Opportunities from the Game Become Reality, Episode 172
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Opportunities from the Game Become Reality, Episode 172
41. The King of a Duchy's Eccentricity (3)
"By the way, when do you plan to hold the ceremony?"
Emperor Mikhail, who still speaks to me with respect even though his nation has become an empire.
At his question, I looked over at Arcia, who was already receiving treatment befitting a queen by my side.
"The war is over, so there's no need to drag it out any longer. I'll prepare quickly and hold the ceremony within this month."
At my words, Arcia nodded her head greatly as if she had no complaints, and the people around us smiled, offering their congratulations.
"However, before the wedding, I need to calm that commotion down as much as possible."
At my words, the honored guests who had been pretending not to hear the screams and shouts coming from outside the castle wore awkward expressions.
The biggest problem is the Croysen Empire citizens' mistaken perception of Rhinehearts.
First, we need to correct their false culture and view of history based on facts, and reveal the past events that the Empire has concealed and denied, so they can see for themselves how narrow-minded their actions have been.
But there's no way words alone will get through to them.
If we could have understood each other through dialogue like the philanthropist Taylor, the rift between the two nations' peoples wouldn't have grown this deep.
It's easier to think of it as dealing with people who have been brainwashed.
For that reason, the process is bound to be radical and coercive, and the citizens of the Croysen Empire will feel great pain.
'Of course, torture or murder must not be added to that pain.'
If I resolve things by killing those I dislike or torturing them, it will only instill strange convictions in them.
Isn't there a saying?
Ignorant people with convictions are terrifying.
If the citizens of the Croysen Empire cling to their beliefs and fan the flames of resistance, there's no solution.
I have no intention of turning them into fighters who invoke justice.
Even if it's selfish and coercive, I must first break the entrenched way of thinking of the Croysen Empire's citizens.
"The duchy will be noisy for a while. I ask for your understanding."
At my words, Emperor Mikhail narrowed his eyes into fine slits as if there was no problem and replied.
"The duchy belongs to the king of the Duchy of Lawrence. And I am always the Sponsor who supports the king's actions. So please be thorough. If the king converts the citizens of the Croysen Empire, I will see to it that it is applied to the Empire's other domains as well."
"Thank you for your trust."
"Haha, if I don't trust the king of the Duchy of Lawrence, who would I trust?"
Age of Magic, September 15, 2020.
And so, I became the master of the duchy.
* * *
The day of the coronation ceremony of Adrian El Lawrence, King of the Duchy.
Citizens who had gathered in Crimson Square, the capital of the duchy, to protest against Adrian's coronation were swiftly dispersed under the boots of the Vanguard, Knights, and soldiers.
As a result, over five hundred people were arrested on the spot and detained in holding cells, and about two thousand residents suffered injuries of varying severity during the dispersal process.
However, the unexpected situation was that although there were injured, there was not a single death, and the royal family had taken measures to cover medical expenses so that injured residents could receive free treatment at the temples.
But not a single Croysen Empire citizen was grateful for this.
To them, Adrian was an invader, and that was an undeniable fact.
In the first place, Adrian had no intention whatsoever of receiving their gratitude.
This became clearly evident in the measures Adrian took afterward.
[Duchy of Lawrence Resident Registration Implementation]
-Resident registration for former Croysen Empire citizens within the Duchy of Lawrence is now in effect.
-Registered residents will be provided housing and land per household, or settlement funds.
-Registered residents will receive food ingredients and daily necessities free of charge for one year.
-Registered residents' income tax will be exempted for one year.
-Former Empire citizens who do not register will not be permitted to reside in major cities of the duchy.
-One week from now, former Empire citizens who have not registered will be expelled from the major cities.
-Resident registration can be done freely online or offline, and anyone who obstructs the registration process may be sentenced to up to ten years in prison.
This notice was posted throughout the Duchy of Lawrence, and was also broadcast at regular intervals.
"What kind of nonsense is this?"
"This is my home and my homeland, and you're kicking me out?"
"What right do they have to do this!?"
But the problem didn't end there.
[As of this moment, the royal family is seizing all bank accounts and deposits belonging to the Duchy of Lawrence.]
[As of this moment, the royal family is seizing all real estate belonging to the Duchy of Lawrence.]
[Real estate and deposits will be redistributed only to those who have completed resident registration in the Duchy of Lawrence.]
Resident registration was only the beginning.
"Damn it! So this was what they meant by giving housing, land, and settlement funds for registering!?"
Naturally, the Croysen Empire citizens within the duchy were furious, and day after day they chanted anti-Rhinehearts and anti-Lawrence slogans.
But the mood shifted somewhat when the king of the duchy, Adrian, appeared on a broadcast and personally addressed the questions many were asking.
[Many Croysen Empire citizens are in shock over His Excellency the King of Lawrence's outrage. By what right does he do this?]
[By what right? What a foolish question.]
The broadcast was conducted in a debate format.
Only Adrian answered, but there were five people asking questions.
And the questioners were from the intellectual class of the former Croysen Empire.
[The right of a conqueror and the master of the nation, obviously. You seem to be under some misconception do you think your country is the Prius Republic? Both the Croysen Empire and our duchy are ultimately feudal states. The people have a duty to serve their leader, and granting the people's property is also within the leader's discretion.]
[We are victims of the Kingdom of Rhinehearts' illegal invasion. Do you think you can rule us by acting so coercively?]
[Would you obey without coercion? Listening to the people of the Croysen Empire is truly amusing. Look at how your nationalism grew to useless proportions in a feudal state doesn't it occur to you how foolish that is? And especially when that nationalism exists not for improving your lives or criticizing the political system, but for slandering neighboring countries and asserting superiority.]
[It seems you haven't answered the question.]
[Well, fine. You call it an illegal invasion, but at the time, the Croysen Empire was preparing a large-scale war against our Kingdom. That means you're saying we should have waited for the Croysen Empire to attack first isn't that contradictory? Their invasion is justified, but ours is illegal?]
[Isn't that just Rhinehearts' one-sided claim?]
[Only you don't know it every country knows. Go look up the foreign news right now. And are you going to pretend that your past invasions of our country, which happened repeatedly, never occurred? Let me be clear: we destroyed the Croysen Empire to survive, for our future. We won a historic victory over a villain.]
An overbearing attitude that gave no quarter.
Adrian's words flew like daggers and struck the hearts of the Croysen Empire citizens.
[Honestly, I could kill every last one of you. And why? Because I am a king, and you are the citizens of a defeated nation commoners at the very bottom. Don't forget that the Croysen Empire once seized other nations' territories and enslaved the people of those lands. Do you truly want me to act with an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth?]
[A-are you threatening us right now?]
Watching the intellectuals who should have been rallying the spirit of the Croysen Empire by confronting the invader's king get completely dominated and stammering from sheer loss of momentum made one sigh involuntarily.
[You dare challenge a king and aren't even prepared for that?]
[We Croysen Empire citizens will not yield to threats.]
[Then keep holding on to that resolve. But let me ask the people watching beyond the screen: why are you so proud of the Croysen Empire, with its near-nonexistent welfare, low wages, and heavy taxes? Because the country is big? Are you satisfied with a situation where thieves who feed off the state and the domain have their straws stuck into your backs, and all you can do is curse your neighbors?]
At Adrian's unrelenting remarks, the Empire citizens all furrowed their brows, one and all.
"Follow me, and I'll make you twice as well-off as you are now. Taxes? Combined income tax, consumption tax, and everything else will never exceed 40% of your wages. Welfare? If you're curious, look up the benefits the people of my former Duchy of Lawrence enjoyed."
"Wait a moment! Your Highness the King!"
"Don't get swept up by the agitation of those around you like someone brainwashed first calmly weigh what's actually in your interest. Then examine the information from other nations, realize the truth, and correct your flawed way of thinking."
With that, Adrian left the stage mid-broadcast, wearing an annoyed expression.
Afterward, a man called the Prime Minister took the stage in Adrian's place and handled the Q&A, but the heat from before was gone.
It was purely businesslike, and utterly cold.
The reactions of Croysen Empire citizens who watched that broadcast split into two camps.
"Did that bastard just disrespect us?"
Those who filtered everything through their minds, seeing only what they wanted to see and hearing only what they wanted to hear
"Pff, utterly lacking in class. Just what you'd expect from the second son of a backwater lord."
"But how did a backwater lord's second son end up becoming a king?"
and those who, while badmouthing Adrian outwardly, were interested in what he had to say.
Of course, even among the interested ones, few were truly moved by Adrian's words; most were hooked by the promise of being twice as well-off.
"Our duchy will respect the culture and history of the Croysen Empire and preserve it. If a registered resident wishes to identify as Croysen ethnicity, we will of course recognize that. However, those who reject the duchy's rules and undermine the rule of law will be dealt with firmly."
And surprisingly, a large number of people were shaken by the Prime Minister's final statement.
* * *
"What's the resident registration status?"
At my question, Harris Walker, the Marquis and Chancellor of the duchy, operated his terminal.
"On this final seventh day, 21% of Croysen citizens have registered."
The week of resident registration was absolute chaos.
Anti-Duchy-of-Lawrence figures appeared everywhere, and protests and incitement never ceased. Radical acts attacks on key figures belonging to our Duchy of Lawrence, attempted assassinations happened constantly.
In the process, some subordinates died, and not a few suffered serious injuries.
Looking at their actions alone, they might seem like independence activists, but they could never be noble independence activists.
Naturally so, because their movement's slogan was not Croysen independence.
After all, commoners long conditioned by feudalism could hardly take the lead and engage in political activity on their own.
"Bloody revenge against the Rhinehearts people!"
Their goal was nothing more and nothing less than retribution against the Rhinehearts people.
So I didn't place much significance on their actions.
"21% is more than I expected."
"But will this suffice as punishment for the guilty? There are voices inside saying the punishment is too lenient. Especially not executing the terrorists who caused casualties even I find that somewhat…"
"They must not be killed. If they die here, they'll be made into heroes. Better to sentence them to forced labor for life and give their wages to the families of the victims."
The agitators and activists we've arrested show a will to endure any torture, but contrary to their hopes, there is no torture they'll just rot in clean prisons with three proper meals a day for two to three years.
By the time these isolated people are released, this country will probably have changed in many ways.
"If Your Highness the King says so… very well."
At that moment, Pesius, the Count and Knight Captain of the Imperial Guard Knight Division, asked.
"But do you truly intend to expel those who haven't registered?"
At that, I gave a cold smile and nodded.
"Of course. Proceed as planned."
"But if we drive people out of the city en masse and they get attacked by monsters, it could turn into a massacre."
"Then just deal with the monsters. I can't afford the stigma of being a butcher."
Former Croysen Empire citizens, stripped of their homes and property and driven outside the city, would now become refugees.
Before, they could have easily registered and been recognized as citizens of the duchy, but for these refugees to become citizens, they would have to go through many procedures.
"You really are merciless."
When Marquis Walker let out a hollow laugh, I shrugged as if to ask what the problem was.
"If they don't want to become my citizens, what can I do?"
What am I supposed to do for these overly zealous citizens?
I clearly gave them a chance, and it was they who refused it.
'I can't ignore the national character. History proves how narrow-minded the Croysen people become in crisis situations. Can they really unite and work together in an emergency?'
Adrian was confident that something quite interesting was about to unfold.
And then, the next day.
[We begin the forced eviction of residents who have not completed resident registration.]
As planned, the expulsion of non-citizens began.
To the people of the Croysen Empire, I was etched into memory as something beyond an enemy a lunatic, a figure of terror who truly follows through on what they say.