It's all over Raimondo.
　'We've managed it, Your Majesty. We can't be too careful yet, but...


　Four months after the second conquest of the South, the restoration of the printed books took place.

　This edict is annotated, lengthy, and difficult to understand....
　In summary, the people of the land would be returned to the king.

　Each of the great families would then be a nobleman, administering the king's land.
　They would still rule the land as before.

　So the only thing that has changed is in name...
　One thing that has changed decisively, though it may seem like a

　That is troops.

　Up until now, the great tribes had taken their own people of the land and participated in the war.
　They had great military power.
　That disappeared.

　This meant that it became virtually impossible for the great families, or the nobility, to revolt.
　Well, with my increased centripetal force, it was impossible for the great families to revolt without having to pass this law.

　This law was passed more easily than I had originally thought.

　This law was passed more easily than expected.

　He said to the tycoons, "The commoners don't like to be ruled. If this is not done, you and your vested interests are in danger. Fortunately, the commoners recognize my authority. Therefore, I will relieve you of your duties by making you a deputy.

　They thought this was a new form of recognition and accepted the transfer of their domains.
　In fact, that is one aspect of it.
　They acknowledged the hereditary succession and guaranteed the right to rule as before.

　I think the reason why they were so easily deceived was because of the anxiety of the great families.

　There is something different about the commoners these days.
　The king's power and authority continues to rise.

　Will there be no place for them in this country? Tsk.


　So I assured them of their new position and identity.
　They were relieved and accepted it.

　Or rather, if they refused to accept this, there would really be no place for the great families.

　'Vassal rights' are, in other words, the rights of the king's subjects.
　The commoners who received this right became the king's direct retainers.

　If a wealthy family does not return the land to the king, the commoners of that land will not be able to get the "vassalage".

　I am the king and I will be displeased and hated by the commoners as well.
　It's not easy being a middle manager.


　Nevertheless, I can now issue vassalage.

　This vassalage is packed with various rights, such as freedom of movement, security of property, and rights related to court cases, as well as obligations to pay taxes and perform military service.

　Things that were vague until now are now presented as laws and rights.
　We are now a modern nation (in this world) at last.

　Now, the next step is the enactment of laws...how far have they gone?

　I asked Raimondo as I sipped my tea.
　It's the tea Merlin brought me.
　It tastes like Japanese tea. Thank you for bringing it to me as a souvenir," he said.

　I have just finished digging up the customary laws of our country," he said. Adelian does not have a written language, so I have checked the few remaining Cilician texts and asked around to old men who have lived long enough to know.

　There are two types of law: codified and unwritten.
　The law of the Adelian peninsula is based on unwritten law.

　It's not surprising, since there is no writing.
　So it's a moderate amount of work to dig this up.

　Well, I've put it all on Raimondo.


　''In the meantime, let's take a look at the laws of Cilician city-states such as Rezad and others as well, and proceed with the enactment. We can't wait too long. If possible, I'd like to finish it within three months.

　Until the codification of the law is finished, the vassalage will not work.
　We can't keep the commoners waiting too long.

　''Oh, and there's something else we need to do at the same time...''
　Is this about the colony?

　I nodded.

　Newly acquired occupied territory and rebellious areas are still unstable.
　The best way to stabilize this place would be to station an army here, but the cost and the frustration of the occupied territories make it impractical.

　So we discussed and came up with the idea of building a colony city.

　In short, immigration.

　Generally speaking, the firstborn are the inheritors of farmland.
　This is because if the land is divided, the land will be divided into small pieces and the family will end up as poor as a whole.

　So the second and third sons would be kicked out of the family.

　They would have to go to another family as son-in-law, or become peasants, or cultivate new farmland.

　They will be colonized in unstable areas, in my opinion.
　It's both an economic policy and a military policy.

　A peasant is a soldier.

　The question is, where are we going to colonize them?
　There is the site of a city that was burned down.

　The burned-out inhabitants are fleeing as refugees, working as peasants in the countryside (under the direct control of the royal family), or are being sent out to clear the forests of Romalia.

　So there is enough space to build a city and a whole lot of farmland left for them to cultivate.

　The farmland would quickly fall into disrepair if left unattended, but it's not even a year old yet.
　For this long, it should recover with just a little plowing.


　The freedom of movement has been fully recognized by the vassalage this time, so I'm sure if we put out a call for help, we'll be able to get together quickly. We have to hurry up and move forward too...''
　''Huh ... yes. Let's proceed with that one too.

　I'm sorry. I'm sorry to trouble you.

　What are you saying, Your Majesty? You haven't been sleeping much lately, have you?
　Haha well....

　Huh.....







　Rezad is a mercantile state built on the autonomy of its merchants.

　Hence, money is important in Rezad.

　There are three classes of people in Rezad: First class citizens, second class citizens and slaves.
　First class citizens, second class citizens and slaves.

　The first class citizens are those who pay a huge capitation tax once a month.
　The population is 20,000.
　When we say 'citizens' in Rezad, we are referring to these first class citizens.

　In addition to the huge per capita tax and other heavy duties, and temporary taxation in case of emergencies, the citizens have various rights such as suffrage, protection of the law, and the right to private property.

　In addition, the number of votes that can be cast depends on the amount of tax paid.

　Large merchants could elect themselves to the legislature with the taxes they paid, and they could also elect their relatives and subordinates to the legislature.

　Smaller merchants, on the other hand, form an alliance and send their representatives to the council.

　The history of Rezad is a power struggle between large and small merchants.


　Second-class citizens, on the other hand, are those who don't pay taxes.
　To be precise, they are those who cannot pay the heavy capitation tax.

　There are 80,000 of them.

　Many of them live in unsanitary neighbourhoods with inferior buildings.
　They have no suffrage and limited legal protection.

　If they commit a crime, they are enslaved.

　In addition, there is a hierarchy among the second-class citizens.
　Some have a home to live in and some do not even have a home.
　Some are not needy of food and some can't even eat a piece of bread.
　Those who cannot (...) pay the per capita tax and those who do not (...) pay it.
　Those who serve the first class citizens and receive their handouts and those who are jealous of the first class citizens.

　It is for this reason that they do not unite and turn against the first class citizens.
　If they defeat the first class citizens in the first place, they will lose their own jobs.
　It is the first class citizens who hire the second class citizens to work for them.


　A large scale political struggle had just begun in Rezad.


　'The fact that you guys were supporting weapons and troops behind the scenes is the reason for this war!　If you had done nothing, the rebellion would not have happened and would not have provoked King Almus!

　That's what Ains exclaims.
　He is a member of the Grand Merchant faction a so-called pro-Rosaisian council.

　The only people involved in the distribution of paper, wine and salt in King Loseys' country are the big merchants, mainly Ains.
　Hence, many of the big merchants are pro-Rosaisian.

　'What do you say!　So we're supposed to sit back and let our people be oppressed?　Have you sold your souls to King Armes?　That king was ambitious to begin with!　I don't care!

　It is the small and medium merchant faction the so-called anti-Losais faction that claims this.
　They have been unable to participate in the economy centered on the country of King Loseys, and they hate the big merchants who monopolize the profits.
　Hence the anti-Rosaisian position.

　'Then we should not have stimulated them even more!　What a fool treading on the tail of a sleeping griffon!

　You're the ones who turned the kittens into griffons!

　In other words, this political struggle is a blame game.
　Who is responsible for the decline in Rezad's international standing?　We are talking about the fact that we are talking about this.

　'We must break off from such a barbaric king and country!
　'What do you mean?　Now that Persis and Pofenia have control of the seas, the distribution of salt, paper, and spirits on the Adelian peninsula is our lifeline!　We can't cut that off!

　At present, Rezad was in a very unfavorable position.
　Originally, there was an agreement between the Cilician people to not interfere with trade.

　Because of that, Rezad was able to do free trade, but...
　The mainland of Cilicia has been defeated by Persis.

　Now it is Persis and Pophenia who control the Teutonic Sea.
　Without escort ships, the ships would be sunk by the navies of Persis and Pofenia, who were posing as pirates.
　This had caused the cost of transportation to jump up and hindered trade.

　'Such a thing!　If we don't, our country will be invaded!　We must resist now!
　'What do you mean!　Do you know where our country stands right now?　You see, from the south, Pofenia is slowly extending its control over the area. We can't make enemies in both the north and the south!

　To the south of the Adelunian peninsula lies a city-state called the Republic of Pofenia, which lies across the island of Trisichellia.
　This country has been expanding its power in Trisichelia in recent years.
　If Pofenia were to unite all of Trisichellia, it would be the equivalent of building a bridge to Rezad.

　That much must be avoided.

　''The blame lies with you!
　'No!　You guys!

　In the end, he hadn't come to any conclusions that day either.







　'Hey, Alexios. Who do you think will win?　Pro-Lossies and anti-Lossies.

　Melia put the child to bed and then asked Alexios about it.
　Alexios closed the book of military law and answered his beloved wife's question.

　'You must be pro-Lossians, they have more economic power, seats in parliament, both of which are superior. It's just...'
　What's going on?
　'If you include first- and second-class citizens other than senators, they would be overwhelmingly anti-Lossies.

　Alexios cowered his shoulders.

　''If it's a legitimate battle, the pro-Lossians will definitely win in politics. But if the anti-Locaisseys take a hard line, that's a different story.

　'What if the pro-Lossies win and kick out the anti-Lossies?'

　'I suppose King Almus will have the best interest of all in that case.

　And vice versa?

　Still, I'm sure King Almus will be happy to see a good cause.

　Alexios grinned and showed him.

　'Either way, King Almus can only benefit. It's only to the advantage of King Almus that Rezad is divided. Sigh, why is it that republics are so unorganized?

　Alexios looks to the south.
　His birthplace, the land of his birthplace, the land of political strife and those who are always pulling each other down....