"... I understand your rush, but it would be better to calm down first. You know that it's a bad time to do something like that."
"Yes, so I came to speak to you. If it weren't for that, it would have been inciting rather than shaking up public sentiment."
"Now even that level of shaking poses a great threat to the Empire. You know that there is nothing good about the public sentiment being shaken right now as the war against the demon realm approaches."
"... The leadership is shouting for action every day. If you don't do even this much, you'll be in trouble. To what extent are you thinking, Your Excellency? Do you want us to not move at all?"
"Yes."
"... What?"
"It would be best not to move right now. It would be better to stop all the activities you have been doing so far and take a break. In the war against the demon realm, the power of the Empire is most important. Internal division is poison."
The Duke spoke, brushing aside the informal language that had come out with a wide expression of generosity.
"It would be a good idea for you to cool your head now. Do you know that you are being too impatient right now?"
"..."
"What is the answer?"
Because he was dealing with Cruel like this, his words came out in a high-handed manner.
He glanced closely to see if the man in front of him had noticed something, but fortunately, Daniel, who kept his mouth shut as if he didn't really care, nodded slowly without showing any special expression.
"... All right."
Thank god. First of all, it seems like he was pressured.
However, his mother's health would deteriorate day by day, and the Revolutionary leader's spirit would also be shaken. He didn't know how long the temporary button will last.
The Duke, who was looking at Daniel's back, saying he was sorry and retreating, closed his eyes and let out a silent sigh.
***
It wasn't pressed. It was pressed.
As he closed the door and returned to the Revolutionary Army base, Daniel slowly began to think. His eyes had become cold for a long time. No matter how crazy he was, it wasn't to the point where he couldn't feel angry even after hearing 'those words'. You let your guard down, Duke.
'Thanks to you, I came to my senses, so I should be thankful.'
It is true that he was so anxious that his eyes were covered.
His head hardened and he almost rushed towards his goal too soon. If it weren't for the Duke, it was clear that all of his patience would have been in vain.
But that line.
'It would be better not to move right now. It would be better to stop all the activities you have done so far and take a rest.'
And.
'What is the answer?'
Thanks to this, his mind cooled down and he was able to understand the situation to some extent.
The Duke did not want the Empire to fall. Not only just now, but it was like that before, and it will be like that again in the future.
It seemed as if the identity of the sense of discomfort he had been feeling before was slowly being revealed.
'Of course. Who would voluntarily give up the high status of 'Duke'?'
The reason for contacting the Revolutionary Army may have been to suppress them.
'This is why we have to be careful about joining hands with power.'
It may be beneficial in the short term, but not in the long term. You have to slowly let go.
But how? Now they had too much to lose to shake off the Duke's hand. The Duke himself would not suffer any loss, and only the Revolutionary Army would suffer a major blow. So it was difficult.
"... Daniel?"
"Ah, Paul."
"What are you doing there...?"
"Holding hands with power should be avoided as much as possible. Afterwards, our ankles will be tied."
"... Are you drunk?"
Daniel stroked Paul's head in silence.
Paul, who was looking up at him quietly, opened his mouth after confirming that there was no one around.
"... I saw Deon Hardt."
"…How did you recognize him? Was he not wearing a robe?"
"He was wearing it. The clothes were very flashy."
"..."
"Oh, he was still wearing an eye patch. But aren't the clothes, as well as the hair and skin, quite unique? It wasn't difficult to figure out."
No, this doctor's grandfather.
He told him not to forget to put on an eye patch, and he did just that. What if he forget to put on the robe?
He never thought he would prove it like this when he said his forgetfulness had gotten worse.
"The doctor secretly took him outside. Did you bring him here? Why didn't you kill him? Why did you just send him away?"
Come to think of it, Paul had a grudge against Deon Hardt.
Angry eyes looked up at Daniel. Daniel quietly looked into his eyes and answered while slowly stroking his head.
"He'll die even if I don't do anything."
"I don't understand."
Wasn't it possible to obtain information or at the very least be used as a hostage?
Stop. Daniel's hand stopped. The hand that was resting on Paul's head slowly slid down.
A faint laugh, like smoke, was scattered throughout the space like crumbs.
"... You've really grown up."
"I was already grown up since the first time we met."
"Okay, okay."
... Okay. It's time for him to prepare, too.
It was right to prepare to escape the Duke's clutches.
"It's natural that you don't understand. Because I reacted laxly."
"Why did you do that?"
"I told you, right? I said I backed off. No one is perfect in this world. So, Paul."
He softly called his name and made eye contact. A silence came, like a forest on a moonlit night.
Daniel willingly broke the seemingly comfortable silence and gently raised the corner of his mouth.
"You will see many strengths and weaknesses in me in the future. Just like now, absorb the strengths and filter out the parts you don't understand, or use them as a substitute teacher. You are doing very well now."
"... I do not understand."
"What?"
"Why are you taking me with you? Some of the places you took me were not places I would go to. It was to teach me, right? Why are you trying to teach me?"
"I took responsibility for you because I brought you here. Education is a natural part of that responsibility."
Lower class people who were busy making a living often ignored the importance of education. But he learned that you shouldn't do that.
Who caused revolution? It was caused by those who knew the situation and the absurdity of it. In short, it meant that those who know a lot can cause it.
When a country was acting strangely, you must be aware of it and know how to criticize it. Nevertheless, he said that if the people above did not listen, they should overturn it.
That's why his mother said that education is important.
"Well, that was the reason until now."
"So you're saying it's not anymore?"
"Yes, I also need to have a successor soon. I plan to teach a lot of things in a short period of time. I hope you absorb it well..."
"Now wait a minute! A successor? "Me?"
"Do you have any problem?"
Paul, who saw the naturally virtuous expression, was speechless and just gaped.
After a few seconds, a voice that seemed almost like a sense of obligation to discuss the issue barely came out.
"Why me?! I'm young..."
"Didn't you insist that you are all grown up?"
"No...! Ha... really..."
In a rare occurrence, Paul burst out in exasperation and pounded his chest. Daniel, who was watching this, burst into laughter.
Normally, he would have been even angrier, but this time, Paul got angry.
"It was a joke, right?"
"No. I'm serious."
"Why?!"
"That's right..."
He wiped the tears from his eyes with his fingertips.
He was still laughing, but speaking first came first.
"Because you are young."
"... Yes?"
"Oh, did I throw it too hard? "I'll explain again from the beginning."
The laughter finally stopped.
Daniel closed his mouth for a moment to gather his thoughts.
"You are from the Empire, but you have no affection for the Empire."
However, he did not love other countries and had no reason to love them.
"The fact that there is no country you love in this place where people from each kingdom that fell at the hands of the Empire gathered together will increase the credibility of your fairness."
"... And?"
"And like I said, you're young. Thanks to this, flexible thinking is possible. Have you ever heard the saying that the only thing you get with age is stubbornness? In reality, older people are less likely to listen to advice from others. 'Is the young one trying to teach me?' This is the underlying thought. And old people don't like change."
"But what about the elderly people who joined the Revolutionary Army? Isn't 'revolution' itself change?"
"They came here with a desire for revenge. 'My country has collapsed, so the Empire must also collapse' or something like that. They will either not pay much attention to the policies after the fall of the Empire or will stick to the existing methods."
Revolution was, above all, a powerful change. It stood at the complete opposite point of stability.
Anyone who was the head of a Revolutionary Army must pay great attention to the policies that followed the successful revolution, but that position could not be given to someone who preferred the familiar.
If there was no change in policy after the revolution, how could it be called a revolution?
"Old people don't want what they don't know to increase and they love stability. I'm too tired to take risks."
Perhaps that was why it was no exaggeration to say that change has almost always been achieved through the hands of young people.
Therefore, it was right for the leader of the Revolutionary Army to be young.
"Of course, that doesn't mean you should look down on old people. They were once young people who sought change and lived for a long time and gained a lot of experience. Such experiences can become knowledge, so it is right to respect them."
"What is it... Then what do you want me to do? Do you listen to the old man? Don't you listen?"
"Is there really a need for such extreme division? You've done well so far. Make your own judgment, filter out what you need and absorb only what you need. 'Education' exists to help with such judgments."
Because you can't blindly make a choice without any information.
"... Great. Is that why you chose me as your successor?"
"That's right. Oh, there's one more reason."
"I can't believe there's more..."
He smiled, ignoring the vaguely muttering voice.
"You know how to love people."
"I don't have a lover..."
"Love isn't necessarily just love between lovers. Love between friends, love between family... a lot. Isn't there something you can point out?"
"... Sheia."
Paul furrowed his eyebrows as if he couldn't understand it.
"But doesn't that soon become a weakness? If only my sister could be here right now..."
Even though he trailed off, it didn't mean he couldn't predict what was going to happen next.
Well, it was worth it. Just a little while ago, he lost consciousness just because his mother was hemorrhaging blood.
The existence of a loved one was an undeniable weakness.
But.
"What is the ideology of the revolutionary army?"
"A world where everyone is equal without a caste system."
Paul's face changed as he gave his answer.
This ideology itself was created based on thinking about others.
The person who must pioneer a new path with such ideology on his back was the leader of the Revolutionary Army.
"Knowing how to love someone means being able to be considerate and understanding of others."
A person who did not know how to love people would inevitably be disqualified from sitting in that position.
"... Is that really true? You can't abandon everything around you and focus only on the person you love."
"It means that even if it's not right away, the possibility is open. And to prevent such a situation from occurring..."
"'Education' exists? All right."
Paul shook his head as if he had lost.
"It's funny that a young man is already claiming heir, but..."
"Paul...?"
"For now, I will listen carefully to what you teach me."
A rare bright smile turned to Daniel.
Daniel looked blank for a moment and then placed his hand on Paul's head.
"... Okay."
Somehow, a mischievous smile appeared on his face.
"Then shall we get started right away?"
"Eck."
"There is so much to teach. Even just in terms of 'words,' it is divided into how to persuade or subdue an opponent, how to incite the people, and other policies and laws to be implemented after the revolution. How to deal with the economy, which will be shaken by changes in government..."
"... Can't I just not do it?"
"Haha, no."
What should he teach first? Those things were important, but this was the beginning.
He changed the direction he was heading towards his dorm and led the child towards his office and slowly opened his mouth.
"First, shall we briefly talk about natural human rights?"