One Piece: I am Imu-Chapter 309: Technology, Magic, and Betrayal

"Lord Imu, Saint Marcus Mars reported that the research and development team has successfully manufactured the first maritime train." Stussy informed as Imu was on his way to his office.

Imu had almost forgotten about this development project.

In his mind, this was something that would take at least ten years to complete.

Yet, here they were—only five years in.

He took the report from Stussy's hands and carefully read through it.

By the time he finished, he realized he had underestimated just how quickly the World Government had advanced in both technology and materials.

"Excellent. Once the Sea Train is up and running, maritime travel efficiency will skyrocket. Maybe the Calm Belt will finally stop being an impassable death trap," Imu mused.

That thought led him to Poseidon, Shirahoshi—who hadn't even been born yet.

"If only she could show up sooner..." he murmured.

With her abilities, she could command the Sea Kings and keep them from attacking the train routes and other ships.

Then, another idea struck him.

"Now that I think about it... don't we already have a 'Poseidon'?"

Black Marlin.

It probably couldn't control the Sea Kings outright, but its strength was undeniable.

Maybe it could keep them in check.

Imu pondered for a moment.

And the key word was temporary.

Once Shirahoshi was born and grew into her power, the title of Poseidon would naturally be hers.

Stussy continued with her report. "Lord Imu, the Infrastructure Department has decided to officially begin construction on the Red Line Tunnel Project on the last day of the year—December 31st."

Imu nodded.

Another world-changing megaproject.

The plan was to carve two massive tunnels through the Red Line on either side of Reverse Mountain.

This would allow ships from the East Blue and North Blue, as well as those from the South Blue and West Blue, to travel between their respective oceans far more easily.

And if the Sea Train was integrated into the design, even better.

Of course, the challenges were obvious.

The Red Line wasn't just any landmass.

It was an entire continent.

Drilling through it to create large-scale tunnels?

For most worlds, that kind of feat would be nothing short of a fairy tale.

And yet, the Infrastructure Department dared to take on this challenge.

Not only that, but they had made thorough preparations and were now just a month away from officially breaking ground.

What gave them such confidence?

The World Government's technological advancements, an immense workforce, and the extraordinary abilities of Devil Fruit users and alchemists!

Stussy glanced at her notebook before continuing. "Lastly, the Five Elders are requesting approval to partially open the Dimensional Gate to the Demon Slayer World next January. This would allow select nations from both worlds to engage in trade."

"They have my approval," Imu said with a nod.

He had already been considering this move for quite some time.

This so-called 'partial opening' came with strict limitations—both on who could cross and where they could go.

Still...

Imu found himself thinking about another possibility.

He wanted to find a world that could be opened to the public—somewhere that would let ordinary citizens experience the wonders of another realm firsthand.

The Teigu World seemed like a good candidate.

Sure, the place was crawling with Danger Beasts but compared to the creatures that roamed the Grand Line and the beasts lurking beneath the ocean, it probably wouldn't be much of a shock to the people here.

If there was one thing the people of this planet excelled at, it was their thirst for adventure.

"Now that I think about it... the Zero no Tsukaima world wouldn't be bad either," Imu mused. "There are magical creatures there too, but none of them are too dangerous. Plus, the land is vast, sparsely populated, and has beautiful scenery."

Before he knew it, his thoughts had drifted to Amatori Biba.

"Let's see what he can do first. Six people trying to unify an entire world... Sounds interesting."

If that kid actually pulled it off, he might deserve a promotion.

Maybe even a spot as the Captain of Cipher Pol-No.8.

...

Fifth Dimensional Gate, Zero Magic World.

Ever since the Kingdom of Tristain used Louise's Void Magic to crush the seventy-thousand-strong army of the Reconquista, its name had spread across the Halkeginia Continent.

On top of that, the ten magic airships and fifty cannons acquired from Prince Wales had significantly strengthened the kingdom's military.

The only downside was that the Griffin Magic Guard had been nearly wiped out, suffering over two thousand casualties.

Yet, just as the kingdom was basking in its new found glory, two letters from the Kingdom of Germania shattered the joyous atmosphere.

Inside the royal palace, Queen Marianne sat on the throne, her expression dark as she waved the letters in her hand.

"Would you care to explain this?" she asked, her voice heavy. She unfolded the first letter and read aloud: "King Albrecht III states that since you and Prince—no, King—Wales of Albion have developed romantic feelings for each other, your engagement is officially annulled."

"W-what?" Princess Henrietta stiffened, panic flashing in her eyes.

Before she could say anything, her mother pulled out the second letter, disappointment written all over her face.

"As if that weren't enough, they even included a full transcript of the love letter you sent to King Wales."

"Ah?!" Henrietta snatched the letter and read through it as fast as she could. By the time she reached the end, her face was burning with shame. "No... this... how is this possible...?" she muttered, struggling to process it.

"What do you mean, how?" Queen Marianne let out a long sigh. "This was obviously Wales's doing. He wanted to end your engagement, and he did it in the most humiliating way possible. Not only did he tarnish your reputation, but he also disgraced our royal family. Truly ruthless."

But Henrietta shook her head frantically, her emotions in turmoil.

"No! Wales would never do something like this! There must be some kind of misunderstanding!"

And yet, deep down, doubt crept into her heart.

After all, Louise had confirmed that the letter had indeed reached Wales.

Still, Henrietta refused to believe that the man she loved could betray her in such a despicable way.

"Enough." Queen Marianne's tone softened slightly. "What's done is done. There's no point dwelling on it. Now that you're no longer engaged, it's time to prepare for your coronation." She paused, then added, "And you should try to move on. You know just as well as I do that the two of you could never be together."

Henrietta lowered her head, saying nothing.

In Halkeginia, there was an unspoken rule among nobility: a reigning queen could marry and bear children, but she was forbidden from wedding another king.

Some understood the reason behind it. Others did not.

But the rule had stood for centuries, with no exceptions.

"...Understood."

Under the weight of her mother's steady gaze, Henrietta forced herself to nod, swallowing the pain in her heart.

...

Ten days later.

Far above the mainland, in the floating Kingdom of Albion, the once-chaotic political landscape had finally stabilized.

For the common people, it seemed as though peace had returned.

However...

The kingdom's military leaders and officials sensed something was off.

The continued modification of magic warships, the forging of cannons, the mass production of breech-loading rifles, and the ongoing training of soldiers in firearm combat...

These weren't just defensive measures.

No one dared to ask questions.

After all, King Wales had just crushed the last remnants of rebellion within the kingdom, and his authority was now absolute.

...

Inside the royal palace.

"Your Majesty, have you heard? Princess Henrietta has officially ascended as Queen of Tristain. A cause for celebration, wouldn't you say?" Biba chuckled, then leaned in slightly. "I suggest you pay her a visit soon. While you're there, you can pin the blame for the leaked letter on me... and then propose marriage."

Biba and King Wales sat across from each other at the desk.

Biba's tone was gentle, his attitude respectful toward the king, yet his words didn't sound much like a suggestion.

"I... I understand what needs to be done." King Wales agreed without resistance.

Seeing this, Biba's lips curled into a satisfied smile. "Good. As long as Your Majesty does as you're told, you'll have everything you desire—women, power, status—whatever you want."

At that moment, King Wales's mind was under the control of the Andvari Ring.

Unfortunately, there was one major flaw.

The ring required magic to activate, so Biba couldn't use it himself—he had to rely on Wardes instead.

As for why Wardes obeyed him...

After studying Wardes's personality and ambitions, Biba had secretly visited him in his prison cell for a long conversation.

By the end of that night, Biba was certain—Wardes was a man who craved power and status, just like himself.

Biba knew men like Wardes all too well—because he was the same kind of person.

So, he laid it all out, revealing his own plan to use the Kingdom of Albion for world conquest. The only reason they had been enemies before was that they had picked different sides.

But now, they had a chance to work together.

Without hesitation, Biba casually tossed the Andvari Ring to Wardes.

It was useless to him anyway.

Wardes wasn't an idiot—he had already seen Biba's power firsthand.

So, for now, he decided to play along.

There was something about Biba and his people that felt... mysterious.

And mystery simply meant a lack of understanding.

If he wanted to make his own move, he had to understand them first.

...

Four days later, King Wales traveled to the Kingdom of Tristain once again to meet Henrietta.

Their relationship had changed drastically.

One was now a king.

The other, a queen.

Yet, when night fell and the world grew quiet, they couldn't help but steal moments together.

"Your Majesty, how did my letter end up in King Albrecht III's hands?" Henrietta lay in Wales's arms, her voice laced with frustration and hurt.

Following Biba's instructions, Wales explained that Biba had acted on his own—seeing how much Wales longed for her, he had taken it upon himself to do something underhanded.

By the time Wales found out, it was too late.

That was why he had rushed over—to explain everything to her in person.

"I see..." Henrietta gazed into Wales's clear, sincere eyes and believed him. Because in her heart, she knew he would never lie to her.

He wasn't that kind of man.

Then, in a hushed whisper, Wales leaned close to her ear and murmured— "Marry me, Henrietta."

"W-What?!" Her expression changed instantly, shock washing over her face.

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