Dungeon Defense Chapter 168

Published at 25th of October 2021 01:45:14 PM

“Hoo.”

I stretched. The cool night air refreshed my lungs.

A sense of accomplishment filled my chest. There were dozens of pieces of paper in my hand. I had stayed up all night writing down the entire timeline of what was going to happen in Frankia's civil war.

It would probably be fine to call this my life's masterpiece. Civil wars and revolutions are not simple events. These things require extremely elaborate devices. I had split these devices into three parts and put them together.

The first device was this manuscript of about 15 pages. The title of this manuscript was . The manuscript started with the following paragraph.

– Even if the price is great, I must break away from this fallacy that is binding me. I must then inform the world of the complete truth and carry it out accordingly. This is the mission that has been given to all rational beings.

The document was written in the ancient imperial language.

The papers I was going to circulate weren't going to be used on the commoners. Commoners require intense emotions rather than some coherent logic. On the other hand, a mask known as logic is necessary to convince the more cultured and young scholars among the nobles.

They were no different from the commoners even if they were cultured. Even they act emotionally to a certain extent. They simply have a higher 'boiling point' than commoners. Logic was a device that helped cultured people reach that boiling point more easily.

– Farmers are like slaves as they are under the control of nobles. They are sometimes under the control of large landowners. As we are aware of this, there is no way that we could possibly be oblivious of this fact. This is because our income relies on this very slave system, thus we cooperate with it voluntarily. Adding to this, we know very well that this system is cruel and unfair…….

– 'If I inherit my parent's peerage, I will distribute land to the farmers', is there someone who has never made this resolve when they were younger? Why does one bear pride in the morning but resign themselves in the evening? This is because of our lives. We end up wasting 300 libra every year, so we feel the need for the slave system once more. 

– If we were to expose our lofty lives out in the open, then it would be like the following: our lives are not lived as we intended. We simply live according to how our lives flow. We have lost complete control of our ability to control our lives.

– How could anyone not be aware of this paradox? Until now, people believed that the slave system placed normal people under the control of nobles; however, the truth is the exact opposite. Nobles are the ones who are under the control of the slave system and are thus unable to lead their lives toward what they believe to be the right path.

– Today, the concerning notion that 'the dignity and level of the ruling class are becoming more feeble as the days go by', has become the talk of the town. The cause of this phenomenon is none other than that paradoxical slave system. In other words, the ones who are supposed to be the masters are paradoxically put under the control of slaves…….

“Amazing! These are some great lines.”

I couldn't help but be moved after reviewing my manuscript up to this point. This was a literary gem.

This wasn't a scholarly document. This was fundamentally no different from a speech. Speeches are given to persuade the other party, so you must have a grasp of what the other party wants and likes. The target audience of this manuscript was young scholars.

Young nobles are brats who are obsessed with honor. 

They fear becoming slaves more than anything else and firmly believe that they are pioneering their own lives. However, they know that something like freedom doesn't exist in the life of nobles as well.

If you were born as the first son, then you absolutely had to inherit everything. If your ruler starts a war, then you had to accept the draft. Second and third sons could at most become knights and wander around. All sorts of responsibilities were attached to them. I was pointing this fact out.

– The Gods had ordered us to become the rulers of the land. That is why we have been cultivating the land for thousands of years. However, if we look back at it now, we have not become the rulers of the land, but the slaves of the land. This is the result of us knowing what is right but disregarding it anyway.

– It has been discussed numerous times at conferences and official government meetings about why commoners are poor and what policies must be enacted to improve their lives. And yet, we would always remain silent when it came to the only right and proper method of improving those farmers' lives. In other words, having our land taken from us by the farmers.”

First, I have to acknowledge their pride. After that, I have to criticize them for how they had betrayed their own pride. I then follow this up by presenting them a detailed outline of what they could do to regain their pride. The important part here was to make the tone of the text sound as if they were being lectured.

I'm reprimanding them bluntly while also giving them the delusion that they could become righteous if they put in the effort. I'm provoking their self-respect and making them act. Putting a fire under their hearts. ―These lines written in the ancient imperial language were seditious lines with decent-sounding logic sprinkled on top.

I guarantee that this alone would be enough to persuade some nobles.

And finally.

– Land should not be privately owned.

– Things like water, air, and sunlight should not be considered as products to be sold. 

– All humans should equally share the benefits reaped from the land.

These things must be stated a matter-of-factly. In other words, it has to give the impression that this should be the logical conclusion of everything that was said before. Like this, people will accept this text as a logical conclusion instead of simply as inciting words. 

Of course, this would not be enough to persuade some people.

'So I have to add a few more instruments.'

I continued to review my manuscript with a grin on my face. Interestingly, there wasn't a single mistake in my writing. I have never been grammatically incorrect ever since I came to this world. It felt like some unknown power was being applied to my linguistic ability, but it didn't particularly matter.

– The earnings received from the land must be shared equally. Therefore, farmers should receive their own land, pay the land fee according to a joint agreement, and the money will all go to a joint funding. This joint funding will naturally be used for the sake of the farmers.

– The rent fee will be determined by the local government of the farmers.

That's right. I have to give them a detailed suggestion.

However, I'm not an expert when it comes to policies. How could I offer a detailed explanation in such matters? That's why I used cool-sounding words like 'joint agreement', 'joint funding', and 'local government'.

I made it seem like something impressive was being said.

Normally, proper nouns have the power to discourage people. If you change the sentence 'Life has always been fucked' to 'Life is fundamentally irrational', then it makes the line sound like you are making some sort of profound statement. Nobles enjoy this kind of rhetoric. Even more so the younger they are.

Stimulate their pride, disguise instigating words as a logical conclusion, and give a detailed explanation on how to bring that logical conclusion to reality with fancy words. This should be enough to persuade a large number of nobles.

Now for a final uppercut.

– That is correct. Throughout all the problems that happen in our lives, there is no way for us to know the significance of those problems nor can we understand them. Why was a man named Hans born? Why did I do something nasty? Why are some people dying while I am still alive? Why have I turned away from the truth?

– Trying to understand all of this, in other words, trying to understand the fate and providence of the Gods cannot be done by my power alone. Nonetheless, it is possible to implement the divine will of the Gods that has been engraved in my conscience. We know this.

– Thus, as we continue to contemplate endlessly, there is something more new and awe-inspiring that approaches our hearts. The sky above where the stars sparkle and the conscience within me. As we behold and feel these things before us, it will start where I stand and continue to the worlds beyond the infinitely vast worlds according to that glorious divine will…….

“C'est si bon! C'est si bon!”

I subconsciously became a French gentleman as I was in awe. A literary ability that could have definitely lifted me up to stardom if I had been born in Paris was right here.

The final part covered religion and ethics. Everyone has a side to them that is passionate about religion and ethics. Even the coldest of people will become greatly invigorated if their sense of ethics is ignited. After talking in a logical tone in the beginning, it ends ethically. Kuh.

“I'm in awe of my own talent…….”

I looked up at the sky momentarily as I felt deeply moved. I could see the darkness of the night running away over the mountains because they were so surprised by my talent. I see. I have finally gained the power to make even the sky fear me……. This talent…… this genius…… even I can't help but be afraid of myself…….

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I was going to have this copied into booklets and circulated among the nobles. It didn't matter whether they were royalists or republicans.

It was also included in the manuscript that the nobles would temporarily manage the joint funding of the local government. Therefore, this would provide an appropriate position for the nobles as well. Royalists that have a strong sense of chivalry would definitely be tempted by this.

“Mhmhm.”

I hummed to myself as I picked up another bundle of paper.

This was the second device that I had prepared for the sake of the civil war and revolution. This was also a manuscript. However, it was a slight dramatization of the ceremonial speech I gave on Bruno Plains. It was declaring that all nobles should be captured and killed. This was also going to be printed as booklets and circulated among the nobles.

However, only to the republicans.

“Let's plant the seed of division beforehand.”

It would be troubling if the humans formed a grand alliance under the name of republicanism. 

In the first place, if the kingdom becomes a republic, then its national power would increase drastically. It happened in France back in my original world as well. The people rose up for the sake of revolution on their own.

Soldiers that stood up voluntarily to protect their country and soldiers that were forcefully mobilized to protect the Emperor. It was obvious which side would be stronger.

Humans have to remain divided even if republicanism manages to win. I worked so hard to bring down an empire and now an even stronger republic was going to appear after that? That's an unfunny joke.

I have to induce them into forming several factions under republicanism. Extremists or moderates, wipe out all the nobles or forgive them, an aristocratic republic or a democratic republic……I have to divide those under a single faction with numerous ideologies and make them fight amongst each other.

I smiled.

“I'd be grateful if you guys fought for at least 400 years due to differing ideologies alone.”

I'd be even more grateful if you fought for longer than 400 years.

Well, either way, this will give more rights to commoners. It would only be right for the humans on the continent to thank me. I'm pulling forward the revolution that you guys would have done anyway some day in the future. Furthermore, I'm also generously establishing their factions for them! It'd be only right if they built a statue in honor of the virtuous Dantalian.

Up to this point was the second device.

If the first two devices targeted nobles and cultured people, then the third device was aimed at commoners. This wasn't a speech. It wasn't a scholarly book either. 

It was simply a song.

From Kresy to the Hydrangea WarPoitiers and AgincourtBlack hills stained in tears and bloodWe have only walked barefoot

Let us advance, sons and daughters of the land.Scream till your throats burn,our moment of glory has arrived!

From the Scarlet Fortress to the Ulm PlainsBoeotia and NemeaListen to the hellish scream of the enemyResonating throughout the hills and river!

Raise your bloodstained flags of war!Raise your bloodstained flags of war!

The enemy is approachingto take the heads of our wives and lovers!Grab your spears, comrades!Stand at the front!

O Goddess, give us salvation on every hill and river!O Goddess, allow justice to sing!

Let our enemies' blood overflowon our parched land!

“This should be somewhat effective.”

I grinned. It was a song of revolution. I'm not sure how exactly the song will be composed, but I'll commission the people at Keuncuska to leave it to the most renowned composer in the demon world. I do hope that the human revolutionaries are pleased by my little gift.

***

TL Note: Thanks for reading the chapter. The next few chapters were very annoying for me to translate. Dantalian phrases a lot of the lines in the manuscript from an awkward perspective. Not only does he keep switching the tense around, but it keeps going from first-person to third-person and so on. I guess it sort of works fine in Korean, but it felt really awkward to do in English. Hence why these chapters took longer to translate. 

In any case, I hope you guys are having a better time surviving the heat than I am and I'll see you guys in the next chapter.

Chapter end