Ch.258Empire (1)

[“Um… what exactly is going on here?”]

[“His Majesty has issued an imperial decree reforming the administrative system. Unlike before, you no longer need to wait months to get anything done. That’s because we now have this splendid new provincial office.”]

At first, it was just a small change.

The chaotic administrative system was completely overhauled and simplified, while new administrative branches were created, making it easier to conduct business.

Of course, such benefits were initially a privilege enjoyed only by city dwellers like myself, but before long, these privileges became available to everyone.

[“Tax collectors? Really?!”]

[“Yes, taxes will now only be collected as specified by law. The corrupt tax collectors have all been dismissed, and tax collection will now be handled by officials educated at Dijon University who receive salaries, so you no longer need to provide extra payments to tax collectors—or rather, tax officials—as before.”]

The notorious tax farmers were eradicated almost overnight, as swiftly as killing insects.

Tax collectors who had legally purchased the right to collect taxes on behalf of the monarch naturally didn’t collect taxes according to the rates written in law.

If we assume the legally specified tax was 20% of income, the collectors would add another 20% for their own profit, charging the people a total of 40%. And this was just the minimum rate—if a collector was short on money or thought the taxpayer was an easy target, the story would naturally change.

Depending on the collector’s mood and judgment, tax rates could fluctuate between 40% and 80%, which obviously placed a heavy burden on the people. But previous monarchs didn’t bother to correct this practice as long as the expected taxes were reliably collected.

Above all, as evident from the fact that tax collection rights were granted to collectors in the first place, monarchs lacked the administrative capacity to properly collect taxes without them. Even rulers who were well aware of these problems had no choice but to use tax collectors, however reluctantly.

[“Hurrah! Duke of Burgundy—no, long live King Lotharing!”]

But those tax collectors crumbled before His Majesty’s majesty, like demons perishing under holy light.

It must have cost an enormous amount, and the benefits His Majesty could gain from it were surely minimal, yet His Majesty went ahead and drove out the tax collectors who had been the people’s enemies.

Was it from this moment that I could no longer believe the various malicious rumors about His Majesty?

A ruler who works so hard for his people couldn’t possibly commit all the sins that foreigners claim. Even if he did… well, for someone as great as His Majesty, wouldn’t that be within his rights?

[“What? This is really my daily wage?”]

[“Pardon? Ah… yes, it’s your daily wage. Is it too little?”]

[“No! It’s plenty! It’s just… so much more than I expected… the money… *sob*”]

[“Oh, hey! Why are you suddenly crying?”]

Under His Majesty’s reign, everyone’s lives, including mine, grew more prosperous day by day.

People who had barely been scraping by suddenly found themselves able to eat three meals a day with just six hours of labor. Working more hours and saving their wages allowed them to afford not just food but also clothes, housing, and other necessities they had lacked.

There are now masses of commoners who have become nobles by purchasing titles from His Majesty after just five years of working in fertilizer factories, and tenant farmers who have bought undeveloped land, cultivated it, and become landlords with tenant farmers of their own.

Comparing His Majesty’s reign to the previous one is like comparing heaven and earth—no, heaven and hell. If even a provincial city like this enjoys such prosperity and redevelopment, I can only imagine with awe what Dijon, said to be the wealthiest city in Lotharing, must look like.

[“University… you? Yes, go! Of course you must go! I may be uneducated, hammering nails in a factory, but you should study and learn skills to become a supervisor of people like me! I’ve saved enough money—”]

[“Oh, Father, please! Stop saying such things! Besides, I got a scholarship for university, so you don’t need to give me any money!”]

[“Scholarship… how on earth…?”]

[“Well… the priest at the church school wrote me a recommendation letter saying I was smart, and I passed the exam too… hehe, I wanted to surprise you, so I didn’t say anything until the scholarship was confirmed. Is… is that okay?”]

[“Of course it’s okay! Absolutely okay! Yes… absolutely!”]

His Majesty doesn’t stop at simply ensuring his people are well-fed and prosperous.

Even though educating the common people would most likely harm His Majesty and the nobility, he ignores this fact and pours tremendous resources into providing quality education for his subjects. He’s even gone so far as to establish universities and convert existing churches into schools.

It was then that I became convinced.

His Majesty has been implementing these benevolent policies not merely to secure a place in heaven after death, but because he genuinely cares for his people.

I witnessed the daily transformation of the landscape, smelled the delicious aromas from the street vendors that sprouted like mushrooms, heard the lively chatter of energetic people, tasted abundant and delicious food, and felt a kindness I had never experienced before.

Literally, I’ve experienced the strengthening of our nation under His Majesty’s reign through all five senses.

Of course, His Majesty hasn’t shown only benevolence.

[“Oh my… tsk tsk.”]

[“Ugh! Don’t you even wash?!”]

[“…Those brown stains on your clothes, could they be what I think they are? Ugh, disgusting! Don’t come near me!”]

The prosperity of our country means, in other words, that other countries have become poorer.

Just looking at the merchants from the Holy Empire, one could easily tell what state their country was in due to His Majesty’s wrath.

They wear tattered clothes, try to save every penny because money is so scarce, and don’t even attempt to clean the stains on their clothes. Their facial skin is all shriveled, and none have the oily faces that Lotharing merchants do.

If merchants, who need to present themselves well to gain advantages in trade, look like this, it wasn’t hard to imagine what ordinary citizens of the Empire must be going through.

However, no one in Lotharing felt any sympathy for those living in poverty and desperation.

After all, they brought this upon themselves by attacking us first.

[“We won again?!”]

[“They completely crushed the Imperial army this time?!”]

[“Long live His Majesty, blessed by God!”]

His Majesty has always brought nothing but victory.

Being a great ruler who lovingly cares for his people would be impressive enough, but every war since His Majesty’s ascension has ended only in victory—overwhelming victory at that.

For His Majesty, defeat does not exist.

The word “defeat” is reserved only for the detestable enemies who stand in His Majesty’s way. His Majesty always emerges victorious, and the spoils of those victories always become sustenance for our people.

…Therefore, this time will surely go well too.

We will certainly win this war as well.

Because that’s the kind of ruler His Majesty is.

[“I gladly accept your loyalty. In all of history, I may be the only ruler whose subjects and ministers have voluntarily proclaimed their lord as Emperor, without any external pressure.”]

[“I am truly… truly proud to be your lord. I must surely be the most blessed ruler in the world—no, in all of history!”]

As evident from His Majesty’s speech urging the people to make a decision, we must certainly step forward.

We must repay His Majesty, who ascended to the throne as Emperor thanks to our loyalty and fervor.

His Majesty lacks nothing except a pretext for war.

Otherwise, His Majesty’s actions so far make no sense. Given that His Majesty has achieved nothing but victory in war, how could he possibly be reluctant to wage it?

What His Majesty wants now is merely a minor justification to use as a pretext for war, or a fervent public desire strong enough to overturn the need for such justification. Once that’s resolved, everything else will proceed smoothly.

“Long live the Emperor!”

“Your Majesty, please save the suffering people of other nations!”

That’s why, as Martyr Rudolf said, we must step forward.

Only the fervent desire of the people, the masses, the loyal subjects, can create a path beyond outdated justifications.

“…”

Looking around, I see the streets filled with people. I never realized so many people lived in this small city, despite having lived here for nearly 40 years.

…Well, that’s not what’s important now.

What matters is that there are many others who think the same as I do.

“Let’s give the world to His Majesty!!”

Long live the Emperor!!