The Massacre 5

In Lady Irene's office, the princess and two of her guests were seated, having a discussion.

Chancellor Diana, Rex's wife, had always been a strong supporter of the princess's work in securing the future of their nation. They both shared the same view when it came to slavery, treating humans like livestock, and the differential treatment between the nobility and the commoner.

"Do you believe there are still schools that place the education of nobles as more important than educating the child of the average citizens?" Diana asked.

"Really, I thought the education system had been refined to ensure everyone gets the education they need. Or at least a fighting chance," the Princess queried.

"Well, indeed it has, but you know, there are still some institutions in some areas that believe focusing on a commoner is a waste of time, since they won't be able to fully utilize what they've learned, at least not without the help of a noble and powerful house. That's why more commoners try to be intellectuals and scholars; maybe then they can get a fighting chance. But even then, their chance against a noble house with more resources is still low."

"The schooling system was meant to bridge this gap, but it seems it still has a long way to go," the princess said.

"Well, if you'll permit me to be frank, my lady..." Rex said, trying to join the conversation.

"Go on, Sir Rex."

"I think it's a bit naive to think the gap between nobility and commoners will grow smaller," he said.

"Well, why do you say that?" The princess asked, a bit angered.

"At first, there is power, money, influence, connection, resources, and let's not forget people. These are the things the Nobles have that the commoners don't. The only thing the commoners have going for themselves is an opinion, which is not much, since they have to gather a lot of the same opinions to make their case heard. And even then, opinions can change using power, money, and influence. In other words, the gap is not going anywhere."

"You're right, Sir Rex, but do you think it's fair to cripple a large population of potentials just to make ourselves feel valid?" The princess said.

"The society has been rigged in favor of the powerful; humanity always seeks the rarest things and makes them the most valuable, while the common become the least valuable. Our survival deeply depends on it."

"Let's consider the military, for example. A rank decides everything—the higher the rank, the more the power. If the lowest rank is an officer, then it's also the rank with the highest number of soldiers, and if the highest rank is general, then it means it's the rank with the lowest number of people. The higher the rank, the lower the members that can attain that rank. This system has worked wonders in the military. Everyone can't be in command, so a hierarchy was deemed necessary to make it work. So also is the society; the social hierarchy, no matter how bad it looks, is what makes it function."

"Hmm, insightful," the princess commended.

"So is there nothing that can be done? We need to give our people a chance at the best of life too. It's quite understandable if you lack the skill to reach a certain height, but if you have the skill and the only thing stopping you is your social status, then our society needs reform. I understand only a few people are needed in the highest rank, just like only one king can rule, but if a king is incompetent, why should the people just bear it?" The princess asked.

"Like I said earlier, your highness, the only power the people have is the power of opinion. If they can gather a hundred people with one opinion, then they can begin to make that change, but that itself is very difficult to accomplish," Rex replied.

"But there's something that can change everything if applied skillfully..."

"And what would that be?" The princess asked curiously.

"If the playing field cannot be leveled, then it should be changed. There should be a certain level of power that can be attained only by people with common blood, a position that nobles can't attain, no matter how powerful."

"Well, won't they just place their man there?" The princess asked.

"Not if the people choose the person by themselves," Rex replied.

"How will they do that?"

"Have you heard of the Hairless clan, your highness?"

"I believe I have; they were a clan that stayed in the snowy Goze mountains, independent of the powers of the four kingdoms. They were wiped out five years ago by someone..."

"You're correct, your highness. The Hairless clan used to live in the snowy mountains of Goze. They were an interesting bunch that believed in some interesting things, like hairs are a distraction and prevent one from asserting true brilliance."

"I studied them as a young scholar, and another thing I saw was that they had a system of choosing a leader, where all members of the clan would choose one person from various candidates to be their leader. They called this strange selection an Election."

"What? How would that work?" The princess asked.

"Well, all you have to do is state a position, and then the commoners who are interested will show their interest by coming forward and showing their qualifications for the job. Then they make their case and try to convince the people how they are right for the job. Then the people will gather and choose who they think is qualified to be their leader. The person who has the highest number of favor amongst the people becomes the one who does the job," Rex said.

"That's brilliant," Princess Lena said in astonishment.

"How did they come up with that?"

"Well, I don't know the details, but the Hairless clan were a clan that showed great intelligence and brilliance. They didn't live in the mountains like savages, as most stories told. Instead, they had built an astonishing civilization in the snowy mountains. In fact, they thought of us as more barbaric than we thought they were," Rex replied.

"This is indeed a smart idea, Sir Rex."

"I'm glad you love it, your highness," Rex said.

"But it's unfortunate that you won't be able to use this information," Rex added.

Before anyone could react, a mysterious darkness rose from Rex's shadow, engulfing everyone in the room.