Chương 175: Feudal System Abolition Act
Vol. 3 - Chapter 19 - Feudal System Abolition Act
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Some couple of days passed since the arrival of Morgans, who adapted to his new environment rather successfully, and Vlad who was holding a new meeting in the Administrative Palace was standing at the chairman seat holding his temples overlooking the Dawn City leaders, Katerine and a person who looked familiar to him, wearing glasses and looking like a learned person, along with his councilors and Oliver standing beside a darker part of the room.
"Oliver, how much does it cost to set the dial system we talked about?"
"Going to the underworld market prices which can fluctuate, about 850.000.000 𝔅 to 1.250.000.000 𝔅 for the entire system, connecting the Kingdom. There's also the problem of unavailability of those snails since they are rather a rarity."
"Fuck me, boss, can't you just let me tinker with the ones we have on our hand." asked Faust while hearing Oliver mention that huge amount of money, continuing putting a pathetic expression for everyone in the meeting room to see.
"Imagine what I could do with such a huge amount of money."
"Tsk, kid, the reality is harsh. Just so I can tell you how we stay within our budget. This year from the money we collected from the dead nobles and our income and taxes, is about 7.500.000.000 𝔅 and along with our treasury of 11.000.000.000 𝔅 we technically have the money to allow such expenditure.
However, we have to keep in mind that soon we will be required to pay the Heavenly Tribute which this year is 1.500.000.000 𝔅. Me and Sir Lucil have the budget for the construction to be about 5.500.000.000 𝔅 taking in account that we still don't know how the real side of the job would be, the price might fluctuate. Apart from this, the budget for the army maintenance and the soldiers salaries has risen to 950.000.000 𝔅, there's also the salaries of workers working under the Crown, spies, bureaucrats, simple guards, the maintenance of the city cleanness is also consumes money." said Aldenis while gazing at Faust, rubbing his temples just like Vlad was doing in that moment, which made Faust also contemplate on the amount of money they were spending right now.
"Aren't we gambling too much on the positive effects of building those schools, aqueducts and roads?" asked Faust perplexed by how high the prices were.
"Faust, those buildings have shown their effect inside Sol, the schools build the literacy of the population and open their minds to certain aspects, this will make them more valuable, offering a divergent area of aptitudes. The Hospitals are required to treat the sick people, and the salaries of those specialized people are also a tool for us. The roads also would make trade faster inside the kingdom reaching the areas the ships can't go.
So, if you look at it like this, every single building on the national focus list are a must and we have to bet on it. We can see the effects inside Sol, this is all you need to know." explained Kavos, after hearing Faust displeasure at how they spent the money.
The councilors who hear how big the budget of Kaysang, or better said the Vermilion House remained silent, contemplating alone what that mount they couldn't even count signified.
'Don't tell, our country has such potential?'
"Hah, Kavos, what about my projects? The steam engine, the battleships, the cannons, riffles?"
"Exactly you moron, if we put more jobs on you, your brain might be eaten by the Devil who is tormenting you! Take a break, we have all the time in the world to get there." shouted Kavos to Faust who was asking for a beating in those moments.
"Damn, you are right!"
"Now, now, you two have said your points. Does anyone of you want to listen to what I think of this dial system?"
The people in the meeting room allowed Vlad to talk, turning silent, not disturbing him, and looking calmly at them, he mentioned to them.
"There is an alternative to the dial system we proposed one week ago. Until we built it at a relatively decent cost, we can use Mr. Morgan's abilities to spread the news to the world. You might know that his Journal is the one using the network of gulls to drop from the sky the pieces of newspaper he creates. If he agrees to this proposal, we can spread out inside the kingdom about the Abolition of the Feudal System. Who is in favor?" asked Vlad the group of councilors explaining to them how they could tickle this problem without spending too much money.
"Aye"
"Aye"
"Aye"
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"So everyone is in favor. Good, I will invite now Mr. Morgans to the Council Meeting and ask him in front of your eyes if he would want to assist us in this endeavour."
Taking his dial snail, he called Morgans, who on the other side of the line was inside his Zeppelin having a phone call with a certain person sounding all serious, visibly pulling a deal.
"Don't try to pull those fake deals with me. You are just a broker of the Underworld market without any prestige and legitimacy. Light Breeze, try harder and we will see if we can strike some deals, until then, don't bother to call me again."
*Gotcha*
Ending his call, he moved toward the ringing snail he received from Vlad, and lowering his cold, serious look, turning a bit calmer, he responded to the call.
"Hello, Your Highness, how can I help you?"
"Are you available to participate in a meeting inside the Administrative Palace?"
Stroking his neck feathers, he responded relatively quickly, agreeing to the meeting after hearing what Vlad wanted from him. Closing the call, he looked out the window and said with a chuckle.
"Ahh, Morgans, whenever you fly money comes in your direction. Young Prince, you want to use me and my network for your schemes? No problem, just take out some money since I am not doing anything for free, that's the first rule of the Underworld."
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It took Morgan's 15 minutes to arrive to the Council Room, where he meet a lot of people, some familiar while other new, and after taking a seat, he asked Vlad what he required from him.
"Mister Morgans, the reason why we bothered you is because we have a request from you."
"Ohh, what could that be?"
"We want to use your gulls to spread inside our kingdom a couple of news stories, so every citizen can get in a single day without delaying the events from the capital."
"Sure, I see no problem, but this will cost you because my gulls also require money to maintain, giving them food and also training them. The cost of transportation will be 35.000 𝔅 because of the close proximity while the cost of typing the piece of news will cost between 1.000 - 100.000 𝔅 according to how many pieces you want to distribute."
"What's your limit?"
"As long I have materials, my printing machine can run at full capacity 24/7. The preparations will take a couple of days, but I will make sure it will be done."
"Understood, I will put an order of 100.000 copies on you Morgans with the content on this page." said Vlad calmly while giving Morgans the legal draft bringing forth the abolition of the Feudal System.
"Sure, sure, I don't really mind about the content of the messages as long as it will not hurt my business. You only want this piece of paper sent around, correct?"
"That's right. How much will it cost?"
"Hmm, a minute let me calculate. A fix sum of 135.000 𝔅."
"Has everyone heard the sum sir Morgans ask? In all fairness, I don't know the tarifs for such services. Does anyone else find the price wrong, inflated? Sir Lucil, Lady Felicia, Oliver?"
"Hmm, Your Highness if you allow me to make some calls I can tell you the price." said Lucil after thinking about the price, followed by Felicia who shrugged her shoulders not minding the price for such service.
"Let's not search around, it will make a bad image of us to Morgans. Don't we have to put some trust in our allies. Mister Morgans how would you like to be paid, upfront or after the job is done?"
'Most of the deals in Underworld are upfront using flesh arrows, but with you little prince I don't really care. This piece of news is quite interesting that I might make me do the job for free. Kuhahaha, abolishing the standard system most kingdoms run with. If I publish this globally it will be a big news. Wait, no, if I do this the World Government will target the young prince and who knows what hell might follow afterwards, we need to be subtle."
"Upfront will be fine, Your Highness. Since I also have to pay for the materials. A specific time for the order to be done will be in three days since the order is quite big."
"We got a deal mister Morgans. Follow my administrator Aldenis he will pay you for the job. Guys thank you for participating to this meeting, I declare this meeting over." saying that, Vlad hit with a wooden hammer on the table and everyone started to depart talking with eachother.
Morgans got his attention captured by the old man beside Vlad who told him to follow him to his office. Climbing to the second floor and entering a spacious office, he saw the old man go to a safe where there was gold bars and green banknotes.
"This is the entire sum of money Morgans. The entire cities and villages of Kaysang have to be targeted, even the cities inside the islands." mentioned Aldenis in a serious voice to Morgans handing him an envelope that contained the money.
"Sure, I understood the job, sir Aldenis. Expect a call from me when I finish printing the paper and have my gulls ready for flight."
"Good. Have you decided on which location to construct your headquarters from the list of available spots inside Sagletius?"
"Not yet, I am still deciding on that. Take care of yourself sir."
"Likewise."
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In three days' time, with most neutral nobles arriving to talk with Vlad about his terms, settling down their mind and breathing at ease that their future was still assured, they watched from the windows of their luxurious mansion windows as gulls flying over the sky dropped sheets of paper.
Such a case was from Alderhine City where Grigos was staring from his mansion at this phenomenon that captured the attention of the simple people inside the entire kingdom.
"So you finally announced to the world your first plan. May your plans bring Atlas back to Glory. I will be there to offer you my support with everything in my power just to see the dream of our ancestors return to life."
Beside him placed on his work table was a closed book with the cover of a grand palace made from white marble and with blue towers watching over the blue sky with its imposing build, entitled [Legends of Atlas].
"Daddy, are you okay? You seem to be staring at the window for quite a while. Is there something?"
"Ahhhh, so many white birds flying on the sky. What is happening, it is something bad?"
Hearing his daughter questioning Grigos shook his head before chuckling and saying to her.
"Change is bound to happen my darling."
Soon inside the Count private room, someone barged inside holding a piece of paper filled with ink, trembling in panick, saying to Grigos.
"Your Grace, something bad happened. Really bad, it is all written in this piece of paper. It says that the nobles of the past will be all a thing of the past. The abolition of the Feudal System. Will everything be fine here, Your Grace? Won't the people revolt against you asking for your downfall?"
"Quiet down Stella. I am sure everything will be fine, right daddy?" asked back Aria after she snatched the piece of paper from her maid hand, quickly reading it.
"Don't worry darling. His Highness Vlad and I signed an agreement on which he will not revoke our ancient privilege. Nothing will change for us, in fact things are bound to improve. Aside from this, I hold two titles. First is Duke of Alderhine, and the second is Governor of Alderhine and Blois."
"I knew big brother wasn't a bad person."
"Who knows, dear. Who knows."
Turning back to look at the people in the streets who had an unexpected reaction, instead of ushering over this news, they started to gather at his grand mansion, and start shouting.
"We will be always your subjects Your Grace! Even if His Highness comes to take you down, we will be with you and fight back!"
"Please don't step down and continue to lead us forward Your Grace!"
"Your Grace we love you! Continue fighting against the Vermilion Tyrant!"
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Back to his window while hearing those messages with some that triggered the public even more, he had to act and calm them down before chaos ensues. Walking toward the balcony of his mansion that oversaw the entire city and audience, he turned them quiet with a hand raise gesture.
The gulping of the people could he heard and even their breaths.
"My dear people, why have you turned like this? Panicked over a piece of paper?"
"This is a clear message of war from the Vermilion Tyrant!"
"Quiet. Allow me to speak and don't go ahead of me. First let me tell you this piece of news that the paper doesn't bring. I am among the ones who this law doesn't apply because I helped His Highness in the Civil War.
Nothing will change going forward inside Alderhine. Instead we will benefit from the new rule of a young ruler who is filled with desire to build up his country. The best example is the Forsaken District of Sagletius, I am sure most of you heard about it. But let me ask you, do you know what that place turned into?"
"No idea, Your Grace." responded most of the citizens gathered in front of his mansion.
Grigos could only smile bitterly, and tell them an eye-opening truth.
"It has become a city that even surpasses Alderhine City, it is exactly that Sol the traders from Valent would open about. I am not ashamed to state this to you my people, but His Highness is an able ruler surrounded by capable and excellent people. To build up that swamp in just 4 years while to build Alderhine City it required generations of Counts, it is enough to tell you what type of person he is."
"While it is true that this abolition spells the end of nobility as we lived to know it, but my family is a unique case of nobles who respected the people. The others are just privileged bastards who dry their people of money and their life, just so they could enjoy their life. Others don't matter to them. Grailly County is the best example I know to this date. Has anyone from the audience from Grailline?"
"I am from that cursed place, Your Grace!"
"Would you be open to tell the others what was your experience in that part of the kingdom?"
"Sure, but I am warning others ahead that it isn't a nice story."
Recieving Grigos agreement the person who has lived in Grailline began telling in a short version his life story and how he had to escape with his family from that place rulled with an draconian manner, filled with the Count's greed, extorting the people of their money, upright kill them, leaving them to starve, unable to pay for their food and necessities."
"That would be enough. Have you listened intently? What do you think now of this act from the perspective of someone from Grailline, or other regions controlled in such a manner by nobles?"
"A blessing in disguise."
"You have your answer. For you simple people this act only is bound to improve your life, while for nobles it is spelling doom. Hah, to think such words would come from me, quite ironic. But this is the truth, some of us nobles have lost the sense of why the Feudal System was even created. That was in order to become the hands of the Crown in administering his rule, helping build the country alongside him."
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From another parts of the kingdom especially inside the regions formerly controlled by the greedy nobles the remaining descendants of those dead noble heads gathered their remaining strength in mustering their people in staging a rebellion.
They began by extorting their former people of all their money, raiding villages and cities alike, building resources to fight and also buy weapons from the market.
It was such a case inside Andrasy region where the son of the Viscount similar to Grailly son was building a camp inside a close mountain, sorting his resources, until the sound of horses galloping thundering the ground was felt.
"Lord! The Black Army General has appeared! We need to run!"
"Where to run you fools?? Tell me how many of those black demons did he bring with him?"
"500 Cavalrymen from what our surviving scouts could tell."
"Fuck! Fuck! Cursed by that Vermilion bastard! His father should have died childless. How did a bastard pop from a cow's womb?"
"You deserve death even more for saying such disrespectful words about the Mother Queen. It is time to pay for your transgressions and acts of destroying the simple lives of commoners."
From distance a man with short blonde hair with a cold expressions appeared holding the reins of a black stallion of a large build that created a tremor in the earth with each gallop.
"Damn!! You traitors, you told me they were far away from the camp!!"
"No pun intended bastard, but we have families to feed. We are servants of the Vermilion House. Surrender willingly or die."
"Never!! If I am not a noble, how can I accept this reality!" shouted the Viscount son, getting his sword and charging to kill the spies implanted by the Black Army.
"Hmph, not so fast. Hya!" hit Bolt the reins over the stallion who accelerated with top speed, and with a sword strike his head flied scarring most of the people fool enough to believe in his cause to drop their weapons and surrender without fight, yet some didn't surrender and attacked the ones surrendering, while retreating deeper in the mountain.
"After them boys! Let's end such nuisance so we don't have to adventure so deep in the mountains filled with wild giant beasts." shouted Bolt at the back, where Flex and the others soldiers were at his back.
*Howl* "This is crazy, come baby faster! I want to slice the head of those fuckers dumb enough to spit on Boss kindness!" howled Bors like a wild wolf hitting with his reigns his black horse, pushing ahead the rest of soldiers, getting closer to Flex and cleaving around the men who retreated barefoot still having some desire for fighting in them.
A slaughter took place in the mountains of Andrasy Region, where the ones who surrendered could only close their eyes and tremble in fear at the presence of the now infamous black demons who struck fear in all the noble groups who tried to rebel.
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Inside the Administrative Palace, Vlad who was standing at the chairman seat and had dial snails lined in front of him, keeping in control like a mastermind the overall situation inside the kingdom and all the small fronts of rebellion that happened.
"Boss, Bolt here. I have cornered everyone from the Andrasy Region who grouped up in the mountains to stage their rebellion, leaving out only those who surrendered. What's your order? Shall we capture the ones who are still want to fight?"
"Kill them all."
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"Boss, Brogg here, the rebellion inside Hemniburg County has been quelled. Those bastards didn't even care for the fact their Count is imprisoned and his life is in your hands. I killed all of the ones who put up resistance. They raided towns and cities, now I am preparing my boys to give back the things the people have stolen. Unfortunately certain lives of decent people has been lost."
"I assume all the responsibility of their death. Don't consume yourself Brogg, your only task is to wipe them off from this earth with all their insignificant resistance."
"Understood, brother."
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"Boss, Prim here, I have quelled the rebellion inside the Vertimbugs Region."
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The snails kept ringing constantly in front of his face where even Kirin the Marine Commodore who became the Governor of Valent called him to announce that he disposed of all the nobles in the region that rebelled.
"Prince, to my surprise, the only nobles who didn't rebel are those who stayed neutral and negotiated their contract with you. I even had a conversation with Count Almeira, Viscount Galler and Baron Olmsted, who didn't comment a thing about how things was settled for Valent Region."
"Obviously, they would be brain dead idiots not to agree with my offer. You got nothing to worry Kirin, just do your job as you always did. They will help you with administering the region and also know their place and who is in charge."
"Sure thing, I might require some help since I don't have experience in handling this side of the world."
"Calm, you are a capable man who will have a bright future ahead of him."
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