Preparations for the Opening (2)
The Liannen Kingdom was basking in the peace brought by Sisilia's truce arrangement, raising a glass in celebration.
"A mine discovered in your territory? Congratulations, Baron Belmore."
"Haha! This must all be the goddess's blessing."
It wasn't a metaphor—the whole country felt like it had tumbled into a barrel of oak-aged wine. The nobles were lost in indulgence, and the commoners reveled freely.
In stark contrast, the royal knight orders were buried under overwork. The number of troublemakers had spiked.
The reason was simple. Though they'd been at war with the demon race for over 300 years, the threat had felt distant. Liannen's knights were overwhelmingly strong, and in the capital guarded by the Sacred Flame, spotting a demon was exceedingly rare.
But a truce? The nobles saw it as practically an end to hostilities. Clearly, the demons had been cowed by Liannen's dominant power over three centuries. In this unusually buoyant atmosphere, their ambitions naturally reared their heads.
"Ahem, shouldn't we consider adopting the state religion ourselves?"
"It's embarrassing that we don't even have a single church yet."
"Believing in and preaching Saint Michael the Goddess is only natural. The ignorant masses barely even know she exists."
"Well said! And the royal authority is too strong! For the kingdom's sake, the royals must relinquish some of their military power! As the ancient sages said, harmony of yin and yang is paramount, no?"
Liannen's adorable Queen Lydia. In the past, she had purged the 'Church of Michael' en masse with a smiling face while they stirred up chaos. And that wasn't all—she'd crippled powerful nobles under the pretext of opposing demons, absorbing their limbs into her own.
It was unavoidable during those precarious times when the kingdom's foundations were at risk. But things were different now, weren't they?
"The kingdom needs to normalize."
"Indeed. Balance of power only shines when maintained."
Meanwhile, at the Windsor Knights HQ.
Hyter, still shaking off his hangover, spotted something odd down the corridor as he walked. A massive stack of documents was moving.
"What the hell is that walking pile of papers?"
"It's Sisilia."
"Gah!"
Hyter nearly fainted at the sight of Sisilia peeking out from the stack.
"Make some noise when you walk! Your presence is like the wind."
"Hyter's like dogweed in the training grounds."
"Gives me a bad feeling, but whatever. Why dogweed?"
"Haven't thought of the meaning yet."
"...Sorry I asked."
Hyter sighed and took half the stack.
"Heading to the office? I'll help."
It was famous in the Windsor Knights that Sisilia, who lately buzzed around busily, was holed up in the office. She nodded faintly and headed up to the third floor.
"But why so busy in this peaceful time?"
"Not the cramming type."
"Cramming? What, you can't even do that, Sisilia?"
"..."
Sisilia's expression grew hazy. Anyway, no denying this was her busiest period yet.
To make my plan reality, I have to deal with the entire noble faction.
Institutional reform was essential for welcoming newbies. One might say just tell the queen, but in Liannen, that was tough.
Forget the reporting chain—Queen Lydia only made ordinary decisions. Nobles' council had to pass the agenda first.
The problem? No way it'd pass smoothly.
"Si-Sisilia, ma'am, this is the limit...! How can you pile on more work?"
So, she needed to refine it realistically enough for them to accept. Naturally, things got tangled and complex.
At least Beatrice, the authority on paperwork, lightened the load. Without her, it would've been a pipe dream. She'd have stormed the noble faction leader's bedroom with a longsword and threatened him... Wait, that might've been easier.
"But ma'am, when did you even come up with all this?"
"Around six, maybe."
"..."
Beatrice stared like she'd seen a monster. But somehow, it fit Sisilia.
"...Honestly, my personal opinion is it's very reasonable. It'll definitely make a better world. The issue is."
Beatrice tensed slightly.
"Can it actually happen? Lots of opposition ahead. Just the funding alone is the kingdom's full annual budget."
"Our queen's loaded."
"..."
"She's lived 300 years."
Sisilia put the finishing touch with a faint smile. The endlessly revised 'Amendment Bill' was complete. Now, submit it to the nobles' council.
"But even for you, ma'am, pushing this as a 'full Windsor Knights agenda' might be a stretch? Everyone hates getting tangled in politics..."
"No worries there."
Sisilia summoned the entire Windsor Knights present in the capital—with her authority.
"Why'd you call us?"
The new knights were baffled by Sisilia's emergency summons. Seeing how much the fresh-faced rookies had toughened up satisfied her.
"Do you trust me?"
"Of course."
"The meetings are weird."
"Pardon?"
Incredibly, Sisilia left after that. They could've complained, but shrugged it off.
"It's Sisilia."
"The seniors weren't kidding about rolling with whatever she does."
"Arguing loses you the fight."
"Short meetings are nice, though."
"Agreed."
Thanks to the image Sisilia had built. Plus, Windsors generally ignored knight order politics.
Sisilia turned to Beatrice with a satisfied look.
"Got support from all 21. Excluding those out of the capital, plus the captain—that's a majority."
"In ten minutes?!"
"Yup."
Sisilia beamed proudly. In her hand was this document.
Agenda for New Beginners - 13th Amendment Bill
Subheading 1: The Dawn of a New Era
He who does not work, neither shall he eat. That's how it rang in Sisilia's ears: You've worked, so eat your fill!
"Hiiing."
But Sisilia couldn't enjoy her usual dessert time.
The taste changed.
It crushed her. The heavenly cakes from Golden Honeycomb now matched some run-of-the-mill shop that opened just to chase money.
The new owner had turned it into a bland joint.
"You okay? Tastes good to me."
"A gram less sugar. That's not how you make cake."
"...You're a real chef."
"The previous owner was a genius with perverted technique. How could you not know..."
Sisilia sniffled. Would she never taste that heaven again...?
But no law said she had to die.
"You don't look happy, Sisilia."
"E-Edward, Vice-Captain."
Beatrice jumped up for a salute. Edward waved it off with a smile and sat before Sisilia.
Why's the vice-captain in a ladies-only shop...?
Beatrice swallowed her question and sat quietly.
"Something bad happen?"
"..."
Sisilia clamped her mouth shut and sipped her orange juice. Edward smirked wickedly.
He must've heard. Surprised he noticed so quick.
Her plan to use the countess's daughter to trim Edward's faction. But as expected from the Sword Princess who'd stuck to knight duties—sloppy.
"Don't take it too hard, Sisilia. You did pretty well this time."
What bullshit. This sleazy prince.
Sisilia glared sullenly. But in under a minute, her mood flipped 180 degrees.
Ding-a-ling—.
"Y-You!"
"Who gave you permission to take over my shop?!"
"Reina! You were sentenced to life! How's your head still attached?!"
"Ah, just a little misunderstanding. Busy lords, gotta understand."
The commotion erupted soon after. Sisilia's eyes widened at Reina.
Edward savored her reaction, curling one lip.
"Bad opponent, that's all."
Using a third party to cut his limb was clever. But handing it to the royal knights? Too soft.
Should've handled it personally. Edward was royal before Windsor.
Freeing one criminal? Piece of cake.
Too early to despair, Sisilia. I'll make you feel what slow withering is like.
Did she know? This was just the start.
"...Vice-Captain."
"Speak, Sisilia."
Edward replied leisurely. Sisilia bowed her head deeply. Shadows draped her hair-covered face.
To show such despair. Beyond expectations, Edward grinned victoriously.
Then Sisilia snapped her head up, eyes sparkling. Edward winced at the brightness.
"Thanks a ton."
"?"
"Won't bite if you pat my head anymore."
The vice-captain's a god!
Before bed that night, Sisilia resolved to pray thanks to Edward.
**
That night, as Sisilia forgot her thanksgiving prayer and slept soundly.
A mage from the magic tower, finishing a late meeting, bit his lip seeing a noble staggering drunk.
"Damn fools. Time for that?"
Amid the overall merriment, scholars worried. The goddess's power waning meant Liannen walked uncharted paths. Pitch-black darkness ahead, zero visibility.
"Look at this! A report by that Windsor Sword Princess—"
Then, one report surfaced. Its contents thrilled the scholars.
Agenda for New Beginners - 13th Amendment Bill, Vol. 7
"This is it! This is the one! A single ray of light saving Liannen from the vast ocean!"
"Why Vol. 7? Where's Vol. 1?!"
The scholars went wild. The report's contents struck heartstrings, scratching their deepest worries—like porn tailored for them.
The gist:
- A perfectly independent group unbound by anyone is needed. They take 'requests' and perform or decline by free will.
- Name such groups 'Guilds'. Aura possessors must report to the guild upon awakening, graded and quantified systematically.
- Registered Aura possessors have the right to affiliate anywhere—or nowhere. Like free lancers. But unlike true freelancers, unbound even by nobles or the queen.
Focus: 'Why it must be so.' Recurring logic:
'Humans unleash innovative thought and ability only when free. That's humanity's sole edge against demons.'
Edward also encountered Sisilia's report. He couldn't look away for ages.
"This is..."
Edward gave a wry smile. Unlike his smugness freeing a back-alley crook, Sisilia saw the core.
Self-loathing for not thinking of it himself, he dismissed the report thus:
"Revolutionary."