Faith, Influence, and Government (Season 2 of Previous Work)

Volume 8 Chapter 2

A/N: Please enjoy this follow-up story. Remember to vote and comment your thoughts below.

Remember when I told you the story of a former shut-in turned wealthy business tycoon named Yeshua Goldstein? Well, after he took over his late grandfather's business, Goldstein Incorporated, he gained so much wealth that Fiorean aristocratic families worshiped the ground he walked on. He was even invited to the prestigious Royal Ball. Goldstein was known for his extravagant lifestyle and his generosity. He donated large sums to charity and provided jobs to many people. He was as respected by the Fiorean aristocracy as his late grandfather Pyotr. Yet, there was the fact that Yeshua inherited the position of Director of the Russian NKVD from his late grandfather. As Director of a feared political institution who repressed those that challenged the dominance of their Supreme Leader, the aristocrats were forced to worship him and everything he does for the benefit of society. If anyone, for instance, disobeyed his order to invest 5 million dollars in the reform movement of Fiore's education system into a meritocratic system, they were quickly removed from the public eye, never to be seen again. Rumor has it that NKVD agents apprehended them, then later brought them to a secret hideout they owned in the forest, where they were forced to inhale a lot of cyanide gas that was sprayed into a room where they were confined. This seemed to send a loud and clear message to any potential dissenters, ensuring that no one would dare to challenge his authority or authority. When Yeshua approached the age of forty years old, rumblings began to ensue where the aristocracy were caught whispering that he did not try to sire a child to take over the family business. They made fun of Sarah, his wife, and called her a tramp. What's even more irritating, in Yeshua's opinion, was that Mrs. Goldstein was publicly humiliated as an adulterer, and someone even spit on her expensive 50 million-dollar high heels. Angry, he summoned his Assistant Director of the NKVD, who was also his college classmate in business school, to his office at the headquarters of Goldstein Incorporated. In his office, Mr. Goldstein angrily ranted about the people who used to adore his wife, now turned against her just because of his age. When he finished, Mr. Goldstein ordered his Assistant Director to knock on every door of the entire aristocracy throughout the kingdom and forcibly apprehend them using any means necessary. Fiore's entire 60 thousand residing aristocrats were forced to appear in front of Mr. Goldstein with zip ties firmly secured on their wrists, like the scene off of an action movie. The NKVD agents then unfurled the bags that gagged them and they were forced to publicly apologize to his wife for their disrespect at gunpoint.

The agents were armed with old Russian machine guns, used by the Red Army during World War II. If anyone dared refuse to apologize to Mrs. Goldstein, they were quickly executed with machine gunfire that killed them in a matter of minutes. For example, one elderly neighbor who refused to apologize was shot in front of his wife and the entire neighborhood. The body was thrown in a bathtub that was filled with very powerful nitric acid and the body quickly disintegrated as a result. Those who actually made the disrespectful remarks against Mrs. Goldstein threatened to send the entire family to court, but the judges there were patrons of Mr. Goldstein's. Not even the Royal Supreme Court helped, not wanting to anger the Soviet Union because the Soviet Government was rumored to have built an arsenal of nuclear weapons that were powerful enough to level a country, leaving nothing in the wake of the explosion. In addition, Yeshua had the unconditional support of Soviet Supreme Leader Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin himself. Ultimately, this combination of Yeshua's influence and the Soviet Union's power left the Royal Supreme Court powerless to intervene. In the end, the case was swiftly dismissed the minute it was sent to the Supreme Court. In retaliation for the legal trouble they were forced to deal with, the NKVD–at Yeshua's approval–killed the families of the plaintiffs, including the plaintiffs themselves. Their mansions, wealth, and businesses were seized then redistributed to Yeshua's supporters among the poor. Thesis further increased his popularity and even the King, Toma E. Fiore II, was wary of him. Yeshua was now one of the most powerful men in the country. He was now seen as a hero of the people, and his power and influence only grew. He was soon declared the leader of the nation and ruled with an iron fist. But the true King of Fiore was Toma E. Fiore and his cabinet members soon took legal action against the Goldsteins, accusing them of trying to overthrow the monarchy. Once again, the Royal Supreme Court dismissed the case and the cabinet members were forced to apologize for their disrespect by His Majesty himself. He then sent a document to the Soviet Government in Moscow to apologize for disrespecting Mr. and Mrs. Goldstein. When his critics decried his action on the media as "cowardly", the King defended himself by pointing out the fact that a confrontation between the Continent of Ishgar in its entirety and the Soviet Union would end with the world's destruction, reminding them of the rumors surrounding the Soviet arsenal of nuclear weapons they have stashed away for use in a hypothetical conflict. Unfortunately, King Touma was proven correct when an army of 70 thousand Russian bombers arrived and unleashed a heavy bombing campaign on the Kingdom of Bosco, before flying east towards Fiore's airspace. Entire cities and towns were destroyed, with villages big and small wiped off the face of the earth...permanently. The civilians were all forced to watch as their homes and businesses were looted dry of resources and their wealth by Russian soldiers. Afterwards, the King's former critics in the Royal Cabinet of Ministers quickly resigned in the face of such devastating rumors. The King was forced to acknowledge the situation and order an investigation. This investigation revealed that the majority of the looting was done by high-ranking Russian officials, who had taken advantage of the situation to further their own political agendas. Of course, Yeshua helped by forcing the high-ranking Russian officials to resign, under the threat of immediate execution. But by that point, the damage was done and Bosco officially ceased to exist as a proud, sovereign country. It was turned into a Soviet satellite state, and the Soviet ambassador even asked for the King's abdication in Yeshua's favor, confident that the Soviet government would view Yeshua as an ally. Touma agreed and Yeshua was brought on the shoulders of cheering soldiers to a Catholic cathedral in the capital city, Crocus. Inside the cathedral, Touma placed his crown on Yeshua's head and they walked to the veranda, waving at the crowd of onlookers. They cheered when Yeshua raised his fist in triumph, signaling that he is now their new King. The crowd was now confident that the Russians would be merciful against them, despite their atrocities in other countries. Yeshua negotiated a peace deal where the Russians would enjoy a higher stake in Goldstein Incorporated in the international stock market, in exchange for their promise to withdraw their troops from the border with what remained of the once-proud Kingdom of Bosco. Soviet leader Vladimir Putin even sent a letter saying his congratulations and wish to build a better future for Ishgar-Russian relations. The two leaders shook hands and the crowd who witnessed this historic event were confident that Russia would look at Fiore as an economic partner, not as an enemy to vanquish once and for all. This handshake was a sign of hope for a better future between Ishgar and Russia.

Yeshua was given the royal name of King Touma II and he accepted under one condition. He demanded that his last name be Golstein instead of Fiore. The nobles accepted his request and King Touma II became King Touma II Golstein. This event marked the beginning of a new era of cooperation between the two countries. As king, he initiated a series of reforms that changed the education system forever. Under his reign, private and public schools were no longer allowed to engage in competition in terms of how many students they have. You see, schools with the biggest number of students attending were favored by their local school districts for access to more funding. Therefore, these schools attracted more students because they were able to afford state-of-the-art academic materials as well as paying higher wages to faculty and staff alike. King Touma II disbanded this competition for good and forced local school districts to distribute their funding equally, based on merits. Members of local school districts who opposed his legislation were quickly forced to resign by NKVD agents. This legislation effectively ended the disparity between local school districts and allowed for more equitable access to resources. It also helped to reduce corruption and bribery, creating a more just society.

But when it comes to the healthcare system of Fiore, Touma took it one step further. He put a price cap on the maximum cost of buying prescription drugs for seniors who are underinsured or not insured. Pharmaceutical companies were no longer allowed to charge $500 for an injection of insulin or an allergy shot. His NKVD agents forced those who protested his reforms to close their pharmaceutical companies or to sell them. This effectively ended the monopoly of the pharmaceutical companies and ensured that people had access to essential drugs at affordable prices. In the end, the Kingdom of Fiore grew more prosperous as the years went by. People saw their wages increase exponentially, which gave them a lot of disposable income to spend on whatever they desired, so long as it was legal. The tourism industry experienced a boom with a sudden influx of tourists visiting Fiore's historic castles. So they all lived happily ever after.