362 The Elixir to Cure the Peoples Hear (1/2)

Aya clearly has her own thoughts about changing people's heart.

Was it wrong to change the people's heart? If it was, why would the world need to be enlightened? Can't they just do whatever they want? Let alone in the Western Continent, even in the Nine Regions, benevolent enlightenment was also an indispensable point for any ruler. But the spirit of chivalry influencing and enlightening people was not natural?

However, she did not intend to debate with Wang Lu—it was simply impossible to win. And even if she could win, it did not make sense.

However, Wang Lu also didn't say further. Until it came to a point, seeing would be more powerful than hearing.

This small town could not accommodate the weight of the will of the people, therefore, the next stop was Dragon City.

By choosing Dragon City, it meant that the one month journey would finally come to its last leg. Toward this, Aya simultaneously felt reluctant and a bit relieved. At the same time, she had also vaguely understood what Wang Lu was trying to do.

However, she believed that later in Dragon City, the real spirit of chivalry of Brettonia would make him understand that chivalry was not an illusion. She believed that the former member of the Knights of The Round Table Bedivere would not disappoint her.

However, after arriving in Dragon City, what she heard and saw made her felt as if she has fallen into an ice hole.

Everything seemed to be the replica of that remote small town. It was just that here, things were bigger and seemed to be more orderly on the surface. However, greedy people were still greedy, and decadent people were still decadent. The past order has been broken, and the new order has put on the chivalry cloak. However, their actions were actually not that different from that of Holy Light Religion.

In the past, the church repressed the people all over Brettonia, with their believers a cut above the others. Now it was the Knights who were a cut above the others. The political power has just been restored, but the class barriers have already vaguely taken shape. There was a distinct boundary between the civilian class and the knights class. Even the knights were also divided into different levels.

Different levels meant different benefits. The high order knights occupied the most prosperous land, have hordes of servants and monstrous power, just like an overlord.

To a certain extent, the new state of Brettonia was better than when ruled by Holy Light Religion, however, in some respects, the situation was actually rather worse. Because previously in order to consolidate power, Holy Light Religion brought the resources from other parishes, subsidizing Brettonia. However, many of the newly appointed knights simply started to exploit it.

With the replacement of the old regime with the new, the redistributions of benefits were inevitable. However, everything should be fair, equitable, and conducive to the state. In the past, while campaigning to the four corners, Aya did her best to maintain the fairness of the process. She once generously released a threatening opponent she eventually defeated, and gave him due respect. She has also severely punished her subordinates who tried to swagger, randomly plundering the defeated opponent. She has always led by example. Though she has the status of a king, she still maintained a simple life.

The spirit of chivalry enabled her to be like a spark of fire in the prairie, rapidly setting the storm all over Brettonia, and establishing an unprecedented unified rule. Although the Knight's Kingdom soon fell apart for a variety of reason, she believed that Brettonia had already found its future. At least, she and her companion who had accompanied her in the struggle should be very clear of this point.

”Why?”

Late at night, Aya quietly entered Bedivere's study room. Bedivere had just finished his day's work—at the same time, he was also acting as the regent of Brettonia. Surprised by that question, he immediately stood up from his desk.

”Aya?”

Aya didn't show her figure but just coldly asked, ”Why?”

She didn't say any other words, but Bedivere knew exactly where Aya's anger came from. Just then, he had ended a meeting with a well-known wealthy individual in Brettonia where he promised to give him a piece of land that was previously controlled by Holy Light Religion, along with the people on that land… Compared with the Holy Light Religion, that greedy and atrocious rich guy would only make life worse for the people on that land.

There were a lot of similar things. Bedivere was not sure how much Aya has actually seen, but he was not going to hide them.

After a long silence, Bedivere finally opened his mouth.

”Because these are necessary compromises.”

”Compromises?” Aya's voice was filled with frustration and confusion. ”How could it be so easy for you to say the word compromise?”

Bedivere self deprecatingly said, ”Is it? A person who has been under the dreadful arrogance of the church for a hundred years is probably the best at doing compromise. If not, I would've followed after the late king over a hundred years ago.”

This time, it was Aya's turn to be silent.

”The spirit of chivalry requires me to resist till the last moment, but in the end, I eventually could not bear to see all of the achievements of the late king to vanish. So I compromised, and continued to compromise. I surrendered to the opponent that I should not surrender to, fell in love with the woman that I should not fall in love with, sired a child that I should not have sired. Now, compromise seems to have already become my instinct.”

Bedivere was filled with emotion. However, the next moment, in a surprising turn, he actually took a tough stance. ”However, during this more than one hundred years, I also realized that compromise is an indispensable quality for the government! Without my compromise, there would be no Dragon City today, no Brettonia! Aya, you are the daughter of the Knight King, tell me, are all of my compromises wrong?”

Aya's voice was somewhat astringent. ”But that was then, now…”

Bedivere shook his head. ”It's the same, it's all the same. The rich man you saw just now, though oppressive and greedy, has strong influence and power. Previously, he was able to occupy the Winter Cold City without shedding any blood. His credit was really great, and what he wanted was just a small piece of land and hundreds of worker. But those are all in exchange for the life of thousands of soldiers. So, what can I do? If I unscrupulously abided by the rules, I would have sent those soldiers to sacrifice their lives. Kindness is also the basic creed of chivalry.”

Aya said, ”You should try to change him, persuade him.”

”Human heart could not be changed.” Bedivere wearily said, ”Unless we use magic, turning everyone into puppets, we must acknowledge that human heart is not as good as what we think.”