Chapter 341 - Episode 333: Freedom and Morality ③
About one week after the "Purification Ritual" commotion, Noein invited Daniela and several other influential women who agreed with her to the mansion's conference room.
Noein sat on one side of the conference table with Matilda and Mai, while Daniela and the others sat opposite them—first, Noein smiled at them.
"I'm sorry for calling you all here so suddenly."
"...No, if it is the request of His Highness Grand Duke Arqvist, I consider it the duty of the people to attend."
Daniela, as she answered, was visibly nervous. The other women also had stiff expressions. Considering they had been summoned by their sovereign after being told he "wanted to speak in detail regarding the matter of the petition," this was a perfectly normal reaction.
"Hahaha, you don't need to be so nervous. I didn't call you here to scold you. It's just that the contents of the petition were quite unique. I felt I definitely wanted to hear your thoughts directly... For now, please have some tea and relax. It's tea from Baron Oggoren's territory, which I always enjoy."
In order to have a dialogue, the tension had to be broken. Noein offered them tea and relaxed them with idle small talk, asking how the lives of the people had been since the founding of the Grand Duchy, whether there were any recent troubles, and so on.
Then, seeing that the expressions of Daniela and the others had softened to some extent, he brought up the main topic.
"Well then... shall we talk about the petition? First, I want to hear your candid opinions in as straightforward words as possible, in detail. I promise that no matter what you say here, you will not be blamed or punished in any way."
"...In that case,"
Whether she had steeled her resolve or not, Daniela began to speak her mind without choosing her words, just as Noein had told her.
How disorderly the creation of stories and poems currently trending among the youth and children of the Grand Duchy was. How the creative works some of them were writing contained wicked content.
How much of a negative influence these had on their hearts. How they destroyed their sense of morality.
She asserted that if such trends were left unchecked, an immoral and unhealthy culture would pervade the society of the Grand Duchy of Arqvist, and the people's sense of morality would be lost. She went as far as to state that.
Furthermore, Daniela shared her personal theory that there were problems with some of the plays performed by the Grand Ducal Noeina Theater Troupe.
She calmly stated her concerns that plays titled "Stories of Tragic Love" which beautified the trysts of men and women who already had partners, or comedies that depicted bandits as comical villains for amusement, might bring a bad influence to the people...
"To say such things to Your Highness Arqvist, who loves culture and the arts, is very painful for me as one of the people who swears absolute loyalty to Your Highness. However, this is our candid opinion."
"...Yes, I understand your thoughts well. Thank you for having the courage to speak."
Having listened to Daniela's story until the end, Noein spoke with the same gentle smile he had at the beginning. Seeing that reaction, Daniela and the others were clearly relieved.
"Creation and morality, huh. It is certainly a difficult problem. As you said, I love culture and the arts, especially stories. I act as the patron for the Grand Ducal Noeina Theater Troupe, and I collect books... This hobby of mine comes from my childhood, which I spent immersed in various books."
Regarding Noein's origins, it was currently known among the people that he had "become independent after some kind of internal trouble in a noble house somewhere in the southern part of the Kingdom." Therefore, Noein spoke while slightly blurring the details of his childhood.
"The books I read included history books, travelogues, and academic texts recording knowledge, but there were many storybooks as well. I read various works from all times and places... There were not a few of the 'wicked creations' you speak of, with very extreme content."
Stories depicting torturers captivated by the pleasure of violence. Stories vividly detailing the love between adult men and girls, or adult women and boys. Stories showing various facets of a king who was both a hero and a cruel invader through relentless descriptions.
Noein spoke of how there were many creations even more "morally problematic" than those Daniela and the others had just described, and that many of such works predated the founding of the Lordberg Kingdom.
"Now, regarding that... what kind of person do I look like to you, having grown up reading many such stories as a child? Do I look like a wicked person with a broken sense of ethics and no morality?"
The moment Noein asked this with a mischievous smile, Daniela and the other women turned pale.
"I-I am sorry..."
"Ah, sorry, sorry. That way of asking was mean of me. I don't think you intended to condemn me. I just thought that my own experience could serve as one example to show that just because one is exposed to creative works, it doesn't mean their way of thinking changes accordingly."
Feeling sorry for Daniela, who was apologizing with a terrified expression, Noein immediately continued.
"Among creative works, there are certainly some that make one frown. I have read things that make me want to look away, things that evoke disgust. I understand the feeling of being worried about the younger generation being exposed to such things. That being said... creative works are, in the end, just creative works."
Perhaps because Noein's words were unexpected, Daniela and the others widened their eyes. Mai also looked toward Noein with a slightly surprised expression, while only Matilda remained motionless.
"Stories, poems, plays. Paintings and caricatures. And songs too. There are various works expressed in various ways. They can make people laugh, move them, excite them, or terrify them. There are masterpieces that are told for a long time and remain in history... But even so, they are just fabrications in the end. Whether they were born from fantasy or are historical facts conveniently altered. Either way."
In the silent room, Noein took a sip of tea for a moment. Then, he spoke again.
"Think about it. If creative works had the power to change a person's values, or the power to change the values of society, then why is it that despite the many fables of the Milleon Holy Church that preach morality to the people, sin does not disappear from the world?"
The Milleon Holy Church Missionaries also had the role of nurturing the people's sense of morality. The types of ancient fables that parents often told their children to teach them morality were all things that the Milleon Holy Church had taught and spread.
"T-That is..."
"..."
The women had no answer to Noein's question.
"See? Creative works do not have the power to greatly change a person's heart on their own. They aren't completely powerless, but they don't have the power to completely overwrite everyone's values. Besides, there is something closer at hand that moves the values of the younger generation much more than creative works... education by you adults. What should be done, and what must not be done. It is the role of adults to teach that."
Noein spoke while making eye contact with each of Daniela and the others.
"It's fine to enjoy immoral creations as long as they are enjoyed as creations. But it's not okay to perform the immoral acts depicted within them in reality. That is all you need to teach. The youth and children are not fools. They should be able to understand that there are things that are permitted within a creative work but must not be done in actual practice. Your own children are the same, aren't they? You, as parents, should have the power to teach that, right?"
"...Of course. We believe ourselves to be good parents."
Daniela and the others nodded at Noein's words. No parent believed that the influence of their own education was inferior to a fantasy story.
"Of course, no matter how much education is given, there will be those who stain their hands with crime. No matter how hard we try, we surely cannot make sinners non-existent. I think this is a worry we will eternally carry as long as we are children of man... However, the fundamental cause of people committing sins is not creative works. Hardship in living. Anger and resentment. Laziness. Or loneliness. These are the greatest factors that make a person a sinner. I believe that losing sight of this point and seeking responsibility in other things may be easy, but it is not right."
Borrowing words from Yuri and Mai from the other day, Noein admonished Daniela and the others.
"If that is the case, what you as parents should do is teach, support, and stay close to the youth and children so that they are not captivated by such negative emotions. What I, as the master of this country, should do is protect a prosperous and safe society so that no citizen has to stain their hands with crime due to hardship in living. I am prepared to fulfill my responsibility for the rest of my life. Are you prepared to fulfill your duties as parents?"
To Noein, who asked with a testing gaze—Daniela returned a powerful gaze and spoke.
"I also have pride and self-confidence. As a parent of a child, and as an elder of this country's society, I answer with confidence that I can teach and lead the youth and children."
Following her, the other women also each voiced their resolve.
"Then it's fine. The youth and children of this country can grow into good people with a correct sense of morality. We will protect that. I'm counting on all of you."
Having been smiled at by their sovereign and told "I'm counting on you," Daniela and the others wore expressions that were a mix of bashfulness and pride.
"Even so, a trend in creation, huh... I had heard about it, but it's spread more than I thought. It might be a good idea to create a venue to commend excellent works in my name."
"Oh, that's an interesting idea."
Mai, who was present, showed a positive reaction to Noein's murmur.
"But Your Highness... I am not very knowledgeable about books myself, but even from my perspective, the stories written by the youth and children were still childish. They are hardly things that should reach Your Highness's eyes..."
"It's fine if they are like that at first. From now on, the number of citizens who can read and write will increase rapidly. The number of people who enjoy creation, including readers, will increase, and if writers gain experience in a free environment, their skills should be polished. I want to further encourage that flow from my end as well."
Society does not mature through material wealth alone. Wealth of the heart is also important, and to nurture that, it is better to have plenty of entertainment and for the people to have more opportunities to encounter culture and the arts. That was how Noein thought.
"If there are truly well-made works, we could even put them into book form. Depending on the case, I could ask Carlos to add them to the troupe's repertoire. I think that by relying on his connections, it would even be possible to spread the works abroad as original stories for plays... Among your children, some might become writers. Perhaps a great writer who remains in history might be born."
Hearing this, Daniela and the others looked at each other, appearing slightly restless.
Writers are a prestigious profession that gathers popularity and respect from the people. If told that their own child might become one, or that someone who leaves their name in history might emerge, any parent would get excited.
Considering their claims from moments ago, their reaction was somewhat mercenary, but that is how people are. They might frown at scribbling play, but if it is picked up by the ruler as a respectable cultural and artistic activity, they can watch over it with a smile.
"Hahaha, I'm glad everyone has come to view the creations of the younger generation positively... For the record, I'm speaking seriously. So from now on, let's protect their freedom of creation, and on top of that, teach and lead them so they maintain a correct sense of morality as human beings."
"Yes, Your Highness... we thank you."
The meeting between the sovereign and the people, which had begun with a tense atmosphere, ended in a harmonious mood where one could even feel hope.