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Chapter 315
Sometimes, you’ve probably heard the saying, “Honor doesn’t put food on the table.” This is often said to people who create trouble or are stubborn because they can’t let go of their honor.
But despite the frustration, it’s true that honor can provide sustenance. Honor can be interpreted in various ways, but it mostly relates to one’s image.
Just as first impressions last, an image, once formed, stays in people’s minds for a long time. This image is crucial, especially for celebrities and broadcasters in my past life.
If one’s honor is damaged and their image is tarnished, the loss is immeasurable. They could immediately lose their source of income, and in severe cases, it could lead to social ostracization.
Even in this world, which is close to medieval, it’s no different. Regardless of how honor is embellished, fundamentally, it relates to one’s image.
Sometimes people prioritize practicality or financial gain over honor, but even these people have basic honor, even if they’re not aware of it.
No matter how much they pursue gold, they still live within the “law’s” boundaries. If they commit crimes, practicality and wealth are meaningless as they head straight to prison.
People abide by the law for this reason. Committing a crime leads to inevitable criticism from those around, naturally tarnishing one’s image.
This applies not only to crimes but also to morally wrong actions. Nobles often lose power not just because of a power struggle but because they’ve committed actions that tarnished their honor.
You don’t have to look far—just look at my father and me. My father, despite being a baron, is a powerful force openly supported by the empire, and as for me, there’s no need to elaborate.
Had my father not been the Red Lion but an ordinary knight, and had I not been Xenon, we would have remained a very ordinary noble family. This shows how much can be gained through honor.
Thus, honor can greatly benefit society and is, in some ways, the foundation that sustains a country. Especially for those protecting the nation—the “soldiers”—honor is more precious than life.
This isn’t just a metaphor; it’s factual because soldiers risk their “lives” for their job. Many people live and die for honor, but few explicitly risk their lives to protect it like soldiers do.
This is why Minerva’s unique law, which forces those who insult soldiers to enlist, exists—to make them realize that honor isn’t something to be trifled with.
However, as shown by Friedrich’s example, there are times when one must set aside their honor. In fact, from my study of history in my past life, Friedrich’s case is mild.
There’s a very fitting example of what happens when one clings to honor too tightly: war.
In my previous life, the world saw two global wars because European countries couldn’t set aside their honor. Similarly, in this world, the racial war broke out for similar reasons.
Therefore, it’s crucial to know when to let go of honor and not to stubbornly cling to it.
In this regard, Friedrich’s choice can be seen as the right one. If he had held onto his honor, a second Jairos Revolution might have erupted.
[King Friedrich personally confessed his past mistakes to the representatives of the commoners.]
[Unable to overcome his youthful impulses, he had an affair with a woman other than Queen Maria…]
[He acknowledged the child but did not accept them as family, treating them with neglect and disdain…]
It seems Queen Maria’s persuasion worked, as Friedrich confessed all his wrongdoings.
Just from what I read in the newspaper, it was surprising how detailed his confession was.
Although he didn’t mention any names, anyone with a bit of knowledge about the situation could figure out who he was referring to.
This made me suspect whether they were planning to use Adelia for political purposes. If that were the case, I would act immediately.
[Count Kamar: If you think pushing the responsibility onto others will solve the problem, step down from the throne yourself. Our Kingdom of Ters must seek a different system moving forward.]
[The people of our Kingdom of Ters are enlightened. They know how to think and act for themselves, coming together to raise their voices. They know their own strength well.]
[Is the current system truly fitting for our Kingdom of Ters? Shouldn’t we, at the very least, adopt a minimal electoral system like Alvenheim, if not bloodline succession?]
Following this, Count Kamar revealed his true intentions. Surprisingly, he mentioned the concept of ‘voting.’
Even in Alvenheim, voting rights are not granted to commoners. Yet, he suggested that even commoners should have the right to vote.
Strictly speaking, it would be granted to the representatives of the commoners. It’s a step closer to democracy, though it still has ambiguous aspects.
Nonetheless, it remains a groundbreaking statement. Moreover, given the near-revolutionary situation, his reasoning is perfectly justified.
Nobles are compelled to act out of fear of revolution, and commoners have realized they too hold ‘power.’
This situation resembles a peculiar blend of the Holy Roman Empire’s electoral system and a republic’s voting rights, with a touch of Athenian democracy.
As expected from a cultural nation, they seem poised to evolve further by learning from this incident.
Of course, the crisis hasn’t been fully resolved. Friedrich must endure the torrent of criticism following his confession.
[King Friedrich is not a romanticist, but merely an ordinary king.]
[The biggest victim is, in fact, Queen Maria.]
However, because he is a king and not just an ordinary noble, the criticism was surprisingly mild. Nonetheless, even mild criticism takes considerable courage.
Given King Friedrich’s generally positive image, most commoners seemed to react with, “Is that all?”
Although his mistake was serious, the idea that a revolution almost happened over this felt somewhat anticlimactic. The scandal ballooned into an unnecessarily large issue simply because the king couldn’t control his lower urges.
Consequently, the blame shifted towards Xenon—towards me. What does Friedrich’s illegitimate child have to do with Xenon?
To clarify, I sent a kind letter explaining everything.
[The illegitimate child King Friedrich mentioned is currently serving as my loyal personal maid. And…(omitted)…this situation unfolded due to my petty desire for revenge. I apologize to the citizens of the Kingdom of Ters who almost suffered because of my actions.]
Once the full story was revealed through my letter, people finally understood. While this might have tarnished my honor a bit, it was the right thing to do.
Surprisingly, fewer people criticized me than expected. Many saw a more human side of me and appreciated that I had emotions just like anyone else.
Moreover, the royal family of Ters was already facing a barrage of criticism, so the blame directed at me was minimal.
‘So, what did they think of me before this?’
Surely, they didn’t see me as a mere writing machine. Anyway, I’m glad things seem to have settled down well.
With the announcement that Xenon’s Biography would be released as scheduled, the people of the Kingdom of Ters were overjoyed. Just as the long-running incident seemed to be coming to a close…
“What? Father… I mean, King Friedrich abdicated?”
“Yes, instead, Queen Consort Maria has taken the throne. We should call her Queen Maria from now on.”
“That happened…”
Surprisingly, news came that Friedrich had abdicated and handed the throne to Maria.
Both Adelia and I were stunned by this news. While I had expected him to set aside his honor, I hadn’t anticipated he would abdicate the throne.
The throne isn’t something to be taken lightly, it’s the leadership of an entire nation. Especially in the Kingdom of Ters, which espouses a monarchy, the king’s power is immense.
The fact that he handed the throne to the queen is extraordinary. I stared at the newspaper in disbelief and fell into deep thought.
‘Is it to prevent Count Kamar from gaining power?’
Currently, Count Kamar was pushing for a form of democratization. If this actually happens, it’s clear he would be the next ruler.
Additionally, unlike some royals who directly tormented Friedrich and Adelia, Queen Maria is undeniably a ‘victim.’
Moreover, Queen Maria not only refrained from tormenting Adelia but also secretly supported her. Supporting a child not of her blood speaks to her magnanimous nature.
Thus, transferring the throne to Queen Maria could potentially stabilize the current situation, but it’s not easy for someone to relinquish power.
What could have prompted Friedrich to abdicate? From my perspective, receiving the news through the newspaper, it’s a baffling choice.
“Father handed the throne to Mother?”
Lara, who had been listening to our conversation while munching on cookies, chimed in. Incidentally, Adelia had baked the cookies herself.
Although her first attempt resulted in something akin to charcoal, her skills have improved over time. Today’s batch was unfortunately too salty.
I glanced at Lara, who had interjected, and informed her of the truth.
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“That’s strange. Why give it to Mother instead of Brother Laos? Yum yum.”
Lara, eating the cookies with gusto, voiced her confusion. As she pointed out, it’s puzzling why Friedrich handed the throne to Maria instead of Laos.
Though Queen Maria’s family came from a humble noble house, they would now rise to at least the rank of a countess or higher. Furthermore, Friedrich transferred the throne swiftly, likely without internal consultation, despite the inevitable opposition.
I couldn’t help but question Friedrich’s actions, which were difficult to understand.
“Isaac Oppa, take a look at this.”
“Huh? What is it?”
“Read this part of the newspaper.”
Just as I was about to get lost in thought, Lara pointed out a section with her finger. I turned my gaze to it.
[Is it possible that Xenon orchestrated all this to further advance the Kingdom of Ters? Perhaps to remind commoners of their power…]
[Granting voting rights to commoners gives them ‘qualifications.’ The boundaries between nobles and commoners are gradually being blurred.]
[Other nations are wary of Count Kamar’s mention of ‘voting’ and are trying to understand Xenon’s intentions behind all this…]
What nonsense is this? Is this some kind of conspiracy theory? I laughed dryly as I read the article Lara pointed out.
People interpret dreams better than they are, so it’s better to give up on understanding these theories. Let them think what they want.
“Oppa, did you really do this for…”
“Not at all. I just wanted to protect Adelia. There’s no grand reason behind it.”
“If you say so.”
She didn’t seem convinced, but I decided to let it go. Trying to explain further would only tire me out, and I doubted she would believe me anyway.
As I watched Lara nibbling on cookies, I chuckled wryly and then looked up. Across from me, Adelia was sitting neatly, gazing at me.
When I smiled, Adelia responded with a gentle smile and a nod. Although it wasn’t her usual confident smile, just seeing her smile was enough.
“Adelia.”
“Yes, Isaac.”
“Are you okay now?”
Adelia answered my question.
“I’m happy. Truly.”
“That’s all that matters.”
If Adelia had completely let go of her regrets, that was enough for me.
Seeing us like this seemed to warm Lara’s heart, and she casually dropped a bombshell while munching on her cookies.
“So, when will Oppa and Unnie have a baby?”
“…”
“…”
“I thought babies were made when you sleep in the same bed?”
This mischievous child.
*****
Several days had passed since King Friedrich abdicated in favor of Queen Maria.
During this time, as we couldn’t understand Friedrich’s true intentions, we continued with our usual daily routines.
“… Who did you say is coming this time?”
“King Friedrich is coming with Princess Hiriya. It seems they are coming to apologize.”
Friedrich and Hiriya were scheduled to visit our estate.
“And what about Crown Prince Laos?”
“I’m not sure about him.”
It appeared Crown Prince Laos would not be accompanying them.
Translators note: