mix of confidence and amusement. "Dangerous games are the only ones worth playing. Besides, my crew isn't made up of pushovers. They'll handle the pirate, and that will only add to the nobles' desperation and my reputation..."

Aldric sighed, resigning himself to Blake's plan. "And I suppose you've learned all of that on a pirate ship..."

Blake shrugged, his expression easygoing and carefree. "You'd be surprised by how many things you can learn on a pirate ship... especially if you had a good teacher..."

He trailed off, looking out the window and into the sea stretching across the horizon for a moment before smiling at Aldric. "Now if you'll excuse me... I'll have to take Sif hunting."

As Blake and Sif left the room, Aldric stood there, still filled with uncertainty.

Despite Blake's confidence, the stakes were high, and the path ahead was fraught with danger. All he could do now was hope that Blake's instincts were right and that the nobles would indeed make the first move, giving them the opportunity they needed to secure Blake's rule and secure his own future alongside that of the kingdom.