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So, that was people against the status quo- or perhaps for it, depending on what direction it took. Anybody with even a fraction of knowledge about these competing groups could see why Vitelia was in such flux, but that it held together at all was due to the Status Quo, the Powers that Be, the current authority. A network of stakes and chains of nobility and military and unconscious society whose inertia kept Vitelia going in spite of everything.
“Tell me about who’s going to get in the way, then,” you went on. “The army, I take it, but we’d have to be fools to provoke them.”
“They are close by in particular force, and thus must be accounted for. Larencci borders Halmeggia,” Antonia said, “And Halmeggia currently occupies land that has been officially ceded to Vitelia by the Reich, ostensibly to protect their citizens. Tensions are understandably high, and military presence similarly alert in the border regions and settlements. Even if Halmeggia is about as threatening as a fishmonger’s backroom. While they’re more focused on looking east, it would be a fantastically poor idea to be enough of a problem to distract them from that task.”
“But they <span class="mu-i">are</span> distracted, though,” you observed.
“They are. So the primary enforcement besides the city police are the Larencci Household Troops…who have supplanted them in most of the province anyways. Besides here in Lapizlazulli. The constabulary is much like how you left it, though it is underfunded. The policing of the streets here is no longer your responsibility, though, so don’t pay it mind. There are more important matters for you in particular.”
The safety of Lapizlazulli seemed very important to you, especially considering your family lived in it, but Antonia was right. You weren’t being entrusted with cleaning up streets or snatching delinquents, the cleanup could take place when you could clean <span class="mu-i">everything</span> up.
“It sounds like enforcing law and order may be an option to take over, even so,” you said.
“If it is done to assert ourselves as the unspoken authority, yes.”
“Then it is an important matter.”
“Attempting to asset authority that was has the potential to step on toes, <span class="mu-i">Signore</span>. The better options if possible are to avoid an expansion of responsibility. Our manpower is not infinite. Assuming the duties of the state before we are the state frees up their resources. They are our enemy, lightening their burden is not conducive to the Revolution.”
Disowning charity and service made you pause for thought. Yes, you would be much more able to try for it later, but you expected the voices within to speak up at such a dilemma. They were, however, silent. Perhaps their thoughts were too obvious to have to speak them now?
“I can’t help but notice,” you had reminded yourself, “That the subject of the Church has not come up yet.”
