Chapter 282: Please, Revolutionize (1)
“This will work unconditionally, Oppa. I bet it will. I knew you were good at this. How did you even think about linking this with religion?”
“Anyone could’ve thought of this. They just didn’t have a chance to do so. In the first place, I’m the only foreigner who memorizes the doctrine of the goddess Benigore, aside from the priests. A revolution was an option that you were also thinking about, and it’s not that great, you know.”
“Although… In my case, I still thought that the civic consciousness of the imperial people was not enough to accept this.”
“No, no. The imperialist level of consciousness is quite high. The Second Princess, who loves the imperial people more than anyone else, has constantly raised the level of consciousness several years ago. The situation itself could have burst at any time. There was just no opportunity.”
“Have you judged it that way? You give a lot of credit to the imperial people. In my personal opinion, I think the doctrine of the Goddess Benigore is the first contributor to this work. In fact, the reaction’s better than I expected. If you’re lucky, you can even get the Pope’s side, so it’s even better.”
“I am also talking about my personal thought. A civil revolution is like this in the first place. Most of these kinds of revolutions…”
“You want to talk about the bourgeois revolution, right? It is led by capitalists who have economic rights, but do not have control.”
“Yes. Right.”
I could see Lee Jihye nodding. Seeing her smiling, it seemed that she was having as much fun as I was.
‘Of course, it’s fun.’
Lee Jihye liked this kind of situation in the first place.
The ordinary people were moving according to my plans. She felt that she had been the catharsis for that, so it was not unreasonable for her to indulge in her newfound power.
When I raised my face, I saw Lee Jihye looking at me as if she was asking me to continue talking, and so I did whilst smiling.
“Of course, it is a matter of thinking a little about what happened on Earth and whether we should put the same kind of history here. However, there is no guarantee that we will not be able to do that if only the shortcomings are met.”
“What is lacking?”
“Force.”
“Ohhh. I know what you mean.”
“The difference here and on Earth is the intensity of force. Unlike the bourgeois on Earth, where they only need to have an economic zone, this one feels slower because it has one more condition.”
“It is said that the bourgeois class here has to add force to the economy. There’s no way a revolution could ever happen.”
“I think so. It seems that the reason why those in power here could have power was simply because of the force they possess. Just looking at the knights here, you can assume that they can deal with dozens of civilians… In such a situation, can you really rebel against the powerful? In fact, they were almost ready for the revolution. They just couldn’t put it into action.”
“How can you say that?”
“Poverty, hunger, inequality, the gap between the power and the marginalized, the growing civic consciousness, and…”
“The press.”
“Right. The press is decisive. Another reason might be the emergence of the new bourgeois. People who have power and economic power, yet do not have control.”
“The foreigners.”
“Yes.”
“There are a few more factors. Private mercenaries or wizards stuck in the magic tower. As you said, the conditions to have a revolution were already being met little by little. You are saying that everything was just not connected, right?”
“I don’t know if I’m right, but I think so. The question is how to blow this off.”
There was also another problem - the condition to move radically.
Unnatural revolutions or reforms, no matter how well done, had side effects.
If I was lucky enough to get this done successfully, this Empire was sure to bear some side effects.
Of course, I was not a political expert, so I did not possess the ability to predict anything like that, and I had zero interest in it in the first place. It was beyond my ability to anticipate upcoming problems.
It meant I had no choice but to focus on this right now.
‘I have to finish it in a flash.’
Another factor of insecurity was the existence of the Republic.
It was just an imagination, but if things were to break out, they would likely try to jump on the bandwagon of the revolution that would take place within the Empire.
I had to solve this problem by exploding it all at once.
It was natural that the longer the time that those in power and imperialists communicated with each other, the more we were subjected to external pressure.
Losing Duchess Catherine, Countess Elise, and Marlin Young-ae was one of my concerns, but I think I could protect them.
Nobles respected by the imperial people would be established as a new class altogether.
It may be a bit unreasonable, but it was only right to force them to participate in the revolution.
‘I have to do it like that.’
Of course, the most problematic among them was the existence of the Second Princess.
She noticed that I had been moving, and I had to move carefully as there was a possibility that she would steal a march on me.
‘It could be ruined in an instant.’
If I were to be accused of treason, it wouldn’t matter that I’m one of the Eight Seats, Honorary Bishop, or the dragon’s spouse. It’ll be the end for me.
That was why I kept meeting the Emperor and Charlia, or politically fighting by constantly camping.
I could turn their gaze right now, but I knew that my limit would come soon.
“Oh, Nuna. So, how about the Second princess? Does she have any reaction?”
“No. She’s pretty quiet. I don’t think she’s still interested as if she’s busy solving the problem with the evil nobles on Charlia’s side, but… She’s strangely quiet when I think about it. Even though she is working quietly from the outskirts, for a woman who can even notice when someone is cursing her to be quiet…”
“Right? It feels like the pressure on this side has been reduced, considering that she talked as if she would come running right away not to let me breathe. Actually, it seemed like I couldn’t even breathe until a few days ago… is she watching out for the Pope’s side?”
“It could be. Or…”
“Yes?”
“It’s just my simple thought… er… and it suddenly came to my mind. Didn’t you say that the Second Princess of the Empire cares a lot for the imperial people?”
I felt like I knew what Lee Jihye wanted to say.
“It can’t be…”
“It would be a good idea to keep that possibility open.”
“Isn’t that too speculative?”
“I just imagined. There is no physical evidence anyway, and if you write a novel, she might even want this situation. As you said, the Second Princess could also have made plans, recognizing that the foreigners are of the new bourgeois class. If she were at least interested, she would have been noticing some situations. Just looking at the enormously enlarged media is enough to think about it, right?”
“That’s true, but…”
“It would have been an idea she couldn’t have had if you hadn’t created the press… There are already several presses in this Holy Empire. Not only foreigners but also imperial people are making and selling imperial newspapers, so I think anyone could call them precursors, right? If the Second Princess isn’t an idiot, she would have smelled it since the Imperial Newspaper was published. Even now, there is a video hologram with magic power. If… If only the Second Princess has noticed about the magical video hologram… then, we can really think she wanted to lead this situation.”
“So, you’re saying that the Second Princess provoked me, who is at the center of the new bourgeois class. Is that what you mean? She forcefully tightened and threatened me to want me to move like this? To move the foreigners?”
“I said it was a novel. By the way… It makes a lot of sense. Spending a lot of time with the imperial people and… honestly, even trying to tame you feels a bit arbitrary. She threatened as she would swing the sword right now, but your limbs weren’t completely cut off, right? Of course, it is impossible to say that it was not cut at all, but… she didn’t touch your force. I was expecting this was her thinking of getting you.”
“If she wanted, she would have spoken directly to me.”
“If she had told you, do you think you would have listened to it? Even I don’t think you would’ve. You would have thought of backstabbing her with it. Like gar… no… how can I say it? Oh! Feudalism and absolute monarchy are more advantageous to those who are cool disloyal people. I say it because it seems that it fits well with you and me, but if the method is not correct again, there wouldn’t be a revolution or anything like that. We would be just getting benefits the way we are now.”
Honestly, I couldn’t deny this.
If the Second Princess had calmly brought up about the revolution, I would have smashed her back, using that as a weapon.
Even though I thought that there was no way she would be doing that, my mind kept moving towards Lee Jihye’s novel.
In particular, the conversations I had with the Second Princess suddenly began to occur. Specifically, the conversation at the Imperial Knights Training Center.
At the time, it felt like an unimportant conversation, but when I think about it now, I have a lot of doubts.
‘It may be rude, but I did some preliminary research on the Honorary Bishop. I was interested in something a bit different from the title that everyone knows, such as the one chosen by the dragon and the Honorary Bishop of the Holy Empire. It was most impressive that the media was rooted in Lindel and
Revolution.
‘The Free Cities are basically separated from the Empire, but in reality, they are bound to be indirectly affected as they are separated. That’s just the fact that similar institutions were established within the Empire shortly after the press took root and started on Lindel. You are basically a selfish human, but I also know that you have a minimum degree of conscience. Whatever the reason, what you’ve done has brought good results for many.’
Results in favor of the majority.
‘I think the reason you can produce such a result is that you are probably watching out for others. No. I’m sure. You are surely watching out for others. Even if you don’t yield to the strong, you are a person who concedes what you have to the public.’
Concessions for the public.
‘The praise is correct, so you don’t have to worry. Honorary Bishop, the Empire needs a talent like you. We need talented people who see the public’s eyes and people who can do politics that sees the majority.’
Perhaps Lee Jihye was right.
I didn’t know why the returner, who I had begun to resent a little, said that such a woman shouldn’t be the Empress, but it must be that some kind of trash drove her crazy in the middle.
Predicting that there was no such thing in the first round, it wasn’t the time to make a quick decision yet. This was not an unusual occurrence altogether.
there was no accurate physical evidence, so I had to move a little more carefully.
Of course, in the meantime, my beliefs about her continued to sprout.
Even the last words she said to me now sounded suspicious.
‘I don’t hesitate to use swords at my enemies, Honorary Bishop. I know you are an important person to the Empire, but if you really turn your back on me, I have no choice but to pull the sword out. You will have to make a wise choice.’
It was natural to wonder exactly what it meant to really turn my back on her.
It wasn’t clear what was the wise choice she was talking about and who she defined as the enemy. If I were to assume that this is what she really wanted, I could interpret it this way.
‘I do not hesitate to put a sword into the monarchy. You are needed in the Empire for the future. You will bring a transformation to the Empire, so there is no shortage even if you are someone important in the Empire. If you really turn your back on my expectations and the public, I will draw a knife. So… Please…’
“Revolutionize.”
“What? What did you say? What are you talking about suddenly? We are already doing it.”
“Fuck…”
“What? Why?”
“I think you’re right.”
To be precise, in the case of Lee Jihye and me, we had been forced to join, but…
The Second Princess. I had to realize that Charlotte had also wanted the same thing as us.5