The witch thought I am a Demon God
Chapter 1047 - 534: The last 200 words need to be modified_2

Chapter 1047: Chapter 534: The last 200 words need to be modified_2

"What about the Emperor’s direct territories?" Ivita asked about the matter that concerned him most; the Emperor did have direct territories within the Empire, and whoever became the Emperor would have the right to obtain these imperial lands.

However, Emperors of successive Holy Empires, in order to gain the support of the elector-princes, had kept selling their privileges and territories. This had led to the imperial territories becoming almost irrelevant.

This was mainly because the Imperial Emperors had long been attracted by the elusive name of the Empire, not only going to the Boot Peninsula to be crowned in the birthplace of Ancient Civilization but even attempting to reclaim the Boot Peninsula and confront the wealthy states there.

With such indecisive actions of successive Emperors, who focused their attention on foreign lands rather than on their own country, it was natural that their power declined. By the time the Emperors realized what had happened, it had already become a fait accompli.

"The spread of nationalist ideas by the Frankish people... One nation, one state, has torn the Emperor’s direct territories, those duchies, apart," said the King of the Ancient Tomb.

"After the death of the Emperor, those nations forcibly united by a single Emperor began to demand independence, possibly fragmenting into over a dozen nations. The narrative structure of the nation-state is destroying the Empire."

"With the death of the Emperor, the Emperor’s direct territories were the first to suffer. Even if we managed to reclaim the Emperor’s direct territories later, it is feared the land and population would be decimated to a mere tenth of what it was during Oyo III’s reign, and we could never return to the situation as it once was."

Although Ivita had anticipated this, seeing the situation turn out as such, he couldn’t help but sigh.

"Frankish troops are still rampaging within the Empire’s borders, having launched attacks on four kingdoms. The Electors don’t want to choose me, but they can only choose me. They don’t have the luxury to think."

Seven days later, Fort Regen convened an Empire Council. The frequent convening of the Empire Council had come to represent a great crisis within the Empire, and the Holy Empire’s rudimentary structures were gradually unable to cope with such a crisis.

The frequent holding of councils would become established over time, and external pressures would force internal transformations within the Empire.

At the Imperial Parliament, representatives of the four secular Electors looked gloomy because just seven days before the council, the candidates they considered for election as Emperor died one by one. Now, like headless flies, they were at a loss about what to do.

The critical issue was that the Frank Empire had torn apart the Empire, and their army ravaged the heartland of the Empire, attacking the four kingdoms concurrently: Potzstan Kingdom, Sylimia Kingdom, Saxon Kingdom, Alsace Kingdom, and the Duchy of Pulphaz.

And with the death of the Emperor, the Empire was completely unable to concentrate its forces to resist, progressively disintegrating, with each nation watching itself fall into decline, becoming puppets and vassals of the Frank Empire, or even being devoured whole.

Marquis of Regensburg and Ivita exchanged a glance, a tacit understanding between them. The Marquis of Regensburg took the initiative to speak up, "Gentlemen, we have now entered a very dangerous moment. If we do not unite now, we will have no chance to do so later. The Empire must select an Emperor now, an Emperor who can lead us to defeat the Frankish people and extinguish their arrogant air."

The Archbishop of Mainz still had the air of a moral paragon, supporting the suggestion, "Among us, the only person who has decisively defeated the Frankish people and made Louis XI give up his hostility is Lord Ivita, the Monarch of Alsace."

"He is indeed very suitable to become the Emperor."

The Archbishop of Münster said, "Lord Ivita has good relations with the Church and with the Electors. Moreover, the Alsace Family has long been the royal family of the Holy Empire. Handing the Empire back to the royal house of Alsace now..."

"Seems quite natural."

"Most importantly, the Empire needs a keeper, and the best choice for this keeper is none other than Lord Ivita."

As they were all paid off, the Electors of the Church side praised Ivita to no end. In just a few words, they made sure Ivita was the only option, the hope of the Empire.

Ordinary princes, the Republic, and independent cities, as well as the standing Knights, all couldn’t help but lean towards Ivita in their hearts.

The Archbishop of Cologne suddenly asked Ivita, "Lord Ivita, if you were to become the Emperor, would you harm the freedom and rights of the various principalities within the Empire?"

Ivita, surprised, stood up from the seats of the ordinary princes and naturally walked to the center of the Imperial Parliament, towards the center of power in the Empire, towards where the Electors stood. "Why must you ask such a question, Archbishop? Protecting the freedom and rights of the principalities is my duty after all."

Ivita knew that the other party was taking a precaution, to prevent him from going back on his word and starting to exploit the rights of the various principalities within the Empire once he was crowned.

But for Ivita, it’s a matter of first claiming the throne, then acting.

Once he had the position of the Emperor, he could, in turn, coerce these princes, which would be even simpler than now.

The Archbishop of Cologne bowed to Ivita. "Your Majesty, with your words, I now know who our Emperor should be."

The representatives of the four Electors beside him all had dark expressions, watching Ivita sing in harmony with the three Archbishops.

The representatives of the four Electors exchanged glances.

Now they still had a way to break the game, as long as they cast all their votes towards any one of their own countries, they could shut Ivita out.

But...

They simply wouldn’t do that.

The contradictions among the four secular Electors were endless, harboring immense hatred; they couldn’t possibly fulfill someone else’s ambition.

Moreover, the Empire was indeed facing a crisis, leaving the four secular Electors locked in silence.

The first to break the silence was the Duke of Pulphaz.

He suddenly spoke up, questioning Ivita. "All suitable candidates for the Emperor within the Empire have mysteriously died, Your Majesty, what are your thoughts on this?"

Ivita didn’t want to answer. "What does this have to do with me? I don’t need to know."

The Duke of Pulphaz began to laugh.

Everyone knew who was responsible.

The Duke said, "If Your Majesty ascends to the throne, how will you defeat the Franks? Will you let the soldiers of other countries take the front line while your own troops hide in the rear?"

This was a critical question.

If Ivita’s answer was unsatisfactory, even the ecclesiastic Electors would abandon him.

The representatives of the three major secular kingdoms’ Electors shook at once, immediately turning to look at Ivita, intently awaiting his response.

Under such circumstances, even if Ivita appeased them against his will and answered their questions, he would lose some of his own interests and fall into a passive situation.

Ivita sighed. Was this what Oyo III had once experienced?

Being the Emperor of the Holy Empire, constantly having to cut away at his own interests to give to his vassals in order to gain their acknowledgment.

This bizarre situation had somehow become the norm at some point.

Ivita looked coldly at the Duke of Pulphaz. "What are you talking about? Almost half of your country is already in the hands of the Franks, yet here you are, debating with me over who should give more?"

"What can I promise you, my Duke?"

Ivita looked coldly at the Duke of Pulphaz. "What are you saying? Almost half of your country is already in the hands of the Franks, yet here you are, debating with me over who should give more?"

"What can I promise you, my Duke?" Ivita looked coldly at the Duke of Pulphaz. "What are you saying? Almost half of your country is already in the hands of the Franks, yet here you are, debating with me over who should give more?"

"What can I promise you, my Duke?" Ivita looked coldly at the Duke of Pulphaz. "What are you saying? Almost half of your country is already in the hands of the Franks, yet here you are, debating with me over who should give more?"

"What can I promise you, my Duke?"