Ch.251Plague (5)

“You there! Do you even know what you’re saying?!”

“How dare you!”

“Are you insulting the Kingdom of Rotaring and His Majesty?!”

After a slight delay, the crowd gathered in the square simultaneously shouts at me. They’re treating me like someone who has committed high treason.

If personal lynching weren’t strictly prohibited by law, it seems like the crowd would rush at me immediately.

Swish—

“…”

Sensing the strangely escalating atmosphere, my plainclothes security guards look at me, waiting for orders, but I gesture to wait and see how things unfold.

If I were to reveal my identity here, I could instantly disperse this gathering and punish the instigator, but doing so would likely fail to address the root cause of the problem.

As I mentioned earlier, the Kingdom of Rotaring has become increasingly nationalistic due to successive wars and various policies.

Even if we capture the instigator, another will emerge. And even if we arbitrarily ban such statements by law, if we don’t solve the fundamental issue, this plague of superiority over people of other nations will build up until it eventually explodes in a terrible direction.

Such a future must be prevented.

“You ask if I know what I’m saying? Of course I do! You’re turning the achievements of countless people into garbage!”

“What are you talking about—”

“You’re belittling people’s efforts by claiming they succeeded simply because they were born superior. If you had even minimal intelligence, you wouldn’t say such things!”

“—That’s…!”

The person standing on the podium attacking me is suddenly silenced.

Inciting people requires a certain level of intelligence, and it seems the person on the podium has realized what I’m trying to say.

In contrast, most of the people attending this gathering still don’t understand what I’m talking about and are just expressing meaningless anger.

“Hmph, I merely said that Rotaring people are superior from birth. I never said they didn’t work hard. What kind of delusion are you having?”

After a few seconds, having thought of a response, the figure on the podium finally speaks.

Hmm… so that’s the approach.

“Delusion? Haven’t you been saying all along that Rotaring people are superior from birth, and that’s why they can make such efforts? If that’s not disparaging hard work, what is it?”

“That’s not disparaging effort! It means that the ability of Rotaring people to work hard is also a superior power blessed by God! If you saw the pathetic Imperial people who can’t work hard and just live lazily, you wouldn’t say such things!”

“Heh heh heh…”

He speaks quite well; it’s no wonder he’s gathered so many people.

A modern person with a broad perspective from various forms of education would immediately spot the flaws in that argument, but to medieval people who deeply believe that social status is a power bestowed by God, those words would seem perfectly reasonable.

And that fellow is using such perceptions very effectively.

I’m not sure what he’s trying to gain by inciting others like this, but he’s certainly clever.

“Who are you anyway? Someone who so adamantly denies the superiority of the Rotaring people and the inferiority of other races—perhaps there’s something base mixed in your bloodline?”

“””Hahahahaha!!!”””

“…”

While I was momentarily silent, both dumbfounded and impressed, he immediately seized the opportunity to insult me, causing the crowd to burst into laughter.

Seeing this, Ellen and my plainclothes guards immediately became hostile. If I were to give any signal, they would rush forward and perform a beheading show in the middle of the square in broad daylight, regardless of who was watching.

“Haaa… First of all, except for the top 0.1% of geniuses, people’s talents are all more or less the same. There’s no point in arguing about who’s superior or inferior.”

“You’re still saying such—”

“Second, the achievements of the Kingdom of Rotaring so far are not due to Rotaring people being inherently superior. It’s just—”

“—It’s because His Majesty is exceptional.”

“Ellen?”

As I was slowly continuing my explanation, Ellen, who had been observing silently from the beginning, suddenly interrupts the conversation. And not just with any comment, but with a strange statement.

“The Kingdom of Rotaring’s current advantage over other countries isn’t because the citizens are exceptional. It’s simply because His Majesty is exceptional, which is why all those achievements were possible.”

At Ellen’s words, the crowd falls silent immediately. It’s partly because her words hit the mark, but also because no one expected such a direct statement.

Saying that the country is doing well because the king is exceptional—such direct speech limits the options for those listening.

“Claiming that these achievements were made because Rotaring people—meaning yourselves—are exceptional is essentially stealing His Majesty’s accomplishments. What kind of disloyalty is this?”

“What…”

The crowd, which had been clamorous until just a moment ago, can no longer respond.

Once the accusation of disloyalty to His Majesty has been raised, even the most ignorant person would realize that answering carelessly could lead to terrible consequences.

“Did I say something wrong? Living filthily, smearing excrement all over the city until His Majesty ascended the throne, yet now claiming to be of different stock—”

“Ellen, stop. That’s enough.”

“—Ugh… Yes, I apologize.”

I hastily stopped Ellen, fearing that saying anything more would lead to irreversible consequences.

I understand her feelings, but saying such things in private is one thing; saying them in public where everyone can hear is quite another matter.

……….

Sensing that the atmosphere would become increasingly tense if we stayed, I took Ellen and left the square. Neither of us was in the mood to enjoy our outing anymore, so I told Ellen we could schedule another date when we both had time, and that ended yesterday’s date.

Of course, I could have revealed my identity right there and arrested the man who was aggressively inciting people, but if I had done so, the crowd who had laughed at me would also have received severe punishment due to the atmosphere. I decided against it. Better than needlessly spilling blood.

“Name: Rudolf… no surname, occupation: unemployed… hmm.”

I ordered it yesterday, and the Intelligence Office has already brought a mountain of information about that man, Rudolf.

Although the Intelligence Office collects all kinds of information in advance, I was slightly surprised that they knew so much about Rudolf, an ordinary citizen. Apparently, he had been causing quite a commotion for some time, so the Intelligence Office had been keeping an eye on him for a long time.

“…He’s quite extreme.”

I’m holding an actual copy of a manifesto that Rudolf had previously posted on the square’s bulletin board.

Reading through it, it’s quite a spectacle. He claims that Rotaring people, that is, the Burgon race, are superior to other races in every aspect from top to bottom.

It’s full of logical leaps, and many of the claims of superiority lack evidence, but he fills those gaps with religious faith, feudal thinking, and loyalty to me. To medieval people accustomed to such concepts, it probably appears to be a perfect piece of writing.

Court servants with positions befitting their intelligence and knowledge furrowed their brows when shown this writing but couldn’t properly refute it. Ordinary citizens would probably fall for it completely.

The question is why Rudolf wrote such things…

“So, why did you do all this?”

BANG—!!

“…?”

I just asked a question, but Rudolf, whose body is bound and covered in bruises, bends over and slams his head on the floor.

Really… I just told them to bring him in quietly, and they did this.

They claim he tried to escape, so they had no choice but to subdue him, but honestly, it’s hard to believe. How would an ordinary civilian know they were being secretly abducted at night and try to escape?

Everyone must know about yesterday’s incident in the square, so I understand their emotions, but… anyway, I wonder if Rudolf can speak properly in that state.

“Your Majesty!! Please… please spare my life!”

Well, he seems fine. His mouth, at least, is working perfectly.

“Yesterday’s incident was a mistake because I didn’t know that noble person was Your Majesty—”

Although I had partially covered my face and disguised myself during yesterday’s date with Ellen, making my appearance quite different from now, the very perceptive Rudolf immediately recognized that I was the person in the square yesterday.

Whew… after mocking me by asking if there was something base in my bloodline, now he calls me a noble person?

“Stop with the unnecessary talk and answer my question first. Why did you do this? Did you want to gain some honor?”

“Yes, Your Majesty, indeed that is so! I merely wanted to widely promote the superiority of the Kingdom of Rotaring, Your Majesty who leads it, and the people under Your Majesty’s rule, and to gain honor as a leading apostle of this promotion!”

“…You’re honest.”

Wow, he’s quite desperate, probably knowing that if things go wrong even slightly, his head could be cut off in an instant.

For now… Rudolf’s claim seems to be true. From the manifestos posted on bulletin boards to the various speeches given in the square, records show he consistently praised not only Rotaring people but also me.

And people admired and looked up to Rudolf, who said things they liked to hear.

…How should I deal with this guy?