"R-Reforms…?" Orsen asked, because they talked about it… but weren't implementing them immediately.
"Yeah, we need to act fast." Daisy said as she wrote up on the paper her name and the 'reforms' under it.
"But D-Daisy." Orsen spoke, still feeling uncomfortable saying her first name. "We need a whole council to set up, and hear the voice of the nobles, the merchants, the landlords, the nobles of our Empire we—"
"That's why empires always fall." She said as she eyed him."These reforms are for the people and not for those who can get even more rich off of them, and second I am the sole leader of the empire… at least for the time we are at war."
Daisy's last sentence got his attention more than the rest. "What do you mean by that?"
She took a deep breath as leaned back in the chair. "We are going to change the whole system itself, we are going to make a democracy with ministers, with civil representation and so much on, that's why this list Orsen is now important, we are going to implement the rights of the empire population, and with the rights they will have much more voice than before. We will tell them to oppose or support everything that the empire does."
Silence once again from Orsen as he couldn't comprehend what he just heard from an empress… what he just heard from somebody whose father ruled with an iron fist, who was ruler of the rulers, won every war, defended the empire… but she not only has the same fierce behavior as her father had, but is better than him, better than the ruler of rulers.
Because her father was a leader among people, but his leadership never extended to listen to the people, because all his time went with winning war, defending the borders and under that pressure he couldn't focus on the people and the empire's well-being, he could only focus on defending it, marching into war with tens of thousands.
He was the great defender of the empire who united different regions and kingdoms, but in the end all his struggles, all his heroic acts were overshadowed by one thing… he neglected his people.
The starvation, the illnesses, the infections, no clean water, no schools, children working, all of it was in the air because of the war, the economy was crashing, and that's when the first voice of traitor rose among the nobles, because they saw the opportunity to take advantage of it, to get the suffering on their side.
And now, in Orsen's eyes, Daisy, the black sheep of the family, the genius, and at the same time as fierce as her father was, is ready to change all of it… she is ready to rally the people around her.
She is ready to truly listen to them and finally help them, something Orsen personally asked her father to do, something he fought for, and was almost called a traitor himself because he was on the side of the people.
"But I am not stupid enough to think there are no problems with it, so let me hear your opinion." Daisy said as she tapped her finger more and more, trying to think about the history lessons, the books, and the movies she had seen about empires and their rules.
In every single movie, every single document, it was the emperor's advisors and councilors who made everything worse, so I need to keep the number low and only those who I can trust… also the redistribution of wealth, and I need to make a class system, because now there are just ultra-rich, the royal, and the poor.
"First…" Orsen suddenly stood up and then did something Daisy did not expect at all. He went down on his knee and bent down until his forehead touched the marble floors. "By blood and honor, I serve you my Empress, until death."
Uhh… what—
[System Notification: Congratulations, you have successfully earned the utmost loyalty and trust of Orsen Hirraus.]
Woah… I am good at this. She thought as she watched him on his knees, but quickly realized she needed to take this opportunity and push him, no, grab him even more.
"Good, then stand up and talk to me." She said and Orsen did stand up, sat back down and he just completely changed in that moment.
His eyes had that pure excitement, that pure will to actually help her and change the way their people, the empire.
"We can't do all of it in one go, because it would cause more chaos, more importantly in the meaning of the reforms." He said as he grabbed a paper and a quill too. "First, they will interpret it as an attempt to get the roots of our own, and second, there is the war too. It will get misinterpreted as the last shout for people to arm up and fight for reforms that have no proof of what would actually happen."
Yeah, Orsen's whole demeanor and personality changed after he made his oath. He got comfortable around Daisy, talking exactly the way she wanted him to. No bullshit, no sweet talk and no trying to be polite when the whole situation is just fucking bullshit.
The exact people she needs around her are the ones who aren't afraid to tell her when she's wrong, the ones who aren't scared to be direct, aggressive, and sharp with their words. She needs people she can build a great empire with.
"Then how should we show them?" She asked as she smiled at him, and it was because of the excitement… that she had literally found a person who is knowledgeable about the empire and actually talks the way she wants people around her to.
"We're doing it wrong." Orsen said as he drew a big X on the paper. "We can't make reform without involving them, so what we need is maybe a council of representatives."
What a great idea that is… She thought as her smile spread even more.
"Maybe we can get five people from big cities, and five more from towns and villages, and in that way they can show us what changes they want the most."
"Um, that is too much, the empire is vast." Daisy said as it would be an enormous number of people. "The empire has twelve distinct regions, so what we do is invite… ten people from all the twelve regions."
"But how do we balance it out?" Orsen asked the right question. "We need people from different fields to represent their own, but what if the rich somehow corrupts it?"
"We send soldiers to look over the elections."
"Elections?"
"Every community has at least one person who is good with people and actually knowledgeable, so they will pick those people to represent them. In that way, the farmers can pick one, the starving can pick one, the simple workers can pick one, the merchants can pick one, and so on."
"So we will leave them with three days to elect or pick people who will represent them, with the help of the regional leaders who will ensure everything is done correctly and safely, but that can be tricky too." Orsen closed his eyes as he imagined the chaos that could erupt if they start arguing about who they should pick or elect, or if a rich man tries to influence it. "We should send messengers with soldiers to every region to make sure everything proceeds smoothly."
"Exactly. We give them three days to arrive at the regional leader's office. There, they will do it and then come to the palace. But we need rules for this. Only send people who can read, who understand the needs of the people, and who are knowledgeable about the empire and current events."
"I will write it myself, making it understandable yet polite. We will only include what is necessary and then spread the word through the messengers." As Orsen said it, silence fell again, while Daisy thought about it and it wasn't the best, actually. The whole concept sounded good, but on a broader level, it wasn't ideal at all.
"Each region picks ten people, which makes one hundred and twenty people, plus the twelve regional leaders, so one hundred and thirty-two people will represent… not the best, nor ideal."
"Still it is a progression." Orsen said with confidence in his voice because indeed it was a progression, a big step.
For Daisy, it looked like a minor representation of twenty million people's will and future, but on a broad level, it was actually the first time in the Empire's history that such a thing was happening, they even thought and talked about it.
There had never been anything like it, hearing the voices of those who struggle, having them, welcoming them into the space, and having a discussion, a debate about the future and what they want.
That in itself is a reform, and only those who truly want change will travel to the regional leader's office.