"Saint Rosse, we can agree to the Celestial Tax policy, but about the military...", Ramen spoke with a stiff expression, forcing the words out, his face full of frustration.
Only an idiot wouldn't know that Rosse's so-called "Celestial Tax" policy was aimed directly at the royal families and nobles of the allied nations.
And now, on top of the already-existing Employment Association, he wanted to take over their militaries too, how disgusting could it get?
If they gave everything to him, wouldn't the allied nations basically become beggars?
"If you're unwilling to hand over your military, then you'll pay an additional Celestial Tax. It's not expensive, ten times the previous base amount per person. The World Government will calculate it according to the size of each country's army," Rosse said indifferently.
Don't want to give up your military power? Fine, then pay.
As long as the price was high enough, the allied nations would naturally reduce their troop numbers, effectively relinquishing their military power.
Whether or not the World Government directly controlled their armies didn't matter. What mattered was that the nations wouldn't have armies of their own.
Rosse had no intention of one day abolishing the allied nations only to have a bunch of national armies go berserk for a final stand.
Everyone had value, even if they couldn't become his source of experience, they still had to be put to good use.
"Th-this... Saint Rosse, I have no further questions. The Kano Country is willing to pay this additional fee," Ramen's face twisted bitterly, but he didn't dare say another word.
If he kept talking, the Kano Country might not even exist tomorrow.
He could already feel it, the looks from the few people seated at the top, filled with faint displeasure and killing intent.
If he didn't know when to shut up, there were plenty of people who'd teach him how.
Still, this matter really didn't concern him that much.
The Kano Country might be the strongest military power in all of West Blue, but its most powerful force, the Happo Navy, were all pirates on the surface. Though everyone knew they were secretly backed by the Kano Country.
Even if the Celestial Tax was collected, it wouldn't touch the Happo Navy.
They were pirates. At most, mercenaries hired to protect the Kano Country from other pirates, not its official national army.
When the other allied kings saw Ramen back down, they all looked displeased.
But then, thinking of the Kano Country's situation, a few kings had a sudden flash of inspiration.
If the Kano Country could create a "pirate navy," they could also turn their own armies into "pirates."
"Saint Rosse, if we hand over our armies to the Military Affairs Department, what benefits do we gain from that?", At that unexpected question, many of the allied kings looked over in shock.
But when they saw that it was King Riku who'd spoken, a few of them sneered disdainfully.
'Heh! Ptu!'
'Damn King Riku, who doesn't know you've been staying in the Jaygarcia family's mansion ever since you arrived in the Holy Land? You're nothing but a dog licking boots!'
Of course, that kind of talk stayed in their hearts, no one dared say it out loud.
After all, Dressrosa was in the New World, their military strength was on a completely different level.
To put it bluntly, a single squad of a hundred Dressrosa elite soldiers could probably wipe out some of their entire countries.
Rosse smiled faintly and said, "Of course there are benefits. The allied nations are to the World Government what cities are to a nation. Once the armies fall under the Military Affairs Department, the World Government will fund their expenses. Also, any soldiers who perform exceptionally will be promoted further, if they're good enough, they can even rise all the way to Minister of Military Affairs."
Rosse looked down at them with a calm smile, painting a beautiful picture with his words, "Reduced financial burden, elite soldiers promoted and reinvested, armies will never be deployed outside their home nation's borders, and the threat of enemy invasion will be effectively prevented. I can't think of a single reason for you to refuse."
At those words, several of the kings on the screens seemed tempted, while the kings present looked uncomfortable.
The strong bullying the weak, that was an unchanging truth.
Even with the World Government around, it didn't stop two allied nations from going to war.
As long as they paid their Heavenly Tribute, the World Government didn't care what happened inside their countries.
But after the Holy Land incident, everything seemed to have changed.
Now, the World Government not only wanted to manage the allied nations, it wanted to bind them completely.
The weaker nations didn't mind, of course. If their armies really fell under the World Government, it would actually make them safer.
The strong nations might bully the weak, but none of them dared to fight the World Government's army. That would be suicide.
"Arabasta agrees to surrender its military authority, and thanks you for your contribution to world peace," Titi spoke up, breaking the silence.
Her statement drew curses from the hearts of many kings, but it was also the spark that set things in motion.
One after another, other allied kings began to agree as well.
At the same time, Sora began privately communicating with the remote participants.
In principle, they couldn't speak openly. But with some small devices, Sora could still interact with them.
Before long, every allied nation had agreed.
Of course, some only agreed on the surface, planning to turn their armies into pirates behind Rosse's back.
Others truly accepted it, and even saw Rosse as a savior.
After all, with things like this, wars between allied nations would become impossible.
Even if conflict broke out, no one would dare fight the World Government's army.
Saint Garling and Saint Nusjuro had no intention of interfering. Nusjuro didn't care at all, and Garling was just watching the show.
He didn't think Rosse's move would actually achieve much.
It looked like he was seizing control of the armies and binding them through supplies, but don't forget, those soldiers were all locals.
Garling didn't believe for a second that they'd ever raise their blades against their own families or countrymen just for a few petty benefits from the World Government.
And if they couldn't even use these troops against their own, then what was the point?
After all, every strong nation had its tricks. And the armies they offered up wouldn't be their true elite forces.
The troops the World Government could actually control mostly came from weaker countries, without the strength to do anything significant.
And if the World Government really wanted to act against another allied nation, sending the CP or Marine would clearly be far more effective than these trash soldiers.
So in Garling's eyes, Rosse's move was nothing more than a show of the World Government's prestige, its real impact was minimal.
Rosse, of course, had no idea what Garling was thinking, and even if he did, he'd probably just smile faintly.
Because what Rosse pursued had never been practical benefits.
Those trivial gains meant nothing to him.
If he truly wanted "real" control, with his current strength, he could easily crush all the allied nations and outlaw territories by himself, and then rebuild the entire world in his own image upon the ruins.
Sure, that would take more effort and energy,.but the ones truly burdened would be the people below carrying out his orders.
Compared to amusing himself with these nobles, a straightforward and brutal approach would actually be easier.
What Rosse wanted to see was how these allied nations would behave under the framework of his policies, what new tricks they'd try to play.
Whatever they did, it would always bring him a little surprise.
While waiting for destiny to unfold, he had plenty of time to enjoy the small amusements these people provided.
To be honest, he kind of hoped someone would jump out and court death.
But unfortunately, perhaps because his reputation was too fearsome, not a single fool dared to stand up and shout "I'll never obey!"
'Tch! Just a bunch of cowards without courage.'
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