Your Grace, A Quest For Equality

When The Grand Duke arrived at the Capitol, he saw a line of noblemen waiting to speak to him. They all looked quite serious and important, and The Grand Duke suddenly felt very small and insignificant among them. 

He greeted each nobleman in turn, shaking hands and listening to their concerns. One after another, they all shared requests and complaints, and The Grand Duke did his best to listen and respond as thoughtfully as possible. 

At times, he felt overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information he was receiving, and he wasn't sure how he would be able to remember everything he was told. He made a mental note to write everything down as soon as possible, so he could have a record of what he needed to deal with. 

Despite the stress and pressure he was feeling, The Grand Duke tried to keep a calm and collected demeanor. He knew that as a leader, it was his responsibility to handle these situations with grace and maturity.

As he continued to talk with the noblemen, The Grand Duke couldn't help but feel a sense of pride in the work he was doing. He was helping to lead his kingdom in the right direction and he was making a real difference in the lives of his people. 

After a few hours of talking and listening, The Grand Duke was exhausted but also fulfilled. He had done everything he could to address the issues brought to him, and he was confident that he had made progress in making Landroich a better place for its people.

..Not until an arrogant elite started to oppose his biggest plan— it is to build public schools at every town that Landroich possesses, these schools are for the commoners, from lower grade to the upper.

The Grand Duke glared at the arrogant elite, "Are you saying that commoners do not deserve an education? That only children of nobility and wealth should have the right to knowledge?"

The elite snickered, "Yes, Your Grace. Knowledge is a privilege, not a right. The poor shall work the land, while the noble shall rule." 

The Grand Duke's blood boiled at this response. He had always believed that every person in Landroich deserved the right to an education, regardless of their social status. 

"You are wrong. Knowledge is the key to progress, and education is the key to success," The Grand Duke said firmly, "These schools will not just educate the commoners, but they will give them the skills they need to lift themselves out of poverty and contribute to the growth of our society. It is time for Landroich to change, and I will not be stopped by those who wish to keep us in the dark ages."

The other noblemen in the Capitol nodded in agreement, some even speaking up to support The Grand Duke. The arrogant elite looked frustrated, but The Grand Duke had made up his mind. 

"I will not back down on this issue," The Grand Duke said with conviction. "Public schools will be built in every town in Landroich, and they will open their doors to all who wish to learn."

Yet, the arrogant elite was not swayed, to think about it, He must've forgotten what his position was, whom is he talking to, He angrily retorted, "That's not fair, Your Grace!," He stood up, dragging the chair loudly in his anger, "We wealthy noble families are paying for schools for our children to have a better education, and a bright future, while the poor would have the same system for free? Where's the equality, Your Grace?!"

"Are you done?" The Grand Duke asked, "Have you not considered the part where the economy of Landroich is failing, because of lack of people, running this economy while half of the population is suffering in poverty, have you?!" 

"I would like to remind you that this is not a discussion on what is fair or not!" The Grand Duke exclaimed in anger, "This is about our country's future, and the education of our citizens, especially the children who are going to inherit it! If we continue down this path of inequality and oppression, the economy will only get worse. The people will rise up and overthrow us. Now, which do you prefer? To have a healthy and prosperous country, or to be a tyrant surrounded by angry citizens?!"

As if playing with a fire, the elite replied, "Your Grace! I am not referring to society, I am referring to the money that would be contributed by these lowly rats! Do you think that they could even spend a single penny on their children's school supplies, projects or sort? Do you think they could help the school?!"

The Grand Duke's patience was wearing thin, his anger was growing with this man's ignorance. 

"I'll have you know that a great number of these so-called 'rats' as you call them, have worked tirelessly just to make ends meet and put food on the table. They might not have much, but they will do whatever they can to ensure their children have a future. I will not stand for your dehumanizing words against my citizens any longer!" The Grand Duke said with fury in his voice.

The Grand Duke stood up and glared at the elite, "You dare to speak about spending money on children while you sit on a pile of wealth that could feed the poor in this country for a lifetime? Where is your compassion? What have you done to help the people in need?" The Grand Duke's voice was filled with anger. 

The elite pointed his finger at the Grand Duke, "Your Grace, I will have you know that the money I have earned is from the hard work of my ancestors. It is not my responsibility to take care of the poor!" he said with a contemptuous look on his face. 

The Grand Duke looked at the elite with disgust and said, "Your ancestors may have worked hard, but it is obvious that they did not teach you empathy or compassion. It is the responsibility of all of us to care for the people of this country, whether they be rich or poor."

"Hah!" The elite snickered, "Your Grace, you're being ridiculous right now as we speak! you're being biased and prejudiced against the poor people and wealthy people!"

The Grand Duke's anger was simmering, "How dare you call me prejudiced against the poor? I have spent my entire life fighting for their rights and helping them. In fact, it is because of my compassion for the poor that I came up with the idea to build public schools for everyone in the first place." His voice was laced with determination and anger. 

The elite was now on the defensive and his voice faltered, "W-well, Your Grace, you must understand that not everyone has the same views on the poor people!" He was struggling to find an excuse that would make him seem less heartless. 

The Grand Duke's expression turned cold, "So, you're saying that you don't care about the poor? That their struggles and hardships mean nothing to you?" He asked with a stern tone, "You might've forgotten that the poor people have the most contribution to circulating the economy by the simulation of buy and sell scraps."

The elite now knew he had backed himself into a corner and tried to recover, "N-no, that's not what I meant! Of course, I care about the poor! It's just that…" He hesitated, not knowing what else to say. 

The Grand Duke cut him off, "Just that what? Come on, say it." He was now staring the elite down. 

The elite had no choice but to continue, "Just that building public schools for everyone is not a realistic or feasible solution!"

The Grand Duke scoffed, "That's where you're wrong. It is realistic and feasible. We have the resources and the budget to make it happen. We just need to allocate them efficiently and effectively."

"Well that's what I've been pointing out!" The Elite raised his voice, "Where should we collect these resources when the poverty families who will use this don't even shed a penny to help us with their education!"

"How dare you make such a presumptuous statement? Do you think that people living in poverty don't have any money to spare? You are wrong! There are many ways to raise money for this noble cause, such as charitable foundations, donations, and even taxes." The Grand Duke's tone was stern and firm. He was not going to stand by and allow this elitist to insult the less privileged.

"Let me make something clear – education is not a commodity to be bought or sold. It is a right that every person, regardless of their socio-economic background, deserves. It is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty and building a better future for our country. If we give people the opportunities they need to succeed, they will take them. They will not only pay back the investment we have made in them, but they will bring new ideas and perspectives to our society. That is how we build a prosperous and equitable country." 

The Elite sat in silence, contemplating the Grand Duke's words. Finally, he spoke up and said, "I never looked at it that way."

The Grand Duke snickered, "What, you're washing your hands now?"

The Grand Duke stood up from his chair and started pacing back and forth in front of the elite, "Do you know how many starving families I've seen on my travels? Do you know how many children I've seen without shoes on their feet?" He asked, his voice rising, "Do you know how many children I've seen who've never had a book in their hands?"

The Grand Duke stopped pacing and looked directly at the elite. 

"This is a noble cause. It's a cause that will lift up those who have been forgotten and ignored for too long. And it's a cause that is going to happen, whether you like it or not," he said, his voice firm and determined. 

He sat back down and paused for a moment, his eyes locked onto the elite. 

"You are the elite. You are the ones who have the resources and the influence to make a difference in this world. And if you won't, then I will." he said, his voice full of conviction.

The Elite sneered, "Whatever you say, Your Grace. But you'll be the one to tell the people why they have to pay for that. I bet you, they'll not approve of it. They'll riot, they'll protest, they'll be up in arms!"

The Grand Duke stood up from his chair, his eyes narrowing as he gazed at the Elite, "My people will not riot over this," he said, his voice low and powerful. "They will not protest because they know that this is for their own good."

He took a step towards the Elite, leaning in closer to him, "And as for you," he said, his voice dropping to a whisper, "If you continue to spout your ignorant rhetoric, I will have you exiled from this Capitol, no matter how hard you studied for this position, it'll be wasted in no time because of my power. Do I make myself clear?"

The Elite stumbled back, his eyes wide with shock. He opened his mouth to speak, but then thought better of it and simply nodded his head in agreement. 

"Does anyone still have questions?! Raise your hand!" The Grand Duke raised his voice, surprisingly there's three idiots who raised their hands. "and shove it down your throat." said The Grand Duke, turning to leave the Capitol.

They actually wanted to suggest something, but since the Grand Duke's anger won over him, the poor little elites refused to speak about it right after being scolded.