Chapter 484: Chapter 420: A Reform Destined to Fail
Narrow-minded man~
Upon hearing Leon’s answer, knowing the reason he said that was to retaliate for her earlier "teasing," the princess couldn’t help but glare at him in feigned annoyance.
"Stop ssing around, I genuinely want to hear your opinion."
Putting away any thoughts of "flirtatious banter," Princess Veronica straightened up and said earnestly:
"What you said just now was interesting. Although it was a bit blunt, it indeed captured the essence of power. You haven’t been involved in politics, but you don’t seem dull to these matters. In fact, there’s a kind of... um... very unusual sharpness.
So, if possible, could you talk to
about your thoughts? For example, what do you think about the things I’ve been doing these past few years, from your perspective?"
What do I think?
Looking at the princess across from him, who was genuinely eager to hear his thoughts, Leon pondered for a mont, then replied sowhat insincerely:
"What you’ve been doing... is great. At least you’re always doing the right things, and indeed many people’s lives have improved because of your efforts."
Is that really what you want to say?
Sensing sothing else in Leon’s sowhat perfunctory "praise," Princess Veronica looked into his eyes and then cautiously asked:
"Leon, do you... not agree with what I’ve been doing?"
"I do agree. What you’re doing can indeed make the Kingdom better."
Considering that he was still relying on her to pay for this al, Leon thought carefully and said as tactfully as possible:
"But your goal is probably not just to make the Kingdom a little better. You’ve put so much effort into dealing with the military for sothing more, right?"
"Hmm..."
Princess Veronica hesitated upon hearing this, feeling the topic might not be quite appropriate, but after looking at Leon across from her, she seriously admitted:
"I do want more. I don’t just want to be the next Queen of the Kingdom, but the best Queen!
You know, Joshua doesn’t have the talent necessary to be a good King. If he becos King, the entire Kingdom will fall into the hands of the Finance Minister and the Queen, and all my efforts for over six years will be in vain. I absolutely cannot let that happen!
Leon, although you might not believe it, I don’t have a strong desire for power. What I truly hope for is for the Kingdom to beco strong and maintain that strength, so that tragedies like the War of Defense never repeat on this land again."
"I’ve never doubted that."
Indeed, you are not soone with a strong desire for power. To you, power is more like a tool to achieve your goals. What you are truly pursuing is sothing else.
Having seen the essence of the princess’s soul, Leon nodded, indicating his willingness to believe her words. However, after seeing the clarity and determination in her eyes, he couldn’t help but gently remind:
"But I think your reforms might be very hard to succeed.
Even if there are so results, they’re unlikely to reach the kind of outco you hope for. The final situation will most likely differ greatly from the result you want... Are you ntally prepared for that?"
"..."
The things I’m doing... might likely end in failure?
After hearing Leon’s words, Princess Veronica slightly pursed her lips. However, she didn’t imdiately argue back but instead looked into Leon’s eyes and softly asked:
"Can you tell
why you feel that way?"
"..."
Am I starving so much that I’ve lost my mind? She’s a princess, after all, and I’m actually saying these things to her...
Seeing the stubbornness in her eyes, clearly not willing to relent without an answer, Leon couldn’t help but feel a hint of regret.
Regarding the princess’s so-called reforms, he did feel they were unlikely to succeed. In fact, he had thought so even earlier than today.
Yet he was only partially knowledgeable, so not very certain about this idea; plus, though the princess’s reforms had issues, they did indeed improve the lives of ordinary people in the Kingdom;
Moreover, he and she didn’t have a deeply established "relationship," so discussing this seed sowhat presumptuous, and thus he had never ntioned these things.
However, he had just caught a glimpse of her "ten-thousand-n-I-go-forth" essence from her eyes, and feeling reluctant to see her dreams shattered in the future, he instinctively shifted the conversation toward this topic.
Since I’m already here... might as well say sothing?
...
"Actually, right now it’s just a thought, not necessarily the correct one."
Slightly raising his head to et the princess’s calm gaze, Leon gently said:
"Take it with a grain of salt. If you find what I say makes so sense, perhaps consider it.
But if you think what I’m saying doesn’t make much sense, then simply forget it and continue doing what you want to do, because no matter what, what you’re doing now is not wrong."
After setting the stage for himself, Leon didn’t directly express his views but instead posed a question:
"Your Highness, if you were to simply categorize the political forces of the Kingdom based on their camps, what might it look like?"
"In terms of camps..."
Princess Veronica thought for a mont and then responded:
"The ones represented by
and the Minister of Defense should be considered the reformist faction; those promoted by the Lower House, the Pri Minister and the cabinet officials he appoints, along with so of the new nobility risen through comrce, they should be considered the parliantary faction;
Finally, the Old Nobility holding the Upper House, along with the remaining new nobility, collectively count as the noble faction.
Currently, there are mainly these three factions, but with Joshua having the support of the Finance Minister and the Queen, constantly wooing the nobility, it barely counts as a half-faction."
So it’s the reformist faction, parliantary faction, noble faction... hmm... and a marry-the-monkey faction!
"Not much different from what I learned before."
Nodding towards the princess, Leon continued to ask:
"Then, can you tell , these three and a half factions, whose interests do they specifically represent? Whom are they speaking for?"
Whose interests specifically?
Upon hearing Leon’s question, Princess Veronica frowned slightly, not quite understanding the point of his question, but still answered truthfully:
"As the leader of the reformist faction, I’m backed by the royal family, naturally representing the royal family; the Old Nobility represents themselves, while the parliant represents mainly the interests of big rchants; the remaining Joshua, although also representing the royal family, differs sowhat in ’aning’ from ;
I represent those who wish to suppress the nobility, trying to reclaim power for the royal family, whereas Joshua represents those royal family mbers who have familial ties but value the original family, leaning towards ’coexistence.’"
"Are you sure?"
"What?"
"I an, are you certain you represent the royal family’s interests? Are you really speaking for the royal family?"
"..."
?!!!
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