Chapter 117: 116. Engagement
It's been 3 days since the date, and today is Jon & Vivi's engagement day. But their engagement is very secretive and only some close people that attend it. It's just the royal family, and some trusted people like Igaram, Pel, and Chaka.
Everyone in castle know Jon, he and the Straw Hats are considered as hero. Even so, they can't let everyone know he is engaged with the Princess. If the news leak out, it will be a very big problem for Alabasta.
If the world know Alabasta's princess engaged with a pirate, then this Kingdon can get kicked out from WG affiliation. Alabasta can't survive alone without WG protection. Unless Luffy become the Pirate King and Dragon take over the WG, Jon can't make his relationship with Vivi public.
That's why Jon will make sure to make Luffy the Pirate King & Dragon to succeed. After half a year with the RA, Jon knew their aim is not the world itself. Dragon is not interested in ruling the world, he is just very disgusted by the World Nobles.
Dragon know that WG and Marine are needed in this world. But World Nobles that control everything are not needed. So he need to remove the World Nobles and their influence in WG. Then they need to reform the WG itself to be a proper goverment.
But that's still for the future, now Jon need to focus on today's occasion. Engagement isn't just a step forward in their relationship. It also means that Vivi's family accept him to be a part of their family. It also means that they trust him enough to be with her. It means everything for their relationship to move forward.
All of them just wear normal clothes and gather in the Royal Family's room. They didn't wear anything fancy to avoid suspicion and it's not really needed afterall. Jon already prepare something that will be the proof of their oath today.
The King sit on his seat at front, Jon sit at the King's left side, while Vivi sit with the Queen at the right side. The others stand around them, even the Crown Prince. They close all the doors and window, while also checking for anything that can leak today's agenda. Jon also use his sharingan for double check, and he find nothing.
"Then let's start this. Jon, i have saw that you are serious in this relationship with my daughter. I know you are not a bad person after all these time, so i don't have any worry to leave Vivi in your hand. Still, i need to know your future plan."-King
"Actually it's your daughter that make all the plan till today. She is the one who know what we will need for the future. If it's up to me, i will just take her and live in some hidden place after i make Luffy the Pirate King."-Jon
"That's not really a nice plan. Don't just kidnapp my daughter alright? So what's your plan Vivi?"-King
"Well, basically just like what Jon think, i will just leave from here, hehe."-Vivi
"See? There's no other plan than that, we can't just let people know Vivi is with a pirate right?"-Jon
".... That's true."-King
"Don't worry father, i will leave after Sinbad can take care of the Kingdom himself. That way, it will not be strange if i leave the Kingdom."-Vivi
"So that's why you ask us to come to the castle. You've planned this since the start, you naughty girl."-Queen
"Hehehe, but now you can be with father openly right?"-Vivi
"But what if we didn't have Sinbad? Will you still make us together?"-The Queen have worried look on her face
"Of course, then you can have a son after that, hehehe."-Vivi
The King & Queen sigh at Vivi, while Sinbad didn't know anything. Vivi's plan is to make the King have another child other than her to succeed the throne. So wether or not they have Sinbad, Vivi will try to make his father married again and have a child.
"But i found out about you two some years later, so i have thought to make you two stay together. I know father is lonely, but i still thought about my mother, so i still can't accept you with father until i date Jon. That time, i convince myself to accept you and ask father to marry you."-Vivi
The Queen hug Vivi and thank Vivi for accepting her. Jon just look at the King that look away from them. This old man hide an important thing from his daughter, and still hide it even when he have a son.
"*cough* I understand your plan for future, and it seem to be the only way. So i accept your relationship and engaging you two today. You will marry at least after Sinbad have come of Age. It will be better if you marry when he can lead this Kingdom as a King."-King
"Thank you for accepting me and trust me to be with your daughter. I promise you that i will never betray your trust to me and take care of Vivi."-Jon
Jon stand and bow his head to the King. This is how Jon show his sincerety, thanks, and pay respect to Vivi's father. King Cobra have trust him enough to think that he can take care of Vivi in the future.
Jon then take out a box and place it on the table. He open the box and there are 2 necklaces and 2 silver rings in there. The necklaces are replica of First Hokage's necklace. He bought the replica, because the real one are so goddamn expensive. But the replica have a protection seal to protect the user a few times.
Jon put the necklace on Vivi's neck and the silver ring that have a diamond ornament to her ring finger. Then Vivi also did the same to Jon, with the necklace and ring. They have measured the ring at their date, but the necklace is a surprise from Jon. He just find it in the shop and think that it's a good idea to bought the necklace that have protective seal for Vivi.
"I don't know you prepare necklace too."-Vivi
"Then it wouldn't be a surprise right? I hope you like it, it's not for the engagement, but a gift for you."-Jon
"Of course, this is comfortable and good. I like the simple design but also looks luxurious at the same time. Thank you Jon."-Vivi
The engagement procedure didn't take a long time. Usually they will need to make a ceremony, but it's impossible with Jon's identity. It's more like a formality to make this engagement procedure. This way, Vivi can always refuse any marriage proposal by saying that she is engaged. Altough they won't reveal Jon's identity, and say that his identity is a secret.
"Is that really okay? Keeping the princess fiancee's identity a secret."-Jon
"No need to worry, many Kingdom have done the same. So people won't suspect anything and they won't pry into it. Even if they pry into it, not many people know about your relationship. We will make sure that everyone who know it will not reveal anything."-Igaram
"Should i hypnotize them to make them shut their mouth?"-Jon say while showing his sharingan.
"N-no need for that, they will not reveal anything. They know the importance of keeping this as secret."-King
"I hope so, i don't want any problem to occur because of some loose mouth."-Jon close his eyes
"There will be no problem if we're not dating you know."-Vivi have a scary smile
"I-i guess some problems are fine, just tell me if you need my help."-Jon
Jon sweatdrop at Vivi's tease, but it's still make him afraid. She's really getting influenced by Nami. Jon know she's teasing him, but she also sound serious. It's better if he didn't take any risk by objecting.
The procession has ended, but they are not leaving. They discuss this Kingdom future development and ask for Jon's opinion. He has traveled to many places and they hope he can give some ideas.
"I think you guys must make a spy agency or a department that work in underworld."-Jon
"Why is that?"-King
"Did you know that the underworld in this Kingdom grow bigger even after Crocodile's defeat?"-Jon
"WHAT?! REALLY?"-Igaram
"Yeah, i found one in Nanohana before. Your Kingdom is very vulnerable from outside attack. This island is big, but your troops aren't sufficient to protect everything. My advice is for you to take those ex-rebels to work as soldiers."-Jon
"That's a good idea, but did they want to be soldiers though?"-King
"They didn't need to be soldiers like what you already have. Make them looks like normal civilians but give them some proof of identity as soldiers. They will work like a hidden force that not even civilians will know about them. Basically spies agency."-Jon
"That's like goverment's Cipher Pol."-King
"That's the base idea, i'm more surprised that you know about Cipher Pol but didn't make something similar."-Jon
"Well, we don't have anyone that can teach the work."-Igaram
"I can teach that, but you must make it fast, i just have a little more than 2 weeks here. I will teach the basic of stealth job, infiltration or gathering information. I will also give you some books of ninja works that teach those skills. I will help you make an elite ninja force."-Jon grin
"Ninja force?"-King
"Yeah, i want to make my own hidden village here, The Hidden Sand Village. They will just do work from Kingdom though, not a mercenary group. How is it?"-Jon
"Hmm, that's not a bad idea actually. I realize that we don't know much about underworld forces. If we have a good underworld power, maybe we can avoid Crocodile's incident. Alright, i accept your idea, and i hope you can train and choose the best candidates for this force."-King
"Alright, then i want someone to call Koza here. He's the best candidate for the leader of this force."-Jon
"Pel, call Koza here as soon as possible."-King
Pel leave and they continue their discussion even while eating their lunch. They mainly discuss about Alabasta's next step to be more prosper. Jon give them ideas from his old world and what he got in this world.
Alabasta's main weakness is their economy strength. Their land is not fertile, so it's harder to sustain food for their citizens. They will need good farming fields and plant many crops to sustain themselves. They can't always import plant based food afterall.
Jon then give them his idea of irrigation systems. He also thought of creating an underground water bank. It will avoid the water from evaporating fast like the normal lake or oasis.
"But how will we make a big underground lake like that?"-Vivi
"I will help with the cover and make the ground harder. But you guys need to dig and make a very big lake. The water will gathered from the rain and it will not evaporated easily. That way you can use it for irrigation or fresh water."-Jon
"Alright, we will deploy people to make it in every city."-King
Jon also tell them his idea to use Sandora river's fresh water. There's no special method actually, they just need to repair Sandora River's fresh water force. In the past, the river is filled with fresh water. But now the water force has weakened and sea water rise and start to fill most of the water in river.
The increase in salinity prevent the Kingdom to have good crops. Jon want to close the freshwater source from the salt water, but it will close the ship route in Sandora River. It's an important route, so they can't close it. So they need to think of a method first.
"Hmm, let's do this plan next year. I don't have enough power to manipulate a massive river like Sandora right now. We'll work with the underground lake first."-Jon
"Alright then."-King
When the night come, they finish their discussion and sleep in their own room.
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