AWDC Chapter 109

## Episode 109: A Promise to the People

After this episode, there are only two more remaining.

Since the incident, I had been by the King’s side, quietly watching over him. This was after His Majesty had reconciled with his mother.

“What should I do?” the King muttered one day, seemingly out of the blue.

“What troubles you, Your Majesty?”

“I can’t do anything,” the King continued. It was a glimpse into the pain within his heart.

A fool would never worry, much less confide such thoughts to anyone.

Knowing the King up close, I realized I had misunderstood him.

I had assumed the King was intellectually disabled, but it turned out he wasn’t lacking in understanding, but rather in the ability to express himself.

King Tarim suffered from a speech impediment. He could understand what others were saying, but he struggled to articulate his own thoughts. He had a slight stutter, which made him terribly timid about speaking.

This led to misunderstandings from those around him, and even his mother, Margaret, thought he was mentally deficient.

Consequently, he never received proper education in kingship, nor was he trained to speak in public. He was never expected to make witty remarks in crowded settings. Therefore, the King was labeled a “fool” incapable of public speaking. Abandoned by his own mother, the person who should have loved him the most during his childhood, the King retreated further into his shell.

To make matters worse, his father was too great a figure.

Even I could see that the late King Michael was remarkable. As Crown Prince, he had endured adversity, seized power, and eliminated his political rivals’ brothers without causing major conflict, unifying the country. Had King Michael remained alive, he would have wielded absolute authority, commanding respect both domestically and from foreign nations. Even Elliot and Richter were devoted to him, and frankly, I believe I would have been used as a pawn at his whim.

Young Prince Tarim must have admired and been proud of his father. But suddenly, he lost his supportive father. The shock he experienced must have been profound, and then he was pursued by the Bawa Roma followers, feeling his life was in danger. Being thrust onto the throne before adulthood, he must have struggled to figure out how to stand on his own.

Moreover, he lacked reliable retainers. The Queen Mother, while doting on him, never saw him as a capable adult. The people around him also viewed him as intellectually disabled.

It was no wonder the King behaved so eccentrically.

“Am I fit to be King?”

“If Your Majesty keeps your promises, you will be.”

“Is it enough to simply keep promises?”

“Yes. If Your Majesty never goes back on your word, the people will trust you.”

“Will the people trust me?”

“Of course.”

“I understand. I will keep my word.”

“Then, let’s write down each of your promises to the people.”

I discussed with the King and decided what he should promise. The King and I were, in effect, creating a constitution together.

“These promises are to ensure the people have the right to live.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“No one wants to be killed or injured by another. Therefore, it is wrong for the King to harm his people.”

“I have never harmed my people.”

“But Your Majesty can order your vassals to arrest and punish the people.”

“Is it wrong to arrest those who have done wrong?”

“What is wrong, and what is not? How do we decide?”

“Hmm?” The King was taken aback by my unexpected words.

“When Your Majesty is happy, angry, in pain, or joyful, can you treat your vassals in the same manner?”

“That is impossible.”

“People are driven by emotions. But if you decide what is right or wrong based solely on emotions, your vassals will lose faith in your words.”

“Hmm, I see. I shouldn’t judge based on emotions?”

“Exactly. If you judge based on emotions, everything will constantly change with your feelings. Let’s decide what is wrong in a way that does not change. Let’s write it down. If we use what is written as a standard, the judgment of right and wrong will not change. And then, we will inform the people of that document, that law.”

I explained it to the King in an easy-to-understand manner, until he fully grasped the concept.

By talking to me, the King gradually gained the ability to communicate. I created an environment where the King could easily express himself and had the officials draft bills.

“This bill is to protect the people’s property. I want you to carefully consider what it was like when your property was taken from you.” The officials were surprised by the King’s specific instructions but also deeply impressed.

That was the catalyst for the King to gradually gain confidence in expressing himself.

“Soldiers of the Royal Army! Do not harm the people! You are to protect this country from the enemy’s soldiers. Protecting the people is the duty of the Royal Army.

I despise those who harm the people with violence. If there are any such individuals, arrest them!”

The King gave a speech to about 50 of the Royal Army’s officers. It was a short speech, less than three minutes long, but the direct words from the King had a profound impact on them. After all, most of them had never even met the King before. They were overjoyed to hear the King’s words firsthand.

Even the commander who had been trusted by Hoffa and invaded the Gregg Dukedom was among them. He had been temporarily detained and investigated. However, he was honest, never using his subordinates for personal gain or misusing the army. After confirming that Hoffa’s brainwashing was gone, I approved his reinstatement. He too was deeply moved by the King’s words.

In addition, I reorganized the Royal Guard. Under the previous administration, the Royal Guard had become a mere formality, a place for nobles to hold positions. I gathered young scions from the powerful noble families across the country to the capital, had them live and eat together, and constantly guard the King. This was to gain their loyalty by having them close to the King, and to prevent local nobles from rebelling by holding their children hostage.

The King’s authority proved to be more effective in controlling officials and soldiers than I had imagined. This allowed the administration to run smoothly.

“The public order has improved considerably,” I said. Even after becoming Prime Minister, I still met with Elliot and Richter regularly. Unlike before, we met in the capital, but the content of our discussions remained the same.

“When will the railway connecting the capital and the regions be completed?”

“The lines to the Midland Dukedom and the Gregg Dukedom will be open soon, and we aim to complete the others within the next year.”

“If transportation becomes more convenient, commerce will become even more active. What about the transit tax?”

“I want to abolish it as soon as possible, but the army has grown to 60,000 soldiers, so the personnel costs alone are enormous. We can’t eliminate the tax immediately.”

Our meetings always focused on practical matters. Even though I was the Prime Minister, their opinions were always valuable.

I decided to gradually and steadily reform this country. And they were always cooperative. Though I was the Prime Minister, I could not have managed the nation’s affairs without their help.

I supported the King, watching him become aware of his role as King and gain confidence.

“I understand the people’s needs thanks to you,” he said about three years later.

That alone made me feel that accepting the position of Prime Minister was worth it.