CHAPTER 14: Contract Forged! Fortis Kingdom and Ryugu Kingdom Officially Team Up!

"I'm sure Queen Otohime must already know about the details of the cooperation we're going to discuss, right?" Ars asked calmly.

"Sure" Otohime nodded, "If I may ask, how many ingredients do we need to prepare?"

"You just need to prepare food ingredients that can be consumed by 600 people every week. I have hope to be able to prepare food ingredients that have the best quality. Queen Otohime also don't worry about the price. You can quote the price for the payment for these food ingredients. We will definitely prepare funds to pay for it."

"I see. We will do our best" Queen Otohime said seriously.

"Okay. The discussion on the provision of food ingredients has been completed. We're going into the next discussion about the rules you should know about doing business in our kingdom." Ars paused and continued, "The rules set by our own kingdom aren't that complicated. The first thing to note is that our kingdom will not allow anyone to open a gambling business, slavery, as well as various very bad businesses that can cause someone to suffer losses."

Queen Otohime nodded seriously while noting this in her mind.

"Then, for someone who comes from outside our kingdom or is not a citizen of our kingdom must have a visa to be able to build a business in our kingdom"

"Visa?" Queen Otohime asked in confusion.

"The visa itself is a document issued by our kingdom's population department. Everyone who is not a citizen of our kingdom is required to apply for a visa if they wish to establish a business in our kingdom. If he doesn't have a visa, I'm sorry. We will not allow that person to establish a business in our kingdom. In addition, with the visa. The person can also live in the area where the resident lives. However, they can only rent a place to live which we will prepare later. They don't have the right to buy houses in our kingdom."

"Will the visa have a due date?" Otohime asked again.

"Yes. Everyone who has a visa is required to renew it every year. Additional information as well, making and extending a visa will have a large number of costs to be incurred. At this time we have not determined the price for making a visa and extending the visa. Later, when we have determined it, we will inform you of this so that you can know how much you have to prepare to apply for a visa."

"I understand." Queen Otohime nodded.

"Then, Queen Otohime should also know that in this kingdom there are 4 kinds of taxes. The first tax is the Salary Tax. The second is the Building Tax. Third is the Goods Tax. Fourth is Import Tax. We don't need to discuss the Salary Tax issue because this salary tax you don't have to know, it's just a tax that the citizens of our kingdom must know."

Queen Otohime nodded and didn't mind it.

"The taxes that you must know are building taxes, goods taxes, and import taxes. The building tax itself is a tax that is imposed on everyone who owns a building or land in this kingdom. Everyone who owns a building or land in this kingdom will have to pay the building tax every year. If the person owns a building that stands in his name, be it a house, a place of business or something else. The building tax they have to pay to the kingdom is 2% of their total annual income. If a person owns two buildings standing in his name, that person will later have to pay 4% of their total annual income. A person can only have a maximum of 5 buildings standing in his name. This tax applies to citizens of our kingdom as well as those who are not. However, if you really want to save or don't want to make payments related to this building tax. The royal party will later build a special building for people who want to build a business but do not want to own a building. They simply rent the space prepared in the building without them having to pay the building tax."

Queen Otohime nodded seriously and slowly digested the information.

"The next thing is the goods tax and import tax. These two taxes themselves are the same and both of these taxes will be levied on anyone who wants to establish a business in our empire. The first is the goods tax. Anyone who will later build a business in this kingdom will certainly sell his belongings. Each item will be subject to a tax of 5% of the selling price of the item. Meanwhile, the import tax is a tax where if there are goods that are not from this kingdom, they enter this kingdom to be traded here. The goods will also be subject to import taxes. The import tax itself is 5% of the normal price of the item."

"Does that mean if there is someone who wants to build a business in this kingdom but the goods to be traded are goods that are not from this kingdom. They have to pay goods tax and import tax?" Queen Otohime asked again to confirm this.

"Sure" Ars nodded, "That's the rule we set. However, if someone builds their business by selling the products produced by our empire. They only have to pay the goods tax. For someone who already has a visa from this kingdom. They have the same right to be able to get goods produced by our kingdom at a price lower than the market price. It also helps them to get a lot of profit from the business they open."

Queen Otohime nodded and recorded the information in her mind.

"Those are the rules you should know about how to open a business in this kingdom. I don't think it's too much of a burden, right? After all, it's not just citizens from outside this kingdom. However, this rule will also apply to the citizens of our kingdom. In fact, they also have other additional taxes, namely payroll taxes that they have to pay as long as their salaries have touched the number of taxpayers."

"No problem" Queen Otohime nodded, "We will follow the rules. I will also later inform the people of our kingdom to let them know about this."

"Thank you" Ars nodded then took the document Lowellmina was holding along with the stationery then pushed it towards Otohime, "This is our cooperation agreement letter. Please have a look first. If there is an error there, you can tell me directly so we can fix it."

Otohime immediately took the document and saw the writing in the cooperation agreement letter. See that there is nothing out of the ordinary. Queen Otohime immediately signed the cooperation letter and handed it back to Ars. Ars also signed the document then handed it back to Lowellmina.

Ars' hand then extended forward, "In this way. Our kingdom has finally established a cooperative relationship. I hope we can continue to maintain this cooperative relationship forever."

"Me too" Queen Otohime excitedly reached out her hand to shake the handshake.

Everyone present immediately clapped and the most excited were Jinbey and the others. They were finally able to get a place that accepted their existence.

"Lowa"

Lowellmina then immediately handed over the Fortis Kingdom's Special Eternal Pose along with a small book she was holding to Ars. Ars immediately handed the two items over to Otohime.

"This is our kingdom's Special Eternal Pose. The island on which we built this empire has a special electromagnetic wave. An ordinary Log Pose would not be able to capture the island's electromagnetic waves and only the Eternal Pose created by our kingdom specifically could capture the magnetic waves. Besides that, I'm sure you've also received an explanation from Hashirama. There is a fog that surrounds this island. The fog is our security system and no one will be able to enter this kingdom without the Special Eternal Pose or without our help. So, from now on, use this Special Eternal Pose if you want to come here."

Queen Otohime nodded and immediately tucked away the Special Eternal Pose, "How about this booklet?"

"The book records the den-den mushi numbers of each of our royal officials. If you need something or want to ask something or also need help. Please feel free to contact our royal officials. Each of them has the right to move our troops later."

Queen Otohime was very happy to hear this and immediately kept the booklet carefully.

"Okay. Did you bring your royal flags according to my request?"

"Sure" Queen Otohime nodded as the troops who were accompanying her rushed forward and handed over the suitcase. Queen Otohime then opened the suitcase and seen inside the suitcase there was a flag belonging to the Ryugu Kingdom.

"This is our royal flag" Otohime said.

"Kaguya" Called Ars.

Kaguya stepped forward and took the flag slowly, "You can keep the flag in my study. Keep it in the glass cabinet near my desk."

"I see." Kaguya immediately took the flag out of the room.

"At the time our fellowship building was completed. We will contact you immediately to see the raising of our royal flag."

Queen Otohime nodded and currently in her heart couldn't wait for that time to come.

"Okay. Our cooperation talks are over. Does Queen Otohime want me to accompany you to tour our royal palace? Right now our kingdom still has nothing to show and only this royal palace is the asset we currently have."

"Maybe next time, King Fortis" Otohime immediately refused, "I want to come back soon to share this information with my people"

"I see" Ars nodded, "Then how about Hashirama accompany you to return? I have a task that I want to assign to him at this time and the location of the task itself is in the Red Line area. You can go there together. Besides, with Hashirama's presence, I will feel safe with your safety."

Ars' gaze stared at Jinbey, "I'm sorry, Jinbey. I'm not underestimating the power you have. However, as you know yourself. The ocean we are currently in is the New World. There are a lot of strong people here and I don't want it when you come back. You guys met one of the fleets of the Sea Emperor."

"No need to apologize, King Fortis" Jinbey said with a smile "I would be very happy if Hashirama-san came to take care of us. Especially I believe that with Hashirama-san's presence, we can safely arrive at our destination."

"Thank you" Ars then stood up, "Then wait a moment. I will talk about the mission that will be given by me to Hashirama. Just a few minutes"

Ars gaze then looked at Hashirama "Come with me"

Hashirama nodded and the two of them immediately walked out of the living room.

"Hashirama, I want to give you a mission to build a liaison channel in the Red Line. As you well know, for someone sailing from the New World to the Grand Line there are only two ways. The first via Marijoa and the second via Fish-Man Island. I want you to build a connecting channel on the Red Line so that our ship tomorrow which will aim to sail to Water Seven Island can use that line" Ars then took out a storage bracelet from his clothes pocket, "In this storage bracelet there is already a special electromagnetic wave emitting device, 25 Special Eternal Pose, as well as street lighting that has a power consumption of 1 year and has water resistance. When you successfully build a connecting channel, you embed this special electromagnetic wave transmitter in the connecting channel and then you use these 25 Special Eternal Poses to record the special electromagnetic wave data for the connecting channel. Also, for this street lamp, you adjust the position of this street lamp well so that while crossing the connecting channel, you will later have lighting that will help."

"I see." Hashirama nodded and immediately used the storage bracelet.

"Then for the last one. When all preparations are complete. You planted a very strong illusion at the entrance to the Grand Line section and the entrance to the New World section that can manipulate other people's Observation Haki abilities so that it is not easy for them to find the location."

Hashirama nodded seriously. Even though Ars didn't give himself the order. Hashirama in his heart would still carry out that order. Because he didn't want anyone else to know about the location of the connecting line.

"Okay. Then, let's go back. Also, on this journey. You help take care of them. Don't let anyone dare to do bad things to them."

Hashirama and Ars returned to the guest room.

"Queen Otohime, Hashirama is ready to go"

"Okay" Otohime and the others immediately got up from their seats. They all immediately walked out of the royal palace.

Before Otohime and the others left the royal palace, Otohime immediately turned around and looked at Ars, "Regarding the food ingredients ordered. We'll send it tomorrow."

"I see. We will be waiting for your presence here" Ars smiled and continued, "Hope you can safely return to your kingdom"

Queen Otohime and the others brought under guard from Hashirama immediately left the Fortis Kingdom. Ars gaze then turned to look at Lowellmina, "You will be busy from now on, Lowa."

"Hehe… I've been waiting for this too" Lowellmina said with a smile and continued, "Hey, Ars. Do you have time tonight? Would you like to play a game with me tonight?"

"Playing games? No problem. I have plenty of time tonight"

"Great! Then, I'll be waiting for you in the game room on the 4th floor for a bit tonight. We will play a fighting game" Lowellmina said with a happy smile.

"Okay. Oh yes. Lowa. Can you call Shiina to face me. I want to ask her to come with you tomorrow."

"Shina? What will he do?" Lowellmina asked in confusion.

"I want to ask her to be a recorder. Who will become citizens of our kingdom, who will later get the second unit house, who will later get the third unit house, how many family members are owned by the workers who will become citizens of our kingdom, and write down how many ordinary workers and contract workers who will work in our kingdom. When you are on duty later, you certainly will not be able to do this because you are busy making selections. While Hashirama will later serve as a security guard and cannot do this task. Someone has to do it for you."

"I understand" Lowellmina nodded, "I will tell this to Shiina after saving this document"

"I will wait in my room. Tell him to come now. However, if he has work to do, tell him to come see me tonight after we finish dinner."

Lowellmina nodded and immediately went to the warehouse to store the cooperation agreement documents. Meanwhile Ars went straight back to his room waiting for Shiina to arrive there.

Simultaneously, by the time Ars returned to his room. Immediately Elie informed that the points owned by Ars had increased to 5 more points which caused the current points that Ars could get every second had increased to 17.

This was due to the spread of news regarding the recruitment from the Fortis Kingdom carried out on Water Seven Island that spread very quickly to several islands near Water Seven Island.