"Who the hell do you think you are!" some noble or other shouted from the crowd.

Maxim stood up, then climbed onto his chair so everyone could see him clearly. "I am Maxim, just a simple lawyer from the countryside."

"A shyster! In a forum meant to discuss and decide the fate of the Kingdom, what right do you have to stand alone and shout your dissent?"

"The gentleman who refuses to stand and speak from the crowd has made a mistake.

"Am I alone? Esteemed colleagues, His Majesty is the sovereign of the Kingdom, but our role here is that of ’representative.’ Even the old farmers in my hometown know that I am here at this assembly to fight for their interests and the interests of others. I am here, as you said, to decide the fate of the Kingdom.

"Therefore, all who are born subjects of the Kingdom equally possess the right to decide and be informed on the affairs of the Kingdom. This is the legitimate and rational foundation upon which this assembly has been convened. It is the very source of our confidence as representatives of the Third Level.

"For this reason, I object to Duke Melovinca’s proposed voting method! I object to the voice of the Kingdom’s largest population being suppressed into the smallest! It is utterly unreasonable and utterly unfair! I, and the people I represent, will never consent to a vote conducted in such a manner!"

The other representatives of the Third Level rose to their feet in excitement. Thunderous applause and shouts of "We object!" echoed through the hall.

His Majesty the King began to hesitate. He, like the Nobility, felt instinctively offended, his authority usurped, and vaguely threatened. But he lacked the eloquence, wisdom, and courage to refute the little "shyster."

He stood up, and the hall quickly fell silent. Everyone waited for His Majesty the King to speak and rule on the situation.

"We... are tired. Lord Nekker, we leave the rest to you."

’He just... left? Walked out just like that?’ Charles’s departure stunned everyone. They could only watch dumbfounded as the short man scurried from the hall with mincing steps.

Fortunately, Nekker seized the opportunity. Before the representatives could fall into another noisy argument, he announced that the three Levels would discuss the proposals separately.

In the moment, this move seemed quite clever. It only called for separate discussions, without specifying whether the final vote would also be separate, which successfully placated everyone in the hall.

In the long run, however, it was a foolish tactic. Nekker had merely postponed the conflict, giving the First and Third Levels a chance to consolidate their internal positions first. When they returned to the assembly with a unified stance, the confrontation would only be more resolute.

As for the Second Level, the Priests and Mages took the initiative to split off and leave the hall entirely, showing no intention of discussing anything.

That night, His Majesty the King met with the Priests from across the country. These lower-ranking members of the Church outnumbered the attending Bishops three to one. The King hoped they would agree to the Church providing the Kingdom with more financial support.

Meanwhile, the Nobility and Bishops were invited to dine with the King in accordance with court ceremony.

Only at the very end were the representatives of the Third Level permitted to line up for an audience with the monarch in his bedchamber. The moment Charles grew tired, the palace gates were closed on the long queue.

"This is a humiliation! A mockery!" Anger festered, fed by the King’s drastically different treatment of them.

After a night like that, the Third Level delivered a stunning blow to everyone else, Nekker included:

"The representatives of the Third Level have been subjected to unprecedented insult and contempt. Righteous fury has forced us to realize that we represent the vast majority of the Kingdom’s twenty-five million people. To reflect the legitimacy of this assembly, all voting must be counted on a one-vote-per-representative basis."

"In your dreams!" the Nobility retorted harshly.

Over the next few days, the Third Level Estate Assembly, which the common people had eagerly awaited, remained mired in a deadlock. The Nobility insisted on voting by Level, while the Third Level insisted on voting by head count.

News from the assembly hall and the newspapers spread like wildfire among the residents of Valuva, but it was all disappointing. While the lords and masters bickered over voting rights, the people grew poorer and hungrier. Food convoys to Valuva required more and more Guards, as the breeches-less poor and the starving masses watched them with predatory eyes along the roads.

Business at the Adventurer’s Guild was booming. The wealthy and the noble desperately needed to hire armed protection for their property. It was clear the Guild’s soaring profits were inversely proportional to the stability of the Royal Capital.

Meanwhile, the "venerable" King was still hesitating. When his relatives came calling, he would immediately promise his support to the Nobility. But when the court’s creditors—the bankers—came with their mix of flattery and threats, the King would hint that he sided with the Third Level.

The result was that he refused to take a clear stance, playing deaf and dumb in the assembly hall, and finally just started lingering at his hunting grounds.

The Guild was busier than ever. The divestment of the telegraph service was suspended, and all lines were running at full capacity to satisfy the curiosity of other regions about the Royal Capital and the assembly, and to alleviate their anxiety as they waited.

The heat in the assembly hall, however, only intensified. "Where is Dipresy? How could he back down at a time like this! Where is he? Ringing bells in a Church somewhere?" Nekker, sensing he was about to be made the scapegoat, realized the assembly could no longer move forward.

On the fifth day of the assembly, the representatives arrived in full force. It seemed the time for a final showdown had come.

"We, the representatives of the Third Level, issue a final ultimatum to all. If you do not agree to vote by head count, the Third Level will form its own assembly and grant itself the power to draft laws for the Kingdom."

"Arrogance! This is usurpation!" The Nobility couldn’t imagine anyone would dare such a brazen act of rebellion. Nekker also believed that an assembly organized by a single Level would be invalid; any resolution it passed would never receive the King’s approval and could not be enforced.

But then, a far more shocking scene unfolded. Someone in the Second Level’s seating area stood up.

Just as the Nobility expected the person to viciously condemn the commoners for splitting the assembly, the Mage who had risen spoke: "The Tower of Stars supports the resolution of the Third Level representatives and will join the assembly they are forming."

The one who had stood and spoken was none other than Pascal. After saying his piece, he walked straight toward the Third Level’s section.

As if it had been rehearsed, all the attending Mages left their seats and joined the Third Level representatives amidst unprecedented applause.

An emotional Maxim embraced Pascal, while other club members cheered.

The Mages’ support gave the representatives a confidence they had never felt before.

A noble shouted, "Don’t forget, you Mages enjoy privileges too! Since when have you high-and-mighty types decided to side with the commoners?"

"We are willing to renounce our privileges." Pascal wasn’t speaking recklessly; Kano had already instructed him to do so.

Compared to the Church, which could collect tithing and land tax, the Guild enjoyed exemptions on tariffs and transaction tax. Given the Kingdom’s limited ability to collect taxes, what was evaded was simply evaded. Whether these taxes existed in name or not had little practical effect.

What happened next exceeded the Nobility’s expectations even further. The lower-ranking Priests also began to rise. Under the stunned gazes of the Bishops, at least half of the Church’s representatives became part of the Third Level’s assembly. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Those of the "First" and "Second" Levels still on the tiered daises were now a completely isolated minority.

"The Third Level Estate Assembly is bankrupt! We have no need to waste any more time!" The Nobility could only seethe with impotent rage. They too got to their feet, but these noble carnivores were heading for the exit.

"OOF!" As they hurried to the entrance, a whole swath of nobles slipped and fell. Their expensive formal wear was smeared with grease, and their bald heads were exposed from under their woolen wigs, provoking uproarious laughter from the representatives in the hall.

"Why is there a puddle of oil by the door?"

’Unbelievable...’

"My lords, watch your step when you flee!" Pascal shouted.

The nobles struggled back to their feet and shot back a threat, "Just you wait! We’ll see who the real masters of this Kingdom are!"

The Third Level now had the hall to themselves! They were joyous in their victory, yet anxious about the Nobility’s potential retaliation. Even as their representatives spoke and made proposals, they kept glancing at the entrance, half-expecting soldiers to burst in and surround them as traitors.

However, an incident in Valuva City accelerated the development of events. A disaster destroyed all order, and everything spiraled out of control.

As for what exactly happened, not even Rorschach, who was at the center of it, knew the full story.