Full-Scale Operation
Let's start―― the purge in the Nord Empire began with these words from Emperor Kaiser.
The first to be executed were the three former ministers. All three, who had been held in captivity for some time, were charged with various crimes, including corruption and disrespect for the emperor, and all were sentenced to death.
If this had been the end of it, it would not have been called a purge, but since they were the three who were in control of the national government, their influence was great, and those connected to them all started to make a fuss when the death penalty was decided upon.
The voices condemning the emperor began to grow louder and louder in the royal castle, the capital, and the areas that had been the domain of the three ministers, and people began to think that they would not be able to ignore these voices.
The emperor chose to respond with a purge.
He detained those who protested without hesitation and those who sympathized with the protests, one after another on charges of corruption, just as he had done with the former ministers. When they saw that the protests were about to take a more radical turn, they immediately arrested those involved, including those who were not in government positions, under the guise of preparing for revolt.
In the end, without any concrete action being taken, all of the former ministers' officials were captured and had to be stripped of all their positions.
The number exceeded 3,000. When the people learned of this fact, even those who had hated their injustice could not help but be horrified by the emperor's authoritarian methods.
What shook the people even more was the fact that all of those captured were charged with treason. The punishment for treason was fixed. Death.
The execution of 3,000 people, including women and children, was to be decided, and just as the execution was about to begin, the only one who objected to it was the saint Shizuku.
No matter what the crime, it is nothing compared to the preciousness of human life. You, who were born and raised in a different world, would understand this thought. The Emperor Kaiser nodded reluctantly at the words of the saint Shizuku, and changed the punishment, saying that minors would not be charged with crimes and that only the three former ministers would be condemned to death, while the rest would be charged according to the severity of their crimes.
The saint's compassionate heart moved the cool-hearted new emperor.
"It's supposed to be. There's no way I can do you in the back room, right?"
"Why?"
"Don't play dumb. A saint can't be a concubine."
"That's right, but……"
Still unsatisfied with the advisor position, Shizuku came to beg him to somehow become his wife, but as expected, Ren did not accept her. Moreover, it doesn't end with her being refused.
"You, from now on act like an idol. No romance. No bathrooms.""
"Wait!?"
"As expected, the bathroom is a joke. But the idol one is serious. You have to become a saint, someone people respect and admire."
"...Is it necessary to go that far?"
She had already received an explanation from Ren, but Shizuku wasn't completely convinced. She worries not only about herself, but also about Ren.
"I don't know, but if I'm going to do it, and I'm going to be thorough."
"Before that, I don’t think you need to make the people hate you."
"The quickest way to bring a country together is to force it to obey with fear."
"Fear will always lead to defections."
"I know that. I don't intend to play politics with fear. I'm going to make people afraid to go against me, and then I'm going to try to do as much good as I can."
"Why didn't you do that from the beginning?"
"Even if we do our best to create a good government, I don't know whether we will succeed or not. Even if we succeed, it will take time before we can feel the effects."
"Maybe so."
"And even if I think it's a good policy, some people won't see it that way."
"...That's right"
"I still have to force my way to do what I think is right. And I won't let them complain."
"If you do that, you'll get a backlash."
"That's why I have you, to make people think that I have someone who I will listen to, someone who can stop me, and thereby mitigate the backlash. So people have to think that you are my equal."
Being hated and feared doesn't hurt Ren. It has always been that way. But he does not want the backlash to become so strong that it leads to civil unrest. To prevent that from happening, Ren is trying to use the image of a saint.
She can understand it, but she cannot accept it if it makes her feel distant from Ren.
"If you want people to think of us as an equal, it's better if they know about our relationship."
"You mean close enough that we have a physical relationship?"
"That's right"
"That's wrong. Humans in this world look down on women. If there is a physical relationship, you will only be seen as mine."
"Is that so?"
"Didn't you know? The only exception is mages, who are valued for their talents. Do you know of any other high positions held by women?"
"Of course, the Director was a woman."
"Because she's the chief of the nuns."
"...I certainly don't know."
"In this world, strangely, there is no progress in that kind of thought. And for that matter, no technological progress either."
"Is that so?"
"Master Rudolph is from a thousand years ago. I haven't heard much about it, but the way wars are fought is almost the same as back then. In other words, weapons haven't evolved even after a thousand years."
"...No guns or cannons"
"Yes. Sword and magic. They've been fighting with that for thousands of years."
War is evil, but the conversion of military technology to civilian use has often made life amazingly better. But in this world, military technology has not advanced at all. The event of technological innovation has not happened at all since a certain point in time.
"How could that be?"
"I briefly considered the possibility that it was due to the existence of magic.."
"Briefly?"
Shizuku can understand the idea that magic is so useful that other technologies have not progressed. However, Ren's way of saying it is negative. Shizuku replied with a question.
"Yes. I can't completely deny it, but I think it's different. I don't see any evolution in the use of magic."
"Then why?"
"Maybe that's the way the world works.
"What do you mean?"
"I'm pretty sure that in this world, nuclear weapons will never be invented."
"That's a good thing."
"People won't fly in the sky. Cars won't work. Steam locomotives won't even run."
"That's just weird."
"Yes. This world is strange. Of course, it's a different world from the one we were in."
"…………"
Shizuku never thought about the world itself. Shizuku is surprised at Ren, who thought that. Ren is different from them. She knew it, but Shizuku realized it again.
"Don't think about it now. You can't become a concubine. As the only person who can give me an opinion, you have to carry people's expectations. That will help me."
"...I understand."
"I'm telling you, don't take bribes or anything like that."
"...I know."
"There's a pause. Listen, you're a saint. Act like a saint."
"Don't worry. I'm good at that."
"I guess so."
"Instead"
"What?"
"Don't take me out of order for the night."
"Huh?"
"I'm sure Ren will say you don't do that kind of thing with anyone but your concubines."
"...I will not"
"Then I'm number two."
Ren's words brightened Shizuku's expression. This is the most important thing for Shizuku.
"Well, it's just the two of you."
"Every other day"
"What?"
"That's what I mean."
"Why is it more often than before?"
"Because it's the order of the turns."
"...I don't want to have children."
"…………"
Shizuku fell silent when he pointed it out. Besides sexual desire, Shizuku also has other desires.
"I knew it. That's your intention."
"Ren is the emperor. You need an heir."
The emperor may indeed be so, but what Shizuku wants is not an heir, but her own position after giving birth to an heir.
"I don't need it. I'm in the position of emperor for a purpose. If I achieve my purpose, I won't need it."
"...It's a waste"
"I don't think so. Therefore, there is no possibility that you will become the empress."
"No way..."
"Give it up. In the first place, even if you become the empress of the Nord Empire, you will not be able to enjoy luxury."
What Shizuku seeks is not only honor, but also greed. Ren understands Shizuku well.
"It's not like that."
"Can you?"
"Because Ren will conquer other countries. Ultimately, the entire continent will belong to Ren. Wouldn't that empress be able to afford all the luxuries she wanted?"
"...Certainly. Oops. Even though it was a goal, I didn't feel like I could achieve it. What I did... it's impossible..."
When Shizuku pointed it out, Ren looked depressed all at once.
"Don't be so depressed"
"Because that's what you taught me, of all things. It's depressing, isn't it?"
"……Not too bad?"
"It's not that bad."
"...Then, I want you to thank me."
"Thank?"
"Make it my time tonight"
"...So that's what it is. Well, that's good enough."
"Because I won't lose"
"……To whom?"
"…………"
The words that she unintentionally uttered. Shizuku's eyes are swimming as she realizes her blunder. The eyes of Ren, who looks at Shizuku turn cold.
"You were eavesdropping, weren't you?"
"What are you talking about? I would never do such a thing."
"You were eavesdropping on me with Queen Lyra, weren't you?"
"Well, it's insensitive of you to talk about your relationships with other women."
"Why should I care about you? And I never said we had a relationship. Admit it. Did you eavesdrop?"
"Because… Ren was happy for some reason."
"You are talking about that?"
"It's true."
"...Well, they're kind of, what do you call it, a whole race of beings that's good at that sort of thing."
The Liliths are only female, so they are able to reproduce by receiving the sperm of males of other races. Not only that, but semen is also their nourishment. S*x is essential for the Lilith's to exist.
In order to forcefully perform the act, they have a strong ability to charm, and they also have the ability to give pleasure to the point of paralysis to prevent harm from being done to them during the act.
The act with Queen Lyra was a time of pleasure that Ren had never experienced before.
"I won't lose"
"No, it is absolutely impossible. It would be foolhardy to try to compete."
"Was it that good?"
"You're asking that?"
"But..."
"For them, it's food. It's different from yours."
"Y-yeah"
The word [punishment] was omitted from Ren's words when he spoke to Shizuku. This helped to calm Shizuku's jealousy a little. Ren has no romantic feelings for others. Shizuku knows this, but she misunderstands it for her own convenience.
Perhaps it is this kind of personality that allows her to get along well with Ren.
"Is that enough? I have to go to the conference room soon."
"Ah, me too"
"It's not a meeting to decide on concubines."
"Don't think that's the only thing I'm thinking about. I'm a saint and an advisor, you know?"
"That's right."
◇◇◇
By the time Ren entered the conference room, Lautrec and everyone else involved had already gathered. Shizuku panicked and took an empty seat.
"I kept you all waiting. Let's get started right away."
"Yes. I understand this is about the organization?"
"Yes. Talking about the organization and immediate measures. It's an exaggeration to say this, but it's about what we're going to do in the future."
"I understand"
"I will tell you what I have been thinking, but if there are any problems, please point them out."
"Yes"
"Not only Lautrec, but everyone should tell me what you have noticed."
"""Ha"""
Many people, including the three ministers, have disappeared from the national political scene. The only people who are here are those who were in lower positions than those people. Ren knew from several meetings that if he didn't say this, they would just end up listening.
"Then the organization. But the only thing we have decided is to divide the organization into two main parts. The Ministry of the Interior Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Ministry of the Interior Affairs is in charge of domestic affairs, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in charge of foreign affairs. The head of the Ministry of the Interior is entrusted to Lautrec. His title will be Minister of the Interior Affairs."
"Internal affairs?"
"Complains?"
"No. I have no complaints. But up until now, I've been in charge of diplomacy and other matters."
"Let me tell you something. I will also serve as the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The reason is that, for the time being, there is no official work in foreign affairs. You can say that you will concentrate on domestic affairs. Therefore, most of the bureaucrats will be assigned to the Ministry of Interior Affairs. In that case, Lautrec, who was in the position of Left Minister, is the right person for the job."
"I understand"
Lautrec had no choice but to answer in this way because he had been appointed by Ren, the emperor. Even though he knows the real reason is that he just doesn't trust him enough to entrust him with a job that is not public.
"The main priorities of Internal Affairs are to improve crop productivity, to develop industries other than agriculture, and to nurture human resources."
"Nuture human resources?"
"I'll explain the details later. First, the organization. We will establish departments under the Ministry of the Interior Affairs with jurisdiction over different fields, such as agriculture, fisheries, commerce, industry, finance, legal affairs, police, and so on. I want you to think of the departments you think are necessary."
"Me?"
"Yes. Make a rough draft, and if there are any shortfalls, I will add them."
"I understand"
"And the departments, we will call them bureaus. And you'll select candidates for the head of the bureaus."
"All of them?"
"Yes. Once that's done, have each bureau head come up with a plan for the future, and report back to me."
"...Are you sure you want to leave this to the heads?"
Ren doesn't trust people easily. Although that was the case, he tried to entrust responsible work. Lautrec cannot understand this very well.
"It's fine, but as I said earlier. Our priority is to improve agricultural productivity, develop industries other than agriculture, and foster human resources. Legal affairs and police have nothing to do with it, so it's a free agenda."
"What are those legal affairs and police?"
"Legal affairs are thinking about laws, and after that, court cases. We can't just call it separation of powers."
"Separation..."
"I won’t go into detail about that. It's a long story and I'll leave it for another time."
Knowledge in the original world. Ren does not believe that all of it can be used in this world. It would never fit. There is no such thing as a democratic country in this world.
"Do you think such a department is necessary?"
"I think it is necessary. As people get richer, they will have interests with others. Even if they don't, we live in a country with many different kinds of people. Laws must be properly established to ensure that things are judged fairly. Naturally, we need an organization to check whether they are being followed and, if necessary, to crack down on violators. That is the police.”
If a person commits a crime, whether he or she is a human or a demon, he or she will be judged fairly. If such a system is not established and firmly operated, there will surely be dissatisfaction. This is the idea.
"...I understand. I am not sure if there is anyone suitable for the job, but I will think about it."
"Good luck with that. Next is human resource development. In the short term, we need to find talented people. In the long term, we will create an educational environment."
"Yes……"
"Every town and village should be notified of the appointment of civil and military officials, regardless of status, family background, occupation, or race."
"But even then..."
"We'll give them an exam. Is the military officer exam easy? The question is the civil officials. Is there a civil officer promotion exam?"
"In a manner of speaking."
It's a system that hasn't been implemented or anything like it for decades. There is no need for numbers in the national government, and the few positions that exist have been monopolized by a few families.
"And then. Free assignment to the exam."
"Free assignments?"
"I don't care if it's a policy to improve this country. Please make them submit it as a thesis. No, if they can't write letters, they can do it orally."
"That's……"
Lautrec is bewildered by Ren's attempt to appoint an illiterate person as a civil official.
"I will look at the papers and listen to what you have to say."
"His Majesty himself?"
"If I leave it to you guys, you're going to make decisions with prejudice. I will appoint anyone who can come up with a good policy, no matter who they are. That kind of person is what this country needs right now."
"Yes……"
His thoughts were seen through by Ren. Lautrec is ashamed of it.
"On the other hand, we need people who can do their job well. Is that what the appointment test is about?"
"......It's just a test of basic academic skills, though."
Lautrec did not know what Ren was looking for. It's true. There is no such thing as an aptitude test in this world.
"I see. Then let's include an interview. I'll be the interviewer."
"His Majesty will do that, too?"
"If there is absolutely no injustice, I will leave it to you. If there is any injustice, the really talented people will turn away from the country. If that happens, there will be no future for this country."
If a person has an excellent idea, no matter who he is, he will be hired. This is done with efficiency in mind. Yet Ren, who does not trust people, tries to adopt this kind of inefficient approach.
"...How about I will go first and then ask His Majesty to make the final decision? I don't think it would be possible for His Majesty to deal with everyone."
Lautrec would never say that he would leave everything to Ren. Because that would be an admission of wrongdoing. But he also cannot be sure that injustice will never happen. Lautrec's only choice was this.
"Alright, then."
"I understand"
"Next is school. We will create opportunities for all citizens to learn reading, writing, and arithmetic."
"Everyone?"
"Yes. Secure teachers. They will be employed by the government as civil servants."
"How many teachers do you expect to have?"
"Enough to open a school in every town and village."
"What!?"
"I thought I said that every citizen should have the opportunity to learn?"
"But……"
Lautrec wonders what it means. It would be so. The idea of the right to education does not exist in this world. However, Ren's thoughts did not come from there.
"In small towns and villages, if there is a resident there who can teach, we will leave it to that person. Of course, we will pay them for the work they do."
"Yes. What about the capital?"
"The capital will be composed of civil officials. They are not only teachers, but also bureaucrats who set up and administer the educational system."
"I see. Can I think of it as a branch of the Ministry of the Interior Affairs?"
"Yeah, that's right. I'll tell you for the record that we won't take money from students. We will teach them for free."
"Yes?"
"You don't need money to learn. It has to be that way."
"That would be ideal."
"People who have the money to get an education can get jobs even if they are not particularly talented, and people who are smart but poor and can’t get an education can’t get jobs. Do you think this is right?"
"……No."
"However, as long as they are educated with the government's money, they will be appointed to government positions. After they have been appointed to a government position, they will be required to pay their tuition fees in installments. Once they have paid their tuition, they are free to go. They can quit the job and do whatever they want. That is how the system will be set up."
"I understand"
In form, it is an imitation of the scholarship system of the original world. In Ren's mind, he intends to operate it more boldly. The cost of education is an investment in discovering talented people. He did not intend to spare the cost.
"So that's about it for Internal Affairs. The rest is local. The authority of the mayor and the size of the government will be greatly reduced. There is no need for an independent government. Decisions should be made centrally, and employees should simply do what they are instructed to do."
"Yes. I will reduce it to the minimum necessary."
The size of the Nord capital is no different from that of a regional city in a major country. There is no need to have so many people in a place like that and have them waste money.
"I guess that's about it. I'll go to the next meeting. You can work out the details yourselves."
"Yes"
In the short time it took Lautrec to reply, Ren was on his way to the exit.
He opens the door and quickly leaves the meeting room.
"...Left Minister-sama"
"Don't get it wrong. I'm the Minister of the Interior Affairs."
"Ah, yes"
"So what is it?"
"Is everything all right?"
"Are you referring to His Majesty?"
"I don't mean to be rude to His Majesty, but he is still young and has not received any imperial education. I am not sure if it is appropriate to proceed with matters based solely on His Majesty's thoughts."
The position of king or emperor is hereditary. The new king, Ren, is the emperor, but he will not stand for another two hundred years. With Ren's youth, it's fair to say that it's inevitable that he feels insecure.
"…Are you going to disobey His Majesty?"
But Lautrec cannot accept the idea.
"No, it's not like that. I just think you should advise him that we can't do something we can't do."
"At least, His Majesty works many times more than we do. Shouldn't we try to work as hard as he does before we say we can't?"
"……Yes"
Lautrec also has concerns. But Ren has so far managed to keep things going according to his original plan. He has executed the plan beyond what Lautrec had in mind. He has no choice but to rely on that and trust Ren.
Ralph has told him repeatedly that if he stops believing in him, that's where it will end.
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