The Broadcast Crystal.

It was an artifact from the ancient civilization that was further developed by the Magic Commission to be of use to the Empire.

Throughout the Empire, a Broadcast Crystal had been installed in the Plaza of every city and town by the orders of the then Emperor who ruled that generation. It was so that the citizens would hear the words directly from the monarch as they made declarations of new laws and Imperial Orders.

In the past ten years, however, it was Prime Minister Stahlin who appeared and made declarations on “behalf” of the young Crown Prince and Dowager Empress. It was mandatory for those who lived near the vicinity of the Broadcast Crystal to watch the broadcasts. To those who knew better, all the edicts that were issued came from the Prime Minister and they all benefited the nobles and underhandedly neglect the common folk.

But three days ago, on the Coronation Day of the new Emperor something unexpected was broadcasted that shocked the entire Empire.

The Emperor had all the nobles under Stahlin apprehended with aid of the infamous Night Lurkers and the Imperial Guard who sided with him. Stahlin, himself, was condemned for his crimes in an impromptu trial by the Emperor himself but the criminal was not going down without a fight.

They all bore witness to a duel that was so epic that it rocked the country. Even now it was a hot topic. Children were still reenacting the duel as they would after hearing an epic tale of a hero.

The events then concluded when the Emperor returned from the duel victorious and Stahlin slain. He then appointed an unknown son of an outland noble as the new Prime Minister and the former Knight Captain’s scorned Beastclan brother to replace him.

Now they were all gathered once before the Broadcast Crystal as three days had passed since the Emperor had declared that there would be another broadcast for some announcements.

Everyone was apprehensive about what these “announcements” were.

DONG! DONG! DONG!

The bells began tolling signaling High Noon.

The Broadcast Crystals began to glow.

Usually what would appear was the Throne Room where the Emperors (and until recently Stahlin) would sit on the huge throne in full regalia. This would emphasize their prestige and might as the ruler of their vast Empire.

But what they were seeing was Emperor Wilthelm VII, dressed in that strange attire he wore to battle. He wasn’t wearing any sort of jewelry or the famous regalia. What’s more, he was sitting behind what looked like an ornate desk and chair in an office.

“To my fellow citizens throughout the Empire. I greet you.”

He says with a gentle smile and a slight bow.

“I am sure many of you still have the memories of what transpired a few days ago still fresh in your minds. I do wish to apologize once more for that rather gruesome display. However, it was only the opportune moment wherein me and my compatriots could purge Stahlin and his allies from the government and truly retake control. Now that we have accomplished that, the true hurdle has only just begun.”

The Emperor interlaced his fingers and stared intently through the Broadcast Crystal with a serious expression that made everyone hold their breath.

“This is only the beginning. Removing the source does not fully treat the problems. With that in mind, I along with my new Prime Minister, Wynston von Vismark, and several trusted advisors have drawn up several laws and reforms in secret during the years of the Regency so that once we removed that obstacle we can begin to remedy the Empire’s current situation.”

He took a stack of papers that were lying on his desk and began to read them.

“I will read to you a general summary of all new amendments and laws which I intend to accomplish within a few years.”

***Will’s POV***

“My throat hurts so bad…”

As soon as the broadcast was finished, I slumped over my chair.

I gulped down glass after glass of water that Nera pours for me. It took me a whole hour and a half to read aloud all the general summaries of the reforms and then continue with some encouraging spiels.

“Well, you did an excellent job, Your Majesty.” says Wynston with a wry smile.

“If it was me, I wouldn’t be able to speak like that with a straight face with an entire Empire looking at me. His Majesty is truly amazing,” says Nera with a look of admiration.

“Truly an exemplary Emperor. Guess, if there’s one thing you’ve inherited from your line is a silver tongue.” Nils was giving me a smirk which I returned with a snort.

“Still, I can’t believe these are the reforms we’ve drawn up. They are rather groundbreaking but…”

“I know. We are going to go through a tumultuous period of change from here on out.”

To generalize, I’ve made the following reforms to be promulgated in their specific time goals

Within a month

* Enactment of the Sakoku Isolation Decree for border protection and diverting focus to domestic affairs

* Large-scale personnel transfer and arrangement of conscripted soldiers and Palace staff.

* Passing of laws for Universal Racial Tolerance, Religious Tolerance, and approval of domestic settlement and citizenship.

Within a year

* Abolition of Serfdom and Stricter laws on Legal Slavery

* Implementation of Agrarian Reform

* Strengthening penalties for criminal acts in privileged classes (nobles and clergy)

* Creation of different departments to manage Agrarian Reforms, Taxation, and Domestic Affairs.

Within 2 years

* Reorganization of the Imperial Army

* Promotion of magi-scientific research and medical practice

* Introduction of the modernized industry using magic and technology

* Food research and promotion of cultivation.

Within 3 years

* Creating food reserves

* Enhancement of educational institutions

Within 5 years

* Maintenance of sewerage system in the Imperial Capital

* Development of the machine industry

Most of my reforms are going to improve the Empire’s Industry, Agriculture, Research, and Development. But I need to do some crucial steps first.

First things first, I am enacting something similar to the Sakoku Edict of Japan.

For those who are not aware, the Sakoku Edict was a decree to isolate Japan for over two hundred years. Of course, there is no way I’d make it last that long. I set a limit for the policy to be lifted in five years at most.

I ordered our borders to be strictly controlled and monitored. Nobody can get in or out of the Empire without proper identification. It’s easy since we don’t have any land neighbors and there are massive oceans that separate us from the next country, we also barely trade with foreigners with just occasional prominent merchants making the costly trip here. And as far as I know, we don’t have any aristocratic children studying abroad.

But one can never be too careful.

The things I am about to do for the Empire are not something to relay to other countries. To ensure that it’s not just limited to just Imperial Decree…I made use of something rather drastic. I got this idea from another favorite game of mine where a goddess had sealed off a nation using the same concept. I utilized little something that was in the game’s lore but was proven to be true by my Mentor.

I’m talking about the Njord Locus.

It was a piece of ancient Magi-Technology in the form of a towering spire that could control the weather. Amazing, right? I learned from my secret studies with my Mentor that the ancients used the Locus to control the weather and made the arid lands fertile with regular rains. However, when the ancient country fell, the Locus also became forgotten.

Until my Mentor casually revealed to me one and tinkered with it so that it caused a tornado to wipe out a bandit hideout…long story…

As part of my studies, my Mentor had me memorize the location of all 1527 still functioning Locuses…that was another long story…

Anyhow, I have remotely activated the Locus in strategic locations to create a powerful climate condition on the seas that surround the continent of the Atlantasia Empire. The entire Empire is now surrounded by persistent thunderstorms and lightning. I’m probably going to receive word that such a weather phenomenon has been noticed soon.

I also made sure no one could find those Loci and hid them with some of my enchantments. Damn, it feels like I am creating a setting for a game here.

I know what you guys are thinking. It’s extreme, I know. It may be akin to the Berlin Wall or DMZ Line but from my perspective, I think of it more like the Great Wall of China.

I never told anyone I did that or about the Locus because even my allies would be opposed. But right now, I am dealing with so much work that needs to be done for the Empire's internal affairs that I can't afford any problems from outside forces. I also hope that it will, for the duration, dissuade any interest in us. The current type of ships that are being used right now are those old sailing galleons and going into the storms is the last thing anyone would want.

Well, I already made it a goal to deactivate the Loci in the projected time. Of course, I’ve also set some measures to ensure that the Empire is not entirely isolated from the outside world. There is a sea route I mapped out that can allow one to avoid the storms.

My reason for doing this is so we can focus on healing our economy and domestic issues, protect our borders and minimize the expenditures on those war campaigns Stahlin had planned.

As for the soldiers and knights conscripted for these campaigns, I’ve enacted a wide-scale personnel transfer to Internal Security. They will be given retraining and will be assigned based on competence to multiple departments of Internal Security such as border patrol, crime prevention, and national defense. If in the event, conscripted soldiers do not wish to participate in the transfer then they are free to return to their previous life before their conscriptions or they could join our other projects.

Some of my other reforms are quite controversial. And I am sure, there will be backlash, especially from the nobles and clergy.

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Most of Stahlin’s allies were already apprehended and their titles and fortunes confiscated. However, some nobles didn’t support Stahlin but had their agenda. It’s those that I have to deal with.

I don’t think those conservative, greedy types are going to keep their heads down with the stricter penalties and the abolition of serfdom. But I need to do so to eliminate that outdated thinking of serfdom. Serfdom ties down people to the land of their birth and puts too many restrictions on their capabilities such as their education level.

The only ways one could leave their serfdom was by either joining the Knights or becoming Adventurers. Either way, they would have to pay a hefty sum in installments to pay off their leaving. As such, new Adventurers from Feudal Towns are often strapped for cash when they start.

I know several Adventurers and Knights in that scenario...

I need to remove these restrictions on their freedom. It’s counterproductive. But once the people are free to move to where they wish there is still the problem of education. As such, I plan to open schools for vocational training and academic basics such as reading, writing, and arithmancy. Once that’s done, and the literacy rate of the commoners has been improved we can finally charge full swing into modernization.

I’ve already set into place several measures to sway the landowners such as a 3-year tax exemption, and if they can’t afford to maintain the properties the government will buy them off and sell them to the peasants at a reasonable price. They’ll have to run their land as a business. However, I am also preparing a crackdown on some rather “iffy” nobles. Especially the ones who raise taxes unnecessarily.

Speaking of taxes, no need to guess here that the taxes are managed abysmally. The Taxation Department handling them was completely under Stahlin’s direct supervision. They keep on increasing the taxes with their discretion on the poor and commoners. And all those taxes are going to their pockets. I have announced the major changes to the Tax Laws and the dissolution of the Taxation Department and the formation of my old world’s version of the Bureau of Internal Revenue to manage taxation and impose the standard tax policies.

That’s not the only branch of the government that’s going to have some changes. There's also the formation of the Land Management Bureau responsible for administering, surveying, managing, and disposing of alienable and disposable lands and other government lands not placed under the jurisdiction of other government agencies. This will help with the Agrarian and Economic Reforms.

I’ve decided to make use of the lands that we have right now…which is quite a lot.

A lot of the nobility haven’t done a single thing with their lands. Usually, they just buy from territories that focus on agriculture. The territories doing that are usually the Outland Nobles and Lower Nobility. Due to their greedy and sneaky behavior, the Higher Nobility often cheats them on their profits. Because of Stahlin’s influence, they are always protected from being accused. As such there are rampant food shortages and uneven distribution and sale of food.

To address this, I started initial drafts for agrarian and land reforms. Using my skills, I researched reforms that were similar to those in my world. I’ve also enacted the creation of a Land Management Bureau responsible for administering, surveying, managing, and disposing of alienable and disposable lands and other government lands not placed under the jurisdiction of other government agencies.

There will be surveyors sent to each region in the Empire to determine the best crops to be grown there by season. A system of crop rotation, as well as, farming techniques applicable to each area will be implemented. To ensure this, I commanded all territories to devote one-third of their land to farmlands. The Crown Lands are also no exception and to show solidarity I would arrange for 50% of the lands to the cause. Soldiers and conscripted men who do not wish to continue as soldiers may choose to work on our Agriculture Project as an alternative.

Of course, the appointments to these offices must undergo a stringent government examination before they can be appointed into the offices. I announced that as long as they are capable and qualified, I am willing to accept anyone regardless of rank, race, and gender.

Then there’s the most controversial part of my reforms, the proclamation of Universal Racial Tolerance and Religious Tolerance.

As you know, this fantasy world has many races.

There are the regular humans who are predominant in this Empire. Next to them are the Beastclan people who have animal characteristics like animal ears and tails but some are anthropomorphic like the Dragonewts Race. Then there is the Fantasy Folk who make up the Dwarves, Elves, Everyoung, Giants, etc.

If you’re wondering what race I am, then allow me to give you a little snippet. The Imperial Family itself is mixed race. To be precise, we are Atavists. We have the bloodline of many races that intermarried with nobles who married into the Cadet Branches and then have children that married into the Main Imperial Family.

As such, despite retaining the white hair and gold eyes, it’s not uncommon for each descendent to be of different races from their parents or even manifest racial traits from their ancestors despite being a different race entirely. Perhaps, the defining factor would be if both parents have two races that are predominant over the other.

Unfortunately, for me at least, I’ve had both parents who have Everyoung Folk in their blood. That was what manifested in my Atavism. Damn my genetics!

The Everyoung are what you’d call halflings in some genres. Despite having the look of a pre-teen kid, they could be as old as two hundred with the oldest on record having reached four hundred.

You can see my problem here...I look like a kid even though I am at full-grown age (I’m already 18 BTW ) and mentally (if you add my previous life’s age I’m in my forties.)

It becomes a running gag that whenever I go incognito, most people assume I’m a kid! Sigh~

Anyhow, there’s a bit of racial discrimination and segregation. Some are those who are tolerant but some have massive discrimination as they either prefer their race or have beef with other races. Take for example Stahlin and his human-race supremacy. I’m making it illegal now to discriminate and be prejudiced between races. We’re shooting ourselves in the foot by not being able to accept the skills and abilities of others or simply keep them to themselves because they are of a different race. Sure it’s gonna take some time to change those prejudices but we have to start somewhere at least.

Then there’s the problem with Slavery.

There are two types of Slaves: Debt Slaves and Criminal Slaves.

You become Debt Slaves when you are unable to pay back a debt. There are a lot of people who become Debt Slaves due to gambling but there are those who take out loans for things like medicine and food and are unable to pay them back. Even Adventurers become Debt Slaves when they have to pay a massive penalty. Then there are the Criminal Slaves. These are applied to criminals who have committed various crimes. Of course, Criminal Slaves have harsher circumstances as they are used as hard work forces.

Slaves are engraved by a mark drawn onto them by a Slave Binder. A spell is then cast to bind them to their owners. They cannot defy an order, go against, nor harm them in any way as the Slavery Spell would inflict pain, and depending on the severity, can even cause death too.

The problem is that slave owners tend to abuse this. Some laws are supposed to ensure that slaves are to be under the responsibility of their owners but the level of responsibility varies from owner to owner. Some are kind to treat them as friends or even akin to family members. I know of some slaves who become nannies to wealthy families’ children. Unfortunately, most of the time some treat their slaves as mere workers and only give them bare essentials. In worst cases, they are treated like trash or pets.

Honestly, I don’t like the idea of slavery but the fact is, I have to understand that some values from Earth are not applicable here. Plus, there are means to control slaves unlike on earth where you only had chains.

I’ve drawn up laws to ensure their dignity as a person. Debt Slaves, of course, will be treated better than Crime Slaves. Duh, the latter are criminals.

Nevertheless, I made it compulsory that slaves are to be registered with their owners. Previously, Slave Traders just buy and sell them like goods in a supermart. They are to be given adequate food, clothing, and shelter. Owners are not allowed to abuse their slaves or said slaves are to be returned to the Slave Trader. Slave Contracts are amended.

Then there’s the call for religious tolerance. Right now, Atlantasian Orthodox Faith is the State Religion of Atlantasia. I, as Emperor, am the Head of the Atlantasian Orthodox Faith, with the Patriarch as the Spiritual Leader.

The church worships the Seven Supreme Gods who have been said to have created this world, It also worships their proxy, the World Deity Sileo. Sileo is the God chosen by the Pantheon to watch over this world in their steed. Think of it like Izanagi creating the world and Amaterasu ruling as ruler of Takamahagara.

There are other religions in other countries I’ve heard that worship the gods in their ways. Similar to how Christ is revered by Roman Catholics, Protestants, and Orthodox Christians but their religious practices vary.

And here in Atlantasia, some religions came here via the occasional immigrants. If I were to name a few, there is Holy Iglesia Church, which has similar Gods but different practices, and Sileonism which only worship the World Diety Sileo. Then there are Spirit Faith of the forest-based Elves, who revere the Spirits over the Gods.

For millennia, Atlantasia has only given priority to its state religion and would persecute the other religions if their state religion had any conflict with them. This bugs me the wrong way. I’ve decided to allow the practice of said religions and officially register them as State Religions as well, allowing them to openly practice their religions and build places of worship. Their religions can be practiced as long as they abide by the law and don’t involve dangerous cultic practices.

I did place a ban on direct recruitment and openly asking for converts. I also banned preaching on the streets. We don’t want some religious fanatics coming up to you and demanding you to convert to their religion or you’ll be damned. Religion should be practiced by choice.

There are also a lot of church reforms I intend to pass.

There’s just one problem...I’m not on good terms with the current Patriarch. He’s a bad character just like Stahlin in more ways than one. The day after the Coronation, he sent an envoy bearing messages with advice regarding how the Empire should run in terms of the church. I didn’t reply. I simply sent the envoy back with a single polite “I’ve received your message and will respond to you shortly.”

If he has heard the broadcast, I think he can guess what exactly is my response to his demands.

I’m going to be dealing with him soon though.

Sigh~ It seems the trends are the same no matter which world.

“I am really curious though. Why did you decide to make your announcement in the office rather than the throne room in full regalia? It caused panic earlier.” Wynston asked me as Nera took my glass.

True, the servants were a little frantic because I told them to bring the Broadcast Crystal to my office rather than the Throne Room which they’ve already set up in advance.

“This is an announcement, not some kind of pomp ceremony. I need to show everyone that I don’t portray myself as someone unapproachable due to riches and standing.”

Everyone stared at me as though I was joking.

“What?”

“I beg your pardon, Your Majesty. But the Emperor is the most unapproachable person in the Empire. It is common knowledge in the minds of the people. That is unless you go to them individually.”

Guh… Sometimes, having a smart friend like Wynston can grate on you. But he did have a point. One of these days, I may have to appear in public personally.

“About that, care to explain why you are dressed in such attire, Your Majesty? I recall you wearing that during your duel with Stahlin.”

Oh? So you’ve noticed.

Well, I am wearing a set of clothes based on Japan’s Taisho-era. I am wearing a Gakuran uniform with a military cape over my shoulders with a black Gakuran cap that bears the insignia of the Imperial Family. I kept the sash denoting Order of the St. Atlan. It’s simple and elegant.

Plus I’m used to wearing the Gakuran part throughout middle school and high school in my previous life. It is also much easier to wear than those heavy royal robes, carpet-length mantle, and that nine-pound, neck destroyer of a crown.

“I thought I might change my outfit. I had this one design myself. Does it suit me?”

“It does, Your Majesty!” Nera speaks out loud but upon realizing she is outspoken, she quickly covers her mouth.

“It looks like the uniforms the Commanders wear but simplified. It may be too simple for the Emperor though in my opinion. But strange enough, I must also admit it looks quite good.” Wynston replies to my question.

“Are you complimenting me or giving me a harsh critique? I can’t tell…”

A knock resounded on the door of my office.

“Your Majesty, it is I, Leofold.”

“Again with the formality…Enter!”

The Knight Captain Leo entered and then saluted me.

“Sire, as you’ve requested, she has been brought into the throne room.”

I stood up.

“Good, it’s high time I gave that woman what's due.”