I, the Villain, Want to Save Myself, But the Yandere Heroines Disagree-Chapter 111 - Sincerity For Sincerity (1/2)

Although every emperor’s ascension was accompanied by internal strife, the current Orson, apart from his identity as a Duke’s son, held no power. The real decision-making power remained in his father Lucius’s hands. He wasn’t willing to be a son who caused trouble for his father. Therefore, he wouldn’t force Lucius to change alliances based on his decisions at school.

“Why?” Elsa showed a puzzled expression. “Although a Baron is the lowest level of hereditary nobility, they are still nobles protected by Imperial law!”

In the Empire, there was a law that forever distinguished nobles from commoners, wealthy merchants, and the like. It was this law that divided the Empire into two camps: nobles and non-nobles. Wealthy merchants desperately wanted to spend money to become nobles precisely because of this law.

That was the 《Noble Protection Act》.

At the beginning of the Empire’s establishment, the first Emperor, although granting titles to many nobles of varying ranks, still held significant central authority and influence.

After several generations, the rulers’ capabilities gradually declined, unable to suppress the local powers. Only then were several Great Dukes appointed, granting them control over all the lands outside the current directly governed territories of the Imperial Family.

However, to prevent the Dukes from too easily managing their directly governed lands and arbitrarily annexing territories under their subordinates, thereby further expanding their power, the Emperor at the time, while establishing the current political system, also enacted a set of laws specifically to protect minor nobles.

The 《Noble Protection Act》 explicitly stated that because nobles existed due to their families’ significant contributions to the Empire throughout history, this protection also extended to their descendants. The right to life and property of all nobles were protected by the Empire. If any commoner attempted to violate these two rights of a noble, the Empire would directly impose punishment.

In all social settings, commoners seeing a noble wearing their family crest, regardless of whether that noble was as high-ranking as a Duke or Prince, or as low as a Baron, must bow to the noble.

The noble’s superiors were not allowed to arbitrarily reclaim the noble’s fiefdom, unless the noble committed acts against the Empire that were enough to negate their ancestors’ contributions.

As for the standard of judgment, it rested entirely with the Imperial Court.

Yes, the function of the Imperial Court was not to preside over cases between commoners.

Commoners were not entitled to the services of judges.

Only nobles, and later wealthy merchants who joined their ranks, could resolve interest disputes through the court.

When disputes over land or property arose between nobles, or when cases involving loss of life occurred, the Imperial Court would step in to mediate these matters.

As for the trustworthiness of the Imperial Court, it was guaranteed.

The Imperial Court had a total of seven Chief Justices, one from the Imperial Family’s direct territory and one from each Duchy. Once appointed, they served for life, until they voluntarily retired.

There was no need to worry about Chief Justices acting improperly during case proceedings. Above the Imperial Court, there was an even higher judge: the Emperor.

If the Emperor learned of any misconduct, not only the Chief Justice but also the family and forces behind the Chief Justice would be affected.

If it was confirmed that Orson had hired someone to murder Trist, since both were nobles, although Orson’s noble rank was far above Trist’s, the matter would still be submitted to the Imperial Court for trial.

At that time, it would no longer be within Elsa’s power to help Orson.

Therefore, Orson knew that if Elsa wanted to help him, she would have already done so. Speaking like this now was purely in order to secure his verbal promise and get him to agree to help her compete for the position of Emperor.

Actually, Orson’s attitude towards Elsa was quite conflicted.

If he respected the original work and followed the events as they unfolded in the book, Elsa was undoubtedly a member of Litte’s harem, and he should have helped Elsa.

Because Elsa’s successful ascension was likely also due to Litte’s help.

But whether the current Litte could help Elsa was debatable, let alone the matter of the harem, which was completely baseless.

No wonder when he intentionally tried to set up Litte and Lianca earlier, nothing happened between them, and Litte even got a little upset about it.

He even used the metaphor of convexity and concavity. Well, with two convex shapes, there was no way they could fit together.

“Your Highness.” Feeling helpless, Orson decided to try and change the topic. “How do you view the 《Noble Protection Act》?”

“Me?” Elsa paused upon hearing this, then said, “I think this law is quite good. The Imperial Family’s control over directly governed territories is stronger than the Dukes’ in the first place. Introducing this law essentially cut off the Dukes’ avenues for illegal expansion.”

“Yes, from a political standpoint, this law seems quite good.” Orson nodded. “But is it not a problem that it fosters a group of reckless nobles?” Saying this, Orson stared at Elsa, trying to discern something from her eyes.

“Uh... what do you mean, Orson?”

“Your Highness should know, shouldn’t you? In the current Empire, there are many nobles like Trist, and perhaps even many more who have done worse things than Trist. We just haven’t received that information.”

By saying this, Orson had essentially confirmed that he was behind the incident.

But Elsa had already come with a firm conviction that he did it. Her earlier questions weren’t meant to trick Orson into admitting anything. Orson decided to drop the act.

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“Those scumbags, setting aside their noble status, they can’t even make a living in this society based on their own abilities. But just because their ancestors made some contribution to the Empire, they become so reckless.”

“Their continued presence in society poisons it far more than their ancestors’ contributions to the Empire. They are like woodworms in a piece of wood. If their numbers are allowed to continue growing, the entire Empire will eventually be destroyed by them.”

“Those merchants, at least, might lose their fortunes due to their descendants’ poor management, and their class decline happens within a few generations at most. But most nobles, from the time they acquired their land until now, over ten generations have passed!”

“When they commit wrongdoings, the Empire cleans up their mess. And they just need to sit in their castles or manors, drinking and singing, watching plays every day, and they can live lives like those above others.”

Orson’s words were actually applicable to any place, any organized country.

After all, once class stratification becomes severe, the probability of jumping classes becomes extremely low. Without social mobility, the entire society can be said to be in an extremely dangerous state.

“But, nobility is the foundation of the Empire...” Elsa interjected.

“I know, Orson. You might think that ordinary citizens are more important, but don’t forget that, given the education nobles receive, if the common people were to initiate a rebellion against the nobles, the nobles themselves could directly suppress it with force.”

Indeed, if Elsa hadn’t reminded him, Orson would have almost forgotten that this was a different world filled with magic and various fantasy elements.

Here, many things couldn’t be solved using previous ways of thinking.

Just like what Elsa said, when nobles controlled seventy percent of the nation’s wealth and ninety percent of its armed forces, what commoners and merchants thought seemed completely irrelevant to the nobles.