༺ I Don’t Need a Guillotine for My Revolution ༻
Written by – 카르카손
Translated by – Mara Sov
༺ Revolutionary Period – The Negotiation Table ༻
I studied my surroundings while trying to comprehend the situation.
We scheduled a meeting with the moderates, but now the leader of the radicals was here.
Even worse, he seemed to be disguised.
Perhaps the moderates joined hands with the radicals and were about to ambush us?
Should this really happen, can I assure Christine’s safety?
She would want to take Louis with her, but even with the Knights I brought with me, I don’t think we would have the leisure to protect two civilians while we fought an ambush.
No, I need to calm down first, no need to waste time on the worst-case scenario for now.
What would I do if I were someone from the radical party……
While Brisseau might use us as disposable pawns to curry some favor with the radicals, I doubt Jidor would agree with such a move.
If they had truly planned an ambush, there would be no reason for Jidor himself to appear here and risk endangering himself fighting me and my Knights.
So, should I simply play ball and pretend I didn’t notice him?
No……That wouldn’t be wise.
Jidor’s presence here meant that any future meetings with the moderates would be off the table.
With this in mind, I made my way towards him.
“Ah, M-Marquis?”
Brisseau’s nervous voice could be heard from behind me, and as I moved I could see some ‘officials’ of the revolutionary government lowering their stances, and preparing themselves to stop me.
But Maximillien Le Jidor simply looked at me, with a curious spark in his eyes as I greeted him.
“I didn’t expect to meet one more head of the revolutionary government here. However, it’s a pleasure nonetheless, Maximillien Le Jidor, as you should know, I’m the Marquis Pierre De Lafayette.”
Jidor raised one eyebrow at my words, certainly disconcerted with this situation as much as I was.
With a polite smile, he slowly raised his hands and adjusted his glasses that were perched on his nose.
“It’s indeed a pleasure to meet you, Marquis Pierre De Lafayette. I, Maximillien Le Jidor, a member of the government of the Republic of Francia, greet you.”
It was certainly a novel feeling to greet the man who was in charge of my execution once.
As this situation unfolded, Brisseau fidgeted nervously like a misbehaving child caught by their parents, while Christine covered her face with a fan as her deep black eyes watched us.
This bizarre combination of people and their diverse reactions brought a smile to my face.
“Haha-. I apologize for this sudden greeting since I didn’t expect to see another VIP at this meeting. I trust that you won’t be offended by my actions?”
Jidor nodded with a stiff face.
“I simply didn’t expect that a high noble such as you, Marquis, would recognize the face of a humble prosecutor and representative of the people. However, I cannot and will not apologize for my rudeness. As a representative of the common people, I’m still undecided if this ‘meeting’ constitutes an act of betrayal against the Republic of Francia.”
Ah, now I understand.
There must have been some leak about this meeting, and the radicals suspect Brisseau is conspiring with the nobility.
Although they weren’t sent to the guillotine, their fate seems to rest on the outcome of this meeting.
That would explain the 2-day delay.
They must have debated how they would proceed with this matter, but after some deliberation, they appeared to have chosen a wait-and-see approach by sending Jidor as an observer.
I cast a subtle glance towards Brisseau, who kept his head low.
Tsk, Tsk-. I knew the moderates were in a tough spot, but to think they wouldn’t even manage their own information……
Suppressing a tired sigh, I looked at Christine, and after a moment, she seemed to understand my intent and nodded.
Though this was outside our original plan, I had to gain something from this since I invested so much already.
“Well, that may turn out for the best. We desire a meeting with the Republic anyway, so how about it? Since you’ve come all the way here, why don’t you participate in this meeting as well?”
–
The mayor, who had been having stomach problems worrying about a clash in his city, seemed very relieved as he led us towards a warm meeting place, where we would begin negotiations that would be anything but.
“Are you saying you don’t just want to propose an alliance, but you wish to join the Republic?”
Brisseau appeared to be delighted, but prosecutor Maximillien Le Jidor said with a cold tone.
“You might not be aware of this, but the Republic of Francia has abolished and condemned the old system. Under our Republic, you will have none of the Privileges of the Second State.”
Jidor paused as he adjusted his glasses before continuing.
“If you are reaching out to the Republic trying to preserve the privileges you enjoyed under the old regime, while you abandon this crumbling Kingdom, then I must enlighten you of your foolishness. Our Republic stands behind the principles of Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity. We have freed the people from the oppression of the Second State and we stand in opposition to your old regime. We are completely committed to our valours of Equality and Fraternity, regardless of social status.”
“Liberty. Equality. Fraternity. Pretty words, shame they don’t seem to include the nobles in your territories.”
“They oppressed the people. They never saw us as equals and gave us no respite. Only now are they paying for centuries of oppression.”
I probed at his beliefs, but Jidor answered me without a single hint of doubt.
As I thought, it would be pointless to engage in a battle of wits with this bunch.
With a minor smirk, I opened my mouth.
“It appears to me that you’ve misunderstood our intentions. We clearly stated that we wished to join the Republic. In other words……that we also wish to be part of the Third Estate.”
Silence fell in the meeting for a moment as I clearly stated our intentions to join them. After a couple of seconds, Brisseau seemed to regain his composure as he spoke.
“Senator Jidor. The Marquis and Countess, alongside their vassals, have expressed their wish to join our Republic and abide by its laws. Doesn’t that seem sincere enough?”
Jidor narrowed his eyes as he opened his mouth.
“As Senator Brisseau said, do both of you truly wish to join our Republic?”
“Yes. We intend to incorporate our domains into the Republic and be governed by its laws. We also plan on integrating our army into the Republic’s folds.”
As soon as I said this, the Republic representatives began to whisper among themselves.
For them, there couldn’t be a better deal than this.
Although they hold the Capital – Lumiere, the revolutionary government is weak and unstable outside their main seat of power in the north.
Now, in this situation, a territory larger than their current Republic is willing to join their rule, alongside countless elite soldiers who have fought and won the Civil War.
For the Republic, this was a heaven-sent blessing as they had both King Louis and foreign nations seeking their dismantling.
Jidor took a momentary leave to discuss this matter with his entourage, and after a moment, he returned with narrowed eyes and said.
“What do you want in return?”
“You will guarantee that the rights the Third Estate enjoys will be offered to the nobility as well.”
These rights were as follows: voting rights, eligibility for election, property rights, and the right to be judged under their equal law, based on Freedom. Equality and Fraternity.
It may seem quite obvious, but this is an important matter for nobles who are discriminated against in the Republic.
“……Also, the nobles who transfer their governance rights to the republic will receive command of the Republic’s army in return. In my case, I want the position of Commander-In-Chief of the army.”
“W-What did you say?!”
“Could there be a problem with my terms? As of now, my forces are the single most powerful military in this Kingdom. Integrating them under the flag of the revolutionaries and even giving the governance of my lands, passed from generation to generation, should more than qualify for this. Also, I don’t think there is any doubt about my ability as a military commander.”
We must at least maintain military authority after we hand over the governance of our lands.
They wouldn’t be aware of this, but currently, my army has overgrown its own income. Currently, both Christine and I have to cover our military expenses through profits from trading companies and personal assets, because the income generated from our lands is simply not enough to sustain our forces.
By transferring the ownership of our lands, and the army to the Republic while having some of our people in command of their forces, we could throw this burden onto them while we draw salaries from the Republic, keeping our hold on the military.
After all, the only capable commanders the Republic has would be Raphael Valliant and some of his subordinates, so they would have no choice but to rely on us, whether they like it or not.
“Are you suggesting we hand over the army tasked with protecting the Third Estate and the Republic to you? A member of the Second Estate?”
Jidor said this with a clipped tone as his cold eyes glared at me.
Of course, it wouldn’t be easy for them to hand over their control.
“As I said, we abdicate any privilege pertinent to the Second Estate. Since we would be under the laws of the republic, we would be on equal footing as you, the Third Estate. It’s my belief that you recognize and reward those from the Third Estate that have contributed to the Republic, granting them various privileges and statuses.”
As I said this, the corners of my mouth curled in a Cheshire smile.
“Other than the fact that we would be Ex-Nobles, is there any disqualifying reason why we wouldn’t receive the same standard of Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity granted to the citizens of the Republic?”
The moment I said this, the meeting became buried in a cacophony of shouts.
Some yelled in uproar, saying that nobles couldn’t be trusted, others shouted, saying that if they accepted my proposal they would welcome a coup to their government.
However, amidst all this chaos, Maximillien Le Jidor remained quiet, his hands clasped over his mouth.
When the commotions subsided, Jidor opened his mouth.
“Your proposal is akin to a sweet poison. We cannot accept this, and surrender the lives of the Republic citizens in your hands. Furthermore, the basic rights of the Third Estate you desire are problematic.”
Having said this, Jidor looked towards Christine.
“We guarantee the right to vote, but that only applies to adult men. Even if the Marquis holds the rights of vote and candidature, the Countess won’t have such rights. Besides, it’s unlikely that the citizens of Lumiere will agree to entrust the army to a noble just because you are giving up your land-”
Christine interrupted Jidor’s words as she snapped her fan shut.
“From my knowledge, you also confer different voting rights based on the properties of the citizens, isn’t that right?”
“Indeed. But as I said this is granted only to men who are of age, we can’t make any exceptions in this regard……”
“I’ll give you half of the Republic’s quarterly budget.”
Silence befalls the meeting.
Amidst the sound of people swallowing their saliva, Christine seemed to enjoy this moment as she smiled and added in an elegant tone.
“I also know that there is a severe food shortage in the Capital, Lumiere. And a similar problem is occurring across the Republic.”
Upon hearing those words, Jidor’s face hardened into a severe frown.
During the civil war, peasants from the northern regions were conscripted as soldiers, and the lands became barren due to the battles, with an unprecedented harsh winter adding to their misery.
Even the local branch of Abyss Corporation was ransacked by the revolutionaries, and with foreign powers considering the Republic a serious threat, importing food was nothing but a dream.
Although the Revolution was a movement to better the lives of people, they were leaving the same people to starve. Of course, it’s not quite their fault, but the public sentiment won’t take this into account.
“It just so happens that the Aquitaine Trading Company has acquired a substantial amount of food. And as a prospective member of the Republic, I simply cannot ignore the people’s suffering, so I’m willing to sell it at a good price. That’s it, if you grant me the rights I deserve as a member of the Third Estate, and provide tax privileges to the Aquitaine Trading Company.”
Hearing this, Brisseau said with a hopeful expression.
“If we accept this offer from the Countess, the Republic can overcome a significant part of our problems. The privileges they ask for aren’t excessive, are they?”
However, Jidor proved to be a tough party once more.
“So you seek to bribe your way into the Republic with the wealth amassed by exploiting the people during the Civil War?”
Christine sighed with boredom as she looked at me, and when I nodded, she took the documents her aide presented to her and pushed them across the table.
The stack of papers slid across the table, stopping in front of Jidor, who furrowed his brow as he looked at them, then as he examined the contents, his eyes widened and he began to tremble.
“The heads of the Republic government, the so-called rulers for the people, are enjoying a luxurious life through deals that contradict the ideals this Republic stands for.”
The seed of doubt was planted as Christine’s words spread around the meeting.
“As far as I know, the Aquitaine Trading Company never made deals that would harm the citizens of the Republic. Perhaps your ideals of Equality and Fraternity are only applied to those who wish to join you? While you overlook the wrongdoers within?”
With each word preferred by Christine, Jidor’s face took another shade of pale.
Now, what would the ‘The Unbribable’ prosecutor do?
After a long while, when Jidor’s trembling ceased, he placed the documents on the table, allowing his entourage to read them.
I have to give it to him, he may be our worst enemy right now, but at least he is a man who is capable of acknowledging what should be acknowledged.
Now it should be a good time for me to intervene.
“King Louis recognizes the people of Francia who have risen against the old regime as rebels.
He has already requested aid from both the Germania Empire and the Northern Alliance. Both nations will soon join the fight, looking to profit from our nation’s misfortune.”
Now, not a single person in this meeting was showing their anger.
“Though it’s natural for you, who claim to represent the Third Estate, to be wary of us, we have a common enemy in the form of that brutal tyrant. We are both sons and daughters of Francia, ready to stand against the invaders who wish to use the Tyrant’s desperation as a pretext to invade our land.”
Everyone focused on me, as I said those words.
“There is still some time. However, if we continue to foster discord among us, turning away from the possibility of coexistence, then Francia will be swept away by the predators that lurk beyond our borders.”
I stared into Jidor’s eyes and said.
“If that happens, nothing will remain. Not us, not you, nor the people of Francia.”
That stupid King wishes to reclaim his crumbling throne, even if this meant selling his Kingdom to the other nations, while we were too busy fighting among ourselves.
“We have come prepared to sacrifice a lot. Ready to hand over our privileges, our lands, and our armies to the Republic. This should at least prove that we are different from those arrogant and corrupt nobles of the old regime that were only good for exploiting the people.”
I wonder how much longer are they going to be stuck with those pretenses of a Republic for the common people alone?
“Even then, you refuse our conditions, you throw a fit over something as trivial as us wanting to retain command over our forces when we join the Republic?
How could we even negotiate and find a compromise if you refuse to even hear our proposal? We have offered you lands, a trained and skilled army, wealth, and even food. We came here prepared to join your cause without the need of shedding even more blood; we offered you the greatest deal possible.”
However,
“If you reject your offer, if you refuse to trust us, then we will have no choice but to side with the King or the foreign powers. This would certainly mark one of the darkest days for us as sons and daughters of Francia, but surely you won’t refuse us simply because of your prejudice against the nobility?”
Looking around the meeting room, I could see that everyone was speechless for a moment, as Jidor seemed to sigh and say.
“……We cannot agree to anything during this meeting. Unlike you nobles, we must listen and heed to the decisions taken in the National Assembly. However, we can negotiate a fair deal and bring this matter to the Assembly.”
Well, this could be considered a major success already.
Finally, my plans were getting into place.
“Good, now we can finally start a proper negotiation.”
TL Note: I did a girl math!
So Christine is giving half of the republic’s Quarterly budget.
If we search for France’s budged for 2023 it is about 785BI Napoleons.
Dividing this by 4 we have 196.26 Bi Baggetes.
Bruh
