AWDC Chapter 108

Episode 108: Prime Minister

Including this episode, there are three more. As I write, I keep adding more and more, and I’m troubled by how it’s turning into a longer story than usual.

The murder of Hofer was a major shock to the King as well. It took the King a month to regain his energy after the incident, and it took a considerable amount of time for him to regain his authority.

During that time, we also had to pay attention to the movements of the Sorbeny side. They were devastated by Hofer’s death, but we didn’t know when they would awaken to their lust for power and try to eliminate me. I spent my time in a sense of walking a tightrope, but Elliot and Richter rushed to my aid in less than three days after the incident, and I managed to overcome it somehow.

I gave them a brief account of the events.

“You were the one who set up the white deer, weren’t you?” Elliot asked probing.

“Yes, the person I placed next to the King was not seen through by Hofer. He skillfully guided him to the place where the deer was.”

“You foresaw that the King, pleased with capturing the deer, would report to the Queen Mother, and arranged for a lady-in-waiting?”

“The Raval Church took care of that.”

“Using the King is a wicked thing to do. Well done.”

“The King was the only one who could act freely in the Royal Palace.”

I didn’t expect that the King would run into Hofer naked and become enraged, leading to this situation. However, Hofer shouldn’t have been able to control the King. In the inner palace, even the most powerful executives were not allowed to enter, and it would have been difficult for Hofer, without allies, to defy the King. I couldn’t foresee the ending, but if the King and the most powerful figure fought, it would cause a great commotion. That’s what I intended to exploit.

“Still, I didn’t think you were planning such a scheme.”

They too had been trying to assassinate Hofer through their own routes. Since taking power, Hofer had been living in the Royal Palace, specifically the inner palace, making it impossible to approach him. Moreover, many of the main figures in the Royal Palace had been brainwashed, making it impossible to incite betrayal. The assassination plan for Hofer within the inner palace had almost failed.

I also didn’t expect that the King would actually kill Hofer. I myself was determined to enter the Royal Palace and, depending on the situation, defeat Hofer.

“It went relatively well, but the problem is what comes next.”

“We know, we’ll handle it well from now on.”

The two men led their troops, immediately expelled the Sorbeny from the Royal Palace, and began to move to seize control of the officials and soldiers.

I thought about how to organize the political system after that.

“How to make the bureaucrats and soldiers obedient to us is the problem,” Elliot understood the problem well.

“That’s right, we need to get them out of Hofer’s influence as soon as possible.”

“There are too many. There are too many bureaucrats and soldiers. It won’t be easy to get them on our side,” Richter was realistic to the end.

“No, most of those who were with Sorbeny are after profits. If we cut off the head, they’ll wag their tails at us.”

“We have a list of the executives who were on the Sorbeny side. It won’t be difficult to drive them out of the court first.”

“Then let’s start there. Let’s put aside the other bureaucrats and soldiers for later.”

The three men’s discussion was specific and the conclusions were quick.

“Is there no choice but to use the Raval Church priests?” After deciding on immediate measures, Richter confirmed. He wanted to borrow the power of the church to awaken the bureaucrats and soldiers who had been brainwashed by Hofer.

“Of course, I intend to borrow their power.”

“But in that case, we have to give something in return to the Raval,” Richter was concerned that the Raval Church would become too powerful.

Until the era of the previous King, the influence of the Raval Church was strong, and it often interfered in politics. It was honestly convenient for us that Foscone’s church system became stronger due to Hofer’s activities and opposed the Raval Church. One of the reasons why I initially valued Hofer was to weaken the power of the Raval Church a little. I never thought that it would lead to a situation where Hofer would use his brainwashing abilities to take over the country.

To stop Hofer’s rampage, we borrowed the power of the Raval Church this time. Although it was unavoidable, we would have to tolerate the Raval Church’s increased power.

“It’s really troublesome when religion gets involved,” Elliot grumbled.

In any case, it was urgent to get the bureaucrats and soldiers who were under the influence of Hofer’s brainwashing to break free as soon as possible. There was no choice but to borrow the power of the Raval Church.

Taking back control from the Sorbeny regime was surprisingly easy. Due to Hofer’s death, those who were strongly influenced by the brainwashing were unable to think and act on their own. They just wandered around and didn’t try to decide anything. Thanks to this, the bureaucrats were unable to receive instructions from their superiors and were exhausted. It was not difficult for Elliot and Richter to tame such bureaucrats. If they gave brief and specific instructions, they obeyed obediently. Since we didn’t have complete control, the bureaucrats didn’t have to follow our instructions. However, when clearly instructed by a superior, the bureaucrats followed obediently. Elliot and the others knew the bureaucrats’ pitiful habits very well.

However, during that time, I couldn’t leave the King’s side for long. Gaining the King’s trust was the most important thing, and I was desperately trying to stabilize the King’s condition and restore his mental calm.

Naturally, I couldn’t get involved in national politics, and I was really grateful that Elliot and Richter were there.

After being reincarnated, I thought a lot about what kind of political system would be good for this world. Does this country need a King? Wouldn’t a republic be better? I thought that each had its advantages and disadvantages. However, at this point, it was a fact that this country was easier to unite with a King.

“Your Majesty is the King,” I said to the King repeatedly, trying to encourage him.

“Am I good enough?” King Tarim was always bothered by the fact that he had killed Hofer and the words of criticism from his mother, Margaret. Even though the Queen Mother explained that it was a misunderstanding, the scolding remained in his memory.

“Only His Majesty can unite this country,” I said many times.

Those words alone were not enough for the King to regain his confidence.

Knowing Hofer’s abilities, I also studied hypnotism and used suggestion. People gradually agree when they are told the same thing repeatedly. I cleared up the Queen Mother’s misunderstanding and gained the King’s trust. The fact that someone he trusted repeatedly and strongly advised him became a suggestion that gave the King confidence.

As a result, the King was able to appear before many of his subjects and speak.

“I have recovered. I am grateful that everyone was worried about me,” they were simple words, but they were the King’s own words.

“Until now, I have left everything to my subjects and have not decided anything. From now on, I will listen to everyone’s words and decide,” this had the meaning that even the bureaucrats who had ignored the King until now would have to obey.

In “The Prince,” it says that it is good for a King to be feared, but he must not be despised. I took various measures to increase the King’s authority.

One of them was to strongly condemn and expel Sorbeny for his past misgovernment.

We provided the evidence of the misgovernment, and the King only scolded him, but his words and actions in front of the main bureaucrats were significant.

The sight of the former Prime Minister being arrested and unable to defend himself made the bureaucrats tremble.

He also made a dignified speech in front of the soldiers. By this time, those of the military executives who were on the Sorbeny side had been eliminated.

Soldiers are very aware of the difference in rank and pay attention to the words of the top.

King Tarim had never stood and spoken in front of soldiers before. It was only in name that he was the King’s army, but they renewed their loyalty to the King, who they saw up close.

By seizing control of the bureaucrats and soldiers, we regained control.

Once the turmoil had subsided, I worked to have Prince Raphael become regent, as I had done last time. As in the previous regime, there was a sense of security just with the Prince sitting as regent. Elliot and Richter had excellent administrative abilities, but the atmosphere in the office felt different depending on whether the Prince was there or not. The unique dignity of the royal family seemed to have a positive effect on the administration as a whole, and unfortunately, there was no one other than the Prince who possessed this quality.

“Don’t be ridiculous. I’m a bard. I won’t be regent anymore,” he refused outright. I can’t help but wonder why the Prince doesn’t have any ambition.

“I had to clean up the mess of the Milona family’s internal strife for you, Prince. Please listen to my side this time,” I said here, using my special killer phrase. I was trying to get him to pay for cleaning up the Milona mess here.

“Don’t be silly. I attended your daughter’s wedding. That should have repaid the debt,” I couldn’t say anything immediately to these words. I had asked the Prince to attend to make my daughter’s special ceremony gorgeous, but I didn’t expect it to be written off in this way. It was the same unreasonable request as always. Just as I was about to retort, I received an unexpected statement from the Prince.

“You should become Prime Minister. That’s the best way for this country to unite.”

Furthermore, Elliot and Richter also agreed that I should become Prime Minister. The two men knew the Prince’s capricious nature well. Once the Prince said something, he couldn’t easily change it. That’s why they were trying to push the troublesome role onto me.

“You are the only one who has the King’s trust. You are the right person to be Prime Minister.”

Since I was forcibly pushed to take office as Prime Minister by the two men, it was difficult to refuse.