Who Heads Your Country?

[[{{SUBST:Who Heads Your Country?}}|]]

[[{{SUBST:Who Heads Your Country?}}|]]

There are adventurers who hail from the Republic of Bastok, the Kingdom of San d'Oria, and the Federation of Windurst. But how much do they know about their own countries? I asked a number of adventurers passing through Jeuno to answer a simple question.

Question : Who leads your country?

Correct Answers: Bastok / President Karst
San d'Oria / King Destin
Windurst / The Star Sibyl

Do you know who leads your country?
Yes - 10% / No - 90%

The results were surprising; only a scant 10% of the adventurers I spoke to could name the leader of their own country. In fact, nobody could name Bastok's President Karst.

In the end, it turned out that Windurstians, who are led by the Star Sibyl, were most able to identify their leader.

"The Star Sibyl. But I'm afraid I don't know who leads the other countries," said a Tarutaru woman from Bastok. In fact, the Star Sibyl was known even by citizens of other countries. There are several possible reasons for this, but the largest factor is that "Star Sibyl" is her name as well as her title.

"I don't know. Hmm. Does Bastok have a president?" replied a Hume woman from Windurst.

"I'm afraid I don't know. Other countries? I certainly don't know that," said a Hume man, also from Windurst.

Setting aside people who had no interest in government and politics, most adventurers knew that Bastok had a president, but none could name him.

On the other hand, the survey did reveal that many people knew the names of important people who were not their national leaders.

"I know the names of both princes. Huh? The King? I don't know," said a Galka from San d'Oria.

"Well, I could tell you all about Ayame of the Mythril Musketeers," said a Galka from Bastok.

The names of San d'Oria's Prince Trion and the Mythril Musketeer Ayame were on the tips of everyone's tongues; these people in particular have a lot of contact with adventurers. The adventurers queried seemed to feel a stronger bond with those whom they had actually met.

To adventurers who chafe at the restraint of national allegiance, the name of their national leader was of little importance. Evidently, those who are worth remembering are those who take action.

Nonetheless, it's difficult to find anything positive to say about the fact that such a small percentage of adventurers know their own national leader. The reality is that it reflects a deeper problem. The most skilled adventurers often leave their home countries to stay in Jeuno.

For the adventurers constantly passing through the Jeuno region, talk of home feels as if it is of some distant and foreign land.

But the three countries have shifted the burdens of law and order and national defense to adventurers. The loss of adventurers therefore poses a threat to the wellbeing of the countries.

We must also not forget that Jeuno owes its greatness to the strength of the other three countries.

The governments of the different countries should be looking to increase their presence in the hearts of their many adventurers.

[[{{SUBST:Who Heads Your Country?}}|]]