End of an Era

The purge of the Illuminati did not conclude with an ordinary trial.

"Who are those guys?"

"Inquisitors, I hear?"

"What? Inquisitors??"

The Sunday following the coffeehouse raid, a public trial of the Freemasons took place in central Paris. What made it unusual was the participation of Inquisitors from the Papal States.

"Shouldn't we hide somewhere?"

"Stop reading novels. Does that guy in the suit look like the Inquisitors from the stories? He's just a regular lawyer."

"True enough. What age do you think this is? Inquisitors who torture people don't exist anymore."

Of course, the Inquisitors involved in the trial were the ones summoned by Louis XVI. Believing that designating the Illuminati as heretics was essential to crush them completely, he had dispatched a telegram to Rome the moment he resolved to investigate.

The telegram arrived from Paris to Rome in just half a day and was delivered to the Pope through the French embassy in Rome. After agonizing for a few days, the Pope sent "Inquisitors" to Paris.

"I had no idea Inquisitors still existed in this day and age."

Their bewilderment was understandable. Since the religious reforms of the 16th century, the position of Inquisitor had effectively vanished. But Pius VI could not dare defy France, which had seized complete control of the Papal States' economy. Without even asking why Inquisitors were needed, he hastily assembled high-ranking clerics and theology professors, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠slapped the title of Inquisitor on them, and shipped them off to Paris—unaware that it stemmed from Louis XVI's limited vocabulary causing a simple communication mishap.

"Freemasonry was declared heretical by Pope Clement XII's bull in 1738. Those who join such a heretical group are automatically excommunicated, even without a formal declaration from His Holiness."

The theology advisors, thrust unwillingly into the role of Inquisitors, confirmed the Freemasons' heresy much like ordinary prosecutors.

"That raises a question. Why has this group, dormant since 1738, suddenly become so active? We strongly suspect someone pulling the strings behind them. If this political, anti-religious, and blasphemous behavior comes solely from the Freemasons, that would be even more absurd."

The French prosecutor used those words to press the Freemason members. No matter what they said, he relentlessly grilled them until they revealed the identity of the "secret society."

"We'll talk! The Illuminati! The Illuminati manipulated us!"

Worn down by the prosecutor's unyielding interrogation, the Freemasons finally exposed the secret society to save their skins. Once the Illuminati's identity was revealed, the prosecutor promptly yielded the floor to the Inquisitors.

After a moment's hesitation, the Inquisitors gave the response the French prosecutor desired.

"If another great evil lurks behind this heresy—one that manipulates it from the shadows, and if it truly controls all of Europe—we have no choice but to request His Holiness's final judgment for the purity of Catholicism."

This farce was an unbearable comedy to those above in the courtroom, but it delivered a fresh shock to the spectators around it.

"I was scared of the Inquisitors at first, but they're more normal than I thought."

The gruesome rumors of Inquisitors passed down orally, and the violence of trials, were nowhere to be seen in this public proceeding.

"Well, the Bible doesn't lie. People who read the Bible don't lie."

The dispelling of misconceptions about the Inquisitors and their lack of authoritarianism actually elevated the Papacy's prestige. Having witnessed both the extremes of Enlightenment thought and the bulwark of religion, the French populace felt a touch of identity confusion—but also concluded that classical values had their merits.

"How many were dealt with?"

"Illuminati: 550. Freemasons: about 20,000."

"That's a lot."

"Most are foreigners."

Not all were executed. Even if heretics, killing 20,000 at once would be excessive, so simple Freemason members were released after recanting. To block external infiltration into the Illuminati, the more moderate and reasonable ones were spared and planted as spies.

I ended up realizing the Illuminati conspiracy theories with my own hands, by accident.

"Now ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I can finally do that."

I entered the cabinet chamber with the Director of the National Intelligence Agency—who also served as Chief Finance Supervisor. The clerk distributed the documents I had provided to the officials in the chamber.

"As you all probably guessed, more reforms. Again. Always reforms."

The officials grimaced in wry agreement.

"This one's an extension of the previous reforms. Though it feels like there was never a time without reforms."

It had truly, truly taken a long time. So long that even the stakes from back then felt like pocket change. Still, without those moments of gambling the nation's fate at every turn, we wouldn't have reached this point.

"We shall implement national basic education."

National basic education. Also called the "century-spanning great plan" or simply "National Essentials."

"Any objections?"

"None, sire."

Hm. Good. Not cowering obsequiously, but genuine assent from the heart.

"Ministry of the Interior, heed this: Expand the household registry nationwide to confirm village locations and the number of children."

They had experience from the tax reforms, so no major issues there.

"Ministry of Public Works, heed this: Once the registry is complete, build public schools. Ignore mountains and forests."

With roads wide enough for five carriages in major cities and two in mid-sized villages, accessibility shouldn't be a problem.

"The new Ministry of Education's minister position shall remain vacant. Report any issues directly to me."

Can't leave it entirely to the bureaucrats, after all.

"Ministry of Finance: Henceforth, the crown shall not pay bureaucratic salaries."

Time to turn the proto-state into a true one. The cabinet officials accepted my words without notable resistance. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠After all, they were large-scale projects, but feasible.

"Each ministry shall support transfers. Come January 1 next year, they'll form the new Ministry of Education staff. Department heads, compile transfers and report by December 1."

The reason for my zeal in education is simple: Stability is now essential.

A strong reformist monarch creates a hegemon's shadow effect, where the king's overwhelming power keeps darkness from surfacing. But after the hegemon dies, the unresolved shadows wreak havoc on successors—as with Louis XIV and XV.

Hence, education. Not vague moral fog in water, but a tangible system to grasp. No more naive masses. Nor fools. Nor demagogues stirring them. At least while I live, no one will dare raise tails of rebellion or ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠corruption.

"And from next year, raise mid- and low-level bureaucrats' salaries fivefold."

Because I'll make it so.

"You have two months' grace. Shake off all the things we turned a blind eye to. I don't want a single bureaucrat caught like in the recent Illuminati affair."

This is running a country. A new era demands new people. I'll uproot every remnant of the old regime without mercy. Not hesitating against corruption out of fear like a hegemon, but building a nation where corruption isn't even necessary.

"Ministry of the Interior: Post teacher recruitment notices in every city. Prioritize idle intellectuals."

Above all, it's the colonial era now. No reason to hide unmotivated intellectuals in the wilderness.

"You love the Enlightenment so much? Then participate directly."

Risky, but irrelevant. Time to shed archaic legitimacies like divine right. With the colonial era open, we need legitimacy fitting a colonial empire.

"Finally, I reconvene the Estates-General—the first since my accession."

Under absolute monarchy. I wasn't competent enough for despotism forever, but not incompetent enough for constitutional monarchy either.

The representatives of each estate, upon receiving the reconvening order, were baffled. Most of the Third Estate delegates, now officials, wondered at the purpose.

"Come to think of it, the Estates-General was never officially dissolved."

As they said, it had only been adjourned, not disbanded. After loyalty checks, they hadn't gathered, so it slipped minds.

"Lots of empty seats."

The assembly totaled 433 members: First Estate 18, Second 6, Third 409. Six years since the last adjournment meant many natural deaths.

"Seems everyone’s here."

As all delegates assembled, Louis XVI entered the chamber. The delegates rose in unison to match his position.

"Be seated. Yes, you're wondering why I called this Estates-General."

Louis XVI glanced at the nearly empty First and Second Estate seats before getting to the point.

"To end the Ancien Régime with my own hands. To open the Nouveau Régime most legitimately, I summoned you."

The clerk distributed documents to each delegate.

"Separation of powers, creation of parliament. Anticipated questions are in the documents; see the appendix for any. This despotism shall last only my lifetime, transitioning to constitutional monarchy once the populace is sufficiently enlightened through national basic education. Objections?"