AWDC Chapter 110

Chapter 110: Dream

It’s been 18 years since I became Prime Minister, and King Tarim has passed away at the young age of 44. Of course, those 18 years weren’t entirely peaceful for this country.

There was a time when the Jamal Kingdom put pressure on Midland. When we deployed the Royal Army near the border, making it clear that we were ready to attack at any time, the ambassador from the neighboring country hurriedly called for peace talks. Apparently, some of the royal family were dissatisfied with King Jamal’s autocratic system and tried to stir up trouble near our border to shake things up. King Jamal, realizing the clear difference in national power and considering war to be disadvantageous, immediately suppressed the dissatisfied elements. It was only natural that the ambassador came to our country, frightened by the strength of our army.

Also, there was an uprising in the Mandleuk Peninsula calling for independence. I thought about recognizing it if the people of the peninsula truly desired independence, but it turned out that some nobles were just running wild for their own selfish desires, plotting the rebellion. People often talk about self-reliance, but we must judge whether they are truly acting for the sake of the residents. The peninsula was not suitable for crops, and they couldn’t obtain enough crops to be self-sufficient. The residents couldn’t eat without food coming from elsewhere, and the same went for other necessities. The residents of the Mandleuk Peninsula lived on commerce and a small amount of fishing, and it was impossible for them to become independent from the Flandre Kingdom. Furthermore, it wasn’t as if the Mandleuk Peninsula was being taxed at a higher rate. If anything, the peninsula was being treated favorably, as the transit tax was reduced, and they were profiting from maritime trade. Knowing that it was just being stirred up by some nobles, I immediately crushed the independence movement.

Such things were relatively peaceful compared to the chaos that followed the unexpected death of King Michael. As for me, that time was the most hectic, and it’s something I want to talk about. So, I’ll talk about what happened after that briefly.

When King Tarim passed away, the king’s eldest son was already 16 years old, an adult, and had become a fine Crown Prince. He had been diligently studying the art of kingship from an early age, and there were no problems with the succession to the throne. He also had Elliot, Richter, and my son Allen as close aides, so I was relieved. The next king had a solid understanding of the constitution, and I had no worries about handing over the reins to the next generation.

I sometimes wondered why I was reincarnated into this world. Even now, I can’t remember the circumstances of my reincarnation. Was my reincarnation simply a whim of God, or was there some purpose? I’ve even wondered if some natural law reincarnated me.

But now, it seemed to be irrelevant. I lived earnestly in this world. As a doctor, I treated people’s illnesses and sometimes saved lives. I contributed to increased food production by providing agricultural guidance, and I turned the desert into a green land, making it the country’s best granary. I popularized coal, protecting the forest resources used for cooking and preventing the loss of forests. I improved the roads and pulled rail carriages to improve transportation and develop commerce. Everything was done to improve the lives of the people of this world and to help them live happily. And as Prime Minister, I believe I have done my best for the peace and prosperity of this country.

It wasn’t all my ability. I think it was possible because of the various collaborators and supporters I had. As a result, I was able to achieve a high position in this world as Prime Minister.

When I was Prime Minister, the neighboring Belga Kingdom was in turmoil over the succession to the throne and remained in a state of civil war. On the other hand, there was also information that the Jamal Kingdom’s king’s power had become absolute, and they were once again plotting ambitions against our country.

From my perspective, the state of the neighboring countries was by no means commendable. Jamal in the east was recklessly trying to increase its military power in order to counter our country. To raise the military expenses, they were forcibly increasing taxes, which caused the commoners to suffer. The economy stagnated because of this, and the commoners were barely able to eat. Even more miserable was Belga in the west. They were fighting over the throne, with the royal family and nobles mixed up in a state of civil war. The common people were in extreme poverty, and many were starving to death. I could understand, in a way, why Hofer wanted to dispatch troops.

Seeing this situation, some of the leaders of the Royal Army suggested conquering the neighboring countries, but I never allowed them to dispatch troops. The ethnicity of the neighboring countries was very different from the nationality of our country, and I thought that even if we could conquer them by force, the friction between the ethnic groups would be great. I thought that even if we integrated, it would be of no benefit to either ethnic group if the conflicts between the two ethnic groups became too great. The other thing was the existence of guns. The guns that I brought had tremendous power in this world. If we used these weapons, the threats from neighboring countries would not be a problem, and it would be easy to invade other countries. But the overwhelmingly threatening weapon was the source of madness. I was worried about how far the Royal Army would run with its ambitions and desire for conquest if it started using guns. If possible, I wanted to leave the guns unused and forgotten in this world.

Now, compared to other countries, the Flandre Kingdom is dominant in terms of economy, culture, and military power. It wouldn’t be too difficult to overwhelm other countries and expand our territory. I decided to entrust everything to the next generation to consider.

I codified the constitution, but I didn’t create a parliament. I thought that the democratic system was still too early for this country. There is no concept of democratic politics in this world, and there is no idea of the separation of powers. This world may progress and eventually reach that concept, but it will be after experiencing many events. I thought it was something to leave to future generations.

“What do you want to do from now on?” Margarita was surprised by the sudden question.

My wife and I retired, left the capital, and decided to live in our Toriholi mansion. I thought that if we lived in the capital, we would have many concerns about the world, and we wouldn’t be able to live in peace. We thought that we could rest easy in Toriholi, our hometown.

“Even if I want to do something, everyone here is so nice that it’s enough.”

Indeed, Toriholi was full of familiar faces. The lord and his wife and Roy were no longer in this world, but there were Tom and Cathy, Krim and Salomé, and other old friends. We could live here without any worries. Our sons and daughters, who had become independent or married, were building their own families, and there was no need for us to say anything.

“But, isn’t there somewhere you want to go or something you want to see?”

“Hmm, then I want to go to Lean Ridge. You said that the view from Lean Ridge overlooking the Datar Plateau and the Mulan River valley is spectacular, didn’t you?”

It was an unexpected wish from my wife. Margarita knew how difficult it was for me to develop the Datar Desert. Above all, the tunnel construction to penetrate Lean Ridge was difficult. My wife said she wanted to see the results of my work.

“Okay, we’ll be at the top soon.” I took Margarita’s hand and said, panting. It’s a shame that this Lean Ridge, which I used to be able to climb briskly when I was young, now feels hard on my feet.

“Haa, haa. Eh, really? Wow, amazing.” Margarita, who had reached the top with my help, was wide-eyed at the sight before her.

Beyond the mottled Lean Ridge with grass and trees, the Mulan Valley made noise and flowed down through the greenery. Mountains stretched from the source of the valley, and a panorama with the Alps in the background awaited far beyond.

“You brought water from here and turned the desert green, didn’t you?” Below us, we could see the waterway that we had struggled to carve out.

The Datar Plateau reclamation area had also expanded greatly. The population already exceeded 100,000, and this land had become a major granary, providing food for the Flandre Kingdom.

“This is what you made, isn’t it?”

I was the Prime Minister for the longest time, but it’s fair to say that my work started at Lean Ridge. My wife knew my origins well.

We’ve been together for nearly 40 years, and she’s supported me all that time. I didn’t have any affairs either. I almost fell into a honey trap a few times because of Hofer’s schemes, but I’m glad I was able to spend my time without betraying her.

“When we get back, shall we call Jim and our old friends for a party?”

The three Roy brothers, John, George, and Jim, each have territories on the Datar Plateau and have become nobles. They have all retired, handed over their positions to their children, and are ready to gather at any time.

“Yes, that’s a good idea. Let’s call Cathy and Salomé too.” Krim is still active as a doctor in Toriholi, but his son is doing well, so he can come anytime. Ladapole is so engrossed in iron making that he probably won’t be interested in a party, but if we call Peck and Roda, they’ll come in a flash.

“If that’s the case, we have to call Ricardo or he’ll pout. And even if we don’t call Prince Raphael, he might barge in.” Ricardo travels back and forth between the capital and Toriholi as lord. I think he’s back here now. Prince Raphael is still posing as a minstrel and amusing me.

“Oh dear, that’s going to be a big deal.” Margarita laughed happily.

Behind me were the distant Alps. When I was young, I often thought while looking down at the Mulan Valley from this Lean Ridge.

From here, the Alps are full of untouched land. I wanted to develop it someday and go to the Alps.

King Michael granted me this remote area as territory, but it’s still mostly untouched. I never managed to look down on the world from the Alps.

This “dream” is unlikely to be realized.

But I was reincarnated into this world, and I was able to realize some dreams. I was satisfied with that and decided to descend the mountain.

The end.