Novel Full 239 [Weekly Bonus chapter]Two Sets Of Laws
“Let me make this clear. In my classroom, leave your grudges and political family crap at home. I do not care what you do outside my classroom, but if I even sense that you are not listening to my teachings and are plotting something else instead, I will be the one to initiate the red bottom technique” Hearing Bill’s words caused me to lower my head. So he <strong>WAS</strong> listening in on what was going on! He is even looking at me, grinning. I really feel like punching him in the face….
It was fine for Sei to do it because she was a girl, but if he did it, he would just look like some pervert. But I guess in a sense, this will really drive home the whole keep it out of the classroom rule he just told everyone. I sighed and decided to forget what had just been said.
Bill looked around the room before nodding. “Alright. Since I now got everyone’s attention, let’s go over the basics of law.
“What most do not know is that there are two different law systems. One for commoners, those without status, and one for nobles, those with status. The laws themselves are fundamentally the same with additions on both sides, but the punishments are different.” Bill eyed everyone there. I looked around myself and saw that there were a few crumpled faces. This was the first I had heard of two sets of law systems.
“First is the normal system which is for your everyday person a commoner. They are the fruit of any kingdom, and no kingdom could survive if not for a commoner.” Bill was really trying to drive this home. I actually respected that he was doing this with all these nobles here. Of course, many scoffed at his words, but they were one hundred percent true. A kingdom could not be made up of nobles and royalty only. The common folk were what drove a kingdom’s economy and allowed them to survive and grow as a single entity.
“You may think I am just saying this to make you be nicer to commoners, but I am not! I am saying this because it is the truth. If you think a kingdom is able to flourish without commoners, then you are just a plain idiot and should leave this academy now!” Bill glanced at everyone before asking: “So which one of you think this is not true? Raise your hand! I will write up your expulsion papers now.”
Bill’s face held a mocking smirk. All the nobles in the room that thought they were better than everyone else lowered their heads. I could even see a few gritting their teeth and clenching their fists. This just showed that no matter how much they hated it, they hated that they had to agree with what Bill was saying. It was a nasty little trick he used, but it was a good one. “I see… So you are all nobles who love the commoners good, good.
“Now then, to get back on topic. Commoners have a set of laws that they must follow, and these laws include respecting nobles. Any disrespect can put them in jail. But it also includes crimes such as theft, murder, abuse, kidnapping, human trafficking, and many others that I won’t name as they are not suited for children your age. It is something you will learn when you reach the higher levels.” The higher levels he was talking about were basically like grades back on Earth. It started off at level 0 when I was at now and then went up from there. After each year in the academy, you would rise a level. While you would not be held back, the points you gain per year added up and what job opportunities and merits you will gain in the end are all based on your performance throughout the years.
“Now then… As for nobles, you all have basically the same laws. But you have a few more that are supposed to be followed strictly, or it will cause you to lose your noble title, and the main one is that you must never discriminate against commoners. Nobles of high status gain taxes from the people. They live off the taxes of those who work hard every day. This law is not really remembered because nobles will always do as they please, but it is a law that if a commoner knew about it, they could take you and your family to court.” Bill’s words cause a few snickers here and there, but sadly I can not say anything about it because even if a commoner took a noble to court, the court would side with the noble. Hence such a law would never be enforced no matter what. It was a sad reality that while the law was supposed to be there to protect the commoners from nobles who held power, one word from a noble, a single kickback of a pouch of gold, could make the courts side with that noble in an instant.
But I did have a question, so I raised my hand. “Yes, Faith?”
“I was wondering. If a commoner is able to take a noble to court and has substantial evidence against the noble, but the court still sides with the noble, what can a commoner do then? They would be basically tortured by the nobles who knew they could get away with it. I mean, I see it all the time. Nobles abusing the commoners around them, but no one stops them, not even the knights. So tell me, what good are these laws if the knights of the kingdom are unwilling to enforce them? What can a commoner do then?” My question would anger many, but I do not care. This question was something I truly wanted to know. The kingdom as is, is already corrupt to the point that laws do not seem to matter to nobles.
“That is a good question. And the answer is simple. If all else fails, kill the noble.”