The next morning, Reinold arrived.
He did not co alone. With him, on his small ship, were twenty n. The first batch that Pablo had requested from Arthur.
The n disembarked onto the small wooden pier on the distant shore. They did not speak much. They knew what they had to do. Arthur had told them before they left. Spread out. Head to the headquarters in the forest. Do not attract attention.
Each man moved in a different direction. Through the forest. Through the fields. Through the side roads. They avoided the military patrols that had spread everywhere.
Hours later, they all arrived at the cave. They were mbers of the family from Naraka. They began greeting their comrades whom they had not seen for a while, and exchanged small talk.
---
At midnight, Pablo was standing in the usual place. The sa forest. The sa large rock. The sa thick darkness.
He waited.
After a few minutes, he heard footsteps. Reinold was coming. He was alone this ti. He did not bring his n with him. The situation had beco more dangerous, and he preferred that no one see him.
"Pablo."
"Reinold."
They shook hands. Reinold's hand was cold. Not just from the weather. He knew this deal would be different.
"Let's save ti. How much do you have?"
Pablo took out a sample from his bag. Golden Topaz Leaves. Silveria Azure. Verdiana Green.
"A huge quantity. Over 250 million."
Reinold was silent. His eyes assessed.
"I want 250 million." Pablo said.
"Impossible. The market is not what it used to be. I'll give you 200."
"240."
"210."
"230."
"223. Final offer."
Pablo looked at him. Then he nodded.
"Alright. 223."
But he did not extend his hand to shake. He paused.
"However..."
Reinold raised an eyebrow. "However?"
"I will sell it to you for 190 million."
Reinold was silent. He was thinking. 190 was much less than 223. A difference of 33 million. Why?
"What do you want in return?"
"I want you to smuggle weapons for from Naraka to here."
Reinold smiled a small smile. He began to understand.
"How many?"
Pablo took out a paper from his pocket. He handed it to Reinold. He read it. His eyes widened.
"12,000 guns. 3,000 swords. Ammunition worth ten million. 200 cannons. And gunpowder and other equipnt."
He raised his eyes to Pablo.
"This quantity... is enough for a small army. What do you intend to do with it?"
"None of your business."
Reinold was silent. He knew not to ask more. Pablo was not a man who explained his plans to just anyone.
"Alright. I'll do it. But it will take ti. The quantity is huge. I'll need several trips."
"Take your ti. The important thing is that it arrives."
Reinold took out a heavy bag from under his clothes. He placed it on the rock.
"190 million. As agreed."
Pablo opened the bag. He counted the money quickly. 90 million. He left the remaining hundred million in the bag and returned it to Reinold.
"What are you doing?"
"The remaining 100 million here, give them to Arthur in Naraka. He will give you the weapons you requested."
Reinold closed the bag. He nodded.
"I will start the arrangents as soon as I return."
"You will send the weapons here. To this place. My n will be waiting."
Reinold nodded. He shook Pablo's hand.
The deal was done.
---
Pablo returned to the cave before dawn. The twenty n were waiting for him. He stood before them.
He looked at their faces one by one. He knew them all. They were from Naraka. Among the strongest n in the family. The smartest. As requested.
"You know why you are here."
"Of course you don't know. I have a task for you."
"The south is full of desperate young n. The poor. Those who work in the fields from dawn to dusk and have nothing to eat. Those who watch their fathers and mothers die of hunger and illness and can do nothing."
He paused.
"You will go to them. You will speak to them. You will tell them that the nobles steal the fruits of their labor. That King Bekori sells them to the World Governnt to pay the Heavenly Tribute. That their blood is cheap. That their lives an nothing in the eyes of their rulers."
"You will tell them that there are those who steal from the nobles. That there are those who kill the king's soldiers. That there are those who are not afraid. You will tell them that the stolen money will be used to buy weapons. Weapons to overthrow the tyrant king."
He paused. He read their eyes. They were focused. They understood.
"You will plant anger in their hearts. You will make them dream. You will make them believe they are capable of changing sothing. Because we need chaos. We need a rebellion. We need sothing to occupy the king and his army."
The n nodded. They knew. They were not saints. They were soldiers of the Pablo Family.
"If we succeed, the entire south will rise up. And Bekori's army will not need 6,000 soldiers to face us. They will need 6,000 soldiers to face their own people."
He smiled. It was not a warm smile.
"This is your mission. Start tomorrow."
---
The next morning, the twenty n began to infiltrate the villages of the south.
They did not wear flashy clothes. They did not carry visible weapons. They looked like ordinary peasants. Just like them.
The first of them arrived at a small village on the outskirts of the south. The young n were working in the fields under the scorching sun.
He approached a group of young n. He sat with them. He began to speak.
"Do you know that the nobles in the north live in palaces while we sleep on the dirt?"
They looked at him. So were angry. So were broken. So no longer felt anything.
"Do you know that the king sells our herbs to the World Governnt and steals their price?"
He paused. He read their faces.
"I know who steals the nobles' convoys. I know who kills the king's soldiers. They are not angels. But they do what you dare not do."
Eyes began to widen. Ears began to listen.
"They say they will distribute weapons soon. Weapons to the poor. Weapons to those who want to fight."
He paused. He smiled.
"If you want to be free... then prepare yourselves."
In other villages, other n were doing the sa. Speaking to the young n. Planting hope. Planting anger. Planting the seeds of rebellion.
They did not speak about Pablo. They did not speak about the Pablo Family. They spoke about "friends in the north." About "those who want good for the south." About "the coming revolution."
Words were their weapon. And the lies were real enough to be believed by those who wanted to believe.
Within days, whispers began to spread in the south.
"There are those planning to overthrow the system of governnt."
"Weapons will arrive soon."
"The south will rise."
Pablo was not a revolutionary. He did not want freedom for the poor. He wanted chaos. Chaos to occupy the king and his army. Chaos to allow him to achieve his goals: to take control of the Sorbet Kingdom and to add both Kuma and Jinny to the family.
And the poor... were fuel for this chaos.
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