Volume 2 chapter 66
After the banquet concluded, Charlo sat alone in his office, mapping out the future course of his territory.
"Magnetism-generated electricity failed, but magic bridged the gap. The territory has successfully entered the Electrical Age..."
Charlo wrote on the paper, pausing occasionally to think.
"Overall, we have reached a level comparable to Earth's early 20th century. However, certain specific technologies have already reached post-WWII levels... That is the unreasonable nature of magic for you."
Marveling once again at the cheat-like properties of mana, Charlo smiled wryly and tapped his pen against the paper in resignation.
"Technological development differs from Earth, and so too must the political system. I cannot simply copy and paste... I have to figure this out myself."
After his conversation with Freya, Charlo understood that in this world, True Equality was a delusion for the time being. He needed to establish a brand-new system...
"Wait... do I?"
A flash of inspiration struck, freezing the expression on his face.
Recalling the political knowledge of his past life and the analysis of various systems, there was one that seemed terrifyingly well-suited for this world...
"Absolute Monarchy."
Charlo wrote these two words on the paper and sank into deep contemplation.
What are the flaws of Autocracy?
Economic monopoly, political blockage, social rigidity, high risk in power transition, unconstrained decision-making, uncontrollable corruption...
But its ceiling is also incredibly high.
If there is an enlightened Emperor who holds real power, he can integrate the entire state machine, run it at full capacity, and execute long-term policies that span decades. Infrastructure, education, military buildup—things that require decades of unwavering focus.
The ideal scenario is a Philosopher King who holds absolute power. Under such a ruler, the country can continuously improve and strengthen.
On Earth, this was almost impossible. It required a perfect storm of time, place, and people.
Take Stalin, for example. He was a leader born from the internal and external desperation of the Soviet Union. Externally, the capital of the entire world sought to strangle them; internally, the old Tsarist nobility betrayed them. Only in such an extreme environment could such a Man of Steel be forged. And only such a Man of Steel could lead the Union through such hellish conditions.
Many call him a dictator and use that to blacken his name. But in truth, he should be called—The Will of the Soviet Union.
He was the leader pushed forward by everyone in the Union who didn't want to die. He accepted this heavy burden and transformed himself into a State Will with almost no personal desires.
Everything he did was for the Soviet Union. Whether it was the brutal industrialization funded by the price scissors between industry and agriculture, or sending millions of workers, farmers, and even prisoners to the battlefield, it was for the survival and development of the Union.
Even the much-criticized intervention in the Spanish Civil War, the Winter War with Finland, the partition of Poland... all were for the interests of the Union.
And for doing this, what did he gain? A worthless "inheritance" of a few uniforms and pipes? A son captured and left to die? A reputation blackened by countless people after his death?
But what did he leave for the Soviet Union?
He left a Steel Torrent of millions. He left the prestige of defeating the Nazis. He left the nuclear bomb that deterred the entire capitalist world. He took the Soviet Union from the brink of collapse to one of the two poles of the world, then handed it all over to successors with whom he had little connection, leaving behind no personal property.
This is the ceiling of Autocracy. The apex of Dictatorship. A living State Will. An ideal Philosopher King.
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So, is this system not even more suitable for this world?
Everyone here is already living under dictatorship. Whether it is a Monarch's dictatorship or a Feudal Lord's dictatorship makes no difference to the majority of commoners.
Then there is the issue of Power.
On Earth, being a Monarch didn't guarantee power. In fact, most monarchs were figureheads or constrained by their courts. A decree often couldn't leave the palace gates!
A Monarch couldn't manage a whole country alone; he had to delegate power to ministers. But he couldn't ensure their loyalty. He had to balance factions, lest a minister grow too strong, block the Monarch's eyes and ears, and eventually usurp the throne.
But in this world? A Monarch need not worry about loyalty. He can delegate power freely!
Because, as Freya said—The power of a Monarch in this world does not come from external institutions, but from their own strength!
When a Monarch can single-handedly suppress a rebellion of the entire nation, what does it matter if he delegates administrative, economic, and military power to his ministers? Even if the Monarch is absurdly incompetent in governance, who can sanction him? The Monarch IS the country's strongest weapon!
Add to this the super-long lifespan brought by supernatural power, and the Monarch becomes infinitely close to a God.
Imagine a subject whose grandfather, father, and self all served the same unaging ruler. To him, that ruler is a constant law of nature, like the sun rising and setting. Serving that existence is as natural as breathing.
Therefore, it is not the Monarch who needs the State, but the State that needs the Monarch!
This is why, after six years, Seres Territory still hasn't shaken off the commoners' awe of the nobility.
To supernatural nobles with lifespans of centuries, commoners with an average life expectancy of sixty are like cicadas—replaced every season. The nobles they kneel to are the same ones their great-grandfathers knelt to. This prestige takes at least two generations of absence to fade.
Thus, Absolute Monarchy is perfectly suited for this world.
As for the criticized Succession Issue, this world solves it automatically!
The solution is Supernatural Rank.
The path of the supernatural, whether Knight or Magician, cannot be walked by fools, madmen, or the weak-willed. Even with resource force-feeding, one can at most reach the Third Rank. The Fourth Rank is a wall that requires genuine comprehension. This eliminates defective heirs from the start.
Then comes the High Ranks. To advance to High Rank, wisdom and will are indispensable. Without understanding the flow of mana and the operation of laws, one cannot even enter the Sixth Rank!
Therefore, anyone who can ascend to a High Rank cannot be mediocre. This ensures the competence of the heir! This is why nobles choose succession based on rank.
Analyzing all this, Charlo realized that Enlightened Absolutism was tailor-made for this reality.
As for the Monarch going rogue? Charlo could control himself.
"The only issue is the Heir's Ideology..." Charlo frowned.
Rank ensured capability, but how to ensure their thoughts didn't go astray? Capability and morality are two different things. A strong ruler with a twisted ideology is a disaster.
"Rely on education?" Charlo tapped the paper. "But how to ensure the educators don't teach them wrong? or instill bias?"
After thinking for a long time, Charlo had another flash of insight.
"Ah! Just send them down to the grassroots!"
On Earth, the conflict between Monarch and Heir is irreconcilable. If the heir is too weak, the Monarch is disappointed. If the heir is too strong, the Monarch feels threatened.
The Monarch fears losing power and being imprisoned or killed. The Heir naturally craves the power that is rightfully theirs. This is why the Crown Prince is often the greatest enemy of the King.
But in this world? Even if the Monarch delegates all authority, so what? As long as the Monarch remains the strongest being in the Empire, the ultimate power remains in his hands.
Economics, Politics, Military... The Monarch can hand them to his sons without fear. There will be no "War of the Princes." Firstly, supernaturals have low fertility. Secondly, the succession is determined by rank—a hard metric that takes decades to achieve.
A situation like Charlo's, where the second son surpasses the first, is rare. The time gap of twenty years is usually impossible to bridge unless the talent gap is immense.
"But I need to tweak it..." Charlo continued writing.
He couldn't be too casual. In the future, technology would eventually be able to kill even Saints. Then, the world would return to the Earthly logic—People die if they are killed.
"So, teach them from childhood that Politics is for the People... After coming of age, send them to the Administrative Department. Start by managing local affairs! Test them step by step. If one year isn't enough, take ten. If ten isn't enough, take fifty!"
Charlo rejoiced in the long lifespans of supernaturals. He had plenty of time to mold a successor.
"Mm... This way, we won't get a Monarch who knows nothing about governing the country! Perfect!!"
After finishing his notes, Charlo smiled, feeling a heavy burden lift from his shoulders.
"Let's go with this... As for what comes after, I can't foresee that far. Equality will be realized on the day when even a Saint can be easily killed by a commoner. Until then... we use this."
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