42 Episode 10 Artistic (1/2)

”Well, but our emperor is brilliant, don't you think?　Master Oscar Almon.

”Quite so. Darios, ...... What are you smoking, by the way?

Marijuana. Do you smoke?

No, thank you.

Darios smokes the marijuana in his pipe with relish.

In the Lemurian Empire, marijuana is commonly available as a luxury item.

It is often used for pain relief.

It's a major plant.

”Well, I thought it was over when I was defeated by the Emperor. I didn't think you'd be such a good and interesting master. Don't you agree?

”Yes, I do. I thought that the Lemurian Empire was just going to fall into ruin. ...... But here we are, and the Lord has not abandoned us. I guess that's just the way God wants it.

And speaking of God, ......

Oskar asks Darios.

”You were a 'Western' Messianic, I believe. ...... Are you still one?

”I converted to Orthodoxy two weeks ago. I converted to Orthodoxy two weeks ago.

No matter how many imperial edicts forbid discrimination, you will still be looked down upon.

For Darios, who is not a devout man by nature, converting to Christianity is not a very difficult thing to do.

But he's a man who doesn't seem to think about anything, but he thinks about everything, he sees everything. Everything is going according to plan, isn't it? Your Majesty.

”This time I got goosebumps indeed. ...... Too vivid.

First, I'll purge the great nobles.

The first step is to purge the great nobility. This will solidify the foundations of the government, and at the same time, acquire land to set the stage for the Tonten system.

After that, he purged the former Patriarch of Alexandria and brought the Patriarch of Orontia, who had attacked Hercule, to his knees in return.

This effectively brought most of the clergy in the Lemurian Empire to their knees and brought them under control.

Then, he made a secret pact with the medium, and the Council was favored. ......

The confusion caused by the ”New Orthodoxy” and the ”Decree of the Destruction of the Holy Image” during the reign of Hadrian was put to rest, and Orthodoxy was completely established.

At the same time, an imperial decree was issued granting religious freedom to the Aretheans, thus gaining the support of the Aretheans.

The Orthodox clergy, already suppressed by Hercule, have no say in the matter.

On top of that, ......

Taxing the infidels and heretics is a new source of revenue.

In addition, they use their religious organizations against them to prevent rebellions by keeping track of their activities, the number of their followers, and the whereabouts of their followers.

This is used as a source of threats, and money is borrowed from the infidels and heretics to obtain further financial resources.

A single policy spreads like a net and solves the problems of the empire in one fell swoop.

It was truly brilliant, a true work of art.

And if you lend that much money, ...... the infidels and heretics will have no choice but to support the empire. It's like they're in bed with the Empire.

”It's the fetters of debt. ...... They can't escape the empire anymore since their livelihood is gold. ......

Pagans and heretics lend huge amounts of money to Hercule.

The infidels and heretics lend huge amounts of money to the Hercules, which means that until the money is returned from the Hercules, the infidels and heretics cannot resist the Hercules and the Empire.

To start a rebellion, you need weapons.

To buy weapons, you need money.

In order for the infidels and heretics to revolt, they need the support of the ...... same infidels and heretics.

But this loan has put them on the side of the Empire.

It has become hopelessly difficult for the infidels and heretics to revolt.

”The crowning glory was this 'Church Law'.

It will solve the religious problems of the empire, and ...... it will also secure new sources of revenue.

”Church Law.

It's a new law enacted by Hercule to control the church.

There are three main points to this law.

The first is to allow a greater degree of autonomy within the church.

Until now, until Hadrian's reign, the empire had interfered in the internal affairs of the church.

However, Hercule abolished this and allowed the Church to have free autonomy.

But ......

As for the Patriarch, he is elected by the Church and then appointed by Hercule, so there is a minimum collar.

Two, regarding the Church's property.

The church has a huge amount of land and property that it has donated and endowed.

This land and property may or may not be subject to taxation. ......

This has been an issue since the time of Emperor Hadrian.

Hadrian's argument was that the land was imperial land before it was church land, so it should be paid for.

The Church argued that since the land was donated, it belonged to the gods and should not be touched.

The Church's argument is that since it was donated and endowed, it belongs to God and should not be touched.

The Church prevented Hadrian from taxing the land. ......

The Church prevented Hadrian from levying taxes, but Hadrian sometimes forcibly took property from the Church by force.

In other words, the game was evenly matched.

In order to solve this situation, Hercule decided to use ......

In order to solve this situation, Hercule announced at : ”Donated money is the property of the church and cannot be touched. The land donated is tax free as long as it is necessary for the operation of the church. However, it is subject to taxation if it earns more profit than necessary.

This was a compromise.

In short, it was a compromise.

From the Church's point of view, it would secure the minimum necessary to run the church, and if it was making more profit than necessary, it could not help but pay taxes, .......

For Hercule, it would provide a new source of revenue on a permanent basis.