Chapter 448: Your Expression Betrayed You
After staying in Raki Raki for a day or two to replenish supplies, Ian and his crew planned to set sail again.
However, no one expected that two unexpected people would appear just as they were about to leave.
These two were Nefertari Cobra, the current king of Alabasta, and he hadn't come alone—he had brought Princess Vivi with him.
The two of them had arrived secretly at the port of Raki Raki, escorted by Alabasta's royal guard captains, Chaka and Pell. As Ian and his crew were about to depart, they boarded the ship and requested an audience, stating that King Cobra wished to meet with Ian.
Ian found this quite surprising. Curious about what Cobra wanted, he agreed.
After Cobra and Vivi came aboard, Vivi greeted Ian politely, calling out to him before stepping aside to let her father speak with him.
Cobra first took a careful look at Ian, then suddenly smiled and said, "I apologize for meeting like this. In truth, I only learned from my daughter Vivi that you are the older brother of Luffy and Zoro. The Straw Hat Pirates defeated Crocodile and saved the kingdom of Alabasta. By all rights, I should come and thank you."
Ian glanced at Vivi, surprised that she had revealed his relationship with Zoro. But it seemed she had only told her father, so he waved his hand and said, "There's no need for that. We didn't contribute to the Alabasta incident."
However, Cobra said seriously, "That's not true. In fact, I noticed you the first time you came to Alabasta. Your battle with Crocodile at that time made me even more suspicious of him, which indirectly helped us."
Pausing, Cobra hesitated before asking, "I know you had nothing to do with what Crocodile did, but if I may be blunt—why did the vice president of Baroque Works switch to your side?"
As he said this, he glanced at Nico Robin beside them.
This was likely the purpose of his visit. Since Ian and his crew had met with the Straw Hat Pirates here, and Vivi was among them, she had recognized Nico Robin's identity. After she told her father, Cobra couldn't help but feel uneasy.
Because Ian was also a member of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. After the Crocodile incident, the entire kingdom of Alabasta had developed an inexplicable aversion to the title of Warlord. Crocodile had been arrested, but now there was still Ian, another Warlord, within Alabasta's borders. And under Ian, there was a former senior officer of Baroque Works. How could Cobra not let his imagination run wild?
"Don't worry," Ian said, understanding his meaning, and reassured him, "Robin was only coerced by Crocodile back then. My appearance just gave her another choice."
Hearing this, Robin glanced at Ian, her expression calm.
Cobra couldn't fully grasp the real situation, so he could only nod vaguely. Then he suddenly asked Ian, "Sir Ian, do you despise the World Nobles?"
"Huh?" Ian was taken aback. "Why do you ask?"
Cobra took a deep breath and said, "Actually, the first time I heard about you was in Mary Geoise. Alabasta is a member state of the World Government, and I attended the World Conference there. It was on that day that you caused a huge commotion in Mary Geoise..."
Mentioning this, Ian suddenly remembered. Back then, when he had infiltrated Mary Geoise with Konenai and the others, he had indeed seen Cobra once at the port. At that time, it was Tina's warship that had transported the Alabasta delegation to Mary Geoise.
So, strictly speaking, this was their second meeting.
Ian smiled and said, "You ask this because the Nefertari family once almost became World Nobles themselves?"
"Yes," Cobra admitted without hiding it. "Our ancestors gave up the chance to become World Nobles and returned to Alabasta. So strictly speaking, our family almost became Celestial Dragons. But now, I'm glad our ancestors made that decision."
It was clear that Cobra also harbored dissatisfaction with the Celestial Dragons' actions, or he wouldn't have said such things. Arrogant, domineering, conceited, and corrupt—the so-called World Nobles had long been branded with these labels in the eyes of the world. It wasn't just Cobra; any idealistic and wise national leader would feel discontent upon seeing the Celestial Dragons.
Ian didn't answer Cobra's question. What good would answering do? So he changed the subject, invited Cobra to sit down, and asked him, "Actually, there's something I've always been curious about. Since the Nefertari family once almost became World Nobles, it at least shows that they were originally on the side of the Celestial Dragons. So why did the Nefertari family preserve a Poneglyph?"
When Cobra heard the words "Poneglyph," his whole body trembled. But then he realized that Crocodile must have revealed this to Ian.
Nico Robin, upon hearing Ian's question, also stared intently at Cobra. She knew Ian had hit the nail on the head.
Logically speaking, after the Celestial Dragons gave up their power to become World Nobles and supported the establishment of the World Government, they had been working to erase the influence of the blank century of history. Since the Nefertari family was originally allied with the Celestial Dragons, if the Poneglyph truly recorded history unfavorable to the Celestial Dragons and the World Government, that unfavorable history should also implicate the Nefertari family.
Moreover, such unfavorable history might even threaten the Nefertari family's rule over Alabasta. If so, the Nefertari family would have been eager to destroy the Poneglyph rather than preserve it. Why would they keep it?
Perhaps the Poneglyph stone tablets were truly hard to destroy, but there was always a way to keep them hidden—like digging a deep pit and burying them—rather than placing them openly in the royal treasure vault.
Although Ian hadn't personally seen that Poneglyph in Alubarna due to the Blackbeard Pirates' incident, he had a general idea of its situation. Crocodile's real target had been it.
Cobra shook his head and said, "I don't know what you're talking about. There is no Poneglyph in Alabasta."
Ian was stunned by this answer, then burst into laughter.
Cobra was indeed cautious. Even though he had confirmed that Ian knew Alabasta guarded a Poneglyph, he still refused to admit it when Ian brought up the topic.
Moreover, after saying this, Cobra stood up and said, "It's getting late. I won't delay your departure. Goodbye!"
Then, with a confused Princess Vivi, he left Ian's ship.
Watching Cobra and his group gradually walk away, Ian rubbed his chin with a thoughtful expression.
"Captain, what are you thinking?" Nico Robin asked, leaning against the ship's railing with her arms crossed. "If you're planning to sneak into the Alabasta royal palace to find that Poneglyph, I have to regretfully inform you that, according to my information, the Alabasta royal treasure vault has been destroyed. Crocodile collapsed the vault before he left. Even if you go back, you probably won't find it."
"I wasn't thinking about that," Ian shook his head and said to Robin. "I know that Poneglyph might take a long time to see the light of day again. But Cobra's reaction confirmed one thing for me: the Poneglyph guarded by Alabasta likely truly records information about the Ancient Weapon, Pluton..."
Cobra's reaction had given him away. The more he avoided discussing the Poneglyph with Ian, the more it proved he knew something about its contents. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been so secretive.
As a millennia-old kingdom, the Nefertari family's throne had been passed down through generations. Knowledge about the Poneglyph's contents would have been passed down through the succession of kings over a long period. Even if, due to the passage of time, Cobra only knew fragments, he still knew something.
After all, if the Poneglyph only recorded ordinary history, he wouldn't have been so cautious about keeping it secret.
Hearing Ian say this, Robin was startled. She raised an eyebrow and asked casually, "So, Captain, do you also want Pluton?"
"Well," Ian saw the tension in Robin's heart and knew she was worried that he, like Crocodile, wanted to use the Ancient Weapon to overthrow the world or something. So he said, "Robin, let's be open and honest with each other. You know my true identity is as a member of the Revolutionary Army. Although, to be honest, I'm a rather unqualified revolutionary, I've always had a feeling that these Ancient Weapons will one day see the light of day again. So if possible, I hope these Ancient Weapons can fall into my hands or the Revolutionary Army's. That way, at least I can ensure they stay within controllable limits..."
Ian knew that Robin still had reservations. She was the only one who could read the Poneglyphs, and she had always feared that her ability would be exploited, leading to the situation she dreaded. So even though she already knew Ian was a revolutionary, she still held back from him. To this day, she hadn't told Ian what was recorded on the Poneglyph rubbing he had obtained from Skypiea...