Chapter 209
Chapter 209
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 209
Chapter Title: The Empire's Reforms
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The republican system itself wasn't entirely unfamiliar to either the Union Kingdom or the Empire.
Players who followed the build-up they called "Greece" sometimes adopted republicanism from the early game to incorporate various races. While it didn't exist on the 3rd continent, remnants lingered in cities on the 1st and 2nd continents.
Moreover, some cities in the Union Kingdom and the Empire already operated under systems similar to republics.
Shubanel, for instance, had a parliamentary system where the mayor wielded elected power.
It was merely an oligarchic republic, restricted to nobles who qualified for council seats and mayoral elections—not the democratic republic commonly understood.
Of course, the "parliamentary system" proclaimed by the Empire's Emperor was on a national scale, hinting at a democratic republic within its framework.
Even though royals and nobles still existed, power would no longer be inherited outright. Instead, representatives would be elected from the common folk to form a council that would lead the nation.
The mere fact that this announcement came from the Emperor—not some so-called revolutionary faction—created massive ripples.
Alma Alloi thought:
'Something the Union Kingdom could never do.'
The Union Kingdom was divided among countless lords, their kings, the emperor as king of kings, and various independent city-states.
For example, Collegoton had no distinct king, while Shubanel took the most modern form with its mayor.
Even if the emperor suddenly declared a republic, the kings, lords, city mayors, island governors, and viceroys could refuse, limiting the change to only the emperor's own lands.
In contrast, the Empire's Emperor effectively ruled all lands in his name, wielding influence across every region.
If the Emperor willed it, appointed officials like county magistrates had no choice but to comply.
Hegemonia succinctly summarized the information at hand, explaining to Alma what future the Empire's Emperor envisioned.
To Alma, it seemed the Empire had long researched and deliberated this, merely delaying until the public was ready. It felt as if they had been awaiting revolution all along.
Of course, this was hardly surprising to Hegemonia.
While the fine details couldn't be found in the game Lost World, the broad direction was a model political system: preserving the Empire's form while weathering revolutionary backlash.
'Revolutionaries prefer a presidential system over parliamentarism, but with the Emperor himself declaring he'll accept a cabinet, the public will embrace it. Historically, Empire Emperors have been competent and beloved by most citizens. Keeping the Emperor as nominal head of state while forming a council is realistic.'
As Hegemonia pondered, Alma bowed his head.
"Wrathful One, forgive me."
"For what?"
"...I cannot find any way to overcome the current situation."
Hegemonia snorted.
She hadn't expected much from her apostles.
No matter how exceptional, they couldn't navigate the game as adeptly as an experienced player.
Hegemonia herself had been overconfident.
Early in the war with Nebula, she had believed her unified empire unbreakable, while Nebula's pantheon alliance could be fractured.
But despite every stratagem, no cracks appeared in the alliance.
Instead, as time passed, the Union Kingdom—which she thought she controlled—began fracturing.
Her past schemes were now turning against her.
'In hindsight, I should have foreseen this. It's the natural progression.'
Most of Hegemonia's apostles were doers, not thinkers. Alma was simply a bit more capable at strategy.
Hegemonia said,
"Enough."
"...But?"
"I have ideas of my own."
As Alma looked up, Hegemonia continued.
"Yacheon's move was indeed beyond my expectations. Without relying on his own power, he used the truth that people will fight to free themselves from oppression, creating this mess."
Hegemonia had initially seen Nebula's ploy as ingenious, but upon reflection, it wasn't entirely novel.
She wasn't particularly versed in Earth's history, just as Nebula wasn't.
The knowledge needed for Lost World came from the game itself.
Even without deep historical knowledge, Lost World's countless races had rebelled against their overlords.
Most failed without player intervention, but some troubled players, and with fortunate coincidences, even defeated them.
'In the end, it was just a method I already knew.'
Approaching it that way sparked ideas for Hegemonia.
"Yacheon knew the oppressed would eventually rise up... But regarding people, I know one crucial fact too."
Alma gazed at her quizzically.
"Alma."
"Yes."
"Do you know what happens when powerless people seize power?"
─┼
Sarucho had to move quickly.
The key issue was doctrine.
The Wrathful One's response to the revolution was principled at best.
Heresy could not be tolerated.
Rebellion in line with heretics' will was proof of demonic influence.
Most priests argued it was wrong, even without the god's clear condemnation.
Sarucho, discussing with troubled priests, concluded this revolution differed from Lubail's and Dilrap's.
He stated that if the Wrathful One truly opposed it, divine punishment would follow.
No such punishment came, lending weight to his words.
Unlike Lubail's and Dilrap's revolutions, which bred resentment among locals, Shubanel's was more readily accepted.
But it wasn't all positive.
Sarucho asked the leadership's Dain,
"What did you just say?"
"We're contacting Lubail."
Dain added,
"Ideally, we'd reach out to Dilrap's expanded forces, but it's too far. Lubail's a bit distant, but we could form a joint front."
Sarucho cut in.
"Impossible."
"Sarucho."
"They're heretics. Following the Demon God's will."
"I know that."
Dain said,
"But provincial armies are mustering outside Collegoton. They won't attack recklessly given our numbers and arms—for now. But we can't expand beyond Collegoton, limiting our growth, while they can swell ranks with reserves. When the time comes, they'll push in. We need allies."
Sarucho replied,
"Dain, this isn't emotional, nor just because I'm a priest."
"Then what?"
"If my reasoning holds, the Wrathful One hasn't sent an apostle to burn us because we're not heretics yet."
Dain stared at Sarucho.
"So the moment we become heretics, divine punishment strikes?"
"Possibly."
"But the Demon God Yacheon might aid us too?"
"That's blasphemous."
Dain laughed.
"Fine. I'll reconsider that part."
Sarucho sighed in relief, but "reconsider" nagged at him.
"Dain."
"Yes?"
"I heard from Garil that someone told her about revolutions."
Dain nodded.
"Yeah. A lizardman."
"Just in case—could it have been an Empire intelligence agent?"
To Sarucho, lizardmen evoked the Empire's black-scaled ones over the Union Kingdom's green.
But Dain puckered her lips.
"Joking? He was a genuine wanderer. His clothes were exotic, but wanderers are like that. An old one, too. Lizardmen show age in dull scales or cloudy pupils, right? Besides, he didn't incite me."
"Then?"
"Just an old tale."
"What kind?"
Dain shrugged.
"The usual sort anyone might hear. A lizardman tribe oppressed by a great froglin tribe... They endured torment but got aid from another tribe. In hindsight, they regretted not rising sooner with courage. Moralistic stuff. But it helped me. Led to this."
With that, Sarucho found no cause for suspicion.
Dain said,
"Anyway, without allying other revolutionaries, we need alternatives."
"Any ideas?"
"Actually, yes."
Dain said,
"Even among revolutionaries, many are confused—especially uncooperative nobles. Some think it'll pass like a candle snuffed by the mighty Union Kingdom."
"It won't."
"So we need something beyond the Shubanel Declaration to unite us."
Sarucho agreed.
Mumi weren't one race, despite similarities; differing sentiments and cultures bred conflicts.
"Resources are short too. Revolutionaries temporarily manage funds, materials, land—but it's unstable. We need uniform oversight."
"Long-term, yes."
"Worst is manpower. Current revolutionaries are all volunteers. Compared to Collegoton's population, we're barely ahead of provincial forces. We need grounds for conscription."
"More problems than I thought. Solving them all won't be easy."
Sarucho expected Dain to revisit alliances.
But her prepared answer surprised him.
"We'll found an independent nation in Collegoton, centered on the revolutionary army."