The Merger of the Kingdoms

Xialuo and Dideyasi's fusion plan soon began. Faced with the threat of the Magic Empire, they had to make a new choice. In fact, both of them soon encountered the same pressure.

If merging the two nations into one was an irrefutable proposal put forward by the God of Justice, then reforming the political system became the most troublesome problem for the leaders of both countries. Although most of the high-ranking figures on both sides agreed that Xialuo and Dideyasi should form a United Government, the attitudes of these nobles were also very clear.

They would never sit down at a table with ordinary people to discuss the future of the country, not even if it meant death!

I disagree!

A nobleman stood up angrily, looking at the helpless Catherine.

"Your Highness, I must say, this is an utterly absurd idea! While I deeply respect you and can unconditionally carry out all your orders, this is the only exception! As a family dedicated to protecting the nation, we can accept merging with the Xialuo Kingdom, but your proposed reforms have completely crossed our bottom line! How could commoners possibly understand politics and military affairs? Even a soldier needs extensive participation in war to make any difference. Are we nobles less useful to the country than those commoners who only think about earning a few more gold coins tomorrow?"

"That's not how it works, Ailun Ellen."

Although Catherine outwardly said this, inwardly she thought exactly the same thing as the knight. What puzzled Catherine was that when she reported the proposal to Li Lin, her master laughed heartily for a long time, then, feigning seriousness, ordered her to "fully cooperate with the God of Justice's plan, without the slightest delay." Although quite surprised and curious about Li Lin's reaction, Catherine still obeyed and withdrew. Of course, given the current situation, such a sudden change of system would only plunge the country into chaos. However, from Catherine's perspective, the more chaotic, the better. Her aversion to this proposed system stemmed solely from her inherent royal pride.

In reality, Catherine's thoughts were no different from those of the other nobles. They had expended countless efforts, time, and energy to achieve their current status and qualifications. What did the commoners know? Did they think that just because one of them was popular, they were entitled to sit alongside them and enjoy the same status and glory?

"Moreover, it's not entirely without its advantages; at least..."

Catherine repeated what she had heard from Gabriel to the nobleman before her, and then made her own assurances.

"Of course, we won't ask you to leave your positions now. We all know how much effort you've put into the country. Therefore, although your interests may be affected, I will try my best to keep it within an acceptable range. However, although I feel somewhat sorry for you all, the reforms must go on... After all, it is the will of the gods..."

Upon hearing this, the previously furious nobles fell silent. Many of them were believers and Catherine's most loyal subordinates. They understood that since it was the will of the gods, it was best not to disobey. Everyone knew that the main force capable of annihilating the undead army was still the power of the gods. Even Saintess Catherine's power still came from the God of Justice (though no one knew it was no longer true). If they disobeyed the gods, they would lose their favor, and after that, they clearly lacked the confidence to defend against the Magic Empire's attack alone.

Of course, almost all the nobles were pessimistic about this reform, while almost all the commoners were extremely excited about it. This was because, according to the regulations, after the merger, the United Government would establish a parliament of twelve members to govern everything in the new country. Of these twelve, six would be from the nobility. That is to say, apart from the King of the Xialuo Kingdom and Catherine, the noble class could only occupy two seats. The remaining six would be elected from the commoners of both countries.

Although on the surface the votes were six for the Xialuo Kingdom and six for Dideyasi.

But in everyone's eyes, it was actually six votes for the nobles and six votes for the commoners.

Of course, to ensure the normal training of the army, the military power has not changed, and the most prestigious and capable generals from both royal families have also joined. Finally, the two royal families have also selected a civil official to join the parliament. Soon, the noble combination was completed. The next step is to see what kind of talent the so-called "general election" on the common people can select.

Although the nobles desperately wanted to manipulate the so-called election or completely discredit it, they were only to discover, after preparing thugs, money, and beautiful women, that the entire election process was being overseen by the Temple, and even held within the Temple itself.

The nobles were now completely helpless. After that devastating battle, both countries had come to regard the Temple as their only savior and hope, and neither wanted to cause trouble for the Temple at this time. Although Saint Catherine had become the de facto leader of the Temple, the fact that the archbishop was in charge of this election showed that Catherine had little influence over it.

For the nobles, this strange choice was truly difficult for them to understand.

The Temple's method was to set up a high platform in front of the Temple square in each city. Those confident in their abilities could then, after being "verified," speak to the public and try to win their hearts. After this process lasted ten days, the Temple would hold a vote. Every commoner was eligible to come to the Temple, receive a so-called "ballot" from the bishop, tick the names of those they admired, and then drop the ballot into the ballot box. Of course, the entire process was monitored by paladins, making any manipulation completely impossible.

"That's ridiculous, it's downright laughable."

All the nobles objected, believing that talent was paramount. What could the Temple possibly select by doing this? Anyone could talk a good game; could they really defeat the hundreds of thousands of undead soldiers of the Magic Empire with just words? However, these complaints were only voiced privately, not openly. After all, if the Temple heard them...

However, no one believed that these ordinary people could elect any kind of leaders.

"A bunch of idiots."

Standing atop the church's highest ornament, Angela gazed at the bustling crowd below, a blatantly contemptuous smile on her face. In fact, the moment Li Lin informed her with a smile, Angela immediately stopped what she was doing, even disregarding her own army of death that had already Kudel deep into Kuder, and traveled all the way to Dideyasi to witness this spectacle firsthand.

"A pig is a pig; even if they could wear clothes, they still wouldn't be able to choose a dog."

Angela glanced at Catherine floating beside her and said smugly.

"You're doing well, Catherine. Keep it up."

"But Miss Angela, I really don't understand."

Catherine looked somewhat nervous. Fortunately, Gabriel had been forced to return to Xialuo to oversee things because of the trouble caused by the nobles in the Xialuo Kingdom Gabriel couple of days prior, preventing her from meeting Angela. Otherwise, if the two of them had met... even if Catherine hadn't witnessed a cataclysmic event, she could imagine a similar disastrous scene. What intrigued her most was that both Li Lin and Angela seemed to have unwavering "confidence" in this system, completely disregarding the potential threats it might pose.

"According to the God of Justice, these leaders elected by the people will be their strongest backing, won't they? And when they fight for themselves, not for the nobles, their fighting power..."

That's all nonsense.

Angela interrupted Catherine impatiently.

"For others? What do you think those soldiers go to the battlefield for? Aren't they all fighting for their country, their family, their loved ones? Just because they are ruled by nobles, do these humans not fight to protect their homes? Putting aside wars between nations, I rule a Scourge Legion of 500,000! An undead army, not a single one alive! I will not capture them, much less make them my subjects. Whether these humans choose to resist or surrender, they will only face certain death. In this situation, do you really think they care whether their leaders are nobles or commoners?"

Catherine was silent for a moment, then shook her head.

Indeed, in wars between nations, if high-ranking officers treat their soldiers poorly, betrayal and mutiny are highly likely. And if the enemy commander is either benevolent or ruthless, either factor can cause unrest, chaos, and other significant disruptions to one's own army. But war against the undead is different. They are not even like elves or dwarves, at least the latter can communicate; the former offer nothing but destruction and death. Faced with such an enemy, even if their officers are incompetent, the soldiers can only grit their teeth and continue fighting. After all, the undead army doesn't take prisoners or slaves—they only take the dead.

Therefore, while Gabriel's words sound reasonable, a closer look reveals a serious misconception—all of this only has any use if their enemies are also human.

But now, the enemy they face is not human.

"Although I don't know just how much of an idiot that God of Justice really is..."

Angela sat on the divine emblem and glanced at the clear, cloudless sky.

"But this is clearly courting death... Does he really think that this childish game can stand against me and my master?"

At this point, Angela a cold laugh and waved her hand.

"You may leave now. After all, there are still many things here that require your attention, Your Highness?"

"But, Miss Angela... I..."

"Just do it."

Angela interrupted Catherine again.

"Even if you truly intend to lead this new nation against your master's immortal army, it doesn't matter. In this childish game, you have absolutely no chance of winning. War is always in the hands of the strongest... not prestige. You may leave now. I wish to enjoy this monkey show a little longer... While it's amusing to make humanity realize how foolish they are, it's even more entertaining to watch them make foolish choices."

Catherine didn't say anything more. She had already gotten the answer from Angela's words. Since both Angela and Li Lin agreed that it would definitely fail, her worries were unnecessary. So, she bowed slightly to Angela, and then a flash of light appeared before she disappeared into thin air.

Finally, a month later, a new United Council was formed.

Gabriel wasn't entirely unrealistic; perhaps she learned something from her experience in the Xialuo Kingdom. She ultimately abandoned the idea of letting commoners take over the current noble power—although in Dideyasi, everyone respected Catherine and therefore didn't particularly resist. However, in the Xialuo Kingdom, many nobles saw it as the king's attempt to weaken his power. Those nobles with little real power were one thing, but those with considerable fiefdoms and private armies would absolutely not let it go. According to the intelligence Catherine possessed, some of them had even laid down their arms, ready to destroy the country themselves before the undead army invaded if the king's political reforms affected their interests!

Gabriel is powerful, but she is, after all, an angel. If anyone dared to say such things to Angela would do as they wish and slaughter all those fools. However, the current situation prevented Gabriel from making such a bloody and cruel decision. In the end, she could only rely on her abilities and influence to temporarily pacify these nobles.

The final result is that the Federation Council has the power to decide everything in the United Empire, and every major proposal must be submitted to the Parliament for processing, and can only be implemented after being passed by a majority vote. Currently, the civil officials of both sides are in charge of finances and other aspects, while the military generals are responsible for military affairs. The kings of Catherine and Xialuo Kingdom can put forward any opinions, and the representatives of the common people have the power to veto or approve these opinions and suggestions. However, apart from this, they cannot control any department, nor can they arbitrarily allocate resources and property.

"That sounds a lot like the system in our Magic Empire."

While looking at the report Catherine handed over, Li Lin casually said to Nia.

"Unfortunately, we don't have a habit of promoting those who are good at talking to high positions, and... we have thirteen Arcane Mage, which is a difference. Moreover... we wouldn't directly select someone from the common people who could influence the decisions of the entire empire, would we?"

There was one more thing that Li Lin didn't say aloud.

A democratic system is not something that can be easily established. Giving every citizen the power to choose does not mean they can select the talent they desire.

Those who govern a country need extensive experience, wisdom, and even a certain degree of decisiveness. These are not innate; even if someone possesses political talent, they must undergo trials and gain experience before they can acquire these qualities. And these are not things that can be obtained simply by making choices.

Winning the hearts and minds of the people is a skill that those in power must master, but it is by no means the "most important" skill.

If you can't govern a country well, then winning the hearts and minds of many people is all in vain.

"When I traveled to that world, there was a country with a similar system. It claimed to have the most perfect system in the world because it not only protected the rights of its people but also made them feel as if they were truly the masters of the country... but that was only a feeling."

Li Lin put down the documents in his hand and spoke to Nia.

"Then, the country experienced a severe crisis, placing a heavy burden on its finances. The ruler hoped to improve the situation through a series of measures, proposing many solutions, many of which could indeed mitigate the losses. However, he failed to gain popular support because these proposals infringed upon their interests. The people, living through the crisis, couldn't see that far ahead; they only knew their pockets were dwindling and they could no longer afford their daily expenses. Therefore, when the regime attempted to bolster the treasury by utilizing public funds, they found the plan completely unpopular. Although the ruler had many elite nobles under his command, he ultimately had to bow to the people... Thus, the country remained suspended in a state of semi-death."

As he spoke, Li Lin closed the book in his hand and revealed a sarcastic smile.

"Therefore, when you entrust the fate of a nation to the majority, failure is only a matter of time—and merely a matter of time."

After a month of elections, the Federation Council was finally formally established in a border fortress city located at the border between the two countries. Today, they will announce to the people that a new nation has been born.

Entering the magnificent council chamber, Catherine's expression was serious. This was the first meeting of the United Council, so she was also very nervous. After all, no one knew what such institutional reforms would ultimately lead to.

Upon entering the council chamber, Catherine saw the representative of the Xialuo Kingdom across from her. The King of the Xialuo Kingdom smiled and nodded at Catherine as she entered; in retrospect, they seemed to have shared a sense of camaraderie. After all, both of them had once been figures of absolute authority, yet now they were sitting here, needing someone else's approval to voice their opinions.

Aside from the king, Catherine had also met the other two noble representatives, so she greeted them as well, before turning her gaze to the three representatives chosen by the people. Then, she frowned.

It has to be said that the three people's attire looked rather strange: two men and one woman. The woman was dressed very simply, while the other man was dressed quite extravagantly. The last one, although not particularly eye-catching in his clothing, looked somewhat slick and greasy, with the demeanor and appearance of a gigolo.

Hello.

Catherine didn't reveal her true thoughts; she simply nodded amicably to Catherine three. However, the three didn't return the gesture; instead, one of the women even let out a cold snort.

"You rude scoundrel!"

Seeing his holy maiden being treated this way, the military officer who entered later frowned and shouted in a low voice.

"How dare you be so insolent before Her Highness the Holy Maiden?!"

So what?

The man who answered him had a smug look on his face.

"Whether she's a saint or a princess, she's not a member of our Xialuo Kingdom, so why should we be so courteous to her? Your kneeling and worship are your own business; don't drag us into it. Besides, we are representatives elected by the people, and in terms of status, we are equal to you. Behind us stand millions of Xialuo citizens who love freedom and peace! So why should I bow so deeply to your princess?"