One Piece: The True Codex

Arcadio rose from his seat, pacing back and forth in thought before asking, "So, what do you want to do about it?"

"My manpower is far too limited. Unless you allow me to expand my forces, I can't possibly maintain order over such a large area," William replied, shaking his head. "Or, you could grant me command over other military units."

"Commanding other units is out of the question!" Arcadio rejected the idea outright. It wasn't because he understood the principle of power stemming from military control, but rather due to the pride of the nobility. William was merely a newly appointed knight—a minor one at that. Allowing him to command his own troops was one thing, but no other noble would ever agree to let him take control of their forces.

"You can expand your forces, but you'll still need to fund them yourself," Arcadio said after some consideration.

The construction of the walls was already on the agenda, and the kingdom had no funds to spare for William's military expenses. While Arcadio and the other nobles had money, they certainly weren't about to dip into their own pockets.

"Fund it myself?" William groaned. "I can handle three hundred men, but five hundred? A thousand? How am I supposed to manage that on my own?"

Arcadio's temper flared. "What did you say when you first sought to become a noble!?"

"Back then, it was just about putting on a show to deal with Germa 66," William muttered, shrinking back slightly as if intimidated by Arcadio's anger. He then added reluctantly in a low voice, "Fine, I'll fund it myself, but I'll need the authority to reform the military structure and expand my jurisdiction over public order."

"...Fine. I'll discuss it with the Minister of Internal Affairs," Arcadio said slowly, though he quickly added, "I don't care what you do with that authority, but your primary responsibility is to protect the royals and nobles."

Arcadio suspected that William's demands were a ploy to exploit his position for personal gain during the effort to restore order. However, given the kingdom's dire financial situation, he had no choice but to begrudgingly agree, though it left him feeling resentful.

"I understand. After all, I'm a noble now too," William said, his expression smug, as though reveling in his newfound status. "Also, apprehending criminals and maintaining public order isn't exactly my or my men's area of expertise. So, I'd like to establish a school to train a professional force."

Arcadio agreed to this proposal without much hesitation, as it appeared, on the surface, to be aimed at better fulfilling the task at hand.

"One more thing, sir," William said, glancing at Arcadio with a measured expression.

"What is it?"

"Have you considered using this opportunity to expand your liquor business and eliminate your competition?"

Arcadio frowned. "How?"

"By establishing a special police unit dedicated to investigating smuggling and illegal alcohol sales," William suggested.

Arcadio didn't respond immediately. He studied William for a moment before breaking into a smile. "And you'd use your men for this, I assume?"

William nodded naturally. "Just like when we cooperated at sea. You provide me with information on your competitors, I'll deal with them, and the confiscated liquor will go to you. We'll split the profits afterward."

Arcadio remained silent, unsure whether William's proposal stemmed from sheer greed for wealth or a desire for power, extending his reach into other areas of authority.

But given the current circumstances, Arcadio deliberated for a moment before ultimately nodding in agreement. "Alright."

The two discussed some finer details before William took the initiative to excuse himself and prepare to leave.

"Stolt!" Arcadio suddenly called out as William was about to depart. Without warning, he asked, "Was it you who killed Andre?"

William turned back, visibly startled. "Why would you say that? Why would I kill him?"

Arcadio stared intently into William's eyes. "He offended you, didn't he? He demoted you and your crew to mere militia."

William chuckled, shaking his head as if the notion were absurd. "Just because of that? My military expenses are entirely self-funded. Does it really matter whether we're militia or regular troops?"

He then let out a cold laugh. "If he had stood in the way of me becoming a noble, maybe I'd have taught him a lesson. But killing him? That's unnecessary."

Arcadio scrutinized William's expression as he spoke but found no signs of deceit. To ease the tension caused by his sudden accusation, he forced a faintly apologetic smile. "It seems I've been spooked by this case. I've been overly paranoid lately."

William appeared unfazed, even offering, "If you're concerned about security, I can assign two of my crew members to protect you."

"No need," Arcadio said with a dismissive wave and a smile. "Just have Clough return for now."

A flicker of thought crossed William's mind, but he nodded in agreement.

Once William had left, the faint smile on Arcadio's face vanished, replaced by a cold, stern expression. After a moment of contemplation, he summoned a servant and instructed, "Bring Aureliano here."

The servant bowed and left. Arcadio waited impatiently for what felt like an eternity before his only son, Aureliano, finally arrived in the reception room.

Seeing Aureliano reeking of alcohol in broad daylight, Arcadio's anger flared. He launched into a tirade, scolding his son harshly.

Despite being in his thirties, Aureliano behaved like a chastised child in front of his father, bowing his head and enduring the reprimand quietly.

When Arcadio finally tired of scolding, he gave his instructions: "Find time to arrange a meeting with the city sheriff, Dennis."

Aureliano was bewildered. "Father, that man is a notorious gambler. You've always forbidden me from associating with people like him."

"This is work," Arcadio said coldly. "Tell him to thoroughly investigate Andre's case. And..."

Arcadio paused before continuing, "...keep an eye on Stolt."

...

After Aureliano left, Arcadio paced the reception room, frowning as he pondered the sequence of events surrounding the case and William's behavior.

But no matter how much he thought about it, he couldn't pinpoint anything suspicious.

Inviting William into the kingdom's military had been Arcadio's own idea. The public order issues in the slums had existed long before Andre's death; it was only now, following the incident, that they were receiving attention.

Looking at the sequence of events, it seemed as though William had merely gone along with the flow from start to finish. The only questionable aspect was Andre's death.

Arcadio found it hard to believe that someone like William—whom he had always regarded as a coarse, short-sighted pirate—could have anticipated the nobles' reactions to the slum's public order issues and devised a plan accordingly. He could only convince himself that his suspicions were a result of overthinking.

Arcadio reasoned that his current unease stemmed from William's repeated demands, which were growing bolder as Arcadio's reliance on him increased.

But then again, from William's perspective as an ally, pursuing his own interests was perfectly normal.

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