(Hello, this is my first fan fiction, I hope you enjoy. Feel free to correct anything. Regarding grammar, I am not a native speaker so correct me please. And regarding story, I will mainly focus on bringing the first and second industrial revolution to the Mathers Domain and after the royal selection to Lugnica, but I will not, or hope I don't mess up characters.)
To consider:
-Rem has not gotten her memories back but her old self is remembered by others.
-Puck is still MIA.
- "National Unity" will be an untested theory in the Re Zero world regarding cultural, political, economic and social cohesion in a country/society, but to achieve it like in our world the industrial revolution must happen first. I don't know the term for it, if you do please let me know.
Chapter 1:
Subaru after returning from Vollachia was concerned. As far as he saw, the army of Vollachia was still strong despite the short civil war, and in contrast to the army of Lugnica it was under a central command. 'Of course, Reinhard is strong and all, but the army of Lugnica is fragmented between local lords with a small part controlled by the crown as far as I'm aware.' He thought to himself while hoping to drift into sleep, he continued his train of thought 'Considering the systemic discrimination against demi-humans and the fact that Emilia resembles the witch it will be hard to keep local lords from attempting to gain independence or a coup. If any of our neighbors was to declare war it will be hard to keep Lugnica together.' He rolled around trying to find comfort.
"I will have to tell Emilia to study nation building." he whispered damming himself for not learning of this in his world with a much richer history than this one. 'What nation do I know of that collapsed into many smaller nations?' He asked himself, after a few seconds he found the answer 'Of course, the roman empire was in a similar position I believe… but this is kin more to the late medieval era than to antiquity. How did past kings manage to control such a large population? Agriculture is advanced but most people are still working in serfdom, any way I need a way to get people to rally behind Emilia or at least behind the Kingdom of Lugnica, to make people feel like there one. What was the name of the game I used to play of society building?' He searched his memories a few minutes. 'Victoria 2…. it was about the industrial revolution, and it was situated in the…. Victorian era….' He realized something and yelled "That's it!"
He received a tap on the shoulder and turning his head saw a half-asleep Beatrice.
Beatrice: "Get to sleep already tomorrow will be a long day in fact."
Subaru: "Yes, sorry Beako don´t worry about me I´m just excited about tomorrow."
Beatrice: "How about I drain your mana to knock you down in fact?"
Subaru: "There is no need to, I will sleep fine now."
Beatrice: "You better." And she fell asleep once more.
Subaru thought to himself. 'The perfect gift for Emilia-tan, a whole historic period named after her and control of the strongest and best nation of the continent, she will be so happy, and mighty.' He fell happily asleep thinking of how happy Emilia will be with his gift.
The next day at breakfast:
Subaru: "Oi Emilia-tan, I wonder if you would mind me recommending something to study."
Emilia: "Well, if it isn't something I already studied in detail and if it is related to the royal selection then I wouldn't mind."
Subaru: "Have you studied or plan to study on nation building?"
Emilia: "Nation what? Lugnica already exists, doesn't it?" She tilted her head in confusion.
Subaru: "It does now but that doesn't mean it will in the future."
Roswaal: "My, what an interesting conversation we have here."
Subaru: "You will learn soon enough. I will request to talk with you and Emilia-tan in private after we return from the capitol."
Roswaal: "Very well, regardless, you must still explain what you mean by nation building to Emilia-sama." He pointed to a confused Emilia.
Subaru: "Yes. Emilia-tan sorry for not explaining properly. What I mean is that after you get crowned as queen…"
Rem: "Hold it, why do you assume she will win the selection? I know I haven't seen 2 of the candidates but so far I don't see anything out standing in her." Interrupted Rem.
Emilia: "Rem I understand your doubts, but Subaru believes in me."
Subaru: "Emilia-tan, you shouldn't doubt yourself, and Rem, aren't you part of our camp?"
Rem: "I don't remember agreeing, as far as I'm aware I stay here because of Ram being obviously my sister and because you ask me to Subaru."
Subaru: "Fine we'll leave it at that, anyhow let us assume Emilia wins the royal selection. Emilia, do you believe all lord and nobles will bend to your will and be loyal you?"
Emilia: "I've thought of this and I'm sure more than one noble will not want to trust me, but as soon as they see results, they should cooperate, and if not then with enough time all should be good."
Subaru: "Well a few nobles will cooperate as soon as you prove yourself, but many of them are just too prideful to just give up a lifetime of learning and believing they are above all other classes and to discriminate demi-humans. I am not saying all of them are that, but many are. And I am worried that they may attempt to gain independence from the kingdom if you win."
Emilia: "Wait. You mean independence like a new nation?"
Subaru nods.
Emilia: "It may be true that they hate my appearance and the fact that I am a demi-human, but do you really believe they would go so far?"
Subaru: "Ros-chi you know other nobles and lords better than I do. Do you believe they would go so far?"
Roswaal: "Well I do believe you are right, after all ever since the foundation of the kingdom many lords have been put down do to attempts to win more independence or complete independence, we can expect them to increase in number and organization once Emilia-sama takes the throne, we will be hard pressed to put them down."
Subaru: "I believe we must make not just the lords but the people that inhabit their lands feel allegiance to the Kingdom feel like they are part of the nation, that we are all in one boat."
Beatrice: "Is this a serious take on the national unity theory?"
Subaru: "Indeed it is, but I am surprised to know it already existed."
Beatrice: "Maybe that knowledge was also lost to time? If that is the case, then how do you know about it? I suppose."
Subaru: "National unity along with ethnic uniformity allowed my home country to manage a population of 128 million without any internal strife for the most part for about 50 years. But the largest nation had a population of about 1 billion and applied the same principle of rallying people behind the nations flag." He unconsciously made a depressed face as he remembered his country along side his parents.
All of the attendants were surprised by the population of Subaru's country, but decided not to ask more.
Beatrice: "So if done properly it works wonders you say?"
Subaru: "That my Beako so smart." His face lite up forgetting his grief.
Emilia: "But you say that the people under the command of the lord will have to feel as part of the nation. How I make lords agree to that?"
Subaru: "First we have to make tools, toys, books, houses, food and education more affordable and widely available, alongside with that or maybe after serfdom will need to be abolished alongside feudal titles. The last step is to interconnect the kingdom so much that people can be expected to die in a different place from where they were born, and change home a few times, in order to make the culture and dialect the same or similar in all the kingdom."
Emilia: "Subaru, it does sound nice, but lords will definitely revolt as soon as you tried to get rid of their status and serfs."
Subaru: "That's why I'm not sure when it would be best to free them, but lords will keep their land, the mayor change will be the fact that people can move about as they see fit, forcing lords to pay them better if they want them to stay. Also, it is important that people perceive the law as equal to all, no one can be spared from punishment just because of social or economic status."
Emilia: "It is kind of overwhelming the amount of information you're giving me now, how about we leave it here and once we return; we talk it through?"
Roswaal: "Indeed it is a complex subject with many aspects to it, we should give Emilia-sama time to think it through."
Subaru: "Yeah. By the way when will we leave?"
Roswaal: "In about 30 minutes I believe."
Rem: "Yes in 30 minutes everything shall be ready. I suggest we take a last check at our luggage and start saying goodbye."
Everyone dispersed after that to check their luggage, and prepare for the journey, but Emilia was troubled by her thought 'Despite nobles being arrogant and hard to change I thought that maybe they would stay put or just accept me as ruler once I win. But if some even rebel when the King was not a silver haired half elf, they will definitely rebel against me.' She made her way to Subaru's room while thinking about how to stop a rebellion against her. She knocked at the door and a small blonde spirit answered.
Beatrice: "If you want to see Betty's contractor I´ll say he isn't here in fact."
Emilia: "Actually I wanted to see you, you also knew about the national unity thing. Right?"
Beatrice: "Yes, but I must tell you I do not have the knowledge of a nation using it, unlike my contractor"
Emilia: "Do you have a book about it?"
Beatrice: "Are you dumb? Did you forget what happened to my library?"
Emilia crouches to the side of Beatrice and whispers to her ear.
Emilia: "Do thing I did not notice that you're rebuilding the library? I notice you also write an awful lot of "diaries". Don't you think?"
Beatrice was shocked by what she got told.
Beatrice: "H-how did you…?"
Emilia: "I´ll just say I notice you use lots of mana. So, about that book?"
Beatrice: "Under one condition. I suppose."
Emilia: "What will it be?"
Beatrice: "Don't tell Betty's contractor in fact"
Emilia: "Very well, but if he starts interrogating me, I won't be able to comply to your demands."
Beatrice: "Just follow me."
Beatrice at ease now lead Emilia into Subaru's room, opened a window revealing the new library and soon Emilia followed.
Emilia: "It feels very empty, I thought you had written more books"
Beatrice: "I have in fact, a few are under Subaru's bed and scattered around the room, I don't come here often but your book is here in fact."
Beatrice handed Emilia the book she wanted, and Emilia was awed at the fact it was so thin, she went to the last page to see the number of pages it had "Only 140?" she muttered.
Emilia: "Why is it so thin?"
Beatrice: "Maybe because it is just a theory with a few examples of long dead nations I suppose?"
Emilia: "Was there any other book in the old library about this?"
Beatrice: "In fact even to my surprise no, there aren't any. But my contractor should be capable of providing more detail as to how it works or how it's supposed to."
Emilia reads a bit of the introduction and then closes the book with a smile.
Emilia: "Seems that it will be enough after all, I will read it on the road."
Beatrice: "Very well, let's get out before we are missed, I suppose"
Emilia: "Yes we are soon to leave, the others must be searching for us."
The duo gets out of the library in the hallway and separate to go pick up their luggage for the trip.
Emilia is the last one to make her way to the dragon carriage, Subaru smiled at her, and helped her in, he later got in the driver spot to start the journey. Inside where Emilia, Rem and Beatrice. Roswaal would fly to the capitol later, but in time to meet them.
