What do people live for? If asked such a question, the answer might change depending on that person’s values or profession.
A religious person might speak of love and philanthropy, A poor person would talk about bread and soup, Nobles or royalty would mention power and honor.
From that perspective, Camilla von Arschach’s answer had always been predetermined.
The future.
Since becoming a republican at the age of fifteen, she had always been looking towards the future.
Beyond her own future, for the future of the country, for the future of society as a whole.
Operating a coffee house, recruiting her forces and comrades, gathering public opinion from intellectuals – All of this was part of her plan.
To improve the country as she desired, she did not hesitate to take risky gambles.
And now.
The Arschach young lady was realizing her dreams through the stage of parliament.
“180 votes in favor, 120 votes against! Therefore, I hereby declare that the conscription reform bill has passed!”
“Damn commoners! Do you know what will happen to the kingdom if you commit such outrages? If this country falls, it’ll be all your fault!”
“What nonsense are you spouting? How is this our fault? We’re simply gradually improving the state affairs that you’ve ruined all this time!!”
“After sucking the people’s blood for hundreds of years, don’t you dare try to shift that responsibility onto us!!”
A place where representatives of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd estates gather to discuss, fight over, and vote on critical national issues.
While somewhat different from a modern parliament, it operates much more rationally compared to the Estates-General.
Here, Young-ae was leading Carolus’s entire faction in his place. Is it too heavy a responsibility for someone just twenty years old? That’s true.
But what can be done? There’s no one else more suitable.
Because of the factions with no common ground or shared interests, mutual cooperation is more difficult than climbing Mount Everest without oxygen.
How could a republican who wants to chop off the king’s head get along with a clergy who believes in the divine right of kings?
Only because Young-ae has a large faction under her and is famous for being trusted by Carolus can she control them.
By borrowing his authority, she can manage to some extent.
“Next on the agenda is a proposal to close the current tax farming system and entrust tax collection entirely to the Ministry of Finance.”
And today.
Young-ae was trying to reform yet another critical system.
Tax farming – a system where tax collection is outsourced to private entities.
Paying money to professionals and allowing them to collect taxes freely in a specific area for a certain period.
For example, if there’s a region that generates 100 in annual taxes: The monarch, when suddenly needing immediate funds, can transfer tax collection rights to a contractor for three years in exchange for 250.
The monarch can secure money right away, and the contractor can make 50 in profit after three years.
Seems like a win-win? Hardly.
In one local area, they even tried to collect a tax on thoughts before it was canceled.
Enraged citizens beat the tax collector to death.
To create a proper country, the tax farming system must be abolished. Only then can people survive.
“Nonsense! Are you suddenly going to discard a system that has continued for hundreds of years? What about the aftermath!”
“If we eliminate tax collectors, how will we cover those costs? Do you think money grows on trees to hire more government workers!!”
“Contracts with contractors are the legitimate rights of monarchs and lords! The parliament has no right to arbitrarily interfere!”
Of course, there was resistance. Primarily from the nobility.
Until now, they had been turning a blind eye to tax collectors in exchange for skimming money.
If the system were closed, wouldn’t their financial situation get completely tangled?
Trendy dresses, jewelry, luxury items, expenses for maintaining dignity, and so on.
The nobility had many (by their standards) essential expenses that their estate’s usual income could barely cover sometimes.
Tax farmers were the ones who solved that.
Now they suddenly want to ban it? Absolutely unacceptable.
If they showed mercy, they would have to pay an ‘enormous’ price of ‘slightly’ reducing their extravagance.
The people are starving without bread to eat right now, but anyway, that’s how it was.
“These bastards look so well-fed I want to skewer them with a spear, but anyway.”
“What bullshit! Are we supposed to suffer so you can fatten your wallets?!”
“Mind your tone! How dare you talk back to those of blue blood?!”
“Blue blood is nonsense! We’re all equal members of parliament! Don’t try to justify your sophistry with social status!”
“Are you perhaps taking bribes to argue this? A normal person would have no reason to defend those stealing taxes!”
The argument continued. They were just short of hurling direct insults, engaged in a shameless brawl that threw away all pretense of decorum.
But for some reason, the energy seemed weaker than usual.
‘Still not enough,’ Camilla von Arschach clicked her tongue internally. She knew the reason all too well.
‘They only become passionate when he’s present. They want to show loyalty to him.’
In the past, just Carolus sitting in his seat would have sparked them to rise like a swarm, shouting about something.
Showing themselves in a good light to him was the shortest path to approaching the center of power.
Even without a genuine thought, they would chime in, shout slogans, or whatever.
But now? There’s no center to their faction.
With the person who should balance and lead from the center gone, everyone has become dispirited.
Only those with genuine passion and firm convictions step forward.
‘You should return quickly…’
Young-Ae sighed internally, hoping Carolus would return safely from the battlefield.
She wanted to see him once again taking control of various factions and leading national affairs.
She would assist him, working beside him and offering advice.
If it doesn’t seem like she’s missing him purely for political reasons… it’s a misunderstanding. Anyway, a misunderstanding.
“Ahem! The debate seems to be getting too heated. Wouldn’t it be better to stop here?”
Young-Ae stood up, clearing her throat to change the atmosphere.
Dissatisfied and somewhat contemptuous gazes were cast from various directions.
Those who would have shown rage and hatred if Carolus were here were now looking down at her.
She calmly accepted their contempt and looked at the chairman.
“Since opinions don’t seem to be converging, let’s decide by vote. Isn’t that the most fair?”
“Fair? You’re just trying to crush us with your numbers!”
“What nonsense! Voting and majority rule truly reflect everyone’s opinions!!”
As always, all agenda items are decided by vote, regardless of the representatives’ arguments.
Voting was immediately implemented.
Approval: 201 votes. Opposed: 96 votes. Absent: 3 (CAROLUS and his subordinate officers).
As usual, the bill passed with a one-sided margin.
“Thank you all for your hard work today. See you tomorrow.”
“Are we set to discuss police system reform next time?”
“Yes. The overall content is as we discussed last time. Please make sure you can definitely win the debate.”
After the meeting ended, Young-Ae exchanged brief greetings with fellow representatives and walked on.
These were paths she would normally walk with Carolus. But now, without him, she had to walk to her carriage alone and desolately.
If that were the only issue, it would be fine, but the problem was an uninvited guest who kept appearing.
“Oh, Lady Arschach. Are you heading home now?”
“…I greet Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
And he’s a married man in his 30s.
“You must be working hard attending parliament every day. Having arguments with those who don’t understand a thing.”
“Who else could assist His Majesty in governing the country besides you?”
The monarch’s actual power has long been neutralized by Carolus.
Saying this is an indirect way of expressing that she doesn’t want consolation from someone like him.
Unable to understand even this simple metaphor, the Crown Prince brazenly placed his hand on YOUNG-AE’s shoulder.
“I’d like to personally console you… shall we have a drink? My treat.”
“No thank you. I’m not particularly fond of drinking.”
She lightly brushed off his hand with her fan, delivering her response with a hint of barely concealed contempt and disgust.
“Wouldn’t it be better to attend to the Crown Princess? I heard she’s pregnant. I’m sure she’d appreciate your company.”
“….Never mind. Don’t get too cocky.”
“Please return safely.”
After seeing him off, Young-Ae sighed.
Why does the royal family only show increasingly pathetic appearances?
“Ah. I want to tear it all down.”
If she could, she’d completely demolish everything.
Destroying the remnants of feudalism and establishing a republican state would fulfill her wishes.
But that’s extremely difficult.
The people would never accept it.
The masses only recognize and accept monarchy as the truth.
‘A country without a monarch is impossible in this world.’
Young-Ae realized this through her experience in practical politics.
The ideal republican country remains an unattainable fantasy.
There’s a severe lack of ideological background, realistic foundation, and consensus.
Even if forcibly created, no one would accept it, and it would only collapse.
‘Introducing a constitutional monarchy might be the best approach.’
The realistic compromise would be constraining royal power through a constitution.
A country governed by multiple elected politicians, not just one monarch.
‘But not with the Riodolph royal family.’
The current royal household is too incompetent.
Even in a constitutional monarchy, the monarch must have at least basic common sense and thinking ability.
She couldn’t entrust the throne to a madman who tries to seduce women while his wife is pregnant.
The child born to such a person probably wouldn’t be normal either.
In that case, rather…
YOUNG-AE raised her head, looking northwest.
Toward the place where her reliable political collaborator and superior was located.