I Don’t Need a Guillotine for My Revolution

Chapter 255: Epilogue (3)

Episode 255. Epilogue (3)

After the war with Abyss Corporation ended, military rule was established in the Abyss Archipelago, and Eris and I visited every one of the Allied Nations' constituent states.

From the Iberian Brotherhood and the Germania Empire to the Krafte Kingdom, the Eastern Empire, the Magic Kingdom, and the Northern Allied Kingdom.

Both Eris and I already had our fame spread throughout the Central Continent, and we were welcomed wherever we went, hailed as the leading figures in the victorious Holy War against the demons.

Though it was a bit amusing how the Germania Empire and the Eastern Empire, both clearly still suffering from the aftermath of the last war, held grand victory ceremonies and competitively went out of their way to welcome us.

At any rate, after the war with Abyss Corporation ended, it wasn't too difficult to strengthen the friendship between the allied constituent nations and establish an economic cooperation system.

This was because we had all divided the business stakes in the Abyss Archipelago amongst ourselves, and Francia was the one managing it most directly.

Christine's Aquitaine Merchant Guild was able to compensate for the massive expenditures it had shouldered during the war by exerting considerable influence over Francia's business in the Abyss Archipelago and the joint trade among the Allied Nations.

Being able to grant tolerance to the surviving demons, accommodate them, and utilize them as a labor force under military supervision, and the fact that they were a great help in the Magic Tower's analysis of Abyss Corporation's technology, allowing for faster-than-expected results, also played a part.

Since this was an alliance of Central Continent nations that had once waged war on each other, I was concerned that conflict might recur as soon as our common interests disappeared, but it seemed that wouldn't be happening for the time being.Thus, the Central Continent, having crowned the Holy War with victory, was entering an era of détente.

Just as Eris wanted.

*

Francia's capital, Lumiere.

The National Assembly.

Externally, the nations that had fought against Abyss Corporation were enjoying peace and prosperity, sharing the vested interests they had gained from the Abyss Archipelago, but…

Francia's internal affairs, now that the war was over and the immediate national crisis had passed, were descending into chaos amidst the calm before the storm.

“The Revolutionary Party will submit the Equal Suffrage Law this session. This bill must pass, if only to reward the people for the devotion they showed during the war.”

Every adult in Francia must have equal voting rights, regardless of property. The ardent wish that Maximilien Le Jidor had championed in the early days of the revolution had still not been realized.

The President of the Revolutionary Party, Maurice Talleyrand, seemed determined to achieve it this time, but the reaction was not particularly favorable.

“Hmph. You want to make ignorant bumpkins from the countryside exercise the same one vote as the qualified individuals who have served Francia for so long? What nonsense.”

The Central Party, a coalition of nobles, the military establishment, and conservative figures, voiced their opposition outright, as always.

“Damn it, how long do you intend to cling to that damnable sense of privilege? We raised the banner of equality from the very start of the revolution, yet even after ten years, you still can’t abandon the outdated thinking of the old era.”

After the Republic of Francia, which had started the revolution, became the Revolutionary Kingdom of Francia, one more election was held to select the members of the National Assembly.

That election took place while we were fighting a series of wars and preparing for a Holy War against Abyss Corporation, so the situation was quite favorable for the Central Party.

Naturally, my influence as a hero of Francia who had swept across the battlefields, and the influence of the Saintess Queen Eris, who was enthroned by my Central Party, were dominant. The Central Party grew so large that its past as the most minor of the three parties became a distant memory, and it became the leading party.

It was not for nothing that the National Assembly dispatched reinforcements during the war with Abyss Corporation, even emptying the mainland, when we were in danger.

While it was partly thanks to the determination of Maurice Talleyrand and Nicolas Brisseau, the anxiety of the Revolutionary and Liberal parties about an expedition led by nobles and the military establishment also played a role.

Still, during wartime, it was important to unify public opinion to conduct the war, and since the National Assembly acted positively by sending additional troops, it wasn't considered a major problem.

However, now that the war with Abyss Corporation was over, the bloated Central Party had effectively put a stop to all attempts at reform in the National Assembly, and Francia's reforms had either halted or were merely maintaining the status quo.

It reached the point where pessimism emerged even from the Revolutionary Party, the most radical reformers, who claimed that the revolution had been corrupted after all by joining hands with the nobles.

“We should have completed the revolution entirely….”

“Ahem, ahem. Watch your words, Assemblyman.”

But even in such a situation, the attempted assassination of Christine and Raphael Valliant's counter-revolutionary incident demonstrated just how disastrous the results of radical and violent action could be.

That is why even the most radical Revolutionary Party could not even consider the extreme option of reform through military force.

Above all, as the head of the military establishment, I wielded an all-too-dominant influence, both through my personal martial prowess and my popularity with the people of Francia.

From the Revolutionary Party's perspective, the only partner they could pin any hope on was the Liberal Party, but…

“Even so, shouldn't we uphold the banner of revolution that we raised…?”

“Ahem, it is still premature. Does it make any sense for ignorant bumpkins from the countryside who know nothing to exercise the same rights as the citizens of Lumiere who diligently pay high taxes?”

“Wasn't that why we introduced the Grandes Écoles system? It's compulsory education that we went to the trouble of introducing while suppressing opposition from the farmers. The first graduates are just now beginning to enter society. If the freedom and equality they've learned turn out to be nothing but a pretense, can there be any development in this nation?”

“That doesn't mean they've been verified to have the same intellect as the citizens of the cities. If fools who can be easily agitated without even understanding their own rights enjoy equal rights, who would bother to work hard and pay high taxes? In the end, it is the taxes of the wealthy that move Francia.”

In reality, even the Liberal Party, whose core support base was the wealthy class and the middle class, had divided opinions and was lukewarm on the matter.

Since the end of the war, the atmosphere in the National Assembly had generally flowed in this manner.

The three parties lead the political situation with mutual checks to manage the chaos of the unstable revolutionary period. It sounds good, but in the end, it is no different from being a country with three heads.

If this nation, led separately by the presidents of the three parties, didn't have a focal point like Eris, there would probably be even more chaos than there is now.

Thinking about it made me feel a little bored, and as I casually rolled my shoulders, my eyes met Talleyrand's.

He was sending me quite an earnest gaze.

It's not often you see that proud man act like this.

He was probably asking me for help because, within the Central Party, I am relatively favorable toward them, but...

I lightly shook my head.

Universal suffrage, of all things. That was beyond what I could help with.

The core of the Central Party right now was the old nobles, including myself, and its key support base was the military that had shed blood and devoted itself to the nation.

Who could be convinced that those who had shed so much blood, or Christine and her subordinates who had sustained the war effort itself, should enjoy the same rights as those who had only just been given access to a proper education?

…It might be necessary someday, but I was skeptical whether such a radical reform was needed right now.

I certainly feel that since the war ended, conflict has been building up within the fragmented National Assembly, but for my part, I feel that even this is much better than before.

If I were to compare that revolution, where the smell of blood never left the guillotine, with the present, where we at least have dialogue and things are changing, however slowly, there's no need to even say which is better.

After the stagnant debate.

“…213 votes for, 254 against, 33 abstentions. The Equal Suffrage Law has been rejected.”

As expected, it was a result that didn't stray from expectations, and the members of the Revolutionary Party and some from the Liberal Party couldn't hide their disappointment.

This situation will probably continue as is unless there is a definite, drastic change in the upcoming next election.

“Then, the next agenda item will be proposed by Her Majesty the Queen.”

As Eris slowly walked in, everyone's attention immediately focused on her.

In fact, after all the wars ended, Eris was the core of the calm before the storm surrounding Francia's internal political situation.

Because.

Eris's eighth year of reign as queen was coming to an end.

This meant that not only the election for the National Assembly members but also the king election was just around the corner.

Of course, if a vote were held here to re-confirm Eris as king, it would probably pass with overwhelming national approval.

In fact, a considerable number of people think so.

From the start, with the Empress of the Germania Empire and the Queen Consort of the Northern Allied Kingdom having declared their renunciation of succession rights, Eris was the only one who could be a candidate, and there would be no one who could cry out that she was not qualified to be king.

But on the other hand.

The Revolutionary and Liberal parties were concerned that if Eris's royal authority were to be absolutely re-affirmed in a National Assembly already leaning towards the Central Party, no matter how great a queen she was, it might lead directly to the end of the revolution.

As for me, well…

Christine had informed me that Eris had contacted the retired Nicolas Brisseau, who had stepped down as President of the Liberal Party, several times. I did wonder what the queen, who was even more of a reformer than the National Assembly, was thinking.

It seemed I wasn't the only one thinking this, as a considerable number, including the Central Party President, Count Anjou, were looking at Eris with very uneasy faces.

While Eris ascended the podium, I took a paper handed to me by an attendant.

Were these the documents for the motion Eris was proposing?

Wondering what kind of bombshell this would be, I read it and froze.

“It is a good day, members of the National Assembly. Erisliste Lilianne de Francia, Queen of the Francians, greets you.”

Eris greeted them in a calm tone, but the National Assembly's reaction was anything but calm.

“Wh-what in the world is this, Your Majesty?”

“It is a reform plan for the political system of the Revolutionary Kingdom of Francia, or rather, a proposal for the transition to the Republic of Francia.”

“Urgh…!”

“Oh dear, Count Anjou!”

As Count Anjou clutched the back of his neck and collapsed, I stared at the document Eris had distributed, unable to hide my dumbfounded expression.

It was a proposal to reorganize the current situation where the National Assembly, represented by the presidents of the three parties, handled both the legislation and enforcement of laws alongside the king election.

The king election would be maintained as a head of state election, but the term of office would be reduced to four years, and anyone with a recommendation from ten or more National Assembly members could become a candidate, not just a legitimate heir to the throne.

Furthermore, while legislative power would remain with the National Assembly, a new executive branch would be formed under the new head of state, to which all the law enforcement powers previously held by the National Assembly would be transferred, and with a judiciary branch to pass judgment according to the law, a separation of powers would be implemented.

…So that's why she kept meeting with the retired politician Nicolas Brisseau. Was she seeking consultation from him, a former lawyer?

“This is, this is no different from the abolition of the monarchy, is it?”

To the Central Party member, whose eyes were wide with shock, Eris replied with a refreshing smile.

“That's right. But weren't we a republic after the revolution from the very beginning? The irregular method of an elective monarchy was just a temporary measure we slapped on to avoid war.”

The Central Party wasn't the only one in a panic.

“Y-Your Majesty. If the reform is carried out according to the motion you have just proposed, the royal authority… no, the authority of the head of state, will be strengthened to the point of effectively running the country, and the authority of the National Assembly will be drastically reduced.”

When President Talleyrand spoke in a slightly trembling voice, Eris nodded and replied.

“That's right. But that's how most countries do it. The king and the administrative officials who follow them. Since our executive branch was annihilated during the revolution, the National Assembly took on its duties, but it isn't very efficient. In fact, many of the policies implemented by the National Assembly in the early days of the revolution ended in failure.”

As Eris said, the National Assembly had handled both legislation and law enforcement until now.

If you ask whether the three-headed Assembly, which already struggled with legislation, did well with law enforcement, the honest truth is that it did not.

The policies of the revolutionary government, though high-minded in their ideals, failed to even resolve the food shortage due to a lack of practical expertise or manpower, and caused all sorts of confusion, such as nearly sparking a rebellion in the west by forcing policies unsuited to local conditions.

It wasn't just once or twice that Christine and I had to scramble and lobby just to resolve the situation.

“But in the end, isn't this just making a king again, only without the title? This is, this is a regression to a kingdom!”

But naturally, this was effectively the overthrow of the revolution. An overthrow by the queen most beloved by the people, whom the members of the National Assembly could never stop.

“With all due respect, Your Majesty. This can only be seen as an intention to regress to a state ruled by Your Majesty, based on the support of the people.”

In the eyes of the National Assembly members who said so, one could even glimpse a sense of betrayal toward the queen they believed had championed the populace more than anyone.

To be honest, I also had a very strange feeling about Eris making this decision.

It was true that after the war ended and our clear, common enemy disappeared, the three-headed power structure, with no single party holding a majority, had carved up the National Assembly, and with the Assembly handling both legislation and enforcement, Francia had become completely fragmented.

A clear focal point was needed, but Eris, who could have served that role, held only ambiguous authority due to the National Assembly's checks, born from their fear of the revolution's subversion.

Even so, Eris had seemed completely removed from any desire for power, yet she came forward with a reform plan like this?

But the queen, who had dropped this bombshell while keeping it a perfect secret even from me, was beyond our imagination.

“With all due respect, members of the National Assembly.”

Although she had aged a fair bit by now, Eris still smiled with the playfulness of her girlhood.

“I won't be putting myself forward as a candidate.”