Episode 256 Epilogue (4)
A storm literally raged at the National Assembly.
A chaotic debate continued for several days, and I had a hard time dealing with complaints from Central Party members who asked me to somehow persuade Eris.
However, Eris pushed hard as if there would be no compromise on this issue, and to be honest, I also knew that it would be difficult to persuade Eris when she was like that, so I gave up half the time.
To conclude, the National Assembly passed Eris’ agenda.
It was a bit funny that the reasons were all different.
In any case, the Revolutionary Party was relatively relieved that Eris’s reform plan, which would transfer power to the head of state whom Nicolas Brissot named the President, was not an overthrow of the revolution.
They were concerned that if the Queen extended her term of office for another eight years at a time when the power of the Central Party had grown due to successive wars and their victories, it would be a reversal of the revolution.
Unlike the Revolutionary Party or the Center Party, the Liberal Party would have difficulty dreaming of taking power, but like the Revolutionary Party, it was in favor because it was not an overthrow of the revolution and the person whom the Queen sought advice on for this reform plan was Nicolas Brissot.
In any case, it is difficult to expect them to play a leading role in the upcoming election unless there is a dramatic change in the earth’s crust.
In such a situation, it is difficult for the queen, who is loved by the people, to refuse the opportunity to gain legitimacy by sharing the same views as the spiritual leader of the Central Party.
And finally, the Central Party.
As they were mainly nobles, they most fiercely opposed Eris’s reform plan.
However, ironically, since they were the ones who brought Eris to power and claimed to be members of the Geunwang faction, it was most difficult to directly go against the queen’s will.
I don’t know if Eris is a scarecrow queen and they haven’t completely abandoned the aristocratic mindset of the old system, but Eris is a queen who receives absolute support, and in their own way, they are the ones who have adapted to the changed society after the National Assembly and revolution for nearly 10 years.
In the end, when it became clear that they would not be able to break Eris’ will, the Central Party turned its attention to the benefits they could take from this situation.
In the end, if he wins the election, he will be able to lead Franzia, which has been divided and lagging, and have the momentum to change the policies that are radical by the Central Party’s standards to be more moderate by their standards.
Then, it could be seen that it would be possible to rule Francia more easily than if one served a radical queen who was out of control and lacked authority.
Although everyone protested, the Queen, who reluctantly made everyone agree by finding the positive side, was sitting in front of me, smiling brightly.
“…You have done a great job, Your Majesty.”
“I’m sorry for not telling you first, Marquis. But the Marquis is radical in some ways, but conservative in others.”
Eris answered slyly as if nothing had happened.
…I’m sure you all know why I’m doing that.
I push for reform, even radically, when there is a threat to Christine or my people if left unattended, or when I am confident that the reform plan will bring better results.
Conversely, I prefer to maintain the status quo as much as possible on issues that will have little impact on Christine or my people.
This is strictly based on experience.
“People usually want to accept what is good for them and keep things that are good for them. “Your Majesty is strange.”
Eris smiled awkwardly.
“But you didn’t think I would still be on the throne, did you?”
“That’s right.”
Eris has a strong sense of responsibility.
Despite numerous oppositions, he is the one who withstood the pressure of the Central Party members who even lent my hand and urged him to have an heir, but he will never stop trying to continue the royal family that will be cut off at any time.
In the end, one way or another, the end of the monarchy was expected.
But I had no idea it would be like this when Eris, who led the war to victory, was at her peak of popularity.
Eris drank her tea quietly and looked at me with shining eyes.
…He usually says something embarrassing when he does things like this.
As soon as she could think that, Eris opened her mouth.
“Marquis. “I hope you will consider declining the presidential candidacy.”
…I knew it.
I made a subtle expression.
It is natural, but I am one of the reasons why the Central Party eventually passed Eris’s reform plan despite its reluctance.
I led the revolutionary army in a series of battles with the Abyss Corporation, the former Kingdom of Francia, the Empire of Germania and the Kingdom of Krafte, and defeated them all.
As a result, I am already praised as the greatest general in human history, surpassing the Blue Knight, who was the strongest in Francia, and at the moment, I still have the lingering feeling of victory over the demons.
Therefore, the Central Party thought that if I ran as a presidential candidate, they would definitely win, and were actually thinking of nominating me as a presidential candidate.
“…I would like to ask you why you are asking me such a favor, Your Majesty.”
“It’s simple. “I don’t think the Central Party should be in power.”
This is it.
If the Count of Anjou and the members of the Central Party hear this, they will wail and ask how the Queen could do this to us.
“But, Your Majesty. Although the members of the Center Party are a bit stiff and old-fashioned, they are also people who are loyal to Her Majesty the Queen in their own way and have adapted in their own way to post-revolutionary Francia. “If I’m going to grant Her Majesty the Queen’s favor, I’ll need a more convincing reason.”
Eris smiled softly.
“Marquis, if the Center Party takes power, further reform will probably be difficult in Francia. No, there is a high possibility that it will go backwards. Because all other countries are still monarchies. “In such a situation, if those who are accustomed to a monarchy settle in, all I have done is to return Francia to a kingdom without a king.”
“Well, Your Majesty. To be honest, I’m not sure if that’s a problem. “If we go back to the same form again even after going through the chaos of revolution, wouldn’t that be right in the end?”
Above all, we are people who choose the lesser evil to avoid the worst.
In any case, the members of the Center Party are those who abandoned the old system and chose compromise to join the revolution, and we are at least different from the worst of the old system.
“Immediately, Christine and I took over the real power of Franzia, and His Majesty also became its spiritual leader. However, Francia did not completely lose the spirit of the revolution, and rather managed it better than the chaos that occurred during the revolution.”
Eris smiled bitterly.
“I think the current situation in Franzia is like a miracle.”
“miracle?”
“Yes, it’s a miracle. A military commander who cooperates with the system even though he has enough power to overthrow the queen system who believes that power should be returned to the people. A businessman who upholds the good even though he has the ability to eat up the entire national economy and dominate it. Franzia’s current situation is possible because all of them happen to be using their abilities for good.”
Eris paused for a moment and then opened her mouth.
“It may seem okay now. But what if the current situation continues? What if the Marquis’ successor changes his mind? What if Christine’s successor, unlike her sister, tries to control Franzia with economic power to her heart’s content? “Who can stop it then?”
“….”
“Just because it looks okay right now doesn’t mean there isn’t a problem. We were able to overcome the crisis by relying on the Marquis, Christine, and the Central Party. But there were still some aftereffects.”
Eris paused a little and smiled bitterly.
“You know the Marquis, me, the Marquis, and Christine. “In the end, I am taking the same position now through an experience that was impossible.”
After hearing Eris’ words, I slowly closed my eyes.
I know for sure.
If I hadn’t had the experience of regression, I wouldn’t have tried to understand and compromise with the republic in the first place.
Eris would never have become queen, and Christine has done her best for the good of Francia purely for my sake.
In the end, I have no choice but to affirm Eris’s expression of a miraculous situation.
“That’s why I think reform is needed now.”
Eris speaks as if pleading.
“If the Marquis and the Central Party take power from the first election, everything achieved through the revolution may be in vain. “Then there is a high risk that others, who may be half giving up even now, will lose their will to reform.”
I understand what Eris is saying.
But…
“…I don’t know.”
Certainly the Revolution and the subsequent Francia, which to me were merely a lesser evil, changed many things.
The victory against the Abyss Corporation, which would have been impossible for me alone with only my people, was eventually achieved with the help of the National Assembly.
But even so.
“In the end, the revolution created by those who called for reform the most was hell. “After seeing that, I had to come back and try my best to somehow get them back on track.”
Even though it wasn’t before she returned, the image of Christine, covered in blood and hanging down, still remains in my mind.
Of course, Maurice Talleyrand is capable enough and the Revolutionary Party is different from then.
Nicola Brissot and the Liberal Party rewarded my dedication with faith.
Nevertheless…
“I do not deny the possibility of the National Assembly or others. But isn’t it better to lead them with my own hands rather than trusting them? “That thought never goes away.”
“is it so. But the Marquis is the only one who can give them a chance and correct them if they go astray. Isn’t it? Who else but the Marquis could do that? “If not now, when all the problems have been resolved, when will you take on an adventure like this?”
“Can you be so irresponsible and say that if you give it to me and you don’t like it, throw it away?”
When I asked in shock, Eris laughed.
“But it really has to be now. “There are paths that have already been proven to be bad and paths that may be better, but it is too much to choose and look at the proven path because you are anxious.”
I laughed out loud.
“…Honestly, I don’t really understand the equality they talk about. Since each person’s area of expertise is different, I wouldn’t say that a knight or a wizard who handles magic is superior…”
Yes, someone may be more competent than me in administration and may be superior in technology.
But even so, is everyone really equal?
“Right now, I can easily kill about a hundred regular soldiers. Christine’s personal value is superior to that number of bureaucrats. But why do we need a reform that gives everyone an equal vote?”
Eris smiled softly and answered.
“Even if everyone is given one vote equally, the influence will not be equal. “Countless people who respect the Marquis will vote for him without the Marquis’ intervention, and those who have been indebted to Christine will do the same.”
“Then isn’t it meaningless even if the votes are equal in the first place?”
“No, there is. If you give it away unevenly from the beginning, those with power won’t even have to worry about the rest. Then, in the end, only those who have power will continue to have it, and corruption will inevitably result. “Like the old system that has already collapsed.”
“hmm.”
“But if rights are given equally, at least those with power will try to use some of their influence for the benefit of others. Only then can others exercise their rights in the way they want.”
Eris said, smoothing the teacup with her hands.
“I don’t want to pray for good will that comes from relying on someone’s favor, but I want to give everyone a reason to be good.”
I lightly clenched and unclenched my fists.
The strong divine power that I felt when I was fighting on the Abyss Corporation island is no longer felt at all.
Likewise, after winning the final battle against the Abyss Corporation and waking up after being unconscious for several days.
Eris told me that Gremory had healed her body, but even so, her divine power had decreased noticeably.
I don’t know if they both disappeared because they had fulfilled their mission, or if they were depleted due to overuse.
Eris seemed to be happy about what happened, seeing it as a kind of liberation and salvation, but…
“If we fail this time too, you know that we will have no more chances, Your Majesty.”
It’s close to an instinctive realization.
But Eris smiled and answered.
“I know, Marquis. But I want to leave it to you. “The failures we remember are ultimately due to external intervention, right?”
The intensification of the Abyss Corporation’s intentional revolution.
“We did our best and changed a lot of things. So wouldn’t it be worth taking a step back at least once to make sure the path we’ve chosen is the right one?”
After saying that, Eris smiled softly and stretched out her hand to me.
“This is a country that we worked so hard to protect, but it wouldn’t be so lax that it would collapse right away if we let go for a moment, right?”
In the end, I smiled bitterly and held Eris’s hand.
Yes, I asked you to become queen, which you did not want…
“Since you are the queen I chose, I will follow you this time.”
