Mediterranean Hegemon of Ancient Greece Chapter 1072: Visiting Mersis

Following Sedorum, the others voiced their agreement.

"Since that is the case," Davos said, "once you have the consent of Haca and Hasdrubal, Lysias, submit the proposal to add another Rotating Chairman to the Senate for approval."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Everyone secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Alexis then spoke up. "Your Majesty, the newly divided regions do not quite align with the recruitment areas for the legions. Will this affect the citizens' military training and deployment? Do we need to adjust the legion recruitment zones?"

"I see no need for that," Davos said decisively. "The military is the military, and the regions are the regions. They will not interfere with one another, but they must cooperate. Especially in times of war, the towns and regions must fully support the deployment of the legions and manage the aftermath. This is stipulated by Daunian Law, and I doubt any official would dare violate it."

When no one raised any further questions, Davos continued, "Let us discuss the adjustments to the ranks of kingdom officials following the division of the regions and the establishment of the Regional Administrator position."

Everyone immediately pricked up their ears.

"The Rotating Chairman remains the highest-ranking official in the kingdom, followed by the department ministers. A Regional Administrator will hold a rank equivalent to a minister, but they must still be elected by the Senate. A City Magistrate will hold a rank equal to a department's subordinate officials, placing them at the intermediate level. They will no longer be elected by the Senate; instead, they will be directly appointed by the Kingdom Executive Council..."

The others agreed, though veteran Senators like Lysias and Sedorum considered the deeper implications. Ever since the Kingdom Executive Council began holding regular sessions, many of the kingdom's internal affairs had been resolved there. Numerous laws were even discussed and drafted into resolutions within the council before being brought to the Senate for approval. Because the five Rotating Chairmen and the department ministers were all key members of the Senate, passing a proposal was simple once they reached a consensus. Consequently, the Senate's workload had already decreased considerably. If the task of electing City Magistrates was also removed, the Senate's authority and role would be drastically weakened.

Lysias gazed at Davos as the king carefully weighed his next words, a multitude of thoughts crossing his mind.

"Next down the hierarchy is the Demarchos of each Demos, and below them, the village chiefs... This establishes the five basic tiers of the kingdom's administrative officials. The official ranks in other departments will be adjusted against this standard. Oh, and the City Magistrate of a regional capital will rank half a tier higher than an ordinary City Magistrate. Also, the authority of a Regional Administrator is not identical to the Wartime Governor we appointed in the past. They hold executive power over the entire region, but they cannot mobilize the military or enact local laws. Furthermore, while they cannot appoint the City Magistrates within their region, they do have the authority to recommend candidates for the Demarchos positions..."

The ministers pondered every word Davos said, aware that these changes were closely tied to their own futures. Akibides, however, could not help but interject. "Your Majesty, after the kingdom is divided into regions and the Regional Administrators are appointed, they will need subordinate officials, will they not? That adds up to a considerable number of people, and their ranks will not be low. This will result in a massive expenditure from the treasury."

"That is unavoidable," Davos said consolingly. "The larger the kingdom's territory grows, the more issues will arise, and the difficulties we face will become increasingly complex. This demands that our governance be precise and efficient. Of course, we can discuss exactly which officials need to be appointed.

"For example, towns used to have smaller populations, and a clinic or two was enough to handle the citizens' ailments, so most did not have Medical Department officials. But now that these regions have been established, we must appoint Medical Department officials to ensure the health of the populace, whether for epidemic prevention or overseeing healthcare across the territory.

"Or consider whether it is necessary to establish Department of Construction officials at the regional level. The subordinate towns already have their own construction personnel. When a large public structure needs to be built for the entire region, the Regional Administrator can simply gather the construction staff from the subordinate towns to plan and build it..."

Davos and the ministers discussed the Regional Administrators straight through to dusk before finally hammering out a clear and definitive plan.

After everyone departed, Davos stared at the large map and pondered for a long time before having Henipolis put it away.

When Henipolis returned to the Royal Palace hall, Davos said, "Heni, do not rush home just yet. Come with me to visit Mersis."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Escorted by his guards, Davos left the Royal Palace. Along the way, pedestrians stopped to greet their king, and Davos smiled in return.

Mersis's residence was not far from the Royal Palace, situated at the northern foot of the Hill of the Gods. Compared to the estates of the other high ministers and Senators, its exterior was remarkably magnificent and eye-catching.

A tribune had once reported him, citing his lavish lifestyle and suspecting him of corruption, which had sparked a massive uproar.

The Ministry of Inspection had specially dispatched officials to investigate, only to discover that Mersis had never embezzled from the treasury. In fact, during the Western Mediterranean War—when the national treasury was at its most strained—he had used his own commercial profits to purchase military supplies and ship them to the front lines.

When this news went public, it caused a sensation among the citizens and left the officials astounded. It drastically changed everyone's impression of the kingdom's resident penny-pincher.

Unexpectedly, Mersis fell ill a year after the war ended. Despite receiving active treatment, his condition fluctuated for over two years until he collapsed completely early this year, rendering him unable to handle his duties. It was only then that Akibides took over his position to temporarily manage the Ministry of Finance.

By the time Davos reached the reception room, Mersis had already come out to greet him, supported by two slaves.

His entire body was heavily bloated. Though draped in a loose white robe, glimpses of his swollen legs and bloodshot ankles could still be seen as he moved. His face had taken on a dark, sickly brown hue, and he looked lethargic. Only upon seeing Davos did his spirits seem to lift. Forcing a smile, he rasped, "Your Majesty, you have finally come to see me!"

"You have grown forgetful, Mersis! I came to visit you just last month," Davos scolded him gently.

"Once a month is far too long... It is best if you visit every two or three days..." Mersis said shamelessly, urging the slaves beside him. "Hurry up... help me over to His Majesty... it saves my breath when I speak..."

Davos hurriedly stopped him. "You are in poor health, so you should not have come out. Be careful not to catch a cold. Let us go to your bedroom."

"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty..." Having exhausted himself just walking that short distance, Mersis felt too weak to persist and did not argue.

"Your Majesty!" Mersis's wife and three concubines came over, bowing respectfully in greeting.

After returning their greeting, Davos expressed his gratitude. "You have all worked hard lately."

"What is so hard about it?" Mersis grumbled. "They burst into tears at the drop of a hat... It annoys me so much I wish I could throw them all out..."

"I see your temper has only grown while you have been convalescing at home," Davos reprimanded.

"When you are trapped at home all day... unable to yell at your colleagues... you can only yell at your family..." Mersis replied quite openly.

"You..." Davos shook his head repeatedly at Mersis's roguish attitude.

Upon reaching the bedroom, the servants carefully helped Mersis lie down. The large hardwood bed creaked under his weight.

At that moment, Davos caught sight of Mersis's feet, which were a dark, bruised red and visibly atrophied. Dismayed, a strong wave of sorrow surged within him as he recalled the pessimistic prognosis Herpus had recently given regarding Mersis's condition.

Once he had covered himself with a blanket, Mersis shooed his wife and the servants out of the room. Only Davos, Henipolis, and Martius remained inside.

Only then did Mersis ask, "Your Majesty, surely you did not come to visit me today... just because of some important matter, did you?"

Davos motioned for Martius to close the door, then said softly, "I have good news for you, but keep it a secret."

Mersis noticed Martius's action and nodded solemnly.

"The kingdom is preparing to raise taxes on the citizens," Davos enunciated every word.

"It is about time!" Mersis's spirits instantly lifted. Then, remembering the need for secrecy, he lowered his voice and emphasized again, "The kingdom should have raised taxes a long time ago."

Davos smiled and briefly explained the reasons for the tax increase. He then asked seriously, "How much of a tax increase do you think is needed to resolve this military funding issue and alleviate the state's financial burden, while still remaining bearable for the citizens?"

"Ten percent, of course!" Mersis answered without hesitation.

"Be serious," Davos's tone grew strict.

Stared down by Davos's commanding gaze, Mersis did not dare spout any more nonsense. He thought carefully for a moment before saying, a bit begrudgingly, "I think... five percent might be more appropriate."

The moment money was mentioned, Mersis became energized. Not only did his speech become much more fluent, but his mind also sharpened. He provided a detailed explanation for why he chose this specific tax rate. True to his reputation as the man who had controlled Daionia's finances since its inception, Mersis recited the kingdom's financial and administrative data with absolute familiarity, effortlessly analyzing every level of the state.