The Azalia Marquisate has the most unique political system among the seven marquisates.
First, there is no king or marquis in the Azalia Marquisate. Instead, elected councilors gather in a parliament to decide the affairs of the state.
Councilors backed by the citizens' support submit bills to the parliament, and the parliament deliberates on them. Short as a few hours, long as a few months. Through verbal battles, fierce debates, abusive language and insults, and sometimes even fistfights, they reach a conclusion.
The bills passed this way become laws, forming the foundation that supports the Azalia Marquisate.
That's right.
The Azalia Marquisate is a republic.
One person can be wrong. But many cannot.
In the past, after the Marquis pushed ahead despite opposition from those around him and ordered a march toward the Demonic Federation, only to be utterly ruined, that strong belief turned the Azalia Marquisate into a republic. The Azalia Marquisate, which had a powerful House of Lords since ancient times, easily established a parliamentary system.
Surviving as a republic was not easy. In a world where the Empire held hegemony, the Emperor viewed the existence of the republic with disapproval. The Empire kept them in check, and armies of other nations have invaded, but the citizens of the Azalia Marquisate united as one to protect their ways.
A nation where the parliament is the Marquis, and the citizens' support is power.
The Republic of Azalia.
"...With 112 votes in favor, 7 abstentions, and 1 vote against."
The marquisate, which did not yield even to the Empire's persecution.
"The Azalia Marquis Parliament has resolved to enthrone His Majesty as the Marquis of the Azalia Marquisate. The parliament is dissolved, and will soon change its name to the Advisory Council, becoming His Majesty's yardstick."
Vanished as of today.
That strong, solid, and firm belief that even made the Empire click its tongue in admiration was shattered to pieces with the appearance of the King of Humans. While everyone hung their heads in sorrow.
The King of Humans, who alone destroyed the republic, was not pleased with His achievement. The King of Humans spoke in a rather dissatisfied tone.
"You made your own yardstick, yet you abandon it yourselves?"
At the words of the King of Humans, former Speaker Charles IV swallowed his humiliation, bowed his head, and reported.
"Because a single being is superior to us all and represents more people than all of us combined. The parliament has lost its raison d'être. For the King of Humans—"
"But, you cast the opposing vote, didn't you?"
Charles IV gasped.
The voting of the Marquis Parliament is held secretly in a sealed room protected by strict security. Naturally, this is to prevent retaliation against the councilor who cast the opposing vote.
A councilor's opinion must not face retaliation. Only then can conviction be put into the vote.
This is a fundamental principle supporting the republic, and a rule that has never changed even once in the Marquis Parliament.
Yet, to accurately know that Charles IV cast the opposing vote.
"H-How did you..."
"I can know everything I wish to know. Because I can see it."
"That goes against the principle of secret ballot, Your Majesty."
"You say you will dissolve the parliament, do you still need that principle? Must I follow what even you have abandoned?"
Charles IV immediately regretted the words he had spat out.
He should have sunk in silence. He should have resisted pettyly with silence. Defying the clear and obvious King of Humans here would only make Charles IV miserable.
However, Charles IV could not endure the pure yet cruel gaze of the King of Humans.
"You cling to the parliament until the very end. Do you need the formality of making the decision to abolish the parliament through the parliament itself? In truth, it's just broken."
"...This parliament is the symbol and history of the Azalia Marquisate!"
Charles IV swallowed his indignation and shouted.
"Due to the foolishness of the Southern Marquis, a hundred thousand soldiers died or were crippled, and the Azalia Marquisate fell into a dark age. But he still made only wrong decisions despite the loyal advice of those around him! The House of Lords, unable to stand by any longer, condemned him, dragged him down, and established the Marquis Parliament! This Marquis Parliament is the Azalia Marquisate itself that endured even the Empire's persecution!"
The King of Humans said nothing. Because He realized there was no substance to Charles IV's words.
"One person can be wrong, but when many gather, they cannot be wrong! This is the meaning of the republic! What Your Majesty is trying to destroy now is the very history of the Azalia Marquisate!"
The King of Humans briefly summarized the long speech.
"It's a contradiction."
The King of Humans rose from His seat. Just by revealing His figure, the inside of the parliament seemed to brighten as if clouds were parting. At that overwhelming beauty and radiant light. And charisma, everyone in the parliament unknowingly bowed their heads.
It was the same for Charles IV.
Over fifty years old, having served as Speaker five times, a descendant of a prestigious family that produced councilors for four generations.
Before the King of Humans, he was reduced to just an old and weak human.
YWJsdEJUOFpDY0Y2Z21xaStxWjJiT2lTNEVrZEhqVFZYMFBnZkl0ZTNSTUxJRlBoemJLdTM4MkYrNExMeXBxeg
His appearance, power, background, education and wealth, his custom-tailored suit by a chief designer, his ornaments adorned with beautiful jewels. All became meaningless.
"You said one person can be wrong, but when many gather, they aren't. But the conclusion reached by many gathering is the exact opposite, isn't it? You're saying you'll leave it to me alone."
"...They were just temporarily blinded by Your Majesty's brilliance. They will regret this regression too."
"I wonder?"
The King of Humans tilted His head. While everyone was mesmerized by the innocent and lovely gesture, the King of Humans was already in front of Charles IV.
"This parliament was your stage, your power, and your weapon. You're just sorry to see the weapon you wielded at will disappear, aren't you?"
Charles IV was of a collateral line of the royal family, and his family held immense power in the House of Lords. The House of Lords interfered in the Marquis's every move, and the Southern Marquis struggled to escape their influence.
However, the times were unfavorable. The alchemist the Southern Marquis confidently brought in ruined the nation's economy, and the army he forcibly conscripted to make up for that mistake was annihilated by the Demon King.
The Southern Marquis was different from the Grandiomor royal family, who possessed divine power. He was merely a noble born into a good family. No one supported him, and no army remained to protect him.
The House of Lords, backed by the support of the citizens, drove out the Southern Marquis and opened a new era centered on the House of Lords.
At the center of it was the Charles family.
"You shifted all responsibility onto others and took the fruits for yourself, remaining aloof alone in the garden of sin, didn't you?"
Unfavorable bills are postponed on the pretext of prudence.
Favorable bills are actively adopted.
Councilors threatening to power are politically removed. They pretend to fight each other to divert attention and stall for time. Time is a cure-all. Even the anger that seemed ready to blaze up all fades away with time.
While the Azalia Marquisate had the most progressive system of a republic, it became the most conservative country.
The fact that Charles IV served as Speaker across four generations could be said to be proof of that.
"You're just rebelling because you're reluctant to let it go."
The King of Humans saw through the system Charles IV had created.
The republic might have had a grand and noble meaning. But living in reality, the ideals ended up stained by the secular world. No matter how desperately one calls out for the ideals belatedly, the King of Humans does not answer.
"How long are you going to be stubborn? You know that I already know, don't you? Can't you hear the outside voices of the many more people?"
The King of Humans gently reached out His hand. Following the gentle gesture, one wall of the parliament building crumbled into dust. The finely grown moss instantly disintegrated the rock, the ground sank underground, and one wall completely collapsed, revealing its secret and fragile inner flesh to the world.
Outside, thousands of citizens were gathered. As soon as they saw the King of Humans standing alone in the parliament, they cheered.
"Waaaaah!"
"Our King!"
Cheers like thunder fill the parliament. Light and noise rush in through the collapsed wall. A mere 120 councilors. It was a fierce and destructive will that their number could not handle.
"Destroy that noble council of those aristocrats!"
"It's a parliament where they only take care of themselves anyway!"
"They're all hereditary positions, just tossing ten seats as charity and telling us to eat scraps and drop dead!"
"If the will of the majority is truly more noble!"
"Crush them in the name of the citizens, in the name of humans!"
The yardstick of the Azalia Marquisate is the yardstick of the majority. The King of Humans moved by that yardstick and single-handedly took control of the parliament.
The King of Humans clapped. Now, pointing at the collapsed wall, He commanded the councilors.
"Now. It's dismissed. You are also ordinary citizens now, so go join them."
The councilors panicked at the sudden command. Go among those excited, crazed citizens? They would be lucky not to be beaten to death.
Why did the councilors of the Marquis Parliament decide to serve the King of Humans? Since they couldn't win anyway, it was to win the favor of the King and the citizens even through a formality. But if they were driven out here, they would become nothing.
The councilors hastily bowed their heads.
"Your Majesty. With all due respect, the parliament is still of use."
"No matter how great Your Majesty is, You cannot hear the voices of millions."
"As representatives of the citizens, we will listen to the voices of the citizens and convey them to You."
For some, it was a lie to get through the situation; for others, it was absolute sincerity. There were also many who wanted to swear loyalty to the powerful and absolute being called the King of Humans.
However, His Majesty did not grant such desires.
"Unnecessary. I can hear, after all."
"Pardon?"
"Now, since I've come here, I'll try using your yardstick. You said if one is alone they can be wrong, but if there are many, they aren't?"
The King of Humans cleared His throat for a moment. Ah, ah, ah. Every time He made a short sound, His jade voice gradually grew louder and deeper. By a mystical and auspicious energy, even the citizens farthest away could hear His Majesty's jade voice.
"My yardsticks. If you are hearing this voice, look up to the sky and shout."
His Majesty's jade voice thus spread throughout the Azalia Marquisate.
A traveler walking by the roadside heard the jade voice carried by flower petals. A farmer heard the jade voice carried by the clouds. A housewife doing chores at home heard the jade voice carried by the shaking earth.
The citizens and councilors shuddered at the omnipotence shown by the King of Humans. Feeling fear and terror, they would bow their heads anywhere, hide under their blankets, and tremble.
But the voice still reached them. The jade voice of the King of Humans was transmitted to everyone simultaneously.
"What do you desire?"
And the world was covered in countless noises and desires.