The war was won, the Coalition defeated. But for Kylia, the grind was far from over. Before even considering a return to Kylia City, securing the hard-won stability of the former CityState's lands was paramount.
She dispatched two platoons of troops to fully secure the rebel led City of Kokhavor, a vital coastal city on the edge of the basin. Simultaneously, other detachments were deployed across the former City-States, acting as overseers of the new Kylian administrations. These administrations, staffed by a mix of Kylian officials and trusted locals, were tasked with enacting reforms, easing the tax burden, and promoting Kylian technology in the war-torn regions.
This process, crucial but slow, consumed a year. Finally, a year after Rishkan City's capture, Kylia could relinquish direct oversight. The Kingdom of Kylia had annexed 7 Cities during year 19-21; Rosa, Okland, Roscof, Konsburg, Techiya, Kokhavor and Rishka.Kylia began the long journey back to Kylia City. The arduous trek took another half-year. At the time she was in the northern City of Konsburg, which is pretty far from Kylia City, coupled with wilderness between the Cities in Kylia, it's lucky she could travel at all.
By the time she reached the gates of Kylia City, the winter of year 22 had settled in, draping the capital in a blanket of crisp white snow. At least 20% of this area is urban, filling the Capital with new apartments and bustling streets.
Exhausted and bone-weary, Kylia finally arrived at her manor. Without ceremony, she collapsed onto her bed, the weight of the past year pressing down on her.
The next morning Kylia quickly made her way to the newly finished Kylian Capital Building, navigated the snow-covered brick streets, her black boots crunching on the freshly fallen snow. Until she finally arrived at her destination.
From above, the sprawling structure resembled a sideways "K," a bold statement of Kylian power and progress. Built with Marble from the Kylian Mines, over 20 years of construction had finally come to fruition.
She entered through the northwest section, the heart of the executive branch. The air inside was thick with the scent of paper, ink, and the frantic discussion of policy.
The Kylian Council, which consists of the Kingdom's top political leaders, consists of a representative of every unit of population. setting the Kingdom's broad direction and settling urgent high-level questions. Its members elect a president, who can serve up to four five-year terms.
As she entered the chamber, the murmur of voices subsided. All eyes turned to her. President Zoloti, his face etched with the weariness of endless debate, rose to greet her. "You're here!" he exclaimed, his voice resonating with relief. "Before we begin, here's a quick overview of the state of the Kingdom." He gestured to a large chalkboard on which recent statistics had been meticulously recorded:
Total Population-91,733 Increase-46%
Industrial Population-4,587 To Population-5%
Rural Population-87,147 To Population-95%
Kylian Land Area-10,000,000 Km^2
Kylian GDP-108,132,368 Kon Increase-50%
Kylian Revenue-38,046,329 Kon
Total Kylian Debt-146,227,179 Kon
Kylian Debt to GDP ratio-135%
Personnel in the Armed Forces-920
Percentage of population who are in the Armed Forces-1%
Kylian Steel Production-161 tonnes per year Increase-10%
National Strength Index-122.90 Increase-53.68%
Zoloti continued, "While the debt to GDP ratio remains concerning, it's far better than the high of 162% last year, thanks to the reparations from Rosa. And with the integration of the City-States, our national strength is exploding!"
Kylia turned her gaze back to the Council. The room was a hive of nervous energy. Maps were spread across mahogany tables, reports lay scattered like fallen leaves, and the faces of the Kylian Members of Parliament, the KMPs, were etched with worry. The victory over the Coalition had been hard-won, but it had left a power vacuum and a desperate need for a stable, unified government.
Before Kylia could even shed her heavy fur coat, a barrage of questions erupted.
"Your Majesty, what structure do you envision for the new government?" KMP Belkov, leader of the Royalists, practically pleaded.
"The people of Rosa demand more representation, but that will promote sectionalism! How do we balance these concerns?" This was Liberal Leader KMP Irynova, her voice tight with concern.
"Over 100,000,000 Kon debt, Your Majesty! Should we fund the reconstruction in newly captured territories?" Another voice chimed in, this one belonging to Socialist Leader KMP Durnyy.
"…" That was the Conservative Leader KMP Tykhyy.
Kylia held up a hand, silencing the clamor. "Whoa, Whoa, Gentlemen, please," she said, her voice calm but firm. "I understand your concerns. We have many challenges ahead of us, but we will face them together. I will lay out my vision for the government, and we will debate the issues. But let us do so with respect and in a calm manner."
A collective sigh swept through the room as the KMPs, seasoned politicians despite their varying ideologies, recognized the wisdom in Kylia's words. Belkov, Irinova, and Volkov, the loudest of the bunch, subtly shifted in their seats, a semblance of order returning to the chamber.
Kylia, sensing the shift in atmosphere, took a deep breath, turning to face the council. "For the past year, we've focused on securing the peace and reintegrating the former City-States. However, the current Kylian Government was only built for an unitary system, a system where a single, central authority holds all governing power, with no formal division of authority between national and subnational levels."
She paced slowly before the council, her black boots echoing softly on the polished marble floor. "However, the territory under Kylia is now not uniform, there are differences between each of the former CityStates. Unitarism would in fact widen those differences, slow down administration and promote unrest."
A murmur rippled through the chamber.
Kylia let the murmur die down, her gaze sweeping across the faces of the KMPs. "Therefore," she announced, her voice resonating with conviction, "I propose that we move towards what I call a federal system. Each of the former City-States including Kylia City must become constituent counties within a united Kylian Kingdom."
A wave of whispers erupted, more chaotic than before. Federalism? It was another power structure besides democracy that had defined feudalism for generations.
KMP Belkov, the Royalist, spluttered, "But Your Majesty, such a system would weaken the central government! It would fracture our unity! The throne's power would be weakened, and the Royalists would lose influence."
Kylia raised an eyebrow. "Weakening the central government is not the goal, Belkov. The goal is to distribute power more effectively, to allow each county to address its unique needs and concerns within a framework of national unity. The Monarch represents the nation, not merely the central government."
Liberal KMP Irynova spoke next, her brow furrowed in thought. "A federal system would indeed allow for greater representation from Rosa and the newly integrated regions. But how do we implement this new system?"
"That is a valid concern, Irynova," Kylia acknowledged. "There will be major changes within both the legislative and executive branch of government to allow for more representation among all counties."
"The Kylian Council in the executive branch will be moved to the legislative branch and will now be renamed the Minister's Council, consisting of representatives from each member county government to focus on the law-making process, coordinating Kylian economic and security policies. The new Kylian Council will brings together all the elected mayors of all member counties to set the overall Kylian agenda and political priorities "
"To address any confusion I will go over the new full Kylian government."
Legislative:
Kylian Parliament: Represents Kylian citizens and is directly elected, voting on Kylian laws, agreements, and budgets, and overseeing other EU institutions.
Minister's Council: Consists of representatives from each member county government, and is involved in the law-making process, coordinating Kylian economic and security policies.
Kylian Council: Brings together the mayors of all member counties to set the overall Kylian agenda and political priorities.
Executive:
Kylian Commission: The Kylian executive body, proposing legislation, implementing Kylian policies, and managing the Kylian budget.
Judicial:
Court of Justice of Kylia (CJK): Ensures that Kylian law is interpreted and applied consistently across all member counties.
Financial:
Kylian National Bank (KNB): Responsible for setting monetary policy for the Kylian area.
Monarch:
Queen: Has the power to fire those from any of these branches of government. She will also possess all Executive, Legislative, Judicial and Financial powers to enact nationwide policies if needed.
Socialist KMP Durnyy, ever focused on economic disparities, chimed in. "How will this federal system address the national debt? Will each county be responsible for a portion of the debt? What about the funding for reconstruction in the war-torn areas? Some counties are far more impoverished than others."
Kylia glared back, annoyed. "The Kingdom does not have a debt problem! The Kingdom is more than capable of paying back its debts while funding for reconstruction, you should know that by now, been telling you guys for years! However your question of fiscal policy between county and national government is really interesting. The national debt will remain a federal responsibility. We will establish a system of revenue sharing, where the federal government collects taxes and distributes funds to the counties based on their needs, population, and contribution to the national economy. Reconstruction funds will be allocated based on the severity of the damage in each state, ensuring that no region is left behind."
She continued, laying out her vision for the federal system. Each county would have its own elected legislature, responsible for enacting laws and policies within its borders. The federal government would retain control over key areas such as foreign policy, national defense, currency, and interstate commerce. The CJK system would ensure the uniform application of laws across the Kingdom.
The debate continued for hours, each KMP raising concerns and proposing amendments. Kylia patiently addressed each point, weaving a tapestry of compromise and consensus. She spoke of the importance of unity, the need for representation, and the promise of a more prosperous future for all Kylians, regardless of their county of origin.
As the sun began to set, casting long shadows across the chamber, a sense of cautious optimism filled the air. Even Belkov, the staunch Royalist, seemed to be softening his stance, recognizing the potential benefits of a federal system under Kylia's firm guidance.
Finally, KMP Irynova rose to her feet. "Your Majesty," she said, her voice filled with newfound respect, "your vision is ambitious, but I believe it is the right path forward. The Liberal faction supports the implementation of a federal system, with the understanding that we will continue to work together to address the challenges that lie ahead."
Belkov followed suit, albeit with less enthusiasm. "The Royalist faction is willing to give this plan a chance, Your Majesty. We will hold you accountable to your promises, but we will also work diligently to ensure the success of this new system."
Durnyy, ever the pragmatist, nodded in agreement. "The Socialist faction will support the implementation of this system as well, assuming sufficient safeguards are put in place to prevent any state from being left behind."
"Yes." That was the Conservative Leader KMP Tykhyy's answer.
Everyone else: "…"
Kylia blinked. Irynova sputtered. Belkov's eyebrows shot up so high they nearly disappeared into his receding hairline. Durnyy frowned, already drafting a proposal to study the economic impact of such a terse proclamation. Only President Zoloti, a man known for his uncanny ability to remain unruffled in the face of foreign, continued to look chill.
"Yes?" Kylia repeated, her regal composure starting to crumble around the edges. "Yes, you… support the implementation?"
Tykhyy blinked back, his expression unchanging. "Yes."
The silence stretched. Finally, Belkov, the Royalist who rarely found common ground with anyone, broke. "Yes... what? Yes, you agree? Yes, you're hungry? Yes, you think the Queen is wearing a particularly hideous shade of blue today? Give us something, man!" He threw his hands up with such force his wig threatened to dislodge.
Tykhyy merely adjusted his monocle again. "Yes."
A beat of silence. Then, Irynova burst out laughing, her earlier solemnity completely forgotten. Durnyy joined in, shaking his head in amused resignation. Even Belkov cracked a smile, the absurdity of the situation finally breaking through his characteristic cynicism.
Kylia, after a moment of stunned silence, found herself laughing too. The monumental task of unifying the kingdom, of enacting a new federal system, had hinged, in the end, on the baffling monosyllabic pronouncements of a man who seemed to communicate entirely through facial tics and cryptic affirmatives.
"Alright then," Kylia said, wiping tears from her eyes. "Yes it is. The federal system is approved. Now, let us adjourn for dinner. Perhaps KMP Tykhyy can enlighten us with his culinary preferences… Yes?"
Tykhyy paused, considering this. Then, with a slow, deliberate nod, he said, "No."
The laughter erupted again, louder this time. The Kingdom of Kylia, Queen Kylia realised, was going to be a very interesting place indeed.