Chapter 40: Revolution Era - The National Assembly (3)
Upon my request, I entrusted Eris with the task of soothing the local public sentiment and hurried back to the capital, Lumière.
This situation is not one that can be resolved by conventional means.
Given the Republic's preparations for war against foreign forces, relinquishing central control to the regions is out of the question.
Moreover, openly admitting fault in this matter would weaken the government's stance, especially when facing opposition from both the monarchy and foreign entities, which would undoubtedly provoke significant backlash.
The best course of action would be to negotiate.
With this in mind, upon my return to the capital, I immediately sought an audience with Maximilian Zidor.
His office was the epitome of simplicity.
A desk, a chair, stacks of documents, and an abundance of books were all that filled the space.
In this stark office, devoid even of the ornamental paintings that most officials would possess, a thin man with glasses offered me tea.
"I hadn't expected a personal meeting like this, Duke."
"Nor had I, Representative."
I tasted the tea he offered, then discreetly set it down, while Zidor glanced at the cup after reading the documents I had given him.
"It seems the tea is not to your liking."
"It's rather bitter."
"My office lacks both the luxury of fine tea leaves and the corrupting sweetness of sugar."
Indeed, he was perhaps the only one among the representatives who stood against the so-called corrupt and decadent old regime who lived a life indistinguishable from that of the common people.
Zidor, with a thoughtful expression, read through the documents and then, adjusting his glasses, set them down.
"So, Duke, you're suggesting this is a fault of the Republic?"
"It's a conclusion drawn from both their opinions and the reports of the survivors. At least in this instance, it indeed appears to be a misstep by the Republic."
The Republic executed the peasants first, which led to the conscription officers and their attendants being attacked in retaliation.
Zidor remained silent, his lips sealed.
After a prolonged silence, his response was a denial.
"However, had they not rebelled against the policies of the Republic, such tragedies would not have occurred."
"Are you suggesting that imposing policies that completely disregard their actual circumstances and expecting no backlash is reasonable?"
"...They are those who stand frozen under the order established by the corrupt and decadent old regime. I acknowledge that they may feel victimized, but it is an inevitable sacrifice. Through this, democracy will take root in our country, and true reform will become possible."
"So, the reform you seek is an absolute good, and the innocent victims are just necessary sacrifices?"
"The sacrifice of a few is heartbreaking and sad, but sometimes it's necessary to extract the tumor for the sake of the whole."
There was not a hint of wavering in Maximilian Zidor's eyes.
"Even the most skilled doctors make mistakes. You've barely held power for a few years; are you so certain your judgment is correct? Consider how many of your comrades have become corrupt and committed atrocities, intoxicated by the sudden power they wielded."
"As a member of the National Assembly, I can assert that I have never worked for personal gain at the expense of this country. The Republic must be morally impeccable, and even if it isn't, we will make it so. If we slacken the reins of reform out of pity for mere local communities, the Republic we have painstakingly built will crumble like a sandcastle."
This is no empty boast. Since taking control of the revolutionary government, he has spearheaded various reforms.
He is pushing for the introduction of universal suffrage, which guarantees equal voting rights to all citizens regardless of wealth, and he is working to abolish slavery to ensure that citizens can never again be sold to foreign lands. He is also introducing policies to combat corruption and narrow the wealth gap.
None of his reforms have been efforts to preserve vested interests, and although he is effectively the head of the National Assembly, his official status is just one of the ordinary members, without any dictatorial powers.
Zidor believes firmly in his righteousness, convinced that he is morally impeccable.
"Very well. I understand that you, as a representative, have no intention of conceding reforms or admitting any faults on the government's part. However, it is true that the revolution-affiliated wealthy individuals have seized assets in certain regions for their own gain. It should be no problem to penalize them and confiscate their assets, correct?"
"...I agree. Corruption must not be forgiven."
"Then, it should also be possible to compensate the citizens of the Republic who have suffered at the hands of these corrupt magnates, without necessarily admitting to any mistakes by the Republic."
Zidor adjusted his glasses as he looked at me.
"...Let's put it on the agenda."
"Lastly, wouldn't this suffice? Further indiscriminate persecution of religion will only serve to divide the Republic, not unify it."
"Is it right to turn away from reason and rely on irrational faith, like the old and corrupt Holy Church?"
"I'm not advocating for servitude to the Holy Church, Representative. There are undoubtedly people who have found solace in their faith over the years; let's give them the freedom to choose."
"Even if the clergy are a hotbed of corruption and decay, and the comfort they provide is nothing but an illusion?"
"The clergy who failed in their duties due to corruption and decay have already been eliminated by your revolutionary forces, perhaps even some who were fulfilling their roles."
"..."
"The priests who have survived the storm are either deserving of the people's respect or at least willing to abide by the laws of the Republic."
After finishing his now-cold tea, Zidor looked at me and spoke.
"You come from nobility; why go to such lengths for them?"
My initial motivation was a condition of a deal with the Holy Church: to at least try to bring the issue of religious persecution to the table.
But what I directly witnessed and felt on the site was a stark disparity between the grand ideals of the Republic they claimed and the harsh reality.
"I did not choose to side with the Republic over the monarchy because I believed in the Republic's justice. I did so because, unlike the clearly worst old regime, I saw a better potential in you."
Zidor's eyes were profoundly calm.
Whether my words truly reached him, I couldn't tell, but I had no choice but to confront him.
"I do not fully understand the value of the reforms you speak of. However, if the Republic, which claims to stand for the people, demands sacrifices for the Republic from those very people, I cannot consider it good, no matter how noble the cause may seem. I believe this is a doubt any human, before even considering their noble status, could naturally harbor."
After a lengthy silence, Zidor spoke.
"I do not agree with your perspective."
"Is that so?"
"The majority of the National Assembly would not agree either. They believe that only by making an example of those who dare oppose the Republican government can the unity of the Republic be achieved."
Zidor adjusted his glasses once again, looked at me intently, and spoke.
"I strongly oppose your irrational and anti-reformist views. However, I am merely a member of the National Assembly and cannot decide on such matters alone. Therefore, the report of the Duke, who has been delegated the authority of the National Assembly, will be respected, and your opinions will also be presented as an agenda."
Zidor stood up.
"The National Assembly will determine whose opinion is correct."
***
"What do you mean, 'head to the front lines first'? I'm about to lose my mind, Duke!"
Damien de Mirbo was practically frothing at the mouth in protest.
"The Republicans are blatantly favoring the Northern Army, and you, the Duke and Commander of the Southern Army, are to be absent from such a crucial battle!"
"There's no helping it. I must attend to another matter, so I will entrust the overall command to General Raphael Ballian."
"No, not that! To entrust the Southern Army to a mercenary upstart!"
"Of course, Ballian is merely the nominal commander-in-chief. I have faith in the abilities of Count Mirbo, as demonstrated on the battlefield."
Damien's previous protests faded away as his face lit up with surprise.
"Really, Duke?"
After all, the man did have the capabilities to serve as a lord's deputy, but perhaps it was just his luck to be dealing with me...
"Of course. But, ensure you coordinate with Ballian's Northern Army to avoid any unnecessary rumors."
Not that I fully trust Damien, but I rely on General Ballian's capabilities as a commander and the support of aides like Gaston to keep him in line.
That should prevent any major mishaps.
"Oh, to think that you would trust and entrust me, Damien de Mirbo, even after my surrender! I will certainly repay your trust, Duke, and elevate the glory of the Southern Army!"
Damien saluted with unhidden anticipation and excitement, then turned to leave my office, only to make a strange sound.
"Eek!"
Looking to see what had happened, I saw Christine, always dressed in her black attire, smiling and greeting Damien.
"It's been a while, Count Mirbo."
"Oh, it has been a while, Countess of Aquitaine. I have orders from the Duke, so I must be going!"
Pale-faced, Damien made a quick escape, and Christine entered my office with a cool gaze following his retreat.
"Are you sure it's wise to make use of such a bat-like character?"
"He's one of the rare knights who uses his brain rather than just muscle, and he's one of the few who have experienced large-scale battles."
Moreover, since he has given up his estate, he has nothing left and, being of noble birth, has no other path but to rise under my command.
Above all, even if he harbors other intentions, the subordinates under his command are all my people.
"Besides, if he sees enough benefit in staying loyal to us, he's less likely to entertain other thoughts."
Christine approached me naturally and let out a small sigh.
"So, you've gone and done something preposterous again."
Her eyes seemed to chide me, and I couldn't help but respond with a bitter smile.
I too wished to avoid being absent from such an important and high-profile war.
But it couldn't be helped.
As the person responsible for this affair and the de facto leader of our faction, stepping back would essentially predetermine the outcome.
"I'm sorry, but..."
"I know, Pierre. I'll help too. This issue is crucial for me as well."
Christine, having exclusive trade deals with the Holy Church within the Republic, has made a fortune far beyond what she had previously earned.
If we were to oppress the believers in collaboration with the Republic, we would be handing the Holy Church a perfect reason to sever our trade relations.
"I'm not sure about their stance, but we do have a chance."
Realistically, granting autonomy is difficult. It's also hard to pin this as a fault of the Republic.
So,
"We can leverage the Republic's influence to blame the corruption and depravity, attributing the atrocities to those responsible."
Christine nodded in agreement.
"Using Representative Zidor, we can achieve that much."
Maximilian Zidor, with his unwavering convictions, is a difficult person to compromise with, but precisely because of that, he would not hide the atrocities committed by the Republic's conscription officers in the local areas.
He would likely publicly punish the pro-Republican rich people who enriched themselves with the properties looted from the churches in the locality, even if it negatively affects him and the radical faction.
Especially since they believe their views represent the general will of the people.
"Punishing them and compensating the locals financially should soothe them, and halting religious oppression should make them controllable."
Handling public sentiment is Eris's forte, and her status as a saint would play a decisive role in quelling resistance movements born from religious causes.
"But the Republic has also been wounded. If only the corrupt and depraved are scapegoated and the Republican government in the capital is unilaterally affected, the citizens might not take it well. People can be quite sentimental."
"You're right, Christine. That's why we'll pin the blame on Count Lionel."
"...Lionel."
During the civil war, we were on the same side. I had helped them when they were being plundered while passing by with Eris, and their family had even made statements defending our side against the damned Duke Lorraine.
I can understand their inability to abandon the feudal mindset and thus their failure to empathize with us, who have thrown our lot in with the Republic.
However,
"They outright incited a rebellion, nearly drenching this land in blood once again. Moreover, even though they have defected, they are still nobility, which could give the opposition a pretext to criticize us. If we let this pass, it will surely become a threat someday."
Therefore, I must personally declare them enemies and subdue them. And because of this, I cannot immediately participate in the war against foreign forces.
Christine quietly looked at me, then spoke.
"It's somewhat ironic, isn't it? Nobles like us fighting against nobility on behalf of the Republic."
"It's that kind of era... We're in a situation where we must be prepared for such ironies."
***
As expected, Maximilian Zidor publicly denounced the rich people who had seized the local churches' assets for their own gain, confiscating their properties and exposing the conscription officers' atrocities in the local areas.
We coordinated by bringing in families of the local victims to appeal their experiences in front of the citizens, spreading rumors about the local situation that differed from the capital.
Despite this, when we widely publicized that the local residents had refused Count Lionel's call to arms, opting instead to negotiate with the Republic, the initially indifferent public opinion among the citizens significantly wavered.
In the same square, speakers with differing viewpoints resonated among the citizens.
"How much blood has been spilled in the name of revolution? With clear enemies like the old regime and foreign forces, how much longer must Francians shed each other's blood? It's time for clemency! They are not our enemies but our neighbors and comrades who will overcome this crisis with us!"
"They disguise it as clemency, but that's merely slackening the reins of revolution!
Go ahead and slacken the reins of revolution. At that very moment, you'll see military dictatorships hijacking the revolution, and so-called leaders corrupting and overthrowing the representative body of the people!"
As always, Zidor and the radicals must have believed that the Council and the citizens would support them.
However, since our involvement, the landscape of the capital has significantly changed.
Thanks to the efforts of the Aquitaine Trading Company, those who were once desperately searching for a target to unleash their anger due to immediate hunger and hardship found life somewhat bearable, and many grew tired of the unstable and violent political climate of the capital.
When people thought there were traitors to the revolution without any investigation, it was easy for the citizens to call for their execution. But knowing the circumstances and the clear responsibilities of the corrupt officials, they found no reason to vehemently demand their deaths.
Moreover, a clear scapegoat was provided in the form of the old regime's nobility, who were inciting innocent peasants to revolt.
The shift in public opinion was slow but surely spread throughout the city, and the exposed Councilmen began to lose their conviction.
Once the atmosphere tilted, the lobbying efforts secretly orchestrated by Christine also began to bear fruit.
On the day of the National Assembly's vote,
"248 in favor, 223 against, 29 abstentions..."
In the silent Council, the Speaker's declaration resonated.
"The resolution to abolish the decree on religious persecution and compensate the local residents has been passed."
"What, what did you say? Impossible!"
"There's a traitor among us!"
"This is invalid, our faction has the majority! I demand a re-vote!"
Amidst the chaos and clamor in the Council, Maximilian Zidor clenched his eyes shut, then slowly opened them to look at me.
For the first time since our meeting, the eyes of the idealist, guided by his firm moral principles, were wavering.
"Representative Zidor, please speak up!"
"This is invalid. There must be some mistake!"
As Zidor stood up, the noisy councilman quieted down and listened to him.
"...If democracy falls, it will be due to one of two things. Either through the aristocracy of the rulers or by the people themselves despising the authority they have established."
With everyone's eyes on him, Zidor spoke again.
"I accept the outcome. If we ourselves deny the results of the National Assembly, which has been delegated by the people, the people will despise us, thinking we have succumbed to aristocracy."
Having said his piece, Zidor turned and left the council.
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