One Piece: Wielder of the Void

4. Future

Times are changing rapidly, and even the Kingdom of Tru must now prepare for the future.

There are about 60 Kingdoms in the South Blue, and the Kingdom of Tru is considered one of the least notable among them.

On this day, after Anos finished his morning run, he arrived at the palace hall, where many officials were already waiting for him.

As soon as he sat on the throne, an elderly man stepped forward and said, "Your Highness, our coastal areas have been affected by pirate attacks almost every month recently. Shouldn't we come up with a better plan to address this?"

"Our Kingdom's funds are limited, and the distance between the Kingdom of Tru and the coastline is too vast. With our current military strength, we can't protect all areas effectively!" Anos also looked helpless, at least for now, the situation seemed beyond his control.

At fourteen, Anos appeared mature and composed, carefully considering all aspects of every issue. Even for seasoned officials, he was a convincing leader.

While listening to their reports, he realized that this issue wasn't new it came up almost every time they met.

He had been contemplating these problems for the past year or two, and now was the time to find a solution.

Looking at the concerned faces around him, Anos sighed but then smiled slightly. "I already have some plans for our kingdom, and I may need your help in the future to prepare a comprehensive budget."

"Your Highness, if you need anything, just ask. We will do our best to serve the kingdom and its people. It's time for us, old bones, to make our final contributions," said a thin elderly man standing at the front.

"You are all heroes of the Kingdom of Tru. I propose to cultivate various flowers and herbs throughout the kingdom to establish our unique national attributes."

Anos stood up, walked a few steps forward, and spoke to them.

The dozen people standing in the hall exchanged puzzled looks, unsure of what Anos meant.

Anos noticed their confusion but didn't elaborate. Instead, he took out a bottle of an unknown liquid from his pocket, and the exquisite decoration on the bottle piqued everyone's interest.

Anos sprayed the liquid, and soon the hall was filled with a pleasant fragrance.

"This is the scent of tulips. It's called perfume. Although other kingdoms produce it, theirs is far inferior. I have the formula to create this. Currently, if we grow food, it may be stolen by pirates. Instead, we should grow something they can't easily take away."

"This is an idea I've been considering for some time. Once we grow enough flowers, the surplus workforce can focus on making perfumes. We'll sell these overseas so that all kingdoms recognize Tru's unique products from the South Blue."

Anos smiled as he continued. No one raised objections. These seasoned officials could foresee the potential benefits of his proposal.

"Your Highness, if the people switch to this, won't we lose our food supply?" asked the elderly man at the front.

"Don't worry, I've considered that. Everyone will be taught how to cultivate these plants properly. After the harvest, we'll buy the flowers from them, providing payment they can use for food or other necessities."

"If they prefer, they can sell the perfume directly for cash. This way, we can keep production within the kingdom and provide jobs. Only in this way can we move toward prosperity."

Anos spoke passionately. Everyone nodded in agreement, recognizing the feasibility of his plan.

Given the current situation, even a small improvement would be better than their current state.