203 Episode 11 Ransom (1/2)

”Your Majesty.

Oh, my God, Alicia. What's wrong?

The day after the tea party with Sonia, Alicia visited Hercule in his office.

The next day, Alicia visited Hercule's office.

I heard that you humiliated me in order to convince my people and my vassals. Is that true?

”Who told you that?　You and Sonia are not exactly on speaking terms.

Karolina and Scheherazade have been in contact with Sonia.

Cecilia is also trying to convert Sonia to Orthodox Messianism out of the kindness of her heart.

However, Lunalie and Alicia are avoiding each other, probably because of their bad impressions from their first meeting.

Incidentally, Nia and Sonia still seem to agitate each other whenever they see each other.

”The servants are talking about it.

”I see. ...... Well, yes. Half of it is true.

In fact, anti-Bulgarian sentiment within the Lemurian Empire was very high.

There were many who argued that we should not help the Chromes because we could have won even if we had not helped them and continued the economic blockade.

In particular, Alicia was the one who killed many Lemurian soldiers in a surprise attack that broke the truce, and she also tried to kill the Emperor Hercule.

If Hercule had said yes and spared Alicia and the Chromes, there would have been a lot of discontent among the people and their vassals.

In that sense, it is not wrong that he humiliated Alicia in public in order to relieve ...... that dissatisfaction.

...... half, huh?

Yes. The other half is my feelings. If I don't, my people and my vassals may forgive me, but I won't.

”...... haha.

Alicia smiled vaguely, unsure of what to say.

Hercule reached out to Alicia.

I'm not sure what to say.

It's over. Don't worry about it, I've already made up my mind about what you did.

”......, you bullied me last night about it.

That's all in the past.

Hercule shrugged.

Alicia let out a sigh.

Gradually, Alicia began to understand what kind of person Hercule was.

Hercule is a kind of joker.

It is better not to take his words and actions too seriously.

By the way, what are you doing now?　You seem to be very busy lately.

”Stabilizing the region of Teriportania. We're going to make the occupation a fact. ...... We're halfway there. It's just a matter of time.

The first thing Hercule did was to wipe out the rebellious forces in the region of Teriportania.

The first thing he did was to wipe out the rebellion in the region of Teriportania. In other words, he suppressed by force the warbeast villages that refused to accept his rule.

At the same time, he issued the name ......, guaranteeing land, property, and life to those who accepted his rule early on.

In fact, only a few of the warbeasts rebelled violently, and many of them accepted the rule of the Lemurian Empire, albeit reluctantly.

They were guaranteed land and property. ......

But more than that, many of the privileges of the time of Raus I (the previous king) were abolished by Hilderic II (the current king).

There were also a number of warbeasts who were dissatisfied with King Hilderic II.

They felt that they had no obligation to follow the Lemurian Empire, but they also felt that they had no obligation to risk their lives for Hilderic II.

Therefore, he readily accepted the rule of the Lemurian Empire.

Those who resisted were the warbeasts of Hilderic II's faction, who had won the previous civil war and gained a lot of land through merit, as well as a small number of humans. ......

They were wiped out by the Lemurian army led by Oskar, Stefan, Darius and Galfis.

The next thing Hercule did was to settle the Tundan soldiers.

In exchange for the withdrawal of the standing army, he recruited a large number of colonists and settled them one after another.

Many of the warbeasts who defied the Lemurian Empire were those who had vested interests: ......

In other words, many of them had vast private lands, so there was no shortage of land for them to settle on.

In the areas where the rebellion existed, Hercule settled the Tunda soldiers who would become the wedge of control.

There was not much to be done now.

All that was left was to set up a governance structure.

Hercule treated the leading figures of the human and warbeast races who had turned to the Lemurian Empire, and incorporated them into the governing structure.

He also gave back some of the territories of the warbeast nobles who had previously defected to the Lemurian Empire, and placed them above the local leaders.

They were well versed in the geography of the region, and also had the know-how to rule it.

Since they were originally of the Priorists, they were not badly received by the local remnants of the Priorists.

And he is a bit more trustworthy than those who turned to Lemuria with a reluctant attitude. ......

Naturally, we have sent many bureaucrats from the center.

In another five years, the region of Teriportania will be completely integrated into the bureaucratic centralized system of the Lemurian Empire.

In addition, the military postal system and ......

Erkur was planning various measures for his future rule, such as raising funds for public works such as flood control and irrigation to restore farmland devastated by the war.

As for the peace negotiations, Todoris is working on them right now, but they're already in the final stages.

”Has the Kingdom of Chellda accepted the abandonment of the region of Teriportania?

It's not so much that they've accepted it as they've been forced to. Well, they haven't admitted it yet, but ...... we're going to make sure they do.