Claudius held an optimistic view of the future transformations in this world.
Looking at the trajectory of history, these changes were undoubtedly inevitable.
Eight centuries of rule had accumulated a vast number of contradictions. When these tensions could no longer be suppressed, they would inevitably trigger a massive backlash, one so turbulent that no human effort could halt it.
Claudius didn't delude himself into thinking he was powerful enough to single-handedly suppress the wave of an entire era. For the various systems set in place by the World Government, whatever was meant to change in the future would certainly still change. However, Claudius had no intention of passively accepting all these changes.
There were different types of changes.
The first would be bottom-up, sparked by the revolutionary army that Dragon would one day establish. The clash of iron and blood would bring about a direct change in the ruling dynasty. At that time, while the World Government might survive in some organizational form, its current rulers would be doomed.
The second type of change would be top-down. This was the method Claudius favored a transformation initiated from within, allowing the system to adapt to the changing era, thereby revitalizing itself. This was the path Claudius was leaning toward, and it might be the approach he would take in the future.
"Even if the world changes, it should be guided by divine hands," Claudius muttered softly.
"Your Highness?" Nia, standing by his side, looked at him in confusion, unsure how to respond to his cryptic words.
Claudius smiled, setting aside the book in his hand. "Don't mind me. I was just thinking out loud."
Claudius's plan was clear: he intended to seize the right moment to initiate a top-down transformation that could adapt to the tidal wave of the new era. But before that, he needed to make preparations. If he wanted to stir up change, he couldn't do it alone he needed power, allies who would conspire with him.
At present, Dragon seemed like someone who might be of use. However, Claudius was still too young. Had he been born a decade or so earlier, he might have been better prepared. Therefore, until he possessed sufficient strength, he couldn't act rashly or push Dragon too hard. His approach would need to be subtle he would have to gradually influence Dragon's thinking, helping him understand Claudius's ideas, so that the two of them wouldn't end up as enemies.
This kind of work required "culture." In simple terms: brainwashing.
After all, Claudius hailed from an era of information overload in his previous life. His mind was brimming with knowledge, and as a well-educated man, brainwashing these natives shouldn't pose too much of a challenge.
"If things go as expected, the best solution would be to adapt to the times by reforming the existing system. Of all possible systems, a constitutional monarchy seems most fitting delegating symbolic power to the people so they feel like they have a stake in things, while holding the real, invisible power behind the scenes. That's the framework I have in mind."
Claudius pondered over this.
When contradictions piled up to a breaking point, if one didn't want to be overthrown, concessions had to be made. The biggest flaw of the current system was that the World Government wielded too much power, and the Celestial Dragons were completely unrestrained, making them utterly lawless.
To avoid the fate of being overthrown, Claudius felt that some power needed to be ceded. However, this would only be a façade. As long as societal productive forces hadn't yet reached a point of equal wealth distribution, class divisions would remain inevitable. Right now, these divisions were simply too glaring, with the Celestial Dragons brazenly standing above everything else. Such contradictions were bound to lead to conflict.
Although Claudius temporarily believed in delegating power, he had no intention of dismantling the upper class. His goal was to stabilize their power through the redistribution of authority. He would use wealth to control power discreetly after the system was reformed.
In short, Claudius intended to use constitutional reform as a façade to create a pseudo-capitalist system. Outwardly, there would be no obvious power on display, but in reality, he would still control the true power wealth.
By that time, with one hand holding the illusion of symbolic authority and the other holding real economic power, coupled with Marine waving the flag of justice, it would appear that significant changes had occurred. But in reality, he would still be at the top.
That would be enough.
Of course, Claudius knew better than to let Dragon in on these deeper thoughts. He had to wrap these ideas in the rhetoric of the "new era" and make them seem progressive. After all, what's more effective than using lofty ideals to manipulate others?
This kind of trickery was easy enough. It appeared grandiose, but it wasn't too complicated certainly not for Claudius.
Once Claudius understood this, he realized that gaining Dragon's cooperation would be his first major goal. The best way to do this? Books.
Dragon was still serving as a Vice Admiral in the Marine, meaning his ideological views hadn't solidified yet. His values were still being shaped, largely influenced by Garp.
That was perfect. At this stage, before Dragon fully discovered his path, Claudius could "rewrite" his thoughts using books that resonated with him.
As someone who came from an information-rich era, Claudius had more than enough material in his head to compose a book that could sway someone like Dragon. But for this plan to work, the content had to fit this world it couldn't be too outlandish.
Thus, Claudius had Nia continually gather books from this world for him, expanding his knowledge and preparing for the task ahead.
This was just the beginning. First, he would write a simple work to "enlighten" Dragon. He'd find a way to ensure that Dragon stumbled upon it naturally, arousing his curiosity. That would be the first step.
Later, when he was strong enough to travel freely, Claudius would traverse the world, writing a more substantial book one that could genuinely inspire Dragon.
The best outcome would be co-publishing a book with Dragon, tying him firmly to these ideals.
"I really am devious... tsk." Claudius touched his chin, smiling wickedly.
For now, lacking the strength to act openly, he had to rely on this "cultural" approach. It was the only path available to him.
Of course, Claudius knew that without real power, all of this was mere talk. If this path succeeded, it would be ideal. But if it failed, he would have to explore other means to secure his interests.
"Mass murder..." Claudius muttered.
The first approach, a top-down transformation, was the kingly path ruling through benevolence, enlightening the people, and guiding them with reason.
The second, more brutal path, was hegemony. If reasoning failed, Claudius would have to use raw power to enforce his will. Whoever tried to overthrow him would be eliminated.
These were thoughts Claudius kept to himself, weighing each option carefully. In the end, though, all roads led back to one conclusion: strength was essential.
With that thought, Claudius snapped back to the present. Nia was still standing quietly beside him, waiting patiently.
"Nia, bring me my pen and ink," Claudius said.
Nia blinked in surprise. "Your Highness?" She thought he had been focusing on martial arts recently, and now, suddenly, he wanted to write? Could he be thinking of composing a book?
She was momentarily confused, but in the end, it didn't matter. Claudius was a Celestial Dragon. Whether he was writing or even burning books, no one would dare question him.
Pushing aside these thoughts, Nia quickly fetched the pen and ink.
Claudius took the pen, paused for a moment, and thought to himself: if he wanted to influence Dragon's idealism, he needed a title that sounded grand!
After a few moments of consideration, Claudius made his decision and wrote two large characters on the paper: "Civil Rights."
But when he looked at his handwriting, Claudius froze. While the words themselves were fine, the writing was atrocious practically illegible.
"Ugh, my predecessor was truly useless. A noble who can't even write properly... It's embarrassing," Claudius muttered to himself.
Frustrated, he set the pen down. "Nia, you do it."
"Me?" Nia was taken aback. "But Your Highness... I'm not sure what you want to write."
"I'll dictate it to you. My handwriting is too awful to show to anyone. You can write decently, right?" Claudius asked, smiling.
Nia nodded hesitantly. "We do have to learn proper calligraphy in the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Along with music, chess, painting, and so on..."
Claudius wasn't surprised. As a steward for the Celestial Dragons, it made sense for her to be highly skilled. After all, if one of the Celestial Dragons was in a good mood and asked you to play a tune or paint something, you couldn't very well say no. Otherwise, they might kill you for being useless.
"Good, then you can write for me," Claudius said with a grin.
Nia sat down in the spot Claudius had vacated. After neatly writing the words "Civil Rights," she paused, waiting for Claudius to continue dictating.
Claudius stood behind her, his voice calm and measured as he spoke:
"The people are like water, and the ruler is the boat. Dynasties may rise and fall, leaders may change, but the people endure. Water can support a boat, but it can also overturn it. Therefore, the well-being of the people must always come first, while the ruler serves as their guiding light..."
Claudius continued to dictate in a low voice while Nia diligently recorded his words. If Claudius wanted to influence Dragon's idealism, he had to craft this carefully, blending grand ideals with practical rhetoric. The title and the text needed to sound profound enough to inspire someone like Dorag.
Nia, listening intently to Claudius's words, couldn't help but feel a growing sense of disbelief. Initially, she thought Claudius's sudden interest in writing was just a passing whim, perhaps some lofty rhetoric praising the greatness of the Celestial Dragons. But these words...
The more Claudius spoke, the more shocked Nia became. His thoughts, his philosophy, seemed almost radical. As a member of the Celestial Dragons, Claudius's ideas about the people being the foundation of society, about rulers needing to adapt or face ruin were astonishing, almost blasphemous.
She kept her composure, though, continuing to write, her pen moving steadily across the paper as she recorded every word.