Bab 47: Government and Feelings on Board
A month has passed since the end of the war and Athena, as the new queen, has implemented several changes.
"First of all, religion would no longer have any power in the kingdom."
People could carry on with their faith, but if the new religious leaders wanted property, they would have to buy the land, build it themselves and pay taxes.
Athena took all the temples of light and other minor religions, which paid no taxes and still owned property, and turned them into schools.
A person who wanted to enroll would only need to pay a monthly fee of thirty copper coins and would receive an education in any area they wanted.
People who didn't understand how magic worked and were worried about the end of the holy classes were calmer when Athena gathered the more experienced spellcasters, who explained to the people how magic worked.
A person didn't need a temple or faith to be a cleric, paladin, or holy knight, they needed an affinity with the sacred element of magic.
Faith only helped to focus these classes, which made them mostly religious fanatics.
Athena also made the nobles, lords of territories, reduce taxes according to the security and development of the territory.
"The poorer territory, the lower the taxes."
In this way, she forced the nobles to invest in the development and security of the territory.
Athena had changed a lot in the realm in a short time and then threw the entire final process into the hands of Serien who now lived around mountains of documents.
The plan was to do as much stuff for the kingdom as quickly as possible and then get back on the road.
"Your majesty, you cannot do this." Serien followed Athena as she practically ran out of the palace with the Valkyries.
"Serien, it was really cool to be queen for a month, but I have things to do, people to apologize to and things to find out about myself." Athena stopped and faced the princess. "I'm coming back, so don't be fretful. In the meantime take care of the kingdom, I decided that I will keep the kingdom for myself."
Those words were enough to quiet Serien's heart.
Athena was far from being a good ruler.
She took advantage of people's fear of her, and made changes that didn't take people's opinions into account and killed those suspected of corruption without giving a chance to defend themselves, but the people were somehow satisfied.
The economy of the kingdom, which was stagnant, was boosted with the treasures of the temple of light and those who wanted to work found jobs in the construction of the new city, forts and the harbor of floating ships.
Theres also had the option of working on plantations and the new organization created by Athena to help clean up the kingdom's monsters, the adventurers guild.
"Well that's it then." Athena said as she turned to the Glory of the Goddess. "I hope to find everything in order when I get back. Until then, you will be the Princess Regent."
And with those words, Athena left the same way she arrived, to a war zone.
***
Three days of travel passed and Athena was sitting on the edge of the deck, looking out over the landscape as her hair was blown in the wind.
But she wasn't just looking at the landscape, she was talking to Fotiá.
"Mommy, where are you? Fotiá misses you."
Fotiá's melancholy voice echoed in Athena's mind like knives pricking her heart.
"Mom doesn't like Fotiá and Anemus anymore?"
"But of course I like you, my dear. It's just..."
"So then why didn't you take Fotia and Anemus with you?"
"I..." Athena had no words to explain to Fotiá her reason for leaving. "It's complicated, my angel."
Fotiá had not yet developed her mentality and as a child, she did not understand what was complicated for an adult, as the adult herself did not understand.
"Athena." Sahari called. "What are you doing?"
Athena said goodbye to Fotiá, ended the mental connection and looked at the woman, who for the first time since Athena met her, wore a dress instead of armor.
"I was talking to my daughter." Athena said with a grin. "You look beautiful."
Sahari raised an eyebrow at Athena with a crooked smile and sat down beside the woman.
"You can get your horse out of the rain. You don't stand a chance with me." Sahari joked.
"Tsk!" Athena pouted like she was disappointed and they both laughed.
"How is she?"
"Missing me and probably annoyed that I didn't explain anything."
"I don't blame her, her mother ran away." Sahari jabbed where it hurt the most.
"How am I going to raise a child when I'm so lost?" Athena leaned against the side of the ship. "If I told you everything, you would probably call me crazy..."
"Not that I think you're normal..." Sahari joked. "But there's something you can do now."
"And what would it be?"
"Make peace with Mifa." Sahari looked at the beastman girl beside Lobana. "She keeps stealing glances from you all the time, but she doesn't come close. What did you do?"
"Why does it have to be me doing something?" Athena sulked. "Since the end of the war she hasn't looked at me and runs away from me."
Just like everyone who saw what Athena did in the execution, Mifa was very scared of Athena.
No other skill or dark magic did what Athena did and the scene, for those who saw, it was a mixture of beauty and dread, where Death herself had descended into the mortal world to devour the souls of those miserables.
This caused two reactions days after the event, absolute obedience and adoration from some eccentric cultists.
Athena looked at Mifa and the girl quickly looked away, making Athena sigh.
"It doesn't matter that she keeps avoiding me." Athena look to Sahari. "We're going to split into Ethers anyway."
"Coward." Sahari said in an almost angry voice.
"Huh?"
"Are you going to run away from her too?"
"She's the one running away."
"But of course she is. She's scared." Sahari emphasized. "Even I was scared of you after I saw you eat those people's souls."
"If you know that, why ask what I did then?" Athena scratched her head irritably. "And there's no need to compare what I did with Fotiá and the others to that..."
"Athena, wait!"
"... Mifa and I are traveling companions at best."
"Athena!" Sahari complained.
"What?!"
"Tsk!" Sahari clicked her tongue with an annoyed look.
"Traveling companions..." Mifa repeated behind Athena.
Athena turned in fright and saw Mifa's eyes filled with tears.
Athena tried to say something, but without listening to the woman, Mifa ran to the rooms below deck.
"Aaargh!" Athena screamed in complaint.
"You really haven't noticed?" Sahari had a disapproving look. "She loves you more than a 'traveling companions' you idiot."
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone