The room was well illuminated, but it was still warm thanks to the torches nearby. He found her reading a book, but she quickly closed it when she noticed his presence.
"Sorry for taking your time, Byleth"
"It is always a pleasure, there is no need to apologize. What do you wanted to discuss?"
"Tell me, Byleth. What do you think we are fighting for?"
"For a better world" he answered without hesitation.
"Exactly, some soldiers in the barracks and generals may say that is for the glory of the Empire, but that ignores the central point of our fight. Please take a seat" she said as she pointed at a chair next to her. There was no one else apart from the mountain of paperwork in front of her.
"What are you doing?"
"Even in the present we need to think about the future…and there are many things that still need to be done…and I wish to discuss them with you, since that might clear me some things" she said as she observed the lonely flame of the candle in front of her.
"Fódlan is a small region compared to the territories of the known world. We ignore many things from the outside world and some in the outside describe us as a barbaric people. I must admit that such comments aren´t unfounded. You have seen it with the artillery from Almyra, there must be many nations that have a comparable power or something even more advanced while we keep us focused on our fights. However, different nations throughout the history have tried to invade this land, yet they have failed. Do you know why?
Because the people of Fódlan have reunited to fight against common threats. Even when the Kingdom and the Leicester Alliance separated themselves from the Empire such union has perdured against common threats. Sadly, this alliance has been the exception most of the time. The unsatiable desire of the nobles of the different nations had made this land stagnant, all of this with the approval of the Church. Since its creation, the Church of Seiros had been the mediator among the different nations, its influence undeniable. The treatment of the crests as a gift of the Goddess are the key to be considered a member of the nobility or not, and such cult wouldn´t exist without the allowance of the Church
The problem is that the connection between the Church and the nobility is far too strong, they depend on each other. Without the crests, the legitimation of the nobility would be put in jeopardy and without the support of the nobles the Church would struggle to influence this land. It is a knot too difficult to untangle. In fact, untangling it would change the world around us in many ways. And to succeed I´ve been thinking about the other source of power of both entities. Tell me, Byleth, even if a commoner develops a crest by chance, what would be the other wall that it would need to surpass to become part of the nobility?"
He thought for a bit, before giving his answer.
"Land. He would need land"
"Exactly. Apart from the crests, land is key to be part of the elite in this world. All the land of Fódlan is divided between the different noble families and the Church. Ironically, they aren´t the ones working it, they have commoners for it that work in exchange for protection and part of the resources they obtain, although most of it ends up in the hands of the powerful. Even the great cities are property of one family, in the case of the Empire the capital belongs to my family, obtaining tariffs from the commerce happening within its walls. The Church also owns its fair share of lands and educates the following generation of nobles that will rule the land in an endless cycle. Such system has been kept since the foundation of the Church, but the influence of the nobility wasn´t that strong back then. At the beginning, House Hresvelg had a more centralized power, there was no Prime Minister and nobility was just an auxiliary tool in the rule of the land"
"What happened then?"
"The secession wars made the crown bankrupt and in exchange of a quick recovery the influence of the nobility grew stronger and such influence continued until now. My father tried to make reforms to return power to the crown but it backfired badly, as you know. However, now the circumstances are completely different. With the Prime Minister imprisoned and many of the most influent nobles under watch and with the support of others, the opportunity presents itself to bring a better balance"
"But of course, it isn´t that easy to implement, right? I doubt that even those that supported you would be willing to do so if they lose influence or lands"
"Certainly. They won´t be happy if the things they already have change, but we can reduce their influence with the things that will happen" she said as she showed him a piece of paper.
"This is an Imperial decree that I made at the same time that this war started. It basically says that the rights of exploitation of the conquered lands will be shared among those that contributed to the victory…but the Crown will be the owner of the land. The crown will defend the territory and its inhabitants and in exchange for its protection and use of the land they will have to pay taxes"
"Have they really agreed?"
"War costs money and many of the nobles think that the more land they get the faster they will recover, so renouncing to these costs may had been tempting to them. In fact, for most of them the life won´t change in the short term. They will still be able to act as the owners of the land, even if they aren´t and in exchange the Crown will get its resources back"
"I see, but even if the Crown gets more income the influence of nobility will maintain or even increase since they have more lands, don´t you think?"
"True, if the number of participants of the power keeps the same. The foundation of the ancient system was based on the power of nobility and mainly the Church. When the Church as an institution disappears, the importance of the Crests will decrease and with it the influence of the nobility. Fighting against the Church and keeping the privileges of the Crest System are a contradiction that not even the most despicable noble would be able to justify, otherwise they would risk losing the benefits they might have obtained.
And regarding the land, there is something else to it and that it is already happening. After I was proclaimed Emperor, I confiscated the lands of those that had been conspiring against the Crown and given it to commoners. They are cultivating the land and a large part of its benefits remain within them. Of course, I´m not planning on making more nobles, far apart from it, but slowly but steady the influence of the nobility decreases as more hands share the land around us.
However, only with this it isn´t enough. As Ferdinand told me, most of the commoners lack the education provided to the nobles, so even if they get their own share of land, they won´t be able to compete against them. You must have seen it here in the monastery. With education, the Church had been able to control to an extend the fate of this land. Knowledge provides better opportunities and I´m planning to build public institutions where those that had been ignored by the system will have a chance now, although time will tell if it's successful or not"
"It is a process that will cost many years and there will be certainly opposition to it from nobility"
"True. Even if the Crown is stronger than before, many conspiracies will take place behind the walls of the properties of those unhappy with the new times. However, the Empire won´t be deaf to such conspiracies" she said with a confident look. "In Enbarr there is already a group of powerful merchants that are always complaining about the monopoly of nobility in the city" she continued as she showed him another decree. "I have decided to open the access of the public service to those capable enough, no matter their origins. The ancient privilege of keeping such positions for the nobility is done and gone. I´m also creating new positions that will be able to mediate between conflicts of nobles, since resolving such matters by force is already forbidden. These new officials will be in each province of the Empire and I´m confident that they will apply the new laws accordingly, their wage depends on it after all"
"But what would happen if the successor you choose turns into a tyrant? With the power of the Empire behind it, only an open rebellion would put its reign to an end and only with the cost of many lives" he asked, since that was a point, he had been intrigued about until now.
"With each choice we make there is always a risk, that´s true. That´s why it´s important to evaluate the different possibilities before making the decision. However, the absolute power in a pair of hands would be something only temporarily, since if such dreadful events happen, the seeds of change would have already found fertile soil. Those that had received an education and those that have been able to prosper under the new system won´t be willing to give up all they had been fighting for.
Besides, I make sure that House Vestra made a new oath. The alliances of House Vestra will be to the Empire not the Emperor, if the Emperor is willing to destroy everything we have been fighting for it will meet its end and a new successor will be chosen. Besides, the risk of having a tyrant isn´t exclusive of those chosen for the task. If I were to have descendants maybe one of them would try to do such thing. One never knows what can happen, but instead of distrusting humanity I trust it to keep the changes that had been made for the better. Many will curse my name, but I don´t care about that. I´m willing to change this world for the better and my reputation is unimportant compared to the task ahead.
Choosing a ruler without taking into account hereditary rules had been put into practice before by other societies which have profited or suffered because of it. In the end, it depends on the actions and choices of the person as everything of importance that happens in the different civilizations scattered around the world. Instead of justifying the rule under the mandate of the Goddess, the new ruler will be decided by another human. It won´t be an untouchable oracle of the Goddess, but a mere mortal. That alone means that it will never be a mystic figure like the rulers from before. And with the loss of such influence the last remnants of the legacy of the Church will come to an end.
I understand that many things could go wrong, but doing nothing would be the worst of outcomes. Giving up on the future because of the risks that could be laying ahead would mean that no progress could be ever made. Of course, change for the sake of change could be hazardous as well, but it is my opinion that we are the ones that must bring change, not await it as a gracious gift from heaven. Hundreds of years have already passed without an answer, after all" she sighed before looking at him.
"I apologize for giving you such a long explanation, but I really needed someone to listen to my own thoughts. I´m not asking you to agree with me, but I truly needed to say such things to someone that wasn´t Hubert" she said with a small smile.
"What does he think about it?"
"He has a lower faith in the nobles that I do have. He thinks that he could "persuade" them to be more generous with such ideals. Otherwise, they could find their end in the claws of darkness. He isn´t the only one to have such thoughts. Sages of all times have already argued about what should be the most effective method of ruling. For some a strong ruler should be someone that has a strong authority, an authority that inspires fear to allies and enemies alike. If no one is sure about their own life, they will have less time to prepare an assassination against the ruler. Some would consider this the way of a despot"
"But if everyone feels fear, there are no real allies, everyone would be acting to preserve themselves and when taking decisions, they will say not what they think, but what you wish to hear. The problem would be a loss of trust"
"Exactly, trust is truly important if you wish to rule over a territory. You can´t simply be in everyone´s house, you need to trust those who act as your eyes and ears in the places where you can´t be" she said while looking at her hands. "Fear will make people act, but they will only act to preserve themselves, and if pushed too hard they could turn against you. In the end, the fear of a tyrant is the rebellion of those he had been oppressing for far too long. Fear is what uses my uncle to rule over his people. It can be effective, but I doubt that he doesn´t sleep without a dagger next to him. Even among them there is a lot of resentment, waiting to explode at a suitable time.
Others have considered that a suitable ruler should be one that is loved by its people. That sounds logic, right? By being loved and respected, people will be more prone to contribute to the greater good of the land and they won´t be scared of counseling the ruler in times of need. Also, if it is loved, the risk of being assassinated would disappear since there would be no one holding grudges against the ruler"
"Sounds too perfect to be true. My father used to say that a general should be respected by its soldiers, but it can´t be friends of them, otherwise any war effort could be jeopardized by the risk of losing those he considers his friends" He truly knew the meaning of such phrase. Until now he had been acting to keep all of them alive, but the same couldn´t be said of the unnamed soldiers that had been fighting and dying next to him during the war. If he truly knew all of them, the pain would be too deep and he would have fallen into despair by now. "Also, the happiness of someone can mean the disgrace of someone else. Keeping everyone happy and loyal is impossible"
"Sad, but true. Otherwise, a ruler would have tried such approach, but there aren´t any books talking about the success of such method. In the end, many sages only discuss about possibilities, but without taking into account all the different variants that can change the results of their ideas. I know I won´t be loved by everyone, after all with me the power of nobility shall be diminished, but that doesn´t mean that I will rule as an iron lady until my last days. Thanks to you and our companions I have come to realize the value of friendship and companionship. An iron hearted ruler would be weaker than those that have spent their time developing fruitful relationships in this changing world…and I think that that is also the main difference with a ruler like Rhea" she said as she stood up and slowly approached one of the windows nearby.
"What do you mean?"
"Rhea had been ruling this land for centuries and during all this time she must had many capable men and women around her. But as time passes, they turn into dust while she is still in the center. I don´t think that she would value and build fruitful relationships with those around her, after all everyone will perish while she is still there. That´s another reason why I consider her unsuitable to rule. She is far too divine to be able to understand the problems of mankind. Concepts like time must be completely alien to her, as a being that could be considered divine under the own teachings of the Church. But, at the same time such fate makes me feel a bit sympathetic about her…I know what is to be isolated from others and shield yourself to avoid being attacked and the distrust of those around you"
An endless life. According to Seteth, the nabatheans did age, but the process was so slow that during his lifetime he hadn´t seen anyone dying from old age. And if that was the case with normal nabatheans, what would happen to him? As the heir of Sothis´s legacy was his fate to live until the end of times? That was a thought really depressing. Even if he could save everyone, they would eventually abandon him, and he could do nothing about it. He had the feeling that Rhea had thought the same thing, hundreds of years ago.
"What are you thinking about, Byleth? You have a gloomy expression on your face" Edelgard asked while approaching him.
"Nothing, only that there is a lot of uncertainty about the future"
"True, but that´s what makes future what it is. If everything was settled, if everything was predetermined, we wouldn´t have doubts about what could happen, but in such world we wouldn´t be truly free. Our actions in the present are what determine our future, even if some outcomes are still unknown to us. I think that Rhea truly fears the future, after all its uncertainty means that she has no control over it. That´s why she lingers on the past of a time that doesn´t exist anymore. Indulging yourself in the past or memories can be tempting, but sooner or later the time to continue our paths comes" she said while holding his hand. It was warm, but instead of her hand he was focused on her face, a small cloud of darkness covering her eyes.
"I have thought many times about this. What would happen if I die before achieving everything, we´ve been fighting for? Will I feel sorrow, disappointment, perhaps anger? I don´t have a clear answer to that yet the thought of disappearing before achieving what I have devoted my life for is truly terrifying"
"No one of us will die before the ending of this path. I promise you that" he assured her while placing his hand on her shoulder.
"Your voice always helps me to relax for a bit even if the thoughts come again. Please, forgive me if I tell you that I´ve written my last will just in case. In case I die I have named you my successor in all my rights and obligations, hopefully that doesn´t annoy you…it´s just that I feel more relieved to have it written instead of inside my head"
"Don´t worry. I can understand" He had seen that by those that could write. Most of them did it like a ritual before an important battle. That way their mind was released from the worries of the things that could happen to them, even if they hoped that nothing could truly happen to them. "But I think that I would be a terrible ruler so please don´t die"
"I´ll give my best" she laughed. Her laugh was a strange miracle that happened from time to time, but when it happened it was really a pleasure to the sight. "There are many things that need to be done…and of course I am looking forward to spending more time with you" she said while her cheeks turned a bit red. "I´ve heard that the gardens of Enbarr will be truly magnificent this year."
"In that case I´m looking forward to visiting them with you"
…..
"Mother, how many trials do I need to withstand? How many blasphemous people do I need to cut in half in the hopes of seeing you again?" She continued praying in her room, but no one answered to her questions. These days silence and betrayal were the things that were following her the most. Seteth and Flayn had decided to withdraw from the conflict. That could mean only one thing; they had lost faith in her, even though she had granted them the best protection they could ever wish for.
"In the end I was always alone. Your trials are harsh, mother, but I will prevail. I am just in heart and I will defeat those that have violated your body in order to achieve greatness. Their corrupted hearts are only poison that will be burned by the spear of justice. My wrath will prevail and those that sided with the corrupted demons will turn into ash"
A sound of steps silenced her words. A few moments later, the doors of her room opened.
"Catherine"
"We´ve caught all those suspicious of being collaborating with the Empire"
"Great news after a long time. Crows and rats had been feeding on us for a long time. It is about time that they realize how foolish they were in trusting our merciless enemy" Even though the Imperial Army had suffered heavy losses, it was far from defeated. They needed to give a decisive strike, but before she needed to take care of those that had been awaiting their time to strike from behind. Such worms deserved nothing but a painful death.
"They will face the punishment reserved for the sinners of the Goddess. May the flames guide their souls to their purification"
"As you command" Catherine said while kneeling. "King Dimitri wishes to discuss the state of the war with you"
"I see, in that case there is no time to waste. Thank you for letting me know. Return to your duties and get plenty of rest. I will need you at your best to break the last vanguard of the Empire. They might have the men, but we are the ones with the will. And a strong will is sharper than a sword and its fury more devastating than a war hammer"
"Of course, I won´t disappoint you. They suffered heavy losses. The moment we give the decisive strike the frontline will collapse and with it their dreams of conquest"
"It will happen, after all that is the Goddess´s will" She had sacrificed many things during her existence, but she wasn´t going to simply give up the remains of her mother to them. Such sacrilege was something that she would never forgive. "I won´t let it happen again, my rage shall not know any limits" she said to herself. She would never rest until the Empire was destroyed and with it any threat to the world she had been fighting for. After all, it was her responsibility until the safe return of her merciful mother.
Given the nature of the game it focuses only on what happens during it, giving general "good" endings that are vaguely described. This provides the opportunity to think about how to make a system that could work given the limited nature of the game. The elements that are clear are that the Crest system is of high importance in Fódlan and the power of nobility is notable, the latter the main holders of crests that have the blessing of the Church of Seiros.
This allows to build a system apparently stable but stagnant (stable in appearance taking into account the fight for power among the nobles). There is no incentive to progress, in fact progress is considered something negative if we take into account the prohibitions made by the Church regarding science.
This stagnant system is broken by the war. Even when she gets killed, her actions are what change the land for the better, since all four routes say that progress was made after the credits.
I think the main problem is that we analyze the events from the perspective of our current era. That´s why I tried to describe a possibility to the outcomes described by the game without bringing modern concepts.
This month has been crazy and tomorrow I´m getting into a plane, but I wanted put this together. Sorry for the inconvenience.