LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 102.1
102. The Waves of Turmoil (3)
The long-standing No Groups of More Than Twenty Northerners Law, a discriminatory policy against Northerners, was abolished by imperial decree.
“The Crown Prince’s talent cannot be wasted. I’ll grant him an official post.”
In tandem with this, Emperor Canbraman bestowed a title upon Julian.
“From now on, the Crown Prince shall serve as the Overseer of Commerce!”
A newly established position.
“The Overseer of Commerce is tasked with inspecting and managing the state of trading companies and factories across the Empire.”
To anyone observing, it was a position brimming with the scent of power.
At first, people struggled to understand why a power-hungry emperor would create and assign such a role.
“Making children under ten years old work eighteen hours a day? Reduce it to twelve hours immediately!”
“Y-Your Highness! If you do that, the children and their parents will protest because they’ll earn less!”
However, it didn’t take long for people to grasp the Emperor’s rationale.
“If a worker is injured, they must be treated! Throwing disabled workers out onto the streets? They are human beings, not machines! Stop this madness immediately!”
“Your Highness, while your love for the people is admirable, if you concern yourself with every single worker, no master or merchant in this Empire will dare to hire anyone!”
“Is it acceptable to dump factory waste like this? If people touch or consume this, a plague will surely spread!”
“Your Highness! If we don’t allow these practices, the Empire’s industries will fall behind those Northern savages!”
“It’s impossible to reason with any of you. Fine! I’ll go to the Council of State myself and propose labor-related legislation!”
“!!”
Nobles and merchants who had begun freely establishing factories and reaping profits without restrictions were hit by a thunderbolt.
And this lightning bolt struck the latecomers hardest, those who hadn’t yet adopted the minimal welfare measures that the Bishop Trading Company—under Northern influence—had quietly implemented.
“The Crown Prince has gone mad!”
“He’s worse than the Emperor!”
“Who said the Crown Prince was weak?!”
“Damn it! Is the Emperor attacking us like this?!”
“Was it not enough to strip us of our serfs?!”
Among these latecomers were members of the Noble Council and the Church.
“Your Highness, we are part of the Courtiers’ Faction!”
“And what does that have to do with anything?”
“Pardon…?”
Even nobles and merchants aligned with the Courtiers’ Faction found themselves at odds with Julian.
“Your Highness, surely you’ve consulted with His Majesty about this?”
“I have, and I disagree. I believe this is the right course for the Empire, the royal family, and the people.”
“!!”
Julian managed to alienate nobles and merchants, regardless of allegiance.
Brilliant, but excessively idealistic, unwavering, and politically inexperienced, the Crown Prince was quickly creating a host of enemies.
This was precisely where Canbraman’s foresight shone.
My son, you are still so naive.
Receiving the reports, the Emperor smirked with satisfaction.
Julian’s political capital had been drained.
From this point forward, no noble, merchant, or cleric in the Empire would look favorably upon Julian.
However, what Canbraman could not predict was the butterfly effect this would unleash, sparking upheaval across the Empire.
“Dirty nobles and merchants!”
“Clerics are no different!”
“The Empire is rotten!”
“No matter how hard I work, all I get are a few measly coins!”
“You’re lucky if you get coins! My factory pays us in the junk we produce instead!”
“What’s with these prices?! Last month, stew cost only 2 copper, and now it’s 4 copper?! Why?!”
The Empire was slowly piling up kindling, waiting for a spark to ignite the flames of change.
“The only one who cares for us is the Crown Prince!”
“If only the Crown Prince would ascend to the throne…”
Crown Prince Julian unwittingly became the spark to ignite that kindling.
It was a season when every second was more valuable than gold. Yet, I couldn’t focus on my tasks lately.
If Arina’s marriage and an heir for House Renslet are conditions for my return to Earth…
I might just have to turn into a matchmaker.
If my suspicions were correct, the solution was both simple and maddeningly difficult.
The best approach would be to find Arina a suitable husband.
I pondered who might match Arina from a historical perspective.
The Kingdoms’ Alliance was too far away, so my search would have to focus on the Empire or the North.
Someone within the Empire who is willing to engage with the North, unconcerned with the Grand Duke’s superstitions, and capable of fostering mutual prosperity…
…Does such a person exist?
No matter how much I thought about it, no suitable candidate came to mind.
The Crown Prince is at least the right rank.
The least bad option was Crown Prince Julian. His bloodline, legitimacy, and abilities were all appropriate.
But Julian won’t do.
I shook my head.
For one, Julian already had a wife.
His eldest son was also too young, just starting to toddle.
More importantly, Julian isn’t compassionate.
In recorded history, Julian’s epithet was “The Compassionate.” But that compassion extended only to Imperial citizens.
Wasn’t it Julian’s reign that exploited the North during the Great Northern Famine, draining its population dry?
The Empire was out of the question.
No noble or royal from the Empire fit the criteria: someone who could win Arina’s heart, respect the North, and benefit its prosperity. The Empire’s prejudice against Northerners ran too deep.
That leaves the North…
I needed someone from the North who could match Arina’s stature, benefit the North’s prosperity, and win her heart.
And the answer was as obvious as it was absurd.
“Is it me?”
No matter how I looked at it, the answer seemed to be me.
I thought back to my unchanging seat at the Grand Council meetings.
Was that Arina’s way of courting me?
A chill ran down my spine as a sense of guilt toward her crept in.
“Ugh…”
This was a true dilemma.
This is the ultimate checkmate.
To return to Earth, I would have to marry Arina and produce an heir.
But if I did that, could I truly leave without regrets?