Chapter 275 The One Who Can Stop The Rampage
"Hmm. I feel like I've caught a glimpse of the source of Miss Sara's rampage."
Rihito spoke gently to Sara.
"What do you mean?"
"I think I mentioned earlier that you lack awareness of your reincarnation. It seems that regaining your memories was a bit too early for you. I understand the direction you want to go in. However, this world has its own values and rules. If you try to overturn them suddenly, there will definitely be backlash. If Miss Sara continues to rampage as she pleases, it will eventually lead to a big conflict involving those who love you. You may have already spread the seeds of trouble everywhere, haven't you?"
Hearing this, the Grandchester family, starting with Marquis Grandchester, understood that Rihito was a reincarnator. A surprised Edward continued speaking.
"Master Paracelsus is a reincarnator?"
"Oh, you didn't hear that from Miss Sara beforehand? I thought she would talk to you before waking me up."
"Are you of the Grandchester bloodline?"
"I don't have any physical traits of the Grandchester family, and more importantly, I'm from the old Odel, so I think the chances are low."
"Even if you aren't of the Grandchester bloodline, there are still reincarnators, huh?"
"Let me ask you in return, why do you think there are only reincarnators in the Grandchester family?"
In an instant, all the boys of the Grandchester family fell silent and looked down, but Marquis Grandchester raised his face and explained the reason.
"Our ancestor was a reincarnator. It is said that the ancestor developed this land using 'Zensen no Kioku (Memories of Past Life)'."
"I had a feeling about that. I noticed strange technologies being used here and there in this land."
"Yes. Once, this area was part of a vast forest at the foot of the Aklar Mountains. The ancestor cleared the forest and turned the land around the Akla River into a rich farming area. The land that was developed became the property of the Grandchester family, and our territory grew vast."
"Hmm. It is common knowledge for those who have studied the history of Avalon, including the small skirmishes with neighboring lords who aimed for that fertile land. Unlike now, 500 years ago, territorial wars were normal and not illegal."
At that time, the King of Avalon did not have as much power, and he could not stop the lords from fighting over territory. However, the royal family, worried about such conflicts, along with the Duke family, which was related to the royal bloodline, and the noble families that supported the royal will, worked to strengthen the monarchy and gradually calm the disputes within the country.
The Grandchester family was originally a poor Count family, but through development, they expanded their territory and built a fortified city protected by strong fortresses to defend against invasions from outside. This fortified city is now known as Grandchester Castle. And the Grandchester family pledged loyalty to the royal family to prevent invasions from other territories and was promoted to Marquis.
"However, despite leaving behind such achievements, the founder had very little magical power and passed away without receiving the blessings of fairies like you did. The founder revealed to his grandson, the second Marquis Grandchester, that he was a reincarnator, and left a will saying, 'Another reincarnator will appear someday. When that happens, I want you to reveal that I was a reincarnator and show my records'."
"Could it be that you thought only those of the Grandchester bloodline would give birth to the next reincarnator?"
"That's correct."
The second Marquis Grandchester, who is Kazuya's grandson, revered Kazuya so much that he believed only great reincarnators would be born from Kazuya's bloodline. Because of this, he even created family rules that swore absolute loyalty to the next reincarnator.
'So, in other words, we mistakenly thought we were special because of our blood? Uh, isn't that kind of embarrassing?'
"Then, does Miss Sara have access to those records?"
"No, I've only shown her Kazuya's, or rather the founder's, rough notes."
"May I ask why?"
"Well... Sara is still young, and being a woman, she probably won't become a lord."
"I see. That explains why Miss Sara might have some issues."
Seeing Rihito's troubled expression, Robert felt a sense of urgency.
"Mr. Paracelsus, you seem to understand Sara better than I do as her father."
"I apologize if I offended you. However, as a reincarnator from the same world, I feel I can understand what Miss Sara might be upset about."
"Please tell me. What are we doing wrong?"
Robert stared at Rihito with a serious look.
"I don't think you are wrong. It's just that the standards that shape values, thoughts, and actions are different, so Miss Sara feels it is 'unreasonable.'."
"'Unreasonable'... is it?"
"In the country where Miss Sara used to live, there is a monarchy, but there is no noble system. Everyone except the royal family is a commoner. All citizens are equal under the law, and discrimination based on gender, race, s*xual orientation, or religion is against the law. The freedom to choose a profession is recognized by law, and employers cannot decide on hires based on gender or s*xual orientation."
"Huh? But there are many jobs that women can't do, right? And isn't it strange for a society not to protect weak women?"
"Well, there are certainly workplaces with many men and others with many women, but I can't think of a job that can be outright declared as 'impossible for women.' I understand the idea of protecting the weak, but aren't women not the only ones who are weak? There are also strong women, after all."
Rihito spoke to Marquis Grandchester as well.
"Earlier, Your Excellency the Marquis said, 'In situations close to death, a knight's reason is not that strong.' I completely agree. That's why knights discipline themselves through chivalry."
"That's right. However, it is also true that there are mercenaries and soldiers conscripted from commoners on the battlefield, and it is difficult to impose chivalry on them."
"Is it really only women who are in danger? I've lived a long life for no reason, and I've seen many boy soldiers who were abused on the battlefield, as well as weak men who were beaten to death by their own allies as a way to release their stress. As a pharmacist, I've been to various battlefields, so I probably know the horrors better than anyone here."
"What!"
Marquis Grandchester was left speechless. Of course, he had military experience. However, since he was always in a commanding position, he didn't directly know the actions of the lower-ranking soldiers. He only received reports about someone in his army committing acts of looting, fighting among themselves, or assaulting women, and he would take action after hearing their side of the story.
"Of course, I understand that women face higher risks. However, if I may say so, it is the commander's role to control the discipline of the army and boost morale. Saying that discipline breaks down because there are women is like saying there is a problem with the commander's ability. In fact, there are countries that have successfully employed female knights."
"I see. Perhaps what Mr. Paracelsus says is true."
Edward also asked Rihito a question.
"But can a country be governed only by commoners?"
"It's difficult to explain the entire system of the country, but the closest example would be the republics found in the Coastal Union."
"The king still reigns, right?"
"Yes. The royal family is a symbol of the country, but they do not get involved in politics. Politics is carried out by representatives chosen by the people."
"Aren't there any lords?"
"Each region has its own local governance, but the representatives of those regions are also chosen by the people. There are terms, and they do not inherit their positions."
Edward tilted his head at this explanation.
"But commoners are just commoners. Farmers grow crops, craftsmen make things, and merchants do business. Don't they lack the ability to govern?"
'Wow, Uncle Edward really can't shake off his aristocratic superiority.'
"The reason royalty and nobles can govern a country is that they have the knowledge to do so, right?"
"That's true. They receive a high level of education from a young age."
'Knowing Adam's situation and still saying that, Uncle Edward really has thick skin.'
"In our world, every citizen has the right to at least 9 years of education starting from the age of 6, and parents, the country, and local governments have the duty to provide education for children. Many citizens continue to receive higher education and gain specialized knowledge. By the way, Miss Sara, how long did you receive education?"
"After finishing compulsory education, I took 3 years of higher education and 4 years of specialized training to join the merchant guild. I also worked in another country while receiving 2 years of specialized training. By the way, I attended a preschool for about 3 years before compulsory education, and during both compulsory and higher education, I also went to a private school called a prep school."
"Huh? Sara, were you planning to become a scholar or something?"
"No, I never intended to do that. The education I received is quite common, regardless of the training abroad."
Sara answered calmly, but Edward was confused. Marquis Grandchester and Robert were not surprised since they had heard it before. Meanwhile, Thomas and the children were shocked but understood the reason for Sara's high ability.
"Well, I was a scholar in my previous life. After receiving compulsory education and higher education like Miss Sara, I underwent 6 years of specialized training and obtained a national qualification. After that, I just focused on research at a research institution. You can think of me like an alchemist or a pharmacist continuing their research at an academy. I don't know much about the founder of Grandchester, but they probably came from the same country as us. Considering the irrigation systems in this country, it seems likely they were involved in civil engineering. They probably received a high level of education. The early buildings of Grandchester Castle are incredibly sturdy, after all."
'Was Kazuya an architect, I wonder?'
Sara realized that Rihito was observing the Grandchester territory much more calmly than she was.
"So, in the world you came from, does that mean all commoners receive an education that even the nobles here can't match?"
"Over there, there's no magic, and probably no fairies either, so I can't say it's definitely better than here. Not every citizen has excellent grades, you know. However, if they want to, anyone can participate in politics."
"I-I see."
After saying that, Edward fell silent. He was probably facing his pride as a noble.
"But, well, that's just a discussion about the 'system.' It's very questionable whether the system is actually being implemented correctly in reality."
"What do you mean?"
Robert responded in place of the still-silent Edward.
"First of all, the fact that we need to establish gender equality by law shows that in the past, women were discriminated against in the previous world. If men and women were truly treated equally in society, there would be no need for laws to enforce it. The very fact that we have to raise our voices and assert this means that achieving a society where everyone is equal is difficult. In reality, there are still issues of gender and racial discrimination in other countries."
Then Rihito looked at Sara again.
"Miss Sara, I understand what you feel as a woman in this world. If you suddenly shouted to society, 'In the beginning, women were truly the sun,' I would support you. However, I cannot agree with destroying the social order with strong and hasty actions. You should learn more about the social systems and order of this world. You must have faced a lot of unfairness in your previous life too, right? If you were in a trading company, you would have seen various countries and conducted business according to their rules."
"Yes. You're right."
Sara nodded honestly.
"Remember what happens when different ideologies clash. If things stay as they are, you might become a spark for conflict yourself. You should be more aware of how dangerous the cheat of a reincarnator can be."
At that moment, everyone related to the Grandchester family and the maidens thought the same thing.
'This person can stop Sara's rampage!'
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