ARCHDEUS

PROLOGUE (VOLUME 4)

The capital of Arcentioch, the capital of the Kingdom of Artchania was again rocked by political problems. But in contrast to the political maneuvering between the government and the opposition, the current government camp shows signs of division.

It has been two years since the plague called Black Death hit Canadia. During that time it was also known by all parties that the feudal lord of the region, the Marquess of Canadia and its dynasty had been wiped out.

The fall of the House of Canadia had a significant effect on the political landscape in Artchania. After all Canadia was a grand noble and became one of the leaders of the noble faction.

In the realm of parliament, the fall of the House of Canadia presents a shared dilemma of how parliament is able to provide a solution. Canadia was one of the 18 great nobles in the kingdom. The loss of a single vote can have a significant effect on the direction of national policy especially if the context in question is a legal product of the House of Parliament and the House of Lords.

While in the realm of regional administration, the fall of the Canadian Dynasty led to great questions about who would succeed the dynasty in ruling and ruling the Canadian Region. Now the March of Canadia is a no-man's territory with the provisional government led by Alexander Ivanov Fertiphile as acting or Interim Governor. But the status of military government cannot be forever enforced. It has now been two years since the Black Death outbreak occurred and the panic and impact of the outbreak has slowly begun to disappear. This indicates that the military role is no longer needed in dealing with Canadia. Sooner or later Canadia will be led by a civilian government. But the question is who has the right to lead the region.

There are many proposals offered but all of them have their own advantages and disadvantages.

The prime minister and the king suggested making the March of Canadia a territory directly administered by the royal side. But the suggestion was rejected by all parties whether the Faction of the Marquess even the Sandwealth faction. The reason is simple, in the perspective of the marquesses, Canadia is traditionally their affiliation meaning Canadia is one of the core forces of the marquess faction. The fall of Canadia indicated a weakening of the coalition of marquesses and increased central government influence. While in the Sandwealth perspective, the presence of the central government in Canadia could threaten its dominance. The current prime minister is the Duke of Norchaster who is an influential noble in the northern region. The presence of the central government in Canadia is the same as allowing the northern ruler to control the southern region. Although Sandwealth and Norchaster are currently allied to form a government, they are eternal rivals. Sandwealth does not want his backyard trampled by Norchaster people.

Later the Sandwealth faction suggested making Canadia a territory under the new dynasty. Sandwealth suggested that the Canadia region be integrated into the Yorksall region. But the suggestion was rejected by the marquess faction and the Norchaster faction. As well as causing votes in parliament to become disproportionate, the suggestion also strengthened the influence of the Sandwealth coalition in the kingdom's south.

While the Marquess faction also suggested to form a new noble dynasty. This suggestion was similar to Sandwealth's suggestion but what distinguished it was from which faction the nobility was located. Surely the marquess wanted the noble in question to be their person who came from the Canadian vassal dynasties like the viscounts who used to be Canadians. Although most rational, this resolution was rejected by the government with a majority in parliament. However, the government does not want opposition forces to strengthen in parliament.

The longer the matter is suspended, the more contentious the debate.

No one wants to give up. In fact this may have been the initial cause of the breakup of the MoU between Norchaster and Sandwealth.

The impasse in finding a solution had pointed to the end point when the prime minister was doing his political moderation.

Norchaster supported Sandwealth's suggestion that Canadia be under new dynastic rule. But they gave the condition that the noble in question must be from Fertiphile.

The Prime Minister's maneuvering has caused a dilemma in the internal Sandwealth Coalition especially when the name carried to become the ruler of Canadia was not Harol but his first son, Alexander Ivanov Fertiphile.

The prime minister said that over the past two years, Alex has managed the Canadia region as an Interim Governor. No noble in the Sandwealth coalition understands Canadia better than Alex.

The argument was quite plausible but the problem was the practical politics of Sandwealth. In Fertiphile, Sandwealth had engaged the second son of Fertiphile to his daughter. This gave rise to the position his prospective son-in-law would be lower in the Fertiphile House.

In addition, turmoil was also felt when two major counties, Morhust and Otilia expressed an attitude of support for the advice of the prime minister.

Yorksall himself who was the aristocrat appointed by Sandwealth also tended to be passive. It is likely that the Yorksall are also aware of the risk that they will take control of Canadia.

All of these resolutions will be re-tested in Parliament. If you exclude the voice of Canadia which is no longer there then there are the voices of the 17 great nobles. To calculate all the possibilities by assuming the Norchaster coalition will remain solid in all their votes and the breakup of the Sandwealth vote then the expected outcome of the hearing will result in eight votes in favor of Alex of the Fertiphile taking control of Canadia (support it was from Fertiphile, Mohust, Otilia and the Norchaster Coalition), five votes in favor of the resolution of the marquess, and four votes for the resolution from Sandwealth.

Unfortunately, even though support for Alex is the highest, it still has not reached a majority. At least they needed 9 grand noble voices to be able to directly pass this resolution. In the end all policy outcomes regarding Canadia will be determined by two institutions, the House of Spiritual and Royalty. The House of Spiritists can turn the tables if they have at least 2/3 of the vote to reject a resolution. But for the temple's political constellation it has also been quite difficult to do that. Especially when Alex has managed to defeat the black death plague, his name is adored by everyone. Today Alex is well known to all, even the High Priest of Hadalon, temple officials who participated in the mission in Canadia along with Alex have appointed Alex as Alex the Pious (Alex the Pious) because of his contribution to defeating the forces of evil (plague).

However, Alex's success in controlling the spread of the plague has become his soft power so that all parties including the temple also want to get 'cake pieces' where they make Alex as a symbol of the temple's generosity.

While all that chaotic political turmoil was going on at the national level, Alex who was currently the Interim Governor was not at all disturbed. He did hear rumors that he would be appointed as the new ruler of Canadia. Alex did not believe it. According to him, even though Marquess Canadia is no longer there, there must still be a succession that is likely to survive. There may have been heirs who were in the royal capital when the plague broke out in Canadia.

So rather than thinking of something uncertain, Alex thought more about the current state of his territory. He had already read the reports from his subordinates that Alexandreia had excellent economic growth. Even during these two years has shown double-digit economic growth. As for his own company, Alexandreia Investment has also shown excellent performance. Alex is delighted that they have successfully recruited professionals to manage the company.

So rather than being dragged into national political circles, Alex can't wait to go home and see the development of his territory.