#barkak

...When it comes to the decisions of the Rem Empire. Since he can just grant the Ko Empire a teleportal straight over their borders without taking it up with the Senate.

Meanwhile Scheherazade got conned into letting the Senate “phase” out slavery for a period 270 years longer than the Rem Empire has existed (they were founded by Emperor Remus 730 years ago). Keep in mind that 200 years ago, when Emperor Pernadius Alexius had the throne, there was no slavery. Since Scheherazade thinks that slavery is relatively recent (or whatever she said about overlooking the flaws of her children), it must have happened sometime during the past century or less.

So if slavery has existed for 100 years (probably less, but lets be generous), the Senate was able to con her into thinking that you would need 10 times as long to abolish it (since Titus, with Scheherazade’s memories, doesn’t call bullshit, I am forced to believe that yes, this is how it went down).

And now it turns out that while Scheherazade, mother and founder of Rem, was beholden to the Senate and Emperor, Titus, who battled against Rem in the battle that killed Scheherazade, apparently isn’t.

This is the same problem I had with Barkak and Balbadd. Just as how Titus should have needed to take this decision to the Senate to decide, Barkak (who should have lost all political relevance two revolutions ago) should have been forced to take the Ko teleportal decision to the Parliament to decide. The very structure of their “we’re a fabulous republic not a monarchy lol” should have forced them into it. At the very least, it should have been the decision of the elected Foreign Ministers (or their equivalents) rather than the military (Right General Barkak of Balbadd, No. 1 Fanboy of the Saluja Dynasty) and clergy (High Priest Titus Alexius of the Rem Empire, Traitor of the Battle of Magnostadt).

Okay, I get it. the author wants to reintroduce the old characters (who, apparently, formed friendships with Alibaba off-panel. Which... Holy shit am I tired of everything interesting when it comes to the characters happening off-panel, in backstages and omakes), but the only way this makes sense is if Rem and Balbadd were monarchies and Titus and Barkak were the monarchs.

Can I also point out that Titus is 5 years old. Regardless of his body’s and brain’s physical and hormonal maturity, he is 5 years old. With 5 years of life experience. During most of that time he was in Magnostadt, not in a government position.