episode_0067

Alkione Federation, northwestern region.

A certain splendid mansion.

“His Majesty is dead.”

“…..”

“His Majesty is dead. That political monster, so slippery and sly.”

A man with a bushy white beard muttered, holding a wine glass.

Numerous men stood around him.

Extremely polite, focusing on his every action and word.

“Stupid human. He should have been more careful with security. If he had changed his route or used a double, he wouldn’t have been massacred.”

His tone was filled with utter mockery.

A disrespect that was unbelievable as an attitude towards a monarch.

But he wasn’t wrong.

The success of the assassination of His Majesty, Drake IV, as he called him, was largely due to the monarch’s own missteps.

Passing the same route at the same time for decades, wasn’t that too good of a condition to kill him?

It was practically begging to be killed.

“Because he brought so many people along, the government organization is almost paralyzed.”

Not to mention ministers and royals, he brought too many people. To show off his power.

It’s understandable, but the damage was too great as a result.

With the main successors to the throne and powerful subjects wiped out at once, the remaining government is almost on the verge of collapse.

The top officials with decision-making power are all but gone, so they can’t do anything.

“But it’s good for me. Thanks to it, I can hold such a splendid banquet. Isn’t that right?”

At the man’s question, the attendees responded in unison.

“That’s right, Marquis!”

“The idiots in the capital are all gone, who will stop you now, Marquis!”

“That’s right! From now on, it’s the Marquis’s world!”

Truly disrespectful words, but that was the reality.

The man, Marquis Aierre, had been constantly checked by Drake IV.

From the past, he possessed vast territories and fostered a strong private army based on them.

He had numerous retainers, allied forces, and connections, wielding power like a king of a small country.

‘Which is why I’m stuck in this backwater.’

The best success story as a noble.

But from the monarch’s perspective, he was a clear and present danger.

Far from advancing into central politics, he was stuck in the provinces, hunting with his followers.

But now it’s different.

Drake IV is dead, and there is no one left to inherit the king’s policies/political direction.

Now is the perfect time to run wild.

‘Thank you, Your Majesty. I never thought you would retire from the world on your own.’

Marquis Aierre, who inwardly thanked the dead king, slowly looked around. All of them were his trustworthy confidants and loyal subjects.

“Yes, from now on, it’s my world. And at the same time, it’s your world too.”

With them, he could break free from the territory and cultivate wider lands.

Beyond dominating a few islands and living extravagantly, he could even get his hands on the entire Alkione.

There was certainly enough chance of success. The army was ready, and the morale of the retainers was soaring.

He was confident that there was no force stronger than them in the current Alkione Federation.

“And now, it’s time to expand our world.”

“S-Surely not war?”

“Oh, Henry. Please don’t use such a violent word. How can we have a war between people of the same country? Rather… let’s call it a national salvation decision.”

Now that the central government is in chaos and each region is out of control.

There was no other influential person to restore the collapsed system and re-establish the foundation of the country.

He would push that justification to seize the entire Federation, and then find a puppet king.

Count Louis, or someone like him, a surviving minor successor, would be fine.

A man of real power under a weak monarch.

That’s the kind of position he should take.

‘There’s a beautiful custom called abdication in the East. I should introduce it to our country too.’

Of course, it is not a permanent political structure. It is only a temporary system to solidify the foundation.

Crush the opposing forces in each region to receive their loyalty, and when he gains solid support… then he can receive the throne.

When no one can stop his accession to the throne.

‘I can do it. If it’s me.’

It won’t take long.

At most 10 years?

He’s in his late 40s this year… let’s get the crown before he turns sixty.

“We plan to depart as soon as the granary is filled with military provisions. Everyone should know that.”

“Yes, Your Excellency!”

A reversal of fortune is just around the corner. In just a little while, a dynasty named after him will be established.

Marquis Aierre thought so and drank his wine with pleasure.

But at that moment.

–Clang!

“Die, Marquis!!”

An assassin appeared and killed him.

* * * * *

“This is a real mess.”

Amazing. This is the first time in my life I’ve seen a country where the power structure changes so rapidly in real time.

“Even Japan during the Warring States period wasn’t this rapid.”

When the central government loses its authority and local forces become rampant. It is a natural phenomenon for all sorts of power struggles and infighting to be rampant.

Since everyone is everyone else’s competitor, they will use all sorts of means to eliminate each other if they seem dangerous.

Assassination, terrorism, persuasion, or even all-out war, etc.

But the Alkione Federation was a bit too much.

Since it was originally a country that was not integrated religiously or culturally, the division was very thorough.

“The forces identified so far are Marquis Aierre, Baron Laito, the Luminus Brotherhood… how many are there?”

“Only 74 groups have been confirmed as of the time the report was written. I think about 20% of them have disappeared by now.”

“Instead, there will be more new forces created than that.”

As far as we know, Alkione’s population is less than 20 million, right? But there’s a tendency for more than a hundred independent armed warlords to appear.

Not yet, but at this rate, it will soon become so.

“The chaos will continue for the next few years, right?”

“Probably.”

I affirmed Kalia’s prediction as she fed me a stick pretzel mouth-to-mouth. This mess will never be easily resolved.

I combined Magna Carta and the Bill of Rights and distributed them to create a clean civil war structure, but it will take time for that to take effect…

For the time being, it will be as Kalia says.

Only when the crappy ones are filtered out, a civil war structure will be established mainly around three or four large forces.

Then we can take care of other things in the meantime.

We have one thing to do anyway.

“Kalia, please contact the printing house. We’re going to send them a dangerous manuscript soon.”

“The organization people will like that.”

* * * * *

The writing process, which had been slightly delayed, finally began.

I started writing the first chapter by defining the basic definition of military-first politics.

[The military is the pride of the nation and a shield to protect the nation from foreign forces. To ensure our future and glorious future, we must value the military above all else.]

[In accordance with this principle of military-first, the military takes the lead in solving all problems of national defense and administration, and the political method in which the military is in charge of the overall social development and maintenance as the pillar of the nation is called military-first politics.]

Honestly, it’s not a difficult ideology to grasp.

The claim is to value the military above all else, which is easy to understand.

Even if you explain it to an elementary school student, they will quickly understand it.

However, no matter how much you understand it in your head, putting it into practice is a separate matter.

Since the claim is too radical, it is difficult to gauge what level is appropriate.

Therefore, the main point of my writing was to explain this appropriate line, the specific degree.

So that the VIPs of each country can easily understand.

[Education, welfare, and people’s livelihoods are important. But none of these can take precedence over military power. If the military is weak and national defense is poor, education and welfare will all collapse.

The more important role the military plays in politics, economy, and society as a whole, the stronger the national security becomes and the more it prevents external enemies from interfering.]

[The more the military is strengthened and military logic and thinking are applied to society, the more efficiently the state moves. Since both the upper and lower classes act in the same way, their movements are interlocked to create a synergistic effect.]

[It is beneficial to manage public sentiment by involving the military in civil affairs. For example, by having the military and civilians repair dikes or reservoirs together.

The people who realize the role and hard work of the military are more likely to conform to the system, and will naturally cultivate loyalty to the military and its leaders.]

Well, it’s called an appropriate line, but in fact, it’s more accurate to say that there is no line.

Pogue Ryus literally ran a military administration system in which the entire national system was replaced by the military.

So if you mobilize the military anywhere and entrust them with work, that’s military-first politics.

Still, I couldn’t define it too explicitly, so I explained it in a slightly roundabout way. I added a few more advantages to this.

To make it feel more attractive to the powerful.

[Special treatment is necessary for soldiers, politicians, and talented people who serve the country. Creating an environment where they can enjoy a comfortable and comfortable life is beneficial in the long run.

If you provide an environment and treatment that others cannot enjoy as a privilege, the politician can naturally gain the loyalty of his subordinates and the obedience of the military.]

[If possible, make a privileged zone in the center of power, such as the capital. If all the citizens become loyal subjects of the monarch, they will be safe from threats such as assassination, and it will also help strengthen the solidarity and morale of the military.]

Finally, I told them about the reward system for governing and taming the military.

To gain the loyalty of the military, some material rewards are also necessary.

Just like North Korea gathers the privileged class in Pyongyang.

Areas where power and wealth gather and residence rights are like rewards are essential for military-first politics.

“That should be enough.”

This concludes the writing.

Now, if I make a few dozen copies under the name of Ishmael and distribute them to the VIPs, that’s it.

Of course, I’m not the one doing this, someone else is.

* * * * *

…..But as always.

Human creativity was beyond imagination.