Chapter 24: Religious Reform (1)

Half through persuasion, half through threats, I managed to get Brother Julius on board with my plan.

It was a relationship he probably wouldn't have wished for, but he still did his job properly. The number of personnel joining the Supreme Council for National Reconstruction began to increase rapidly.

"Brother, are you really sure I can spend the budget as I see fit? You won't reprimand me for wasting it, right?"

"I've told you countless times I won't. Have you developed some kind of paranoia?"

"I've been so tormented by those idiotic superiors in the Treasury changing their words...."

"Even so, I wouldn't betray my own brother, Brother."

Funds are covered by the national budget, which we've diverted to the Supreme Council. Information? Well, if we have the Intelligence Department under the Command Center do it, we can get pretty much anything.

With the two keys needed to sway people in his hands, Brother scraped together talent wherever he could find it.

He started with the Treasury where he belonged, then moved on to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, the Chancellery (the department assisting the Chancellor), and so on.

Literally, he tried scouting anyone he could get in touch with.

"Quality doesn't matter. Right now, filling the ranks is the priority. We need to secure the numbers to survive the power games that will come later."

"Still, accepting even those low-level guys seems like it will reduce efficiency."

"Doesn't matter. We're not gathering them to be close aides, are we? As long as they can work and follow our orders, that's enough."

Age, rank, and reputation are irrelevant. If they are willing to join us, they pass without question.

By offering conditions that could only be described as unconventional, participants gathered quickly.

Although most of them were third-rate hangers-on and small fry drawn to the scent of power.

Brother asked if I shouldn't weed out some of them, but I firmly refused.

Right now, securing sheer size took precedence over pursuing qualitative improvement.

If the combined forces of my faction and potential allies are to be capable of running state affairs independently, size is an absolutely indispensable factor.

Well, we can't keep embracing all these riffraff forever. Once the foundation is stabilized, we'll have to start weeding them out.

"I'll keep sending money. If you need more, contact me through my adjutant."

"Understood."

However, despite Brother's efforts and passion, and my financial resources, things didn't always go smoothly.

The high and mighty lords took exception to us openly gallivanting and rampaging within the administration.

* * * * *

"Damn Carolus, acting like the Kingdom is his own personal property."

A closed-door meeting between the Monarch and key nobles, held periodically.

With Charles VII seated at the head of the table and the nobles gathered around a round table, one Duke vented his frustration.

"We tolerated it when he took our cherished private soldiers. We share some of the blame for what happened on the Front Line. We understood it as an act of generous mercy."

"....But once we yielded, he became even more arrogant."

"That's exactly what I'm saying! What does that bastard think of the Kingdom's solemn laws and order!!"

They could tolerate him taking the soldiers and forming the Front Line Reinforcements. From the perspective of taking responsibility for past mistakes, it was within the acceptable range.

However, they couldn't overlook him arbitrarily appropriating the national budget and stationing the Revolutionary Army, renamed the Central Army, in the Royal Capital.

Does he think staging a Coup d'état makes him the Monarch?

The authority to organize Lahator's defense forces and the Royal Guard belongs solely to the Monarch.

Why does he arbitrarily decide and even handle the paperwork without authorization?

"He must be insecure after gaining power through force. Stationing his army in the Capital by force shows it."

"He's a man of no pedigree, so it's no wonder. He relies on force because he's surrounded by enemies."

If he had at least attempted persuasion, it would have been different. Carolus always communicated unilaterally.

He makes decisions through that Supreme Council for National Reconstruction thing and then simply informs the Royal Family of the results.

As if he's saying, "I'll decide, you just stamp the seal."

"We can't hesitate any longer. We have to take some kind of measure."

They could no longer tolerate this behavior.

They had been silent out of fear of guns, but if this continued, the Kingdom would cease to be a kingdom.

"Let's teach that lowly, lowborn noble his place."

"How? His influence is currently sky-high."

The Duke of Barrelmunt, who had been leading the conversation, responded to Marquis Oppert's words.

This was the old man who had pointed at Carolus when he barged into the Banquet Hall and had a gun shoved in his face.

With an expression clearly filled with personal animosity, he pleaded with the King.

"We can ask Your Majesty."

"Ask me?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. Perhaps we could contact the Clergy and persuade them to act on our behalf?"

The Clergy.

Devout followers of the Church of the Goddess, the Kingdom's national religion, they managed cathedrals, monasteries, and temples throughout the land.

At the sudden suggestion to summon the religious zealots, some wore puzzled expressions. Conversely, others gasped as if realizing something.

"Indeed! Are we planning to incite the commoners?"

"Precisely. Carolus is sensitive to public opinion. Religion is an invaluable tool for guiding the ignorant lower classes."

Every citizen of the Kingdom attends Sunday Mass every week.

In the city, they attend the city cathedral; in the countryside, a small nearby temple.

Even in impoverished, remote rural areas, they receive assistance from a visiting priest every week.

Unless their lives are truly in danger and they are on the verge of death, it's essentially mandatory to attend Mass.

And during Mass, besides reading scriptures and group prayers, there is a time for sermons delivered by the priests.

In other words, they could instruct the priests in each region to instigate nationwide unrest.

If dissenting opinions spread and support dwindles in each area, the Supreme Council, a military dictatorship, would undoubtedly be jeopardized.

"It's a plausible plan...but will they really cooperate as we request? Despite serving God, they are incredibly greedy."

"....We'll have to offer them something. Something they can't refuse."

Of course, the likelihood of the avaricious bishops and cardinals acting as they desired was low.

They were the kind who remained indifferent as long as they weren't affected, even amidst the upheaval of the Kingdom's power structure.

A significant concession, enough to satisfy them, would be necessary to secure their cooperation.

"Specifically, how?"

"Well, that decision rests with Your Majesty..."

The Duke glanced up at Charles VII and spoke cautiously.

"We might have to return the Right to Appoint Bishops to the Papal See or create Clerical Vassal positions."

"What?!"

"Th-that would be like reverting the Religious Community back hundreds of years!"

Vehement objections.

A natural reaction.

Anyone who understood the implications of those suggestions wouldn't utter them lightly.

The Right to Appoint Bishops, as the name suggests, refers to the authority to appoint and ordain clergymen. Effectively, it's the personnel authority over all clergymen within the Kingdom.

It had been the Royal Family's exclusive right since it was seized from the Papal See 150 years ago, and now they were suggesting returning it?

That was synonymous with the Royal Family losing control over the clergy within the Kingdom.

Conversely, Clerical Vassals are positions where the Monarch grants fiefdoms to clergymen and receives their oaths of loyalty.

In this case, the Royal Family would maintain their power, but they would have to relinquish some of their territory.

To create new fiefdoms, they would have to carve them out of existing land.

Whichever option they chose, it would entail significant losses for the Royal Family and the Kingdom as a whole.

"Are there no other alternatives? Like offering a substantial sum of money--"

"There are plenty of bishops who already own vast personal farms and mines. Do you think that would work? How much in bribes do you think it would take to achieve our objective?"

"And when would we have the time to bribe each and every one of them? We're in a dire situation right now."

Other persuasion methods had significant drawbacks if they chose conventional approaches. It would take too long, and the probability of success was uncertain.

If things dragged on too long, Carolus and the Supreme Council for National Reconstruction might catch on, so a swift resolution was necessary.

"....I shall resolve this."

Finally, Charles VII, unable to bear the nobles' bickering any longer, stepped forward.

"Your Majesty?"

"Wouldn't we need to meet them in person to understand what they want? I will negotiate. I may have to make concessions, but I must obtain a definitive answer."

"W-Wise decision, Your Majesty!"

"It must be a painful decision, but you will surely be rewarded in the future!!"

Secure the Clergy's cooperation, whatever the cost.

Think about the consequences later. That was the conclusion they reached.

* * * * *

And.

Having obtained all this information through Colonel Kaise, I sighed quietly.

"'Looks like the Religious Community needs a Cultural Revolution.'"

Ah, the master of Chinese euthanasia, fried rice, sparrow slaughter, Chairman Mao.

I shall carry on your legacy in this world!