#884 The Agony of Youth in the Ultimate Position

I’m Ritheseus, the very first President of the newly-founded Human Republic.

...

No, it just doesn’t feel real yet...!

According to Lord Saint, the President is the head of the nation, with responsibility equal to that of a king.

Who would’ve thought I, of all people, would end up in such an important role? Me!

A mere youngster like me!!!

Isn’t this the kind of position that’s supposed to be filled by someone older with a wealth of experience?

It’s not like the Human Republic is suffering from a severe talent shortage. Plenty of suitable candidates are around, like the feudal lords who survived the war!

So why on earth did a greenhorn like me land this position so easily?! I need someone to explain this to me!

Looking back, the whole process of becoming President is a mystery.

Why did they decide it with a battle?!

I mean, I’m supposed to be the new leader of a new nation... Deciding the future of a country is a serious matter, right?!

Shouldn’t they be more cautious?!

There are other ways to decide, like discussions or voting, but no, they had to choose a battle.

A one-on-one fight, at that.

That’s a method for choosing the leader of cool kids on the street, not a country’s head, right?!

...And I really did protest when it was time to take office. 

But everyone, including the current feudal lords led by Lord Dalkish, persuaded me.

They said things like “A young regime needs a young leader” and “We must break away from the old ways.”

I, Ritheseus, learned a great deal at a place called the farm.

And it was no ordinary place.

Built by Lord Saint, it was a remarkable place where many transcendent beings gathered.

In such places, one can learn a great deal.

Including the mysteries of the world that one would never know by living an ordinary life.

Having learned so much from such an extraordinary place, I always thought I had to use that knowledge to make a mark on the world.

...But jumping straight to being the president? Isn’t that like skipping right to the final stage?

I wanted to contribute to society step by step, you know?

Even with all the unusual knowledge I’ve gained, I thought I’d start from the bottom.

I had hoped to climb the ladder gradually, but now, I’m suddenly the head of a nation!

Isn’t that skipping way too many steps?!

That’s why I protested so hard when I was about to be appointed. But with people like Lord Dalkish persuading me, I had no choice but to accept.

It seems that someone among the powerful feudal lords should naturally have taken the position, yet there’s this unmistakable effort to dodge it at all costs.

...Reflecting on the chaos and decline of the old Human Kingdom, I can’t help but feel the reason lies here.

With that thought, I decided to start from scratch and, ultimately, chose to accept the presidency.

It felt like, if not me, then who?

...And so, I’m looking back on the worries and internal struggles accompanying my path to becoming the human president.

A bit late for reflections, maybe.

Then again, it’s not like I’ve had much of a chance to talk about it.

Even my inaugural speech was a disaster. I couldn’t speak properly.

After Junior’s rousing performance, how was I supposed to follow that and elevate the mood?

Despite being the main character that day, my attempt at a good speech spectacularly backfired.

Now, it’s a bitter memory.

And that’s how I began my life as the Human President.

So far, I could say it’s going well.

I set up the government office in the place where the Demon King’s occupation headquarters, also known as the old Human Kingdom’s castle, used to be. We work on policies, enact laws, and discuss various matters there.

“Mr. President, please sign this document.”

“We have new predictions for potential disasters in various regions.”

“There’s a discrepancy in the inventory recheck. There might be some leakage...”

“We have a draft for the new electoral system.”

We deal with countless matters like these.

It really makes me respect the kings who always have such tough jobs.

And one of our most crucial tasks now is establishing an electoral system.

I understand the importance of this system, something I realized thanks to my time at the farm.

Elections are the cornerstone of democracy.

Once the monarchy was abolished and we established the Human Republic, it became essential to fully embrace the principles of democracy. Every individual must feel like they are a part of steering the country’s course.

However, fostering such a mindset overnight is unrealistic. As the first President, I was granted this position through the appointment of capable feudal lords. 

But we cannot continue like this forever.

If the selection of the second, third, and subsequent Presidents is limited to a few influential individuals, we’ll end up being governed by a select few.

This would be no different from the old monarchical days of the Human Kingdom.

Given that my term as the first president is set at ten years, it is imperative that a general election, voted on by all citizens, be held to select the second president in ten years’ time.

No, it must be done.

I firmly believe that establishing an electoral system in the reborn Human Republic is the very reason I became the first president. That’s why I’m dedicating myself to preparing for the election in anticipation of ten years from now.

Some may wonder, “Isn’t this a bit premature?” or “Don’t you have other things to focus on?” Absolutely not.

We have to teach the concept and importance of elections to people who have never encountered them before, ensuring their execution without excluding a single person.

The magnitude of this task is beyond imagination.

It’s not that one can’t imagine it; it’s that the imagination can’t keep up.

The people, long accustomed to a monarchy, never had to think much for themselves—simply following the ruler was enough.

The line of thinking, “We’ve been comfortable this way, so why not just keep things as they are?” must be avoided.

A thorough reformation of the public consciousness is needed. I’m considering opening schools everywhere, teaching reading, writing, and arithmetic while also instilling the principles of democracy...

To accomplish this, ten years is indeed necessary. It’s not something that can be done in just one or two years.

This endeavor’s difficulty could be part of the challenges that come with founding something new, but it’s undeniably tough and keeps me incredibly busy.

These were my thoughts when one day...

***

“I propose a diplomatic visit to the Demon Kingdom.”

I raised this agenda in today’s meeting.

The cabinet ministers gathered to assist in governance reacted to my suggestion.

Though I had thought about changing the term ‘cabinet minister’ after transitioning from a monarchy to a presidency, nothing better came to mind, so the title remained.

Most ministers look perplexed.

“A diplomatic visit to the Demon Kingdom... you mean, an actual visit?”

“Yes, why not?”

Their attempt to rephrase it wasn’t really necessary, but let’s not dwell on that.

“The Demon Kingdom recognized the sovereignty of the Human Republic and willingly returned control of the territories they occupied. Such an act, usually unthinkable in a land under occupation, deserves our gratitude.”

“But didn’t you already express gratitude during your inauguration speech?”

Oh, you mean that embarrassing speech?

Lord Junior’s speech was so remarkable that I wonder how many people even remember mine.

So, you know...

“It’s never too much to express gratitude. And the inauguration speech was, after all, within the Human Kingdom. True, the Demon King and a few of his key ministers attended, but that was a handful, less than ten people. I want to extend our gratitude to a wider audience of the demons.”

“For that purpose, a diplomatic visit?”

“Exactly.”

An official visit would undoubtedly become the talk of the town, if not the entire country, at least in the Demon Capital.

It could reach thousands, even tens of thousands, letting them know that humans harbor gratitude, perhaps even goodwill, towards demons.

This could be the foundation of future peace.

“Right after the foundation of the Human Republic, we were too swamped to plan anything. But as time has passed, we’ve grown accustomed to governance and can afford some leeway. It’s time to address our long-standing intention of paying a diplomatic visit to the Demon Kingdom.”

I was about to issue instructions to send inquiries to the Demon Kingdom when I noticed something.

There’s something odd about the cabinet ministers...