254 – Coronation (2) – Conclusion
After receiving the word from the cardinal, I caught my breath and then spoke.
“Jim is the country’s foremost errand boy.”
After hearing my words, the royal family, including Irina, no, everyone around me looked at me with questioning eyes.
In a society where the concept of Enlightenment does not exist, it seems difficult to understand that the emperor, not anyone else, volunteered to be an errand boy.
That’s right, so far, monarchs have only tried to rule, rule, and protect the empire, the property of the emperor.
Because I’m the only monarch who talks like he has flowers in his hair saying he’ll work for the people.
But all of this was what I was supposed to do.
“Because I was able to stand above the people and nobles of the empire because Deus allowed it, not because I was a proud person. Therefore, I have an obligation to present a slightly better today than yesterday to all the people of the empire. For him, Jim has been agonizing every day since he received Windheim as his first domain until today, thinking of a better plan and working hard to put it into practice.”
When I received Windheim as my first territory, he worked hard every day to spread the 4-turn technique, catch bandits, and listen to the voices of the people up close.
After becoming a baron, I improved the lives of the people who followed me in order to survive, and gave hope to those who strive for success regardless of status through the changed military service system.
Thanks to this, it is not uncommon to find cases in our empire where parents were commoners, but children became nobles.
“So, like Jim, the people of the empire should do their best together to make today better than yesterday, not today like yesterday. Also, for him, clergy, nobles, knights, engineers, scholars, administrators, merchants, and serfs will run toward the one goal I present. Jim promises to treat each of you appropriately according to your capabilities. Therefore, if he is complacent about himself as an aristocrat and becomes indolent, he will quickly fall behind. Even if he is a commoner, if he does his best to serve everyone, he will create an empire where his dedication will be rewarded.”
After saying that, I raised the scepter in my hand toward the sky, followed by cheers from the citizens.
“Long live the Emperor!”
“Hooray for an empire that is better than yesterday!!”
Calls were heard like that for about 5 minutes, and I calmed them down and continued talking.
“For his sake, I would like to inform the people who have become members of the old kingdom, or the new Creutel Empire. As of now, as members of the same Empire, we will give you the right to serve in the military and perform public service for the country, and we will make it possible for you to apply for the academy.”
To be honest, for the majority of people here, the right to hold public office won’t come close to them.
Because even if I lowered the door so that I could apply for public office no matter how capable I was, I would not be mass-recruiting public officials like the National Civil Service Examination.
In fact, for half a generation, there is a high possibility that all civil servants with positions in the old imperial territories will be filled by people from the territories absorbed during the time of the kingdom of Creutel.
Still, after a certain period of time, young people who have graduated from the academy will come to their hometowns and serve as administrators.
The most touching benefit to them would be being able to serve in the military.
Here, after serving in the military, you are freed from serfdom, and when you come out two years later, you will have enough money to buy a few cows.
In addition, the tax you have to pay is reduced from 60% to about 40% of your income.
“Don’t worry if you can’t do military service. To such people, if they participate in the reclamation of the wasteland and various civil works for two years, I will give them citizenship just like those who performed military service.”
Even before the time of the Croytel Kingdom, it was in a situation where it was almost at war with the Elain Empire, the Franchi Empire, the Heomseong Kingdom above, and the four Romania countries.
So, if there is no major problem in their physical condition, they were stationed in each city or castle like the local division and trained to be used as reserve forces immediately.
But for now, since we have to take a break from the war, it is right to clear the land we are playing on, encourage marriage and childbirth, and invest in expanding social infrastructure.
“In addition, a festival is declared throughout the empire today. May everyone rest in peace and enjoy today. The imperial family will pay for everything, including meat and food.”
After all the words were said, I went down from the podium, and I heard loud applause and cheers from the citizens.
“Long live the merciful Emperor!”
“Thank you for giving us a chance!”
Waving back at those who were shouting, I walked back to the palace.
**
When banquets are being held all over the empire and the smell of alcohol and meat lingers, I also officially stop all schedules and go to the office.
No, I muttered as I headed to my room where there was a bed to rest after a long time.
“Irina is having a little banquet with Ella and her ladies-in-waiting, and William and Victoria are being put to bed by their nannies. I’m going to go to bed now too.”
And when I entered the room, my father was there before me, and he poured two glasses of wine and said.
“I had a lot of work today, so I came here because I thought I was going to take a break. How about a drink after a while?”
“Good. I was exhausted, but no one would say anything if I took the day off tomorrow because of a hangover.”
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“Really? Let’s have a drink first.”
In this way, my father and I recalled what had happened so far and casually asked after drinking a few drinks.
“By the way. What will our empire do in the future? Do you really think that peace will be maintained for 5 to 10 years?”
“Of course. The French Empire suffered an irreparable blow after the Mad Emperor of the Elaine Empire set the stage for a war in which over 300,000 troops were mobilized. Thanks to that, I heard that 5 territories, including the Duchy of Press, had to go through severe requisitions to supply troops. In Romania, the father-in-law of the Northern Alliance secured the Duchy of Maxburg, and the unholy empire is now being torn apart.”
“So you can’t afford to start a war.”
Wars are fought to take advantage of when one side can afford it.
So, for the time being, there won’t be any madmen who will touch my empire.
“And in recent years, our empire has absorbed a new population of 18 million, which has increased 1.6 Times in terms of land area and nearly 3 times in terms of population. The good news is that our empire has a lot of land to exploit, and commerce has developed so we can bestow suitable jobs and farmland for all of them. Therefore, I do not want to do anything like war until they stabilize their new jobs and farmland.”
I don’t know about the United Kingdom, but our empire has the strongest ability to wage war among the three empires of France, Creutel, and Romania.
If a full-scale war breaks out, you may have to go into an all-out system.
If that happens, people’s lives will be very hard, and it’s not worth taking such a risk.
“Then, can this father just play the role of the situation and live a little more comfortably?”
He thought about how to get his father to work for a while, but changed his mind when he saw the deep wrinkles on his face unlike before.
“It’s good to take a rest while hanging out with Valt or the vassals you’ve been with since Baron Kreutel’s days. However, please work for another 15 years. When William becomes crown prince, will he have to teach me about politics like me?”
“…… Teaching politics to his grandson when he is old. Why don’t you tell me to pass on the administrative ability that saved the dying county under Count Schwein?”
“I will believe and wait for you to teach me that as well. There are many professors who are aiming for the position of private tutor for the Crown Prince, but I will leave the position for the professor teaching public administration vacant. Because your father is here.”
My father’s age is different, so he is already close to 60, and nobles and monarchs of this era tend to live a lot when they are over 50 on average.
So there is a possibility that the father died around the time the grandson ascended the throne, but…
Wouldn’t it be better to live and give him proper practical lessons?
“Then I should live a long time too. According to what you said, we won’t all suffer from war for a while from now, so let’s go on a trip with this father from time to time. If the emperor works so nonstop, the nobles under his command will suffocate to death.”
“I will try to do that. It seems that I have almost passed the road that I have to walk on, so I can walk a little more slowly.”