In Ark Simulator, why do I always get a tough start?

Chapter 104: The Issuance of the "Decree of Grace," Chen Huijie and Fiona's Decision

[After you declared yourself Queen of Kalan, you used the corpses of the elders of the Manju Abbey to show the people of Shelag that you are vengeful.]

Therefore, almost all the Sherag people believed that the Blantau family, whom you detained, were doomed to a miserable death.

But unexpectedly, you spared Ratatos's life.

Although her mental state was somewhat unstable, Latatos returned to the Brantau family unharmed.

[But before everyone could even marvel at your merciful side, Latatos brought your decree to everyone.]

You must convene a council of the three races.

The topic of discussion, however, was "abolishing the Three Races Council!"

[But before the Council of the Three Races began, you had Latatos deliver a decree called the "Decree of Grace" to all the families of Sherag.]

This is how you eradicated the three great families from Kjerag.

Simply put, the Decree of Grace changed the issue of "inheritance rights" within the Sherag family.

In the past, the Sherag family's business was always inherited by an heir chosen by the previous patriarch.

This heir is often the child most favored by the head of the family.

Aside from the heir, the head of the family's other children could only serve as generals, subjects, or servants around the new head of the family.

[And your "Decree of Grace" changes the rule that "family property can only be inherited by one person."]

[Your "Decree of Grace" allows every direct descendant of a family to inherit a portion of the family property.]

The majority of the estate is inherited by the new head of the family, while the other children inherit smaller portions, allowing each person to manage and develop their own estate within their designated area.

[And from this point on, the newly independent families will no longer be subject to the management of the larger family, but will instead be governed by the state, which is you.]

[Small, independent families no longer need to pay taxes to the larger family; instead, they pay directly to the state.]

When all the patriarchs learned of your "Decree of Grace" from Latatos, they immediately realized your sinister intentions.

You want to tear their family apart!

If all children in a family were to inherit property in the future, a large family would eventually break apart into smaller families over generations.

If it's only one generation, siblings who have just separated from their family might still get along well.

However, with each generation, blood ties gradually weaken, and the descendants no longer live under the same family roof.

As time goes by, will these descendants still consider themselves a family?

As large families shrink, conflicts between them increase, and the families can no longer unite as a cohesive force.

This situation will only further benefit your rule!

[This is a masterful, overt strategy!]

[After realizing this, the heads of many families were terrified by your strategy.]

Having spent their entire lives fighting in impoverished rural areas like Shelag, they now truly understood what a deceptively powerful, all-encompassing strategy meant.

"Oppose? How can we object?"

In Shiva's mansion, the heads of the families, who were about to be divided, gathered to discuss a foolproof plan.

However, after the well-informed Olafel analyzed the situation, the patriarchs were dismayed to find that they didn't even have the hope of opposing it.

"Now, the Edict of Grace has caused quite a stir in Shelag. I'm sure all the children in the family know that they have the right to inherit a portion of the family business."

"The decree has already been issued. Are we, the clan leaders, supposed to personally disinherit these children?"

"In the end, we have to bear the bitter fruit of the internal family conflicts ourselves."

For Olafur, who was highly educated and open-minded, dividing the family property was simply a normal procedure for any family.

Where can you find a family that never splits apart? Even brothers can drift apart after several generations.

All of this is just a cycle of history.

If only Sherag could break free from its closed-off and cyclical existence and become open and strong.

The Shiva'ish people, who had long been willing to dedicate everything to the development of Sherag, didn't care about the so-called division at all.

But towards the other family heads who had already stagnated, Olafur still adopted a look of shared indignation but also helplessness, trying his best to persuade them on behalf of his adopted son, saying:

"Moreover... esteemed clan leaders, do we still have the power to oppose this?"

“My adopted son, no, that tyrant, wields the most powerful military force in Shelag. Even if we unite, we cannot threaten him.”

"Moreover, don't forget that we all have families who are under his control."

As soon as Olafel finished speaking, all the family heads felt a tremor in their hearts.

Especially Aktos, this once rude and reckless man, has become completely muddled ever since his beloved wife and daughter were detained by Chen Qi.

Upon hearing Olafel's warning, Actos trembled and immediately cried out:
"No, no!"

"My Tatiana! My Rosalyn! They absolutely cannot die!"

The thought that he might have killed his beloved wife and daughter filled this most devout believer in Jeragund, a brave warrior who was not afraid of death, with fear that made him tremble all over.

He turned his desperate gaze to Olafel, the only one who could save his wife and daughter, and said in a humble, almost pleading tone:
"Patriarch Shivaash! You, you must have a way, right?"

"Please be sure to tell Qi that as long as he doesn't harm my wife and daughters, he can do whatever he wants with my head, Aktos!"

“...Head of the Perroch family.”

However, seeing Actos fall into the trap, while Olaf smiled inwardly, he shook his head with a wry smile and said:

“I have severed ties with that treacherous son who usurped the country. Now, my status in his heart is probably no better than yours.”

"In that tyrant's eyes, who among us can speak to him?"

"..."

After a moment of silence, the disheartened patriarchs were at their wits' end, and the Shivaesh mansion fell into a deathly stillness.

"Are we just supposed to watch helplessly as that tyrant tears our family apart?"

"We can't escape, and we can't fight back. What can we do but accept our fate?"

"The Brontao family will definitely support that tyrant to save their own lives. How can our two families possibly fight against that tyrant?"

Olafell heard the whispers of the family heads, some timid, some indignant, and some desperate.

He understood that the best time to help his child consolidate power had arrived.

"—Gentlemen, I may have a way to prevent us from being slaughtered by that tyrant, and at the same time, to fight against him."

"But before that, I have a question to discuss with the head of the Perroch family."

Seeing that all the family heads' gazes were focused on him, Olafel turned his gaze to the bewildered Actos and asked calmly:
“Patriarch Perroch, please tell me first.”

"In this situation, would you rather join us in opposing the 'Decree of Grace,' or would you choose to submit for the sake of your wife and daughters?"

"I……"

However, as soon as Olafel said this, Actos felt as if countless eyes were staring at him.

In this situation, Actos desperately wanted to be as tough as he had been in the past, to stand tall like an indomitable warrior.

But whenever he tried to muster the courage, the images of his wife and daughter flashed through his mind, and he felt like a balloon that had been punctured by a needle, unable to inflate any further.

"...I'm sorry, everyone."

“I cannot stand by and watch my wife and daughter die... I... am willing to comply.”

After saying this, Actos seemed to have had his spine broken.

Under the disappointed yet understanding gazes of all the family heads, the one who controlled the largest land and the most people in Sherag slumped back into his original seat.

The loss of their most capable leader in rebellion also brought a touch of sorrow to the faces of the other family heads.

Now, who can lead them to resist the tyrant's ravages?
"—In that case, there's only one way left."

Just when the heads of the families were in despair, Olafell, who had anticipated Actos's answer, offered his own solution at just the right moment.

"Now that two of the three major families have supported the Decree of Grace, my Shivaish family can no longer stop it no matter how much we oppose it. But perhaps we can take this opportunity to elect a representative to stand against that tyrant."

Seeing that everyone's eyes were on him, Olafel smiled and said:

"As you may recall, I studied in Victoria, and thus learned some of Victoria's political maneuvering."

“In the Victorian system, there is a figure called the ‘Grand Duke,’ who wields immense power and can be considered the representative of the nobility.”

“And I think we might follow Victoria’s example and elect a ‘Grand Duke’ to represent our family.”

“The tyrant wanted to divide our family, so we united to support a family representative and fight against that tyrant.”

"With this important minister's intervention, I think our people can avoid being at the mercy of others."

"Even... if something were to happen to that tyrant, we could seize the opportunity to overthrow him and make this high-ranking official the new king of Shelag."

"—Great idea!"

Olafel's words quickly garnered the support of many family heads.

After all, in Shelag, the scheming level of the self-sufficient family heads is at best that of rural people engaging in backstabbing and infighting.

And the sophisticated strategies proposed by Olafur, a man who had studied abroad and had a wide range of knowledge, which they had never even heard of, immediately led them by the nose.

"But the question is, who should we choose as this important minister?"

One of the family heads couldn't help but ask:

"That tyrant now holds the Holy Maiden in his hands, and his subordinates are all his trusted confidants who have risked their lives for him."

"The people we support probably won't gain that tyrant's trust and won't be able to hold high positions..."

"I know someone who is suitable."

At this moment, Olafel finally revealed his true intentions, and under the thoughtful gazes of the family heads, he spoke:

“My son, Ensiodis.”

“When my son was still a brother of the tyrant, he was highly regarded by him.”

"And now, my son has been entrusted with an important task by him, and has gone to Letania to negotiate business."

"He is the most suitable person right now, and the one most likely to accept our support and stand against the tyrant."

Before the other family heads could speak, Olafur shook his head with a wry smile and said with a sigh:
"Of course, if you have any doubts about the relationship between my Shiva'ish clan and the tyrant, you may simply ignore what I just said."

"—That's not true."

However, as soon as Olafel said this, the heads of the families, who were watching their last lifeline slip away, immediately stepped forward to express their respective attitudes.

"On the day of the coup, we all witnessed his ruthlessness towards your family! We have no doubt about the hatred between the Shiva'ish people and the tyrant!"

"Yes, this 'Decree of Grace' is not only aimed at us, but also at your Shiva'ish tribe!"

"He doesn't even spare his own family! That tyrant has no humanity whatsoever! If I were you, I would hate this beast to the core by now!"

The family heads spoke one after another, their righteous words seemingly not for Olafell's ears, but to numb themselves.

But soon, the heads of the families made the same decision, and all bowed to Olaviel, saying:
"We all recommend Ensiodis! We urge Chief Shivaish to do his utmost to persuade your son!"

"--Okay, I'll explain it to Ensiodes as soon as he gets back."

Seeing that all the family heads had fallen into the trap woven by his adopted son, Olafel was excited, but his face still showed a serious expression of not wanting to let everyone down.

But at the same time, Olafur couldn't help but sigh.

Pray... my son, is this all you have hoped for?

You've driven yourself into becoming a tyrant condemned by all and with no one to support you, concentrating all power in the hands of your brother.

...And then let your younger brother, in the future, overthrow your rule as the Demon King? And become the king that everyone is looking forward to?

Is this the method you've come up with for a smooth transition of power for Sherag?
Why must you, who so desperately wanted to save Kjerag, bear this heavy, eternal infamy...?

Olafel, his heart bleeding, could not show even a hint of heartache for his adopted son at this moment.

Outside Shivaesh's mansion, on this rare snowless day, Fiona and Chen Huijie, classmates, sat quietly warming themselves by a fire.

As outsiders, the two, who were not allowed to participate in the family head's discussion, chose to share their views on Chen Qi's coup here.

"Chenchen, you still seem angry with Qi?"

Beside the fire, Fiona gazed at Chen Huijie's face, which had been sullen for several days, and softly asked:
"Do you think that Qi's coup was achieved by taking advantage of your trust?"

"—Not entirely, Fiona, that's not why I hate him."

However, after several days, Chen Huijie, still feeling depressed, finally couldn't help but reveal her true feelings to her friend's concern.

"Actually, I had long anticipated that after the Manju Institute was overthrown, Qi might become the supreme leader of Sherag."

“A country cannot be without a ruler for a day. Even if Qi doesn’t say it, I know he will become the king of Shelag.”

"...But I never expected that he, as king, would not rule the country with justice, but instead use such brutal methods."

As she spoke, Chen Huijie's tone became increasingly disgusted and deeply disappointed.

“He could have used a fair trial to make the people of Shelag realize the darkness and ignorance of the Manju Institute and to rule the country with the law.”

"But why did he choose the most brutal method? To rule the country with terror and force? To make everyone fear him?"

"Wouldn't doing this plunge Sherag into an even deeper abyss?"

Chen Huijie was unaware of Chen Qi's anxiety.

In Chen Huijie's eyes, who firmly believed that only the law could bring order, she only saw the self she had originally envisioned, who had degenerated into the very thing she hated most overnight.

This made Chen Huijie begin to doubt whether the Chen Qi she knew was a fake.

Was all of this just a facade?

Could the "wolf-like gaze" described by that foolish elder really be true?
With her mind in turmoil, Chen Huijie began to have these thoughts for the first time, thoughts that she had previously dismissed.

"...Well, I'm not very knowledgeable about politics."

However, Fiona, sensing her friend's inner conflict, after a brief silence, revealed her own thoughts:
“But when I first heard from Qi’s brother that Qi was going to launch a coup, I was just as incredulous as you were.”

"So, Chenchen, do you know why I still agreed to help Qi?"

Seeing that Chen Huijie's gaze was drawn to her words, Fiona smiled slightly and replied softly:
"Because I truly believe that Qi really wants to save his family and also wants to make Sherag a better person."

"I believe that the person who shared the story of Sherag with me at the Royal Guard Academy, full of energy, was definitely not a fake."

"Although, coups are indeed somewhat despicable..."

"But throughout history, not all emperors and kings who have made their mark on history have necessarily succeeded to the throne, have they?"

"I think that as long as Qi can be a king who can make Sherag a better place."

"Perhaps people will gradually forget some of the less-than-honorable methods he used to seize power?"

"...Do you really believe that Qi will be a good king, Fiona?"

Chen Huijie stared at her wishful friend, a hint of mockery creeping into her voice.

Unlike Fiona, a country girl, Chen Huijie, born into a noble family, has seen far too many people succumb to the allure of power.

Even his uncle... wasn't he a cold-blooded animal who would abandon his own family for his own power?
"Then let's make a deal, Chen Chen."

Fiona, brimming with confidence, turned to her friend and said:
“If Qi is truly a good king, then Chenchen must promise me that we will stay in Shelag together until Qi abdicates.”

"What if Qi really turns bad..."

Fiona paused slightly, then, having made up her mind, forced a smile and said:

"Then, Chenchen and I will smash Qi's head in! Consider it our atonement, how about it?"

Looking at Fiona's little fist reaching out to her, Chen Huijie was slightly taken aback before finally revealing a long-lost smile.

"Okay, it's a deal."

(End of this chapter)