Chapter 22
At my words, the Young Lady of Arshakh tilted her head, unable to hide her curiosity as she asked,
"A constitutional...monarchy? What is that?"
I kindly replied,
"Exactly what it sounds like. It's a system where laws are established to restrict the power of the monarch."
"Is that...possible? How can you control a King or Emperor with laws? Aren't they monarchs because they aren't subject to any limitations?"
"Why wouldn't it be possible? They're just people like us, after all."
It's something I learned fairly recently, but this world has distinctions between types of states, but no concept of different political systems.
A nation's method of governance is simply categorized as either a monarchy, where a monarch rules, or a republic, where one doesn't.
Just these two.
There's no classification like Earth's democratic republics, oligarchies, or dictatorships. This kind of governmental structure has never existed, so the concepts haven't been developed.
If you ask me why, honestly, I don’t know. I'm not a political expert.
If I had to guess… it’s probably because the Goddess actually exists.
History books are full of passages about the Goddess sending oracles or angels to appoint Kings.
'Humans will sell even non-existent gods. A real, existing Goddess would provide the ultimate justification.'
Almost every country on the Continent embraces the Church of the Goddess as their state religion. If a living, absolute being directly chooses the monarch, that monarch would wield immense authority.
So, no one would dare to try and limit that authority. It would be like challenging the authority of the Goddess herself.
Even the Northern Empire, the very empire we’re fighting against, initially chose their Emperor from among various lords, but the moment their chosen one received the Goddess's blessing, the system immediately shifted to hereditary rule.
It’s strange that our King's power is far from that of an absolute monarch, though… Well, whatever.
'The important thing is that this woman is interested in my proposal.'
The Young Lady of Arshakh believed that achieving a republic was only possible through a bloody revolution and the assassination of the Royal Family.
She seems quite intrigued by the idea that there’s a way to achieve it without taking lives.
"If the law is above the monarch, who makes the law?"
"The Assembly, of course."
"The Three Estates? That useless institution full of commoners only concerned with collecting taxes?"
No way. If we entrust such an important task to a group of old geezers just spouting nonsense, the country will be ruined. They don’t have the capacity for such a task in the first place.
"I intend to create a new institution to replace the Three Estates. A council composed of individuals from all walks of life to discuss state affairs and create laws."
Since this country is still a society with a class system, with the Royal Family and Nobility firmly in place and the Clergy wielding considerable power, it’s difficult to discuss state affairs without them.
Right now, I'm ruling as I please, backed by military force, but this won't last forever.
Soon, they’ll move beyond mere complaints and take concrete action.
Of course, I could suppress them with force… but then the administration would be paralyzed by work stoppages, as most high-ranking officials are related to the nobility.
So, I need to at least appear to respect and listen to their opinions. The establishment of an Assembly is the most appropriate means to achieve this.
"I would like you to join this Assembly, Young Lady. Along with your followers and your influence."
"As a member of the Supreme Council for National Reconstruction."
"Precisely."
The Young Lady of Arshakh looked as if she’d realized something.
Despite her young age, she's quite sharp. She seems to have grasped the implications of the opportunity I’ve presented.
"Even with the current influence of the Supreme Council for National Reconstruction, we are bound to be at a disadvantage in political battles. Most of us are from military backgrounds."
Myself, my subordinates, General Albrecht, and even those who joined from Command Center…
Not many of us are eloquent or capable of engaging in logical debates.
At best, it’s me, Colonel Kais, and maybe Lieutenant General Mauer, who’s still up North.
It's hard to suddenly become a good politician after spending a lifetime as a soldier.
That’s why I needed advocates.
Fierce vanguards who share our goals and will readily tear into our enemies. Mad dogs who will rampage and subdue the high and mighty.
"We needed people to voice our opinions, and I believe you, Young Lady, would be well-suited for the task."
"And what do my comrades and I gain in return?"
"My unwavering support. And the opportunity to personally suppress those who abuse their power based on their social standing."
In exchange for cooperation, all I offer is minimal support, psychological satisfaction, and a sense of accomplishment. Anything beyond that is theirs to earn.
It's an unfair deal, to be honest. I’m essentially using them.
But for those who have dreamed of this day since they learned about republicanism, this will be more than enough.
"Hmph, you're quite the sly one, General."
Young Lady of Arshakh sighed. However, her expression was a mix of anticipation, slight excitement, and zeal.
"I can't refuse an offer like this. Even though I feel like I'm getting the short end of the stick, it's a deal that makes me want to accept it."
"Isn't it a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity? Then it wouldn't be so bad to be tricked once. At least you can achieve the dream you've always longed for."
"That's the problem...."
I can’t chop off the King's head, but I can pursue the politics I've always dreamed of. A proper reign led by talented individuals like ourselves, not just the upper class, will become possible.
If it weren't for me, Carolus von Roytel, this would probably never happen, a future unattainable even for generations to come.
What a sweet temptation. Even if it means being used by someone, I would want to give it a try.
Look at the Young Lady of Arshakh. Even though she senses something is amiss, she's full of enthusiasm, far from refusing.
"Alright, fine."
In the end, her decision was acceptance.
"I, Camilla von Arshakh, accept General Carolus von Roytel's proposal. Let's work together to create a proper Kingdom."
"A wise choice, Young Lady. You won't regret it."
And so, the republicans within the Kingdom came to my side.
* * * * *
"You're saying you want to add new seats to the Supreme Council?"
"That's right. I'm going to add four or five new members. Make room for them in the chamber."
"Understood, General. We prepared for the possibility of expanding the membership from the beginning. I'll get it ready right away."
The process of integrating the new faction went smoothly. The Supreme Council for National Reconstruction was designed from the outset to cooperate and merge with other groups.
By simply revising the list of members and issuing appointment letters, I quickly secured Young Lady Arshakh and her colleagues.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, General. I've heard a lot about you from the Young Lady."
"Nice to meet you too. Herman, was it? I look forward to working with you."
Six people received committee positions, and twenty more are set to join when the Assembly is established. The Young Lady selected only the most talented and sharpest minds among her acquaintances.
They're all high-spec individuals, current members of academic societies, lawyers, and so on. They should be more than capable of fulfilling their roles.
However,
'Something is missing.'
I couldn't be satisfied.
Certainly, the republicans are excellent fighters, but they're outsiders in the Central Region’s political scene.
They hold no real power within the government. They can propose and plan things, but they lack the ability to put them into action.
In my previous life on Earth, if the Assembly made laws, the executive branch would figure out how to implement them, but things are different here. This is an era where no one cares about the separation of powers.
The courts, the Assembly, and the government are all intertwined. Even within the same nation's Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Justice, factions are divided and constantly fighting. It's not simply a matter of whose line someone is on, it's almost like dividing into enemies and allies.
'The Army is my domain, so I could manage there...'
Conscripting the nobles' troops to form reinforcements? That was easy because I had the Central Army and the cooperation of the Command Center.
But what about actual State Affairs? That's difficult for me to touch.
Even if I pressured the Nobility to implement certain policies, their own people in the executive branch would deliberately sabotage them through intentional obstruction.
"I need administrative power that I can control independently."
In short, I needed a group of officials under my command. A group that could work independently, free from the Nobility's interference.
Naturally, such a group wouldn't just fall from the sky. It seems I have no choice but to create one myself.
Recruiting promising individuals, enticing opportunists. Possibly even promoting them.
That's how we'll be able to build up enough power to implement the reforms we want.
Since none of us belong to the executive branch, we need reliable personnel who can act as middle managers.
"Then someone who would be useful... Ah, there he is."
While pondering the personnel selection, I remembered someone suitable for this situation and immediately summoned my adjutant.
"You called, General?"
"Yes. Go to the executive branch and find someone. He should be in the tax department of the Ministry of Finance."
"Right away, sir. What's his name?"
To the adjutant's question, I immediately replied.
"Julius von Roytel."
As you can tell from the surname, he's my older brother.