Life is not eternity, everyone in this world knows that, but not everyone wants to do something legendary and be remembered forever in history or they are not able to. As a man, I want to become someone truly great, I want to be remembered. That is why at that moment when I saw the man carrying a bomb to the hospital, I rushed and pushed him through the window: unluckily, I fell through it with him, too. The bomb explodes in the middle of the air and sent me to death together with the terrorist.
Unexpectedly, I met a God and he offered me a second chance of living and a wish. I wished to become a king since I love the medieval period but he said the world I'm going to is not under his control so he has limited authority there. He can only make me become a lord and give me a system that helps me manage it with the condition that I'll spread Christianity in that world. I agree and just like that, my life in another world begins.
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It has been 14 years since the day I was born into this world. It might be a coincidence or modification of the God I meet earlier that I was born to become the Duke of Poland( Just the similar name and in a different world). Poland contains several vassal states and the crownland under my control with the capital named Warsaw which is directly under my control. My situation is quite hard, my mother died after she gave birth to me and my father died in the war with the Roseryth Empire when I was 4. From that day the burden of a Duke lies on my shoulder and since I was only a small child, my family's authority between the vassals and vassal states has dropped quickly. If not for Marshal Bogumil Kawasaki, a friend of my father and one of my vassals supports me to sit on the throne, there surely will be open rebellion in my realm.
I rise from my work table, walk to the window and observe the city from my palace. Jan Wozniak is my name, the last in the line of my family after my father died. Warsaw looks peaceful and beautiful under the moonlight. When I looked at Warsaw the first time, it was not a very pleasant city. It had a population of 40000, but the public sanitation is terrible and so does the public order. When I became Duke, I've spent money on building waste disposal systems in the city as well as recruited 200 more militias, and increase the punishments for crimes. From that day, the crimes rate has decreased dramatically.
Although I can't call my house rich, I can't claim that it is poor, either. I had around 300000 ducats when I inherit my father's title. I used it to build workshops and build the roads which link to lands with high trading potential. I also lower the taxes of merchants and builders so that I can build more public buildings like hospitals, schools, and orphanages. Everything I do is for only one purpose: improve the lives quality of my people. The strength of a country comes from its' people, that's the lesson I obtained from the books I read in my past life. Another reason is that I want to raise my popularity among the people, who I do not want to piss off. Revolution is never a joke.
I open the system that helps me for all these years, it can't do anything aside from giving me a summary of my territory and a unique ability.
[Title: Duke
Territory: Warsaw; 17 villages and towns
Religion: 45% Christianity
Population: 67795
Economy: Sufficient (The people live comfortably without worrying too much about their daily needs) Your Budget: 67078 Ducats
Military: 250 cavalries ( 50 Polish patrols (light), 50 Winged Hussars( heavy), 150 Hussars(light)
1300 infantrymen ( 100 Polish Guard (heavy) 200 Polish Swordmen (heavy), 300 Polish Spearman Militias (medium), 200 Polish Musketeers (medium),500 Polish Musketeer Militias(light)
164 cannons ( 122 on Warsaw's walls)
Loyalty: 98%
Vassal states: 3 ( Olumia, Slyria and Ruthia)
The popularity of you: Among the people: 89%
Among the vassal states: 15%]
Most of my money has gone since I started funding public infrastructures, but the workshops I built are giving me a stable income, as well as the rates of merchants to my land, have become more frequent. Consequently, my income per month now is 4 times higher than 10 years ago. My popularity among the vassal states is critically low, they haven't paid taxes for three years and have been planning for rebellion since then. Luckily for me, In Poland, there are no nobles aside from my family. The people helping me rule the country are distinguished people that have real talents. If there are nobles, that'll be a pity for me then.
Somebody knocks on the door, I nood with the guard inside the room and he opens the door. A tall, good-looking man gets inside and bows lightly.
- Duke Wozniak, the vassal states have mobilized their armies and declared independence.
- Good, then we should start the plans.
This man is Feliks, one of my father's military advisors. He used to be one of my trusted subordinates, but after I use the unique ability given by the system on him, I recognize that I was wrong. I can know whether a person is loyal to me or not as well as who is the person that they are loyal to the most. However, this ability can be only applied to my subordinates
[ Feliks
Most loyal to: Count Francis II of Olumia
Loyalty: 3%]
I figure out that his loyalty to me is almost zero about 6 years ago; however, I did not do anything but secretly investigate the spy network of the enemies inside Warsaw from him. Now the vassal states have in open rebellions, the information I gather will prove their worth today. I signal the guard, he immediately points his musket toward Faliks and shouts:
- CATCH THE TRAITOR.
10 Guard bush into the room and knock Faliks to the ground before he even reacts. He can do many things with only his sword, I don't want to risk fighting him openly with the same number. He screams and tries to escape while being dragged out of the room. Tonight, many spies in Warsaw will be either captured or killed, nothing can stop that. I've prepared for this day for years from the day I knew that the vassal states have a high chance of rebellion. Feliks will surely inform them about the fake plans that I told him, and they will surely believe it.
Marshal Bogumil requests to meet me at the hall of my palace, I step out and see him and his troops executing prisoners. When he sees me, he bows and speaks:
- My Lord, the spies have been captured and are being executed, the Church has gathered the Holy Order and ready to march at any moment. Your soldiers are waiting for you at the gate.
Wearing the exquisite armor that was designed for me, I mount on my warhorse and order:
- Take care of those traitors fast, we'll ride at dawn.