9. Establishing the Council
1
Luke, troubled by the dark clouds he’d seen earlier, had Hudson investigate any disturbances in the Kingdom of Livia.
A few days later, Hudson submitted his report.
“So, other than the conscripts rioting and being suppressed, there’s nothing else?”
“Yes, if we’re talking about precarious situations, things have actually blown up in the Baroque Empire. There was an assassination attempt on the Emperor.”
According to Hudson, rebels had secretly set up a large amount of gunpowder and flame magic circles along Emperor Rudolf’s army’s route.
Since Rudolf was a difficult opponent to face with swords or poison, they tried to blow him up along with his entire army.
“But it failed because Marquis Kepler, a Meister [Master] of the Baroque Imperial Magic Tower serving in the army, saw through it.”
“That’s a shame. But currently, the rebels in the Baroque Empire are mainly peasants, so do they have the ability to set up such a large-scale trap?”
“The Baroque Empire believes that the Kingdom of Livia or the Volga Republic secretly supported them with gunpowder and mages. Our intelligence department also believes so.”
“I see. You may leave.”
After dismissing Hudson, Luke summoned Belpar.
It wasn’t just because he didn’t trust Argos; cross-referencing information would give him a more detailed understanding of the situation.
“Even the Familiars [magical spirits] report no significant incidents in the Kingdom of Livia. However, there are talks that public sentiment is wavering as the war drags on.”
“Hmm, is that so…”
“More importantly, Your Majesty, are you really going to create a council?”
Belpar asked cautiously.
As a demon, he didn’t need to worry about political issues.
However, he couldn’t help but be concerned because it could affect his master Luke’s power and position.
“There are so many state affairs that I can’t handle everything myself. I need people to take care of things for me.”
“But you can’t fully trust the nobles yet, can you?”
After Myers was killed by Reynold, the nobles of the Milton Kingdom surrendered to Luke and enthroned him as the new king.
The Symphonia Kingdom was thus established, and more than half of the kingdom’s nobles were from the former Milton Kingdom.
If a council were created, it was highly likely that they, being the majority, would control legislation and internal affairs.
The kingdom’s power would gradually shift to the nobles.
“Belpar, do you think I would proceed with something without thinking?”
“Then… Ah! You’re planning to turn the nobles into Familiars. If you do that, they’ll surely become loyal puppet voting machines.”
Belpar clapped his hands as if he finally understood, and gave a sinister smile.
However, Luke just looked at him with a pathetic expression.
“I don’t need to turn them into Familiars to prevent them from controlling the council as they please. In fact, it will change without them even knowing it.”
“Huh? How exactly…”
When Belpar looked at him with a puzzled expression, Luke chuckled and said,
“You’ll see when the time comes. Anyway, what’s the situation with the nobles?”
As Count Juon obtained permission to establish the council, the nobles from the former Milton Kingdom quickly began to build their power, led by him.
The official name was the ‘Symphonia Noble Alliance,’ but people simply called them the Noble Faction.
In fact, most of them were part of the Noble Faction of the Baroque Empire in the past.
However, the Noble Faction, which had been optimistic about a hopeful future, faced an unexpected obstacle.
Luke had placed a limit on the number of seats in the council.
In the Baroque Empire, there was no limit to the number of seats.
Whether they were central nobles or local lords, anyone who wished to attend could come to the council and participate.
It was a council by the nobles, for the nobles.
However, Luke did not allow nobles holding official positions or serving in the military to attend, and he limited the number of seats to 300, using the excuse that they should not waste tax money.
Moreover, he did not give all 300 seats to the Noble Faction.
He reserved 125 seats for the Royalist Faction, which supported the king, and 50 seats for the Neutral Faction, giving only 125 seats to the Noble Faction.
At first, the Noble Faction protested against this, but it didn’t last long.
Instead of working together to increase the number of seats, they were only focused on securing the existing ones.
In particular, Count Juon had supported the seat limit from the beginning.
‘They also know that it’s troublesome if just anyone shows up.’
It was said that even among the wealthy, power was not shared.
As Luke had expected, Juon was an ambitious man.
He intended to use the limited number of seats as a means to solidify his power within the Noble Faction and organize their hierarchy.
They should have been busy keeping Luke and the Royalist nobles who supported him in check, but instead, they were focused on internal power struggles.
In any case, thanks to that, Luke was able to control the quorum of the council as he wished.
“But Your Majesty, what is the Neutral Faction?”
Belpar asked, looking puzzled.
There were indeed nobles in the Symphonia Kingdom who claimed political neutrality.
However, there weren’t enough of them to fill 50 seats, which was nearly half the number of seats held by the Royalist and Noble Factions.
“Huhu. Although they have the fewest seats, the Neutral Faction will lead the council.”
“That’s because they can win votes if the Neutral Faction supports them, but… can the small number of Neutral Faction nobles actually fill the seats and participate properly?”
Due to the two major wars, almost all the nobles who could be called neutral had disappeared from the Symphonia Kingdom.
If they claimed neutrality, they would be targeted by both sides.
Therefore, even those who had once claimed neutrality now belonged to either the Noble Faction or the Royalist Faction.
“Hahaha. Well, what do you think?”
Luke, who already had a plan in mind, gave a meaningful smile.
However, Belpar, who had no idea what he was thinking, could only tilt his head.
2
The story of the council’s establishment spread throughout the kingdom in an instant.
It became a major topic of conversation not only in the capital but also in the provinces.
In particular, the republicans within the kingdom were paying the most attention.
In a cafe in a commercial city located in the provinces.
Here, where republicans gathered regularly, the topic of the council came up.
“I heard the king has allowed a council.”
“I heard that ‘only nobles’ can attend.”
A young republican replied with a nonchalant expression to his colleague’s words.
There had been a council only for nobles in the Baroque Empire in the past.
And it was the same in that they had allowed its establishment for money.
The difference was that the nobles of the Baroque Empire had obtained it long ago by threatening to cut off the imperial family’s military spending, while the Symphonia Kingdom had obtained it in exchange for disaster relief funds.
“That can’t be called a proper council. Will the nobles truly convey the will of the people? King Luke may be practicing politics for the people, but when you think about it, he’s just using them to avenge his family, isn’t he?”
“That’s right. It’s no different from fattening warhorses to fight better.”
The middle-aged scholar smiled faintly at the young republicans’ skeptical reactions.
It was as if the energetic young people didn’t know much about the world yet.
“As you said, it’s a council where only nobles can attend. But we don’t ‘only’ have commoners, do we? Aiden, you’re one of them, aren’t you?”
The middle-aged scholar pointed to Aiden, who was from a noble family in a nearby territory.
He had secretly encountered republicanism at the academy in Brenden, the capital, and had since become an enthusiastic republican.
“Of course, but who would treat a distant relative like me as a noble?”
Despite Aiden’s lament, the middle-aged scholar did not remove the smile from his lips.
“I’ve carefully examined this proclamation. It says that any noble can attend. There was no mention anywhere that they must have a title or be a direct descendant of a family.”
The young people’s eyes changed at the middle-aged scholar’s words.
Republicanism was not only believed in by commoners.
Even nobles, such as illegitimate children who were far from inheritance, or second and third sons who received little inheritance, secretly fell into republican ideology.
That’s how dissatisfied they were with the existing nobility and class system.
“I heard that 50 seats have been allocated to the Neutral Faction, right? The Royalist and Noble Factions seem to be already coordinating internally over the seats, but the Neutral Faction’s movements are still minimal.”
“That must be because the number of seats is large compared to their numbers.”
“That’s right. That’s why they’re being so relaxed. But if we just watch, the remaining empty seats will be taken by indecisive people or nouveau riche who bought their titles with money.”
“Hmm…”
The middle-aged scholar spoke with a more forceful voice to the young people who were lost in thought.
“It’s not as much as we want, but it’s definitely an opportunity. To break down the huge dam that is the feudal system, we need to make good use of this opportunity, like a small hole.”
“I understand what Mr. Hegel is saying. The problem is whether we can completely take control of the Neutral Faction?”
At Aiden’s words, the middle-aged scholar, called Hegel, gave a meaningful smile.
“It will be difficult to take control immediately. We need to go in and increase our power. To do that, we’ll need considerable funds and connections. We need to make good use of the existing nobles’ desire for power.”
“Are you saying we should compromise with the nobles?”
Aiden frowned, as if he didn’t like the idea.
“Isn’t it said that sheep must wear wolf’s skin to graze in the meadow? There are always those who have lost their connections in any group. We need to make good contact with them.”
Hegel explained in detail to Aiden and the other young republicans how they should move in the future.
Their heated discussion about the political steps they would take continued late into the night.
Baron Lamerit, a member of the Noble Faction, was in a bad mood.
He had been excluded from the expected election of council members.
“Damn it, that bastard Juon! Is he going to take the fruit I grew?”
In fact, he was the first to argue that they should get political concessions from the king through the fundraising campaign.
Although Count Juon had come up with the condition of establishing the council, he was the one who had contributed the most funds, he was the one who was running the merchant guild under his command, and he was the one who had incited the commoners to raise funds.
Not only that, but he had also gone to the king with Juon to negotiate(?).
However, Juon had given only 18 of the 125 seats of the Noble Faction to nobles of merchant origin.
And he had excluded Baron Lamerit, the head of the faction.
“Baron Lamerit, you are the foundation of our Noble Faction. You need to support us from behind so that those who are active on the front lines can work to their full potential.”
Count Juon, who said this, did not take a seat for himself either.
Instead, he became the head of the Noble Faction and gave enough seats to his vassals and acquaintances.
If he had given enough seats to his own faction, Baron Lamerit would have agreed to Juon’s persuasion.
‘But what is 18 seats! 18 seats!’
Baron Lamerit and the nobles of his faction were extremely dissatisfied with the number, which was less than half of half.
‘What should I do now? Should I switch to the Royalist faction? No, I heard that the competition for seats there is fierce as well. Besides, if I look like a traitor, my position in the political world will be unfavorable in the future.’
He inwardly seethed, wanting to bring his territory’s troops and his merchant guild’s mercenaries to wipe out Juon and his faction.
However, since the military reform, his actual military power had practically vanished.
King Luke would also not stand idly by if there was a civil war.
In the past, he could have petitioned the royal family for a territorial war, but even that was impossible now.
This was because domestic disputes were strictly prohibited in preparation for the war with the Baroque Empire.
The only thing allowed was duels between nobles or their representatives.
However, this was only to restore trampled honor, and it wasn’t a way to regain any lost vested interests.
“Haa, I was a fool. I shouldn’t have trusted Juon, that fox-like bastard…”
As Lamerit was sighing in regret, his butler approached and said,
“Baron, you have a visitor.”
“A visitor? Who is it?”
“It’s a young man named Aiden, from the Hayer family.”
The Hayer family was a noble family with a territory in the southern part of the kingdom, and they had a grain trading relationship with Lamerit.
They weren’t in the same faction, but they were still somewhat friendly.
“Aiden? Who is that?”
To Lamerit’s question, the butler immediately replied,
“He is not a direct descendant, but the nephew of the current Baron Hayer.”
“Is that so? Just give him some refreshments and send him away.”
If he was a collateral relative with no real power over the territory or family, there was no need to meet him in person.
However, after hearing the butler’s next words, he changed his mind.
“He says he has a proposal regarding the election of council members?”
“…I’ll meet him then.”
The butler quickly brought Aiden.
Aiden, with his tall and handsome appearance, greeted Lamerit politely.
“I am Aiden de Hayer.”
“Yes, it’s nice to meet you. I heard you have a proposal, what is it?”
When Baron Lamerit immediately asked about the main point, Aiden smiled faintly and began to speak.
“I am studying in the capital, and in the process, I have met and become acquainted with quite a few people. Recently, I received an offer from the Neutral faction to be a candidate for council member.”
“Is that so?”
The Baron’s face turned sullen.
He had become a useless figurehead, while some unknown guy was bragging about attending the council.
“Congratulations. Do your best.”
“It’s not yet time to congratulate me. I’ve only received an offer.”
“Which means…”
“I need support to secure a seat.”
At Aiden’s words, Baron Lamerit’s eyes sparkled.
He had roughly guessed what Aiden was proposing.
“As you may know, many of the nobles in the Neutral faction prefer to put forward representatives like me rather than directly engaging in political strife.”
“That’s right, they tend to be indecisive.”
“Yes, so I was able to get a recommendation from a neutral noble I know. However, the competition among representatives is quite fierce.”
“So, you want me to provide funds and personnel to help you win the competition?”
“That’s right. If you help not only me but also my friends get elected, you will have a political stake in the Neutral faction.”
It was quite an enticing offer.
However, people’s minds change when they enter and leave the restroom [a common saying implying fickleness].
This young man and his gang could also act shamelessly, pretending not to know him after being elected as council members thanks to his support.
That was a concern, but…
‘Still, there’s no harm in investing. If I can exert influence in the Neutral faction, my position in the political world will improve.’
The number of seats for the Royalist and Noble factions was 125 each.
To win a vote, they had to bring the Neutral faction to their side.
Not only the Noble faction but also the Royalist faction would surely come begging.
‘Hehehe! I definitely want to see Juon begging me, if nothing else!’
He might fail, but if he gave up because he was afraid, he would give up the possibility of success altogether.
Thus, Baron Lamerit accepted the hand that Aiden extended.
“I can’t turn away a young man with such spirit.”
“Thank you. You will be remembered in history as the one who opened a new future for this country.”
“Hehehe. It would be great if that were the case.”
Baron Lamerit smiled, imagining himself dominating the political world of Symphonia.
He had no idea that there was another meaning hidden in Aiden’s words.
3
East of the Song Empire was Yemaek.
War clouds began to gather in that place, which had long had a bad relationship with the Song Empire.
This was because a mobilization order had been issued after the Song Empire’s chancellor had visited as an envoy.
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty. It’s all because of me…”
Jo Wonrak bowed his head deeply to Biryu, the ruler of Yemaek, and apologized.
Because of him, a third party, they were about to shed blood that they didn’t need to shed.
However, Biryu’s thoughts were different.
“Don’t think it’s because of you. Even if it wasn’t for you, Jo Wonkyun would have targeted our Yemaek. It’s just that the war started a little earlier.”
“I am grateful that you think so.”
Jo Wonrak had been falsely accused and escaped to the neighboring country of Yemaek.
He was also engaged to Biryu’s daughter, Sohye, but he thought that if he went there, Jo Wonkyun’s reach would not extend to him.
However, his thoughts were completely wrong.
Jo Wonkyun, who had seized control of the Song Imperial Court, sent his uncle, Hwangbo Kwang, to threaten that if they did not hand him over, he would not hesitate to wage war against Yemaek.
“And aren’t we family? When Hyea and you get married, we will soon become one family. We in Yemaek do not have the custom of abandoning family.”
Biryu was a typical person with a soft exterior but a strong interior, and he had the temperament of a gambler who would not hesitate to shed blood when necessary.
He thought that this war would determine the fate of the Song Imperial Court and Yemaek, and he issued a full mobilization order.
This mobilization order included a significant number of martial arts sects and warriors from Yemaek.
They were preparing for a fight where they would risk everything.
Jo Wonrak, who had retreated from the main hall, headed to his quarters.
In his quarters, which he was using by borrowing a detached palace in the royal palace, was General Jegal Hwi of the Imperial Guard, who had also defected.
“Have you returned, Your Highness? What did King Biryu say?”
“Fortunately, the King was taking the war as a given.”
Thanks to that, his feelings of guilt had subsided a lot, but the problem was whether they could win the war against the Song Empire.
If they lost in a war that would determine the fate of their nation, the meaning of his defection to a neighboring country, enduring all kinds of humiliation, would disappear.
He had to somehow return to the Song Imperial Court and hold Jo Wonkyun, who had dared to seize the throne by joining hands with evil beings, accountable for his crimes.
“What did the Jegal family say?”
To Jo Wonrak’s question, Jegal Hwi replied that he had just received a message.
“Elder Jegal Shin, who is infiltrating Daeryang, has detected that the Hwangbo family is creating Jiangshi [Chinese hopping vampire] warriors. He is secretly informing the martial arts sects and gathering them.”
The Jegal family, which had suffered a major blow from the attack by the masked men and Arsen, was slowly recovering its strength as befitting a family representing the Central Plains martial arts world.
Over the past time, they had rebuilt their family and at the same time, mobilized all their intelligence to track down the identities of the masked men.
As a result, they found out that it was a unit secretly raised by Hwangbo Kwang.
It was somewhat expected, so they were not greatly surprised.
But the problem was that the Hwangbo family might attack them again.
This was because Jegal Hwi, one of the direct descendants of the Jegal family, was an ardent supporter of the Third Prince, Jo Wonrak.
In their eyes, the Jegal family would appear to be on the side of the Third Prince.
Therefore, Jegal Mun and its leaders continued to monitor the Hwangbo family, and as a result, they found out that they were capturing vagrant warriors from the Jianghu [the martial arts world] or warriors from sects that had grudges against them and turning them into Jiangshi.
Judging that they could not handle the Hwangbo family alone, the Jegal family secretly informed various sects in the Jianghu of what they had found and began to form a ‘Great Hwangbo Family Allied Front’ together.
“Then it seems we don’t have to worry too much about the Central Plains martial arts world. The problem is that the monster-like being is helping the Song Imperial Court…”
The monster that appeared after the masked men were defeated.
Because of that inhuman monster, the Jegal family was almost destroyed.
Fortunately, the monk Nanda appeared at that place and took the monster somewhere, otherwise, they would never have been able to win.
“It seems we need to ask ‘him’ in the Northern Continent for help.”
“Him?”
“Yes, according to the goblins… no, the fairies, he has founded a country called Symphonia. With his power and the giant soldiers, he should be able to deal with that monster.”
The fairies who came to stop Arsen from taking control of the Song Imperial Court at Luke’s request.
However, unfortunately, that attempt failed.
With the power that Arsen had lent him, Hwangbo Kwang had taken control of the Song Imperial Court faster than expected.
The power of the fairy warriors who came as representatives was not small, but they were eventually pushed back by the sheer number of enemies.
So, they only rescued the Third Prince Jo Wonrak and crossed over to Yemaek with him.
The fairy warriors were now staying in the forest near Asadal, the capital of Yemaek.
“If he has become the ruler of a country, it will be difficult for him to move recklessly. Will he really come all the way to the Southern Continent to help us?”
“It won’t be easy. But to clear the dark clouds hanging over the Song Imperial Court and restore order in the Southern Continent, we must somehow get his cooperation.”
“Haa, then I must ask my fiancée and father-in-law for help.”
If they sent a letter from the Southern Continent to the Northern Continent, it would take more than a month to send and receive it.
To shorten the time, they needed something like the long-distance communication item that Luke had made in the Jegal family in the past.
Coincidentally, Jo Wonrak had recently heard that there was a similar treasure in the Yemaek royal family.
He, who had already prepared himself for all kinds of humiliation, got up from his seat again and headed to the main hall.
(To be continued in Iron Emperor Volume 17)
The Golden Apple’s Creative Space
http://cafe.naver.com/goldapple2010.cafe