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Chapter 294: Tribute to the Territory
Chapter 294: Tribute to the Territory
"Heh heh heh heh heh."
Not long after, a familiar sinister laugh echoed through the gates of the royal palace.
Donquixote Doflamingo still donned his signature pink feathered coat, his hands tucked casually into his pockets as he strode arrogantly into the palace.
"Long time no see, Sagーク I thought you might have forgotten about me after acquiring your territory, heh heh heh heh!"
"Ho ho ho ho! Are you that fragile, my friend?"
Sagー burst into laughter and waved his hand dismissively. "Let's feast!"
As he spoke, he glanced at Doflamingo. "Just you alone?"
"Heh heh, I brought along some of my crew who can navigate, but they're not important. My kingdom keeps me rather busy," Doflamingo replied, surveying the grand hall.
Thanks to Hawkins' redesign, the once gloomy hall now exuded a radiant glow. True to Sagー's taste, the palace gates were crafted from a mix of gold and silver, adorned with intricate carvings.
The interior of the palace was just as impressive. A luxurious carpet ran from the entrance straight to the base of the throne, and the walls on either side were covered entirely in gold foil. Colorful tapestries depicting various scenes hung on the walls, adding a vibrant touch to the room.
Below the tapestries were sculptures made of gold and precious gems, some of which had weapons hanging from them.
Doflamingo's eyes casually scanned the room, and he noticed that the weapons on display were of fine quality. Among them was a sword with a blade as flexible as a whip.
"These weapons were confiscated," Sagー explained with a chuckle. "I thought they looked too good to simply discard, so I decided to display them here."
Sagー rose from the golden velvet throne, which had been relocated from his captain's quarters, and turned to Lily at his side. "Make sure Doflamingo's crew is well taken care of. They'll be treated no worse than they would have been in Dressrosa."
"Heh heh heh, I'm not here for sightseeing, Sagー. Didn't you call me here for something?" Doflamingo said with a smile.
"Let's talk as we eat. I want to show off my territory to you!" Sagー laughed heartily and led Doflamingo toward the banquet hall.
The dining room had also undergone a redesign, now featuring an enormous door that took up an entire wall. Upon opening the door, a vast courtyard came into view, complete with a grand fountain and an array of exotic flowers and plants. Gemstones formed intricate patterns in the center of the flower beds.
From this courtyard, one could even catch a glimpse of the massive city below.
This setup was specifically prepared for hosting grand banquets.
In the center of the banquet hall hung an extravagant chandelier adorned with jewels, from which crystal beaded curtains dangled, illuminating the entire room with a dazzling light.
Below the chandelier stood a massive table, positioned directly across from the golden-trimmed carved door that took up an entire wall. The table was set with fine bone china rimmed with gold and enamel.
Bellana had been waiting in the hall and quickly sprang into action upon seeing the two men approach. She picked up a wine bottle and poured a glass for Sagー first, then filled another for Doflamingo.
Doflamingo lifted his glass and took a sip after smelling the wine. "This is at least twenty years old. The regular seventy-million-berry wine, the twenty-million-berry wine that's a decade old, and the wine that's over twenty years old are almost impossible to find at sea. At auction, this could fetch a hundred million berries."
Sagー bared his teeth. "A pirate happened to rob a batch, and my black-market merchant bought it. There were twelve bottles in total, and I only spent over a hundred million berries."
"Buy? Heh heh, you're an odd one, Sagー. But it's your territory, so you can do as you please. Pirates are like that," Doflamingo said with a smile. "However, is this how you spend your money?"
The 20 billion berries that had been deposited with him—Doflamingo had, two months ago, through the Umite channel, transferred all of it, plus a year's interest of 40%, totaling 28 billion berries.
Of course, it wasn't all in cash, as Sagー had requested a large amount of gold and jewels as equivalents, which had also been delivered.
"Money is meant to be exchanged for things of equal value," Sagー said, spreading his hands. "Don't you think this is pleasing to the eye? It's my territory, so of course, I have to spend money to decorate it properly."
"If you don't spend it, it's just worthless paper," Sagー added.
Redesigning the royal palace had been an enormous expense. The amount of gold plundered from their raids was surely not enough, so they had to purchase more through other channels.
The gold plundered by the pirates who came here also needed to be bought by Sagー, as he had mentioned before, giving people the opportunity to make money.
The goods were passed through a black-market merchant, and Sagー would then buy them at a fair price, allowing everyone to profit while also collecting taxes.
In addition, he had to spend money on the essentials needed to rebuild the city, as it was his territory, and he naturally bore the cost of the materials.
Investing in one's territory would likely result in initial losses, but it would lead to a thriving domain. It wouldn't take long for the tax revenue to make up for the expenses.
After all, no matter how chaotic things got, the resources would remain within his grasp.
Moreover, the tax revenue generated in the process would be like transferring money from his left hand to his right, but this act of redistribution would make this place even more prosperous.
Before long, Maryca arrived with the chefs, pushing a cart full of dishes, which they proceeded to arrange on the table.
"Dressrosa has three specialties: the Dressrosa Seafood Paella, Rose Squid Ink Pasta, and Fairy Pumpkin Cold Soup. I also have some local specialties here, Maryca, please introduce them." Sagー smiled.
Maryca nodded with a grin and pointed to a dish of venison.
"Gareth Grilled Venison Rack. This dish uses deer from the mountains of the main island of Gareth, marinated with local peppercorn, scallions, and ginger, along with aged wine, and then grilled to perfection with a special blend of spices. It's also very nutritious."
"This dish is great for your kidneys!" Sagー added concisely.
"Honey Ring Mushrooms with Wild Chicken."
Maryca pointed to another dish and explained, "This is from the deputy island of Timerton. The wild chickens there are as famous as phoenixes for their exquisite meat, and the mushrooms that grow in the mountains of the main island are equally delicious."
"This dish is excellent for replenishing energy!" Sagー supplemented once more.
"Volcano Island Doughnuts are made from locally grown wheat flour, imparting a unique, refreshing aroma. The baking process enhances the flavor, and a simple glaze of sugar creates a delightful treat."
"The Flower Pearl Chestnut Soup uses locally grown chestnuts, which resemble pearls and are highly nutritious. The addition of fresh flowers as an ingredient infuses the soup with a delicate floral fragrance."
"The Coconut Curry Beef features another specialty product, especially the coconuts, which are considered a delicacy. The curry spices used are also of excellent quality."
Maryca cheerfully introduced a total of seven or eight dishes before concluding.
In total, 188 dishes were served, each prepared with exquisite ingredients and presented in a dazzling array. However, the number of dishes specifically highlighted was much fewer.
Donquixote Doflamingo was an intelligent man, and he quickly understood the underlying message.
Midway through the introductions, he realized what Sagー was doing.
Through these dishes, Sagー was not only showcasing the extent of his territory but also subtly indicating how he utilized and benefited from each acquisition.
With so many territories under his control, he could afford to indulge in such a lavish feast.
"Heh heh heh heh! I'm starting to feel envious, and those pearl chestnuts look absolutely delicious," Doflamingo commented, eyeing the bowl of chestnut soup in front of him. "I believe this particular ingredient is quite famous. Isn't it a specialty of 'Stetefield'? Have you managed to claim that island as well?"
Ingredients, however, were insignificant in the grand scheme of things.
Doflamingo was aware of that island because it was known for its abundant iron ore deposits.
With his extensive involvement in arms trading, Doflamingo was always on the lookout for islands with iron ore deposits. He had heard of this particular island's name but not its location, and more importantly...
"Isn't that island under the control of the World Government, Sagー? Have you taken it from them?" Doflamingo inquired, his eyes narrowing.
The influence of the World Government wasn't limited to just the entrance of the New World. They also held territories deep within, but compared to the Four Seas and Paradise, their presence here was more scattered and less apparent.
"I took it last month," Sagー replied nonchalantly. "I'm planning to build ships and weapons, and I need a lot of iron. The traders who came by offered iron at exorbitant prices, and the quantities they provided were insufficient. Fortunately, I received information about an island near Gareth that had iron deposits, so I had no reason not to take it."
Each of these introduced ingredients represented a newly acquired island, a fresh addition to his growing empire.
After the incident with Andre, nearby individuals had proactively revealed their coordinates, and Sagー had swiftly brought the closer ones under his command.
Islands known for their spices also boasted an abundance of fine timber.
Some meat-producing islands were also rich in stones.
Stones might be considered less valuable due to the abundance of mountains in the region, but Sagー preferred to focus on developing his core territories rather than exploiting the resources of Gareth, his main island.
"Heh heh heh heh! Does this mean you're all set and ready to go?" Doflamingo inquired, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
"Yes," came the reply, but not from Sagー this time. It was Lily, who had hurried over and placed a rainbow-colored gemstone on the table in front of Doflamingo.
"The main reason I called you here is to show you this."
"The Rainbow Gem? I've heard you mention it before, but I never expected you to actually create it," Doflamingo remarked, his eyes narrowing as he studied the gemstone without touching it. "Is this it?"
"Just wait a moment," Sagー interjected. "In terms of raw materials alone, each of these gems costs 50,000 berries to produce, not including labor. What was the projected output if we go into full production, Lily?"
"With a factory of at least 500 people, we can produce 200 gems per month," Lily replied promptly.
"Exactly," Sagー continued. "Now, let's discuss pricing. Since these are gems, they should fetch a pretty penny from those foolish nobles. You probably know better than I do how much we can charge for them. I'll give you a 20% cut of the profits. However, if you can convince the nobles to endorse these gems, to treat them as if they were equivalent to berries, then we'll split the profits fifty-fifty!"
Sagー concluded with a grandiose wave of his hand, emphasizing his generosity.
Selling the gems was one thing, but if they could be transformed into a form of currency, akin to berries, their value would become immeasurable!
After all, money was merely a tool to amass vast amounts of resources.
(End of Chapter)
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