The duke sat down and tried to calm himself. For now, he could only retreat, reorganize his thoughts, and make plans. Some people seemed dissatisfied with the punishment, but no one spoke, fearing that the situation might turn against them.
"Very well. A new Prime Minister will be selected, but according to the conditions of the new system. Also, regarding the Imperial territories that declared their independence, whoever recaptures them may incorporate them into their own lands or sell them to the Empire."
Everyone seemed to understand. Ray was giving them an opportunity to expand before the army intervened. He was literally removing Imperial protection from those territories and granting ownership to whoever reclaimed them.
And that decision...
Seemed incredibly foolish.
"The list of those territories will be announced after the meeting. Now, let us return to the reason for this gathering: the restructuring of the Imperial Institution." Ray paused briefly before continuing. "I hereby declare that I am temporarily suspending the administrative authority of all parties."
"Your Majesty... forgive my interruption, but what exactly do you mean by that?"
Ray looked at the Duke of the East, who had spoken, and replied calmly, "It means exactly what the words imply. During this meeting, I am reclaiming all administrative authority over the Empire."
During the meeting...?
In other words, authority would temporarily return to the Emperor so the system could be restructured.
The Duke of the North understood and nodded without objection. He wanted to hear the Emperor's ideas first.
"Now that everyone has grasped the situation, let us move to the core of the matter: the Seven Pillars System, the new constitution of the Empire."
Was it wise to reveal the system's secrets in front of these traitors?
Of course, exposing loopholes or weaknesses would be dangerous, but Ray only intended to reveal the outer framework. Even Rei and Morgana, despite being close to him, could not fully comprehend all the secrets hidden within this system. On the surface, it appeared simple, but in reality it was a complex structure of carefully arranged gears whose true nature was known only to its creator.
Once again, all eyes shifted toward Rei with a mixture of anticipation and fear as he stepped forward. The people present no longer viewed him as a mere assistant. The very thought of him opening his mouth made them uneasy, afraid that their names would be spoken in the next scandal.
Rei spoke in a clear and steady voice, as though laying the foundation stone of a new era.
[Allow me to present a brief introduction to the Seven Pillars, the foundations upon which the new Empire will be built.]
[Beginning with the First Pillar: Administration (The Engine). It is the beating heart of the state, and its leader holds the position of Prime Minister. Its role is to direct the ministries, ensure the smooth continuation of daily life for the people, and manage provincial affairs without interruption.]
In short, it was the position the Duke of the North had originally been expected to occupy.
Rei continued calmly.
[The Second Pillar: The Military (The Shield). The striking force responsible for protecting the borders and safeguarding the sovereignty of the state against any external aggression.]
Naturally, the Imperial Guard remained an independent force outside this pillar, as did the Emperor's personal knights.
[The Third Pillar: Security and Intelligence (The Eye). It serves as the Empire's immune system. Its mission is proactive security—identifying conspiracies and eliminating them while they are still merely ideas. It is responsible for gathering information and protecting state secrets, ensuring that no internal or external threat catches us by surprise.]
Was the Emperor planning to reveal the Shadows?
The dukes wondered, but Ray had no intention of abandoning his secret source of power.
[The Fourth Pillar: Finance and Supply (The Nerve). This includes the Central Bank and the strategic reserves, ensuring currency stability, food security, and the prevention of living crises that could threaten public safety.]
So the authority of the Ministry of Finance was being dismantled...
But how?
[The Fifth Pillar: Science and Research (The Lamp). Its purpose is to connect magic with education, reopen the Royal Academy to attract talented individuals, and develop magical and technological innovations that elevate the Empire.]
This was entirely new to the Empire.
Previously, the authority represented by this pillar had belonged to academies and mage towers. Even the Empire's weapons had been supplied by outside sectors.
Which meant only one thing...
Rei continued calmly.
[The Sixth Pillar: Identity and Loyalty (The Soul). Its purpose is to cultivate pride within the hearts of citizens. It includes the sectors of media and newspapers in order to reshape public perception of the Empire and strengthen loyalty and national belonging.]
Hadn't the authority of this pillar effectively belonged to the Church?
Most of those present did not even realize such a power existed. For centuries, the Church had quietly exploited it, or rather, no one had paid much attention to it until now.
And now it had been dragged into the light.
In simple terms, this meant separating religious authority from political authority, ensuring that nothing stood above the Imperial system.
Naturally, that would create hostility with both the Church and the Holy Empire.
[The Seventh Pillar: Diplomacy (The Tongue). It is the face of the Empire and its weapon in negotiations. Its mission is to manage international interests, establish alliances and trade agreements, and ensure that the voice of Astra is heard throughout the international stage.]
Rei concluded in a firm tone.
"The positions and authorities will be redistributed according to this new system in a manner that guarantees both the stability of the state and your own interests. Please maintain complete order throughout this session."
As his words ended, the doors of the great hall opened. Servants entered in organized silence, distributing carefully printed documents to everyone present so they could follow the detailed explanations Rei was about to provide and ask questions regarding them.
Thus, the Empire drew closer to entering a new era of political reform.
No one outside the hall knew of the storm that would follow once those doors opened again.
A maid approached Duke Philip, who at that moment wished he could simply escape the hall. She respectfully handed him the documents. He accepted them, cast only a brief glance over their contents, and returned to contemplating a way out of his predicament.
Once everyone had received their copies, Ray spoke.
"This is your opportunity and an invitation to contribute to the Empire's revival. Every concern you have regarding the implementation of a new system will be addressed. Our enemies beyond the Empire are waiting for our downfall, so let us move beyond meaningless conflicts. We are all children of this Empire. We can ignore a past that cannot be changed and focus on the future. Duke Philip, I mean what I say when I declare that I will overlook the past. You are free to seize this opportunity or discard it."
You arrogant child...
The duke suppressed his anger and nodded calmly.
"Very well. Rei, you may begin."
I have no intention of allowing anyone to escape the consequences of their actions, especially the Duke of the North. However, avoiding chaos is more important for the moment. What matters most right now is this new system.
[To begin, I will focus on the administration of each pillar in detail. We shall start with the Seventh Pillar. Please turn to the first page.]
[Its role, in short, is to manage negotiations with neighboring kingdoms and open new trade routes. This pillar is responsible for ensuring that the world recognizes the strength of the new Astra and for preventing foreign powers from interfering in the Empire's internal affairs.]
[I will first explain the hierarchy of authority. Afterward, you may ask questions. Please follow carefully.]
[1. The Top of the Pyramid: Commander of the Seventh Pillar, the Tongue.]
[Role: He is the Emperor's primary adviser in foreign affairs. He alone possesses the authority to open official channels of negotiation with other kingdoms and to formulate strategies involving alliances or threats.]
[Authority: This pillar possesses the power to mobilize ambassadors and conclude preliminary treaties.]
"This authority differs from that of the Foreign Minister. I know what all of you are thinking." Ray pointed directly at the issue that interested everyone. "The Foreign Minister and the Pillar Commander serve different roles."
"The Foreign Minister derives his authority from an administrative office. He is a high-ranking official who can be replaced easily. His duty is simply to represent the government's position."
"But the Pillar Commander is a Pillar."
"A Pillar derives authority from the Charter of the Seven Pillars. He is not merely an official; he is the guardian of the Seventh Pillar. If he falls, or if his pillar falls, the entire Empire wavers. His authority comes directly from the Emperor."
There was no further explanation. No tricks.
It was obvious what Ray was doing, and the documents stated it clearly. He gave them time to read through the details.
A Foreign Minister needed approval from the Prime Minister or the King for every significant matter.
But a Pillar Commander was a decision-maker.
The Emperor provided the final objective, while the Pillar Commander determined the method, the means, the budget, and accepted full responsibility for the results.
This pillar had also stripped away part of the nobility's authority...
But how much, and exactly what had been taken?
The right of external representation.
Under the Seventh Pillar System, no duke or lord would be permitted to communicate directly with a foreign nation. Any message sent from a duchy or fiefdom to a neighboring kingdom without the seal of the Commander of the Seventh Pillar would be considered immediate high treason.
This transformed dukes from potential foreign allies into merely local administrators.
Control of ports and customs.
Previously, dukes earned enormous profits through trade passing across their borders. The Seventh Pillar would station Imperial Consuls at every border crossing. These consuls answered directly to the Pillar Commander in the capital rather than to local dukes.
In this way, Ray gained control over the financial lungs of the dukes and their relationships with foreign merchants.
The unification of the Empire's voice.
The Seventh Pillar alone possessed the authority to speak on behalf of Astra.
This meant that a duke no longer had the right to negotiate over a mountain pass or a mine located within his own territory if the other party was foreign. Such decisions belonged to the Commander of the Seventh Pillar, who would act according to the interests of the Empire as a whole rather than the interests of a single duchy.
The four dukes and the major nobles frowned.
Was the Emperor declaring war on them?
No...
There were advantages as well.
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End of Chapter
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[Information from Morgana's Memories: The duke never planned to sit upon the throne himself after the Emperor's death. Instead, he allowed Morgana to sit upon it first, serving as a figurehead through whom he could rule from the shadows. However, his victory was short-lived, for he soon found himself trapped within a storm far greater than he had ever anticipated.]
[The duke faced overwhelming international pressure due to mounting debts and the threat of wars surrounding him from every direction. When he realized that the Empire had effectively reached its end, he chose to preserve what remained of his influence by turning it into a vassal state of the Holy Empire... To be continued.]