This time, the argument of those who were engaged in military service was this.

　They said, "In a war, no matter how hard you work, only kings and tycoons get land and slaves, right?　It's funny. We're the ones working the hardest. No, no, no. No way we're going to war.

　Well you have a point.

　'What are you talking about!　It's a big deal!
　Hey, Raimondo. Don't yell at me.
　I'm the king.

　We've been working together for a long time, and I think we've developed a sense of solidarity. On top of that, this war. We're in a national crisis right now, so we must be absolutely necessary. That's why they're thinking that their demands, which would normally not be met, will certainly be met. It's a well thought out thing.

　So it's not that they don't want to go to war.
　It's that they want to profit from the war.

　What do you want to do?　King Rosais.
　'What are we going to do, we can't send a suppression force. We're going to have to concede.

　That means you have no choice but to pay them land and slaves, or the equivalent wages.
　However, once you admit it, you will have to admit it from now on forever.

　
　Farmland is limited.
　Besides, they have other land of their own.

　They can't manage it if they are given land far away with that land.
　So they can't do the land. Impossible, because slaves and money are limited to more than land.

　And I'm sure even they understand this much.
　I mean.....

　Tax cuts.
　Raimondo gave me a look of annoyance.
　In this case, it wasn't the drop in income that was the problem.


　Allowing them three thousand people would mean allowing all the peasants in King Rosais' country, and it would also mean allowing the peasants living in the great families' fiefdoms.
　In other words, all taxes would have to be lowered, regardless of whether they were in the fiefdoms of the great families or under direct control.

　This is more than just a hassle.
　The reason why the Australians obey the state is because they want to secure their territory.

　They are extremely reluctant to have the state involved in their fiefdoms.

　At present, there are fifty-seven of the eighty-four most important families in the country.
　The sooner we can get them to agree to it, the sooner we can solve the problem.


　What do you think?

　I asked for the first time.

　One of the big family members opens his mouth.
　''Well I'm in favor of a tax cut.

　

　''We have sent out more than fifty men from our territory. Those who have learned to disobey once will easily wake up a second time. If fifty instigators enter my territory, they will be forced to concede in any case. Then it is better to lose the brunt of their fangs now.

　But soon, however, many of the great families spoke out against it.

　'Wow, I'm against it!　My territory's finances are still impoverished!　Any more tax cuts....
　'Yes, sir!　And for a vote of the Australian Council to affect the fiefdoms of all the great clans it's an interference in their internal affairs.
　But what to do?　If we don't, the country is going to die.

　The great families begin to argue with each other.
　Occasional angry shouting ensues.

　

　But there is no way to get through this except by cutting taxes.
　Oh yeah, when it comes down to it....

　I see no other way out of this than to cut taxes!

　I raised my voice. The gazes of the great families are focused on me.

　''Even if we managed to get through this time without admitting it it would happen again?

　This is the same thing that other great families have pointed out.
　He who has learned to rebel once, rebels the second time more lightly than the first.

　This time it's better. 'This time it's better,' he said, 'this time we're only three thousand men and our demands are relatively light. If we don't stop now, we'll have a big problem later. If we don't stop this, there will be a big problem later.

　In this country, farmers are soldiers.
　That means that they can easily kill us if they want to revolt. That makes it all the more frightening and fortunate for us.

　'This is not about the survival of King Loseys' kingdom. It is a question of my, your status. But they revolted against the exploiting kings and powerful families, killing them and running their own politics.

　I threaten the great families with real history. That even if my country is destroyed and you are spared, it will only be a temporary measure to save your lives.

　........Actually, this history is only slightly different.
　 Then the great families became nobles and began an aristocratic government. Then the commoners wrested politics from the nobility.

　It is impossible to overthrow a king without a nucleus to hold them together, no matter how easy it may have been to defy them.
　But most of the great families in Adelunia do not know much about the history of Cilicia.

　Lies are an excuse.


　''Tax breaks but at least they'll have to be less than the lightest taxed direct jurisdiction.
　I won't be able to hold on to my domain if you cut back that much!

　The great family shouted. Yes, that's right, and the other Australians voiced their opposition as well.

　The Australians who don't have many fiefdoms don't have much tax revenue.
　That's why they have no choice but to raise the tax.

　The evidence suggests that the Australians who own a certain amount of land do not seem to be actively opposed to it.
　But they're probably not even in favor of it.

　He said. You are right," he said, "if your income decreases, the military strength of this country will decrease by that amount. So.....

　We don't have a choice. Let's just get it over with.
　You should show me your blood before you make me bleed.

　"I'm going to show you the recipe for each type of paper and spirit.

　The Congress instantly fell silent.
　I thought I could hear the sound of the great families swallowing their breath.

　No wonder they were surprised. Paper and spirits are both sources of wealth for the Rosais family.
　The only reason we are able to do major construction work at present is because we are getting foreign currency in paper and spirits.

　'Oh, O King!　You're insane!
　Raimondo exclaims with his eyes wide open.
　I stare at Raimondo and answer him.

　'It can't be helped. I'm telling the lords that they can't do it. We must cut ourselves off too.'
　I said, and Raimondo wanted to say something, but he backed off.
　Then I look around at the old men and ask, "Do you still disagree?

　"Do you still disagree?
　''If you can teach me how to make paper and spirits, I will certainly have the finances of my estate. But it will be significantly more than it has been in the past...
　'Take the sales tax. It's a tax that doesn't affect most commoners. It doesn't matter if we raise it a little bit.

　Raising taxes would cool the economy somewhat, but the economy would grow beyond that cooling.
　Sales taxes are still rising at a staggering rate every month.

　How's that?
　....

　The Australians seemed to be deep in thought.
　After a while, one of the Australians, who had been expressing strong opposition to the project, spoke up.

　If that's the case, I don't object to it. I'm all for it.

　That was the beginning of the process, and one by one, the great families expressed their support for it.
　Subsequent resolutions resulted in significant tax cuts and tax unification.



　The last member of the clan bows and leaves the assembly.
　Now it's just me and Raimondo.

　.........
　Hmmm, hahaha.

　'Hahahaha!　It worked. Raimondo.
　Yes. I had no idea it would turn out so well. It's all thanks to your speech, isn't it?

　Speaking of which, you played it well, too. Raimondo.
　I was about to gush.

　Well, let me explain.
　This was a win-win situation for us. There are benefits.

　Will disclosing the formula to the rich and powerful increase the supply and lower the price?
　Sure, it will go down some. But only a little.

　To begin with, paper and spirits are consumable goods, and sales are based on thin margins.
　The increase in supply does not mean a sharp drop in price.

　The sales tax from merchants is more than enough to cover the tax cuts in the immediate area.
　After all, bronze, silver and gold coins, which the Cilician people brought in large quantities, are becoming quite common in our country.

　And we're more than happy to get taxes in money rather than payment in goods.

　But still, we have to be prepared for a big drop in tax revenue.


　And as for this time's gain....

　'At last we can touch the fiefdoms of the great families that were sanctuaries. Plus, the tax breaks will reduce our income in one fell swoop.

　The first time is hard, the second time is easy.
　I've said this a lot in the past, but this guy can be done with the Australians.

　Once the precedent has been set that a vote of the House of Lords can affect the territory of a wealthy family, this is a big win. This is a big win-win.

　And the Australians seemed to feel that the sales tax, paper and spirits would be enough to cover the tax break....
　That's a misconception.

　Merchants go where the population is large to begin with.
　So they will still come to the direct control area as before. Well, the number of merchants going to the territory of the great family will increase a little, but not enough to expect sales tax.

　This is an area the Australians don't seem to understand.


　The bottom line is that they have been able to reduce the power of the Australians by a large margin.
　But how did they manage to do so well?


　Honestly, it's over........
　It's also true that I thought it was a good idea.

　It turned out to be a good thing, but it's quite possible that the meeting would have been so tangled up that it would have been no longer a war.

　'Apparently they've been stuck in the Cilician culture lately, haven't they?　They seem to be buying Cilician teacher slaves to teach their children to learn Cilician. Also, they're keen on collecting art. Didn't they want money in that connection?
　I see. It's much better to sell paper and spirits than to sell wheat for money.

　In other words, thanks to the Cilician with a passion for business.
　Nice, Cilician.

　Well, but.....

　'The commoners rebelled more quickly than you expected.
　...Cilician, I suppose. They've been blowing this and that into the money economy.

　I was prepared for this, but....
　Don't panic if it's faster than expected. The money economy is spreading faster than you'd expect, too.

　'Well, I'm going to go to the people who caused the refusal to work. I'll go and preach to them as soon as I can.
　"I'll go with you. O king.







　When I went to the site, the workers surrounded me and spoke of the hardships of construction and the difficulties of life.
　I couldn't answer them one by one, because I'm not the Prince of Peace, and I couldn't hear them.

　I let them talk until they were satisfied.
　When I'm sure they've made their complaints clear, I open my mouth.

　"I understand your frustration!

　As loudly as possible, so that all can hear.
　And then look around at the faces of the workers. I make firm eye contact with them.

　"As far as I'm concerned," he says, "I'd be willing to give you some of my land, but I don't see why I shouldn't give you some faraway land. "I'd be willing to give you some land, but it's a long way from here, isn't it?　Slaves and salt/money are finite, and there is nothing like it to go to all of them.

　Frustration begins to hide in the faces of the soldiers. But I don't stop them.

　But I won't stop them. "But it's also true that I want to reward you. So I'm going to show my gratitude in the form of a tax cut.

　Other food is always provided by the government during labor and military service.
　Cancellation of extraordinary taxation.
　Equality of criminal penalties for royalty, great families and commoners.
　Prohibition of the unjust seizure of property by kings and great families.

　etc.....

　He promises to improve what the commoners are complaining about and what they would be complaining about.

　Gradually, the commoners' faces begin to show surprise and delight.
　It was probably more successful than they had imagined.

　It's right on target. If we're going to make concessions anyway, it should be more impressive to open up and make significant concessions rather than making small half-hearted concessions.

　Finally I conclude with a shout.

　'I would like to be your guardian. As a king, I want to protect you. So will you also protect me and my country?　As kings, we ask you to do us all a favor!

　This time, we demand it from them.

　A silence dominates the scene.
　The silence is broken by a commoner.

　Hail to the king!

　Hearing one of them shout, the commoners around them also shouted.

　''Long live the king!

　The wave of Hail Mary gradually and gradually spread, and before long, the chanting became one that shook the atmosphere.

　''Long live the King!!!!''


　.........
　It was a bit more than I imagined, but I guess I'm glad to say it was a huge success?


_

　Great power of command, veto power in the senate, dictatorship of the emperor in case of emergency, supreme priestly power....
　Emperor Romano has various powers.

　Where do these powers come from?　Is it because the emperor is a present-day god?　Because you have the blood of the God Emperor?　Because that's what Xenopia, He-no, Arne, and Mares gave them?

　Nope.

　The absolute authority of the emperor is rooted in a single duty.

　It is the duty to protect the people.

　When the Emperor protects the lives, food, water, liberty and property of his citizens, he is allowed to exercise his absolute authority.
　And the rights of our Romano citizens are rooted in the obligation to pay taxes, to perform military service, and in absolute loyalty to the Emperor.

　The emperor and the citizens.
　I believe that as long as both parties continue to do their duty, the Empire will be immortal.


　Published in the five hundred and thirty-five years of the empire's history
　　The Emperor's Theory
　Excerpt from

________.


Episode 140.5　



　Boom!

　The sound of a blow to the cheek echoes through Jurg.
　It was Ledus who was struck, and it was Raquelah who struck.

　'Who, who's going to be my wife?'
　"...I could rape you right here if I wanted to, you know?

　Ledus glares at Raquela.
　Lakela glares back stoutly too.

　'Very well. But I would bite my tongue to death rather than be raped by you. You can f*ck the body as you wish.

　The Equus have low medical technology. Therefore, if you bite your tongue, you are sure to die.
　But it's a pretty painful way to die.

　Well, I'm not going to f*ck you. I'm going to bring you Muzio's head in a flash. Then I won't have to do any manipulation.
　'You can't kill Muzio. Not to a coward like you.

　Rakeela and Redus stared at each other for a while, then turned away from each other.