Posts from The Empire of Reimia (3) Auto-translated

By the way, don't forget that they are allies...

/A statuette and the Ikigai? I knew it, evil unites!/

Evil in this world is only those who oppose Rinze.

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Who's getting ready for max stats?

Who's getting ready for the max settings, by the way?

To die beautifully in war?

So what?

The last few months have undoubtedly been rich in various internal and external political events. The important reforms and other innovations undertaken by the new Empress Rinze Reime cannot be overlooked either. The following detailed analysis of the political situation in the Reime Empire will be divided into two parts: external and internal changes, respectively.
1) External Policy
Despite the fact that six months is a relatively short period for a large number of political reforms, it is already possible to highlight some key decisions by Empress Rinze Reime. This refers, of course, to the creation of the "White Lily Alliance" between Reime, Alait, and the Ixian Empire. This military-political bloc will allow for a significant change in the global arena and provide our country with important levers of pressure on opponents and competitors.
Undoubtedly, the prerequisite for creating this alliance is the increased influence of the Larian Republic, which additionally controls Tanarsis, Asteya, Areid, and Hem. The joint unification of these states allowed Larian to easily carry out an aggressive and unpunished expansionist policy. Already extremely tense competitive relations with Reime threatened at any moment to escalate into a phase of cold war or even an aggressive conflict in which the republicans hoped to prevail. In this situation, our new Empress needed to act preemptively—boldly and decisively, but not recklessly—to find a way to strengthen the country before possible foreign aggression.
In my view, the current government has handled this task as well as could be expected, and now we can boast an alliance with countries possessing the greatest potential for economic and military development, and furthermore, those who have quite tense relations with Larian itself, whose government has obviously harbored a grudge against them for refusing to submit, lose their sovereignty, and follow the policy imposed upon them. As is known since ancient times, our strength is in unity. By not giving foreign aggressors a chance to oppress us one by one, we (in the person of the Reime Empire) have gained the opportunity to seize the initiative and dictate terms favorable to us to the rest of the world. Among the additional advantages opened up by this recent alliance, I would like to highlight the creation of a free trade zone, which can support economic sectors that were previously stagnant, and open new markets for other producers to sell their products.
2) Internal Policy
Empress Rinze Reime promised in her coronation speech to return the former greatness of the Reime Empire, and so far all her actions have been directed precisely toward achieving this important goal. In conditions of international tension, it was very important to return order, discipline, and patriotism to the hearts of every single inhabitant of the country. In recent years, many workers of the free press developed a habit of insulting government representatives, spreading slanderous statements, and undermining the authority and greatness of the empire in whose territory they conducted their activities. Besides this, according to statistics from many authoritative publications, Reime was seriously threatened by a rise in crime and banditry, and an increasing percentage of citizens fell under the pernicious influence of dangerous gambling habits, alcohol, or drugs.
However, Rinze Reime managed not only to overcome this brewing crisis and bring order to the minds of people lost in darkness, but also to carry out an important reorganization of law enforcement structures and the administrative state apparatus, doing so with her characteristic elegance and sophistication. Separately, I would like to highlight the code written by the Empress, the reading of which I found exceptionally enlightening, and from which I noted many useful points for myself. I believe that every self-respecting resident of our country must familiarize themselves with this book, without a doubt.
In conclusion, I would like to emphasize once more that we are currently living in difficult times of international aggression and tension. Many foes envy the greatness of our great country, only waiting for their chance to exploit any weakness of ours. In this situation, the recent reforms of Empress Rinze Reime were aimed mainly at strengthening the borders of our empire, gaining new allies, and strengthening patriotism and faith in the Fatherland in our hearts. As a student of Reime's best military academy, I am incredibly proud that I have received the honor to perform my duty for the well-being of our state, and I am sincerely convinced that current and future reforms will help us achieve absolute superiority in all spheres: military, economic, and technological.
A
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With the rise to power of Rinze Reime, the first legitimate empress of our great empire, the course once set by her father continued in the country—a course toward the restoration and multiplication of the country's greatness. Externally, this manifested in the conclusion of an alliance with Ixia and Ikigai, who share common interests with the empire. The decision is, beyond any doubt, wise and far-sighted—Ixia is one of the few countries possessing technologies comparable to Larian ones. In possible wars, for which Her Majesty prudently prepares, it is difficult to overestimate the importance of such things. As for internal changes, they serve to guide the subjects of the crown in the right direction and make the internal climate in the country more favorable. Left to their own devices and lacking a guiding hand from above, some residents of the empire strayed too far from the true path—some even had the audacity to defame the bright name of the ruling dynasty! To solve this and other possible problems, the Empress wrote the "Reime Code"—a set of instructions calling every true Reimean to personal growth. One way or another, Her Majesty proves herself to be a gifted ruler and more than matching the standards set by her legendary ancestors. Unfortunately, neighboring countries perceived Rinze Reime's ambitions with caution. This was expected from Larian, who considers himself the new Reime, and his puppets, Beliad, as well as Dreyeria—long-time opponents of the Empire. However, other neighbors also seem to have forgotten that they achieved prosperity precisely as part of a great whole. Although, perhaps, the personal ambitions of their rulers blinded them and prevent them from seeing the full picture. It is within the Reime Empire, under the wise leadership of Her Majesty, that a bright future awaits them.
C
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The ascension to the throne of our Empress Rinze Reime is a timely and fortunate event for the empire. By this action alone, Rinze showed that she is ready to take responsibility for the fate of our country, that she is ready to bear this heavy but necessary burden. The previous emperor, Eugian Reime, was a merciful but sometimes overly soft-hearted ruler, which led to some people publicly insulting the imperial family and remaining completely unpunished. Rinze showed that some things must be sacred for an inhabitant of the empire—especially respect for the imperial family. Her actions in internal policy are visible even to us, ordinary students—my classmates, Eli and Xenomia, encountered a gang of bandits in the forest who said they could not continue their illegal activities due to the actions taken by our empress. This is a clear example that Rinze rules with a firm but fair hand, which is exactly what our country needs. Unfortunately, I could not attend her coronation, but my parents wrote to me in a letter that our empress was exquisite and carried herself with a dignity that only a true ruler of Reime can radiate.
Our great country has faced many hard trials in recent years, as a result of which it was on the brink of destruction and death. Fortunately, Kamiya Ren saved our country from collapse and restored the genuine imperial dynasty of Reime. Now that our state has strengthened and gathered its forces, we must return to former greatness—and I am glad to see that our empress decided to make this her main task. The Larian Republic has long exhibited aggressive rhetoric and behavior toward our country, which is unthinkable audacity for a former province of our empire. Fortunately, our empress managed not only to correctly identify the most priority goals but also to find the right approach to their implementation and concluded an alliance with the kingdom of Alait and the Ixian Empire. To less great minds, it might seem strange that she concluded an alliance with our former enemies, but I know that Rinze Reime does not make mistakes; she simply sees things on a much larger scale than most people and knows how to properly set priorities.
I express my sincere hope that soon our country will return to its former greatness thanks to the skillful leadership of our empress.
D
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Essay.
My vision of the situation and Reime's relationship with neighbors, and what I think about the recent changes in the country.

Since my personal opinion is required, I will also judge by what I see. I haven't noticed any particularly strong changes—except that the study load at the academy has become much higher, with an emphasis on physical education. This is annoying because I lack time for activities more interesting to me. Also—a penalty to the stipend for insufficient prettiness; this is a matter of taste and own-willfulness. Women now wear skirts—I don't care at all, it doesn't affect me in any way. In war, everyone wears identical uniforms anyway. And also—some Orion thug almost killed me right on school grounds, the type who defeated the blue squad in the finals of the competitions. As I was told later, these bandits ran wild because of the previous emperor's indifferent policy toward their issue. I don't know if this is true or just a rumor, but I believe such scum should be burned out with a hot iron. What he did is a disgrace to the academy. What else? Ah yes—branding classmates capable of magic with tattoos exactly like cattle. I believe that while this on one hand infringes upon human dignity, it is in principle correct. If you are studying military magic in a state institution for service to the empire, it means you have already chosen your path and said goodbye to many wants. Accordingly, being a person dangerous to society, capable of somehow fantastically blowing up a city or something else with a snap of fingers without special equipment—you must be subject to registration and accounting. And if you suddenly desert, then what, will you commit atrocities, and there will be no one to call to account? All weapons, military equipment, even shells are subject to marking. In general, I support this point. And besides—some branches of service or even individual squads and other units get tattoos, moreover on a voluntary basis, fostering the spirit of combat brotherhood and being terribly proud of them.
These are the changes that I noticed or felt within the school walls. I do not currently reside in the "country" itself, I maintain no contact with my relatives, so I cannot say how this affected a random citizen.
As for Reime's relationship with neighbors. I am not particularly interested in paper-stamping fuss, however, from my level, I don't quite understand the expediency of a close alliance with Alait. It produces figurines regardless, and is famous for nothing else. As far as I know, it has neither political influence nor resources that could be shared. An obvious conclusion suggests itself: the real reason is known only to those in power, and personally, the motivation for wanting to hitch oneself to a pathetic state is unclear to me. Spreading figurine culture beyond a narrowly defined circle of states? Fine, but is it worth the financial well-being of an ordinary worker? Time will tell.
F
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Section 1. Prerequisites.

A description of the current situation in the country is impossible without considering what happened even a short while ago. Eugian Reime was in power, a man of exceptional care for his people and very wise. It seems that then we, ordinary people living in the Empire, could not even think that another monarch would appear among us in the coming years. Nevertheless, it happened—a fact completely unclear to me at the time.
I just had to tie everything together. Emperor Eugian's way of thinking, our triple alliance with other states, Larian's mood. Eugian Reime was practically a perfect emperor for peacetime; he gave people freedom, confidence in tomorrow, and a sense of unity with their government, which sincerely cares about the person. But Eugian also knew much more than we did; he knew how things stood on the external arena and what other countries intended to do. Obviously, he expected war—and decided that he himself, personally, was not as suitable a leader in wartime as a possible alternative in the form of his sister Rinze. Was such an assessment correct? I don't know. Wise and kind people are often prone to underestimating their abilities, but they are sometimes very tough and bold in critical situations, contrary to their own expectations. But great courage and great strength are also required to voluntarily renounce power and responsibility and pass them to another person whom you trust.
And after all, a renunciation had already happened earlier with Eugian's older brother Kamiya Yuki—so it can be assumed that such an extremely self-critical approach is a consequence of how Kamiya Ren generally raised his children.

Section 2. Internal Situation.

The new empress, Rinze Reime, gained popularity immediately with her first inspiring speech. Among other things, she stated that she "intends to return the empire to its former greatness"—words that clearly show a person's readiness for wartime.
And yet it must be admitted that shortly after the coronation I was somewhat frightened and cautious. First of all—by news about disgraced journalists. Second—by the unknown fate of Rinze's older brother Kamiya Yuki, our class curator in the past. They were all citizens of the empire just like me; the latter became a good friend to our class during his teaching—I was anxious for their fate.
This anxiety could not completely disappear, but toward the end of this section I hope to formulate a certain important thought in this regard. It will tie the facts together and completely change the perception of events.
Now, several months after the empress's coronation, the empire has not yet seen loud decrees or serious executions. Nevertheless, it is visible to the naked eye how much work has been boiling all this time and how life in the country is changing. New standards of professionalism are now applied to employees and military—far stricter than before. Moreover, as I could see at the competitions, even students of academies not in a military profile have the opportunity to learn combat and show serious results—clearly the result of good preparation.
We are producing much more weaponry now. Perhaps this was achieved by reducing funding for something else, but in a critical situation, there is probably no other way. If we turn out not ready for a big war very soon, then unfortunately there will simply be no one to fund these peaceful areas.
The empress became seriously concerned about the spiritual state of her citizens—and wrote her famous code. Apparently, this set of rules is intended in the future to characterize the citizens of the empire as a whole, fostering high moral qualities in them (a continuation of Kamiya Ren's line of policy before this). This is a good step: helping people by formulating rules according to which many human problems will disappear on their own. But the code is especially useful for those like us, students of military (and other) academies. Perhaps I will risk writing about each chapter, even if I didn't have time to familiarize myself in detail, simply based on my feeling of their usefulness.
1. Loyalty.
Loyalty and devotion—the idea seems simple. Every inhabitant of the empire in a difficult situation for Reime must work together with one another. The government and empress act as a connecting link in this regard, and also set a common direction for them all. It is even more obvious in our context as soldiers. Fighting in exercises under the command of a brilliant leader and tactician, I see very well how much my capabilities increase compared to if I fought alone—but this is achieved largely through trust.
Nevertheless, this chapter does not forbid having doubts; it even encourages expressing one's point of view when they exist! Simply put, trust in others in this case must outweigh trust in oneself—a quite altruistic idea, especially needed in pre-war and wartime.
2. Courage and Honor
Everything is simple here—it is better to die physically but fulfill what is necessary than not to fulfill it, not even to try—and die inside. Of course, life does not always put us before such a harsh choice; usually, it turns out softer, but... As practice shows, one must be ready for the most terrible things.
3. Justice
Perhaps the two main mistakes of people leading to misunderstanding, arguments, and conflicts are: the opinion that you are noticeably better than other people; and that some group of people is better and more important than another group. When everyone thinks this way about themselves, it will at best simply poison their life, at worst—lead to large-scale violence. When our country has external enemies, having internal ones in each other's form due to an inability to soundly assess oneself is, of course, quite reckless.
4. Courtesy, Restraint, and Benevolence
Understanding the feelings of others and respect for them allows much—both working better in a team and receiving positive emotions and energy from communicating with others, and also, not least importantly—not turning into a monster during war, one who does not perceive another's pain and grief. A person who is cruel may be capable of winning a war—but after its end, the world will only turn into dead ruins and nothing more.
This wonderful chapter teaches being kind not only to friends but also to enemies.
5. Sincerity
We all live in one empire and it is better if we do not hide the important depths of our souls from each other, again, for the sake of trust.
6. Beauty
A chapter that seemingly stands out among others because it speaks of something external rather than internal. Nevertheless, it influenced my worldview most strongly—as I had never even thought about this before! I am sure I am not alone in this.
We, students of the Reime military academy, will have to do more than just defend our country—we must show all others, our friends and people from the empire, that we are a support for them. Give hope in a difficult moment. If we are not neat, not beautiful—it will be hard for us to achieve this.
Of course, it is also fair what is written in this chapter about improving the quality of one's own life and the life of society.
7. Diligence
With the best spiritual qualities but without diligence and industriousness, it will be difficult to achieve the desired result. Interestingly, this chapter is considered the most difficult to study—training oneself in a correct attitude toward others is sometimes indeed easier than selflessly giving oneself to one's cause and duty.
Without extra comments, the course taken by Rinze Reime is clear. I also think that the empress will improve and supplement her code in the future.
For example, personally, it would be interesting for me to see a supplement to the sixth chapter that touched upon other ways of improving one's own beauty than cosmetics. Although the latter is quite effective, and I especially want to use advice on improving skin, it seems to me that one could also increase their pleasantness to another's eye in other ways. The ability to carry oneself, the ability to speak, the ability to dress beautifully... Perhaps simple self-confidence? I often see people who, in my opinion, are quite beautiful, but others do not notice this beauty, even deny it, because the person themselves is too modest and inconspicuous. Not everyone was lucky enough to be born into families where good manners are instilled, or those where you are smiled at from childhood with a sincere kind smile—and you learn to smile back and acquire an inspiring smile. If one could learn this through advice from the code, I think many would be happy. Although I will not risk seriously adding my very small and insignificant idea to this book, according to the advice on sincerity, I decided to mention it.
Also, I have an idea that Her Majesty could share how to properly maintain the health of one's body. I am sure the empress is well-versed in this, and the quality of people's lives could grow even more! Although, compared to what has already been done, these are trifles.
Another non-trivial change in the empire—the activation of the justice system. This is something I learned not from news or rumors, but practically from personal experience—facing five bandits in the forest. Once those people heard that my friend and I were students of the military academy, some of the robbers poured out a huge amount of malice because they found Empress Rinze Reime, who oversees our academy, rather than their own crimes, to be the source of their troubles. And then... They firmly decided to kill us and my friend as well. And at the moment when Eli and I stood back-to-back and fought the enemies of the empress, it became clear that she and I have the same friends—the people of the empire, and the same enemies—such fallen personalities who wish only harm to others. And though a bit spontaneously, we then contributed to the justice that the empress was organizing.
Now I will move to the main point. In all changes in the empire, a course toward strict morale and benevolence is visible. Everything says this—both the code (specifically chapters 3 and 4) and the fight against crime. If you tie all the facts together, a clear picture emerges from which only one event deviates. Therefore, upon sound reflection, I am inclined not to believe what rumors said—about the execution of journalists in the main square, especially since I was not a witness to it myself. Considering that this was in the news, I can assume that the empress took an example from one of her famous predecessors, Airin Reime (who pardoned his failed assassins but made them understand that it was a unique case), to earn greater loyalty from her people—she conducted a demonstrative but not real execution, possibly using mannequins. This would be quite reasonable to strengthen her power and use this for the fastest and most effective implementation of reforms—while in essence no real victim is required! And since one is not required, given the personal qualities of the empress, it becomes logical that she indeed did without them! At the same time, people were still made to understand that they must treat their rulers with respect.
Therefore, I believe those journalists were simply removed from public view, quite possibly with their consent. Likewise Kamiya Yuki—surely this person is now sitting somewhere and engaging in his favorite activity, history, and also seeing his brother and sister. I think everything is fine for all of them. On this positive note, I end the section and move to external policy.

Section 3. Neighbors and other countries, and relations with them.

The obvious increase in external danger toward our country forced the empress to take as decisive actions in external policy as in internal. The loudest event in this field was the formation of the White Lily Alliance, consisting of three countries—the Reime Empire, Ixia, and Alait. A bit about them:
1. Alait.
A formation that once entered into the composition of the Reime Empire, from which all imperial elves originated, as well as imperial magic and much more. Now it is under the full control of the Ikigai religious movement, and Alait is ruled by the head of this movement, Usami Kyoko. The Ikigai movement is known for practicing unconditional worship of its mentor, promising harmony in the soul and deliverance from doubts. Unfortunately, however kindly this may sound, such a result is achieved through the limitation of people's free will. I am not sure how this is achieved—either their soul is somehow bound, or they are deprived of a soul entirely... Ah, maybe it is just the result of very skillful mental pressure that gives a person no chance to think over their position. Also, members of Ikigai practice the rejection of any means of progress beyond traditional ones (swords, bows, traditional clothing, no mechanisms or enhancers), as well as the rejection of practicing magic. This would not be a big problem if cult members did not impose their vision by force—for example, in the past, many mages were executed in Alait.
Apparently, Usami Kyoko's goal is to spread her influence over the maximum number of people, which makes her a very dangerous figure.
However, we are lucky in the situation Alait currently finds itself in. Its territory is completely surrounded by Larian's territory, so the latter easily established an economic blockade on Alait. This made Alait a good candidate for an ally for us—this state is not too dangerous for us as long as it is surrounded, but for the chance to break the blockade, the Ikigai will fight fiercely and enter into an alliance with anyone. Yes, this seems a bit cynical, but perhaps it is correct—to pit "evil" against each other and ultimately weaken and defeat them. The only danger is that Alait will surely strike us when it feels it can do so. It is even now actively preparing the ground by recruiting servants here, in our empire. But I am sure the empress knows no less about all this than I do and will be ready at the right moment!

2. Ixian Empire.
Empress—Carmiona Vermillion. Traditionally, Ixia was a kingdom located on the large island of Akai in the southwest in complete isolation from other states. However, King Carmine Vermillion differed from his predecessors and began to make both friends and enemies on the external arena. Thus, one of his allies became the Reime faction of the Sonata era called "Prosperity." The result of cooperation was the appearance of ether weapons in Ixia. In terms of enemies—a significant part of southern Enclessia was conquered by this man, and Ixia officially became an empire.
In 809, Carmine Vermillion attacks Reime—at that time Kamiya Ren, our empress's father, ruled us. Carmine struck his opponents by using a powerful airship in the attack—a clear sign of how well technical progress developed in Ixia, prompted by "Prosperity." The Emperor of Ixia wanted to win very quickly and unexpectedly, either because he feared a prolonged war with a state like ours, or was in a great hurry to obtain the secret of eternal life for which all this was planned. The war ended with a duel between two emperors—and the victory of Kamiya Ren.
Carmiona is the daughter of Carmine and his sister (and wife) Pulcherrima. She is extremely intelligent, an excellent warrior and mage, clearly wishing not to fall behind her father in terms of loud deeds. They say she defeated both angels and formidable vampires and undead with equal ease. Most likely, from the alliance with the Reime Empire, she seeks economic and technological benefit—as we do from them. Ixia's technologies are at least in some aspects comparable to Larian ones; we followed our own path, also very effective, but both our countries should win from such an exchange and secure their borders.
From the description of these countries, Rinze Reime's diplomatic success in concluding the alliance is quite visible, as is how important and necessary a measure this was.
3. Larian.
On the other hand, there is a state that does not hide its unfriendly attitude toward us—the Larian Republic. In the past, Kamiya Ren had to fight shoulder to shoulder with Larian against the spawn of Eos, and I would, of course, wish that our states were still together on the political arena now as they were then.
However, it must be admitted that this is unlikely possible. The Larian Republic actively promotes the ideals of democracy and does not reconcile with other worldviews on political structure. Such a view is spread, among other things, by propaganda. At the same time, the republic certainly considers itself the true heir to the Reime Empire of pre-shattering times—at least it actively spreads its influence over countries that were in the past under imperial control. Although not only over them.
Tanarsis, Asteya, Areid, and Hem are subject to Larian's influence. I fear that in case of conflict we would have to face them all at once. But perhaps—Asteya will still take a neutral side as an exception related to religious views?
Among other things, it should be noted that according to some sources, Larian's current political course is caused mainly by the influence of Symphony Reime, former chancellor of the republic, and now not ruling the country directly, although modern chancellors try to act in her name and in connection with her ideology. Larian is a very dangerous opponent due to its technologies (ether weapons, airships brought from Tanigon, and improved dolls); however, everything they do is expensive, and I am not sure if they were able to implement their technology truly on a mass scale.
4. Darkiria.
An extremely conservative duchy where the power of the aristocracy remains strong to this day. Despite this, the country has no significant internal problems or contradictions, save for an overly weak development of technology.
Duke Beryl S. Tessen II is pursuing a rather interesting social policy to improve the lives of the Darkirians.
Its military strength lies in terrain that is well-suited for defense, as well as in the power of the "Ice Heart" cult, which is dedicated to Luciola Reime, who sleeps in Frostrime Fortress.
I may be wrong, but I believe we will have no conflict of interests with Darkiria.
5. Dreyeria.
A state that is extremely developed in terms of its magic. It has a clear division into two classes — citizens and non-citizens; the former are practically free to do whatever they wish, having no strict motivation to work. The citizens of Dreyeria, determined by certain hereditary traits (the most obvious being white hair), live for their own pleasure at the expense of the labor of non-citizens, that is, slaves. Slaves have no rights whatsoever, including the right to life.
The Dreyerians, as far as I can tell, are not very interested in external relations; they are too focused on their own nation. Their famous magical artifacts cannot be used by non-Dreyerians, so even if we had the opportunity to be friends, we would gain no technology from such an alliance. However, there is also no need to be at odds with Dreyeria.
6. Nihon, Serafol, Beliad
These states have hardly been heard of lately. Nihon is discussed mainly in connection with its culture and its martial arts (somewhat outdated and risky, but as practice has shown, still effective if you have talent), while the others are more often found in history textbooks than in news or conversations.
I do not expect these states to take an active part in upcoming events, whatever they may be. None of them currently possess conquest ambitions, nor is their territory being coveted — although it should be noted that they have become a bit wary of us recently, perhaps due to a misinterpretation of our intentions.

Thus, one can form a rough idea of what awaits us in the near future. Empress Rinze Reime, by all signs, intends to skillfully take advantage of the current political situation and secure the empire — thereby summarizing the internal changes in the country. And we, all citizens, will strive with all our might to move together into our future, caring for one another and supporting each other in both difficult and bright times.
C
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The international situation and the state of the country in general are quite tense, which could ultimately lead to various conflicts. I believe we must try to prevent the latter, for we all remember history and what can happen, how terrible life can become for absolutely every person. Even confidence in one's own strength does not guarantee well-being; even allies can stab you in the back while hiding behind benevolent faces, and even the ultimate goal may eventually lead to an unpredictable result. Much can be obtained through power, but only wisdom will help apply it correctly and achieve the best result.
As for the changes in the country, it is too early to draw any conclusions. Only time will tell whether they have been beneficial or not.
E
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Beyond any doubt, it can already be asserted that Rinze Reime will go down in history as the ruler who began a new era, not only on the scale of the country but likely the world. To be consistent, I will begin with the history of the Empress's ascension to the throne. It is known to us that her predecessor, Eugian Reime, took the title thanks to the abdication of his older brother, and now he himself is stepping down from power. The question arises: should this not have happened sooner? Did Eugian Reime have sufficient opportunity and desire to rule properly? Indisputably, he performed the duties of emperor impeccably, but was this for him a kind of obligation, a burden, a matter of duty rather than his own desire and will? I believe this was the case; therefore, despite all efforts, the previous emperor cannot be called a truly productive ruler, and his lack of will to power led to stagnation in the empire. In contrast, Rinze Reime is the living embodiment of that very will, and thus, her becoming Empress was not only logical but an outcome of the highest justice. One could even say she should have ascended the throne much sooner.
The slogan of the new era became "return to former greatness." Despite the reaction it caused, objectively there is nothing wrong with it — only a highly commendable desire of the ruler to bring her country to prosperity and a just desire to return what belongs to us by right. The Empire held a dominant position in the world for centuries, and its loss of power in the era of Shards is not an accomplished fact, but rather a temporary misunderstanding. This misunderstanding must be corrected, and Rinze Reime's readiness for this should please everyone who calls themselves a citizen and patriot of the Empire. History is always cyclical, and decline must inevitably be followed by rise. A strong ruler has replaced a weak one and, I am sure, the empire will soon experience a new golden age.
The harsh measures applied to certain individuals may have been, in my view, excessively harsh, but objectively speaking — they were necessary. It was important for the Empress to demonstrate the strength of state power, and this had to be done immediately, thereby setting the future course and immediately forming the correct impression of herself as a strong ruler to avoid problems in the future.
I cannot judge the formation of the alliance unequivocally, since I do not possess sufficient information regarding the reasons for its formation. Indisputably, strength lies in unity, and to strengthen our position on the international stage, to maintain political competitiveness against Larian, we need allies; but are we giving more in this alliance than we receive? I believe the Empress knows the answer to this question better. We, ordinary citizens, can only accept this fact, believing in the correctness of Rinze Reime's decisions — and for this belief, as I wrote above, there are all the grounds.
Before moving to the final point — regarding changes in the domestic aspects of life and state ideology, I must make a small digression, explaining my vision of modern society and the role of the individual within it%0leads to such a chain%Ehuman is a deeply social being, which means that on one hand, the surrounding society plays a vital role in their life; on the other, many people define the properties of that very society, thus each person is responsible for the life of every other. In the modern world, where there are no blank spots on the map nor anarchic tribes, the concept of society becomes identical to the concept of the state for a citizen. In turn, states form a global society where the same rule of responsibility applies. All this leads to such a chain of reasoning: a person's life is determined by the conditions of the state, the conditions of the state are determined by the global situation and the state's place on the world stage; in turn, the state itself influences the political situation in the world, and the state itself, in turn, is determined by the actions of its citizens. Thus, every person, even to a negligible degree, influences the whole world, and the world determines their existence, and in their actions, a person must always be guided by the fact that they are part of this global sE6beneficial side. Everything what all efforts, to achieve favorable conditions for oneself in this system. Simultaneously we understand that under the conditions of the existence of countless individual people-particles, a change in the state of the system can only be achieved by the coordinated action of a large number of particles as a single whole. This whole is the macro-society, that is — the state. Conclusion: if a person desires a better position for themselves, they must entirely follow the interests of the society-state, thus shifting the world system in the necessary direction. All that is required for this is competent leadership, thanks to which these particles will act in coordination. We have this leadership; all we need for our triumph and happiness is to realize ourselves as part of a whole, the naturalness, justice, and benefit of this position.
The internal policy and ideology of Rinze Reime are aimed precisely at creating a disciplined, cohesive society that will be like an ideal mechanism, where everyone is a part of a great whole. The Empress does everything to form in people a correct understanding of the world order and the place of an empire's citizen within it; this is evident even in those seemingly small changes in academy life — all of them are aimed at creating the ideal components of the state mechanism, thanks to which the country will move toward greatness, and this future greatness will become the reward for every subject of the Empire. The Empire above all else — everyone must understand this, because the Empire is precisely these "everyones." By caring for the good of the empire, we care for ourselves. Our actions must be directed toward the common good, and the Empress will point the true path to achieving this good.
A
_______________________________

Evriala Grace was pleased with the students' work, but she also had a couple of complaints about some of them.
— Moriner, I'll be waiting for you in my office after class. Latro, Bertrand, and others, clear your schedules in early November; you will have an individual lecture on my subject. Parfinora... — Evriala shook her head disapprovingly. — It's "Her Majesty" or at least "Rinze Reim," but to call Her Magnificence by her first name... What impudence! Thank heavens it was just a test. I'll pretend it didn't happen. Xenomia, this applies to you as well, to a lesser extent. Otherwise, good knowledge of the facts, but your work lacks the main thing; but before you ask what it is, try to think about it yourself.

Results of other students in class III
Eli – F (special lecture)
Azarina – E (special lecture)
Shogo – A
Berwang – F (special lecture)
Anelotta – F (special lecture)
Ifeon – D
Light – F (special lecture)
Imir – C
Naru – C

Miya prepared for this test quite a while in the library, trying to understand the situation and recalling her own experiences. The girl really wanted to see good things in those around her, and she had great difficulty coming to terms with the fact that Rinze seemed like a tyrant. All these dreams only confirmed it… It wouldn’t be so scary, but there was also the oath…
And yet, at some point, something clicked for Miya. She liked the thought that came to her mind. No, actually, the girl wasn't sure at all, but the idea that the Empress staged a showy, but fake execution… Well, it gave hope. And the girl clung to it because she didn't want to think about what else could happen. She wanted to serve an empress who might be strict, but is kind and just. One who doesn't punish for trivial matters and won't start a war on her own. All of this culminated in writing Xenomia.
Also, last month, the girl tried to work on her image, improve her skincare routine, and finally found a hairstyle that suits her more or less.

Honestly, she expected that hard work on the test, her sincerity, and goodwill, as well as trying to fix the problems that Kamiya Yuki pointed out last time, would allow her to at least maintain her previous grade – but that didn't happen... Miya felt silly; she had improved herself externally, but according to the grades, she was still doing poorly.

Xenomia, this applies to you to a lesser extent.

"I even tried to write correctly! Did I make any mistakes somewhere and wrote about the Empress in a conversational style?"

Otherwise, good knowledge of facts, but your work lacks the main thing; however, before asking what it is, try to figure it out yourself.

—I will… I’ll try to understand, Teacher Grace…

— Moriner, I will be waiting for you in my office after classes.

—As you wish, Miss Grace.
"Is this related to the test? Or something else? Oh, I've made so many mistakes in the last couple of months that I won't even bother to remember where I messed up the most."

Contrary to Moriner's possible expectations, the visit to the curator, although it ended unexpectedly, did not result in anything unpleasant. Evriala Grace praised him for his good work and made an unusual offer.
— Unfortunately, I don't have the opportunity to assess your May work, Moriner, but I will trust the opinion of your previous instructor and, combining this with the results of the latest test, I want to recommend you for the military journalist specialty. This news has not yet been made public, so don't spread it around, but the truth is that in November, all academy students, including freshmen, will undergo an accelerated course in their chosen specialty and will be assigned to a specific role in the troops of our empire. If you agree, in the event of war, you will need to photograph what is happening on the front lines and write the corresponding Articles. The work itself is not easy and requires responsibility, but on the other hand, you will be doing an important and rare job, and besides, you will not need to take direct part in the fighting, since your hands will be busy anyway.

After class, Miya asks Shogo how he managed to get a high score – she wants to figure out what mistakes she made.

— Unfortunately, I cannot assess your May work, Moriner, but I will trust the opinion of your previous instructor and, combining this with the results of your last test, I would like to recommend you for the military journalist specialty. This news has not yet been made public, so do not spread it around, but the truth is that in November, all academy students, including freshmen, will undergo an accelerated course in their chosen specialty and will be assigned to a specific role in the troops of our empire. If you agree, in the event of war, you will need to photograph what is happening on the front lines and write relevant articles. The work itself is not easy and requires responsibility, but on the other hand, you will be doing an important and rare job, and besides, you will not need to take direct part in hostilities, since your hands will be busy anyway.

It took Moriner a few moments to fully grasp the meaning of the message. He had never been particularly interested in military journalism, but in his historical research, he had encountered figures in this profession time and time again. What he didn't like was the "freedom" in covering events and the additional danger, but on the other hand, he didn't really expect to survive a possible war anyway, so he certainly didn't express these thoughts aloud.
-Hmm, to be honest, this is a very... unexpected offer, Miss Grace. I will need some time to properly familiarize myself with the details of this profession, perhaps talk to some professionals to better understand... what format to expect. But I think I can handle this job and I will be able to approach its execution with due responsibility. In addition, even my magical specialty may be helpful here. - the student paused. - I will be grateful for your recommendation, Miss Grace. And I will do everything in my power to serve the Realmian Empire.

In response, Shogo made a rather unflattering sketch of the empress on a piece of paper and gently hugged it.

Hero, give the statuette to Galmey. Let him fix it).

— Excellent. — Evriala gave the student a look full of approval. — After the specialization assignment, you will be assigned to one of the best specialists in this field, so don't worry about trivial matters. Moriner Leveristos, I will expect great success from you!