How to Survive as the Second Son of a Mage Family - Chapter 38

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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How to Survive as the Second Son of a Magic Noble Family (38)

I briefly organized the legislators’ name abbreviations and favorability ratings in my notebook. Meanwhile, Elias opened his mouth without changing his expression at all.

“Now, since we don’t have time, let’s skip any further pleasantries and get straight to the point.”

“….”

His intention to do his own thing but not listen to others’ greetings is quite clear.

“There’s one story that has recently become a nationwide topic. Do you know what it is?”

“The insect problem.”

“Of course that’s also a hot topic. But there’s another one besides that.”

One legislator frowned and clasped his hands together.

“I’m not sure. Please tell us.”

“Do you remember Count Nicolaus’s charity magic event from two weeks ago?”

At Elias’s gesture, an assistant pulled out a photo of a baby that had been taken while waiting in line at the time.

“There was a baby suffering from an unknown skin disease. Its whole body had changed as if it would fester and burst at any moment. I’m bringing up this story for no other reason than to speak about the severity of the situation.”

Elias displayed the newspaper that had been reported at the time as reference material.

“Until now, insects were not our target of vigilance. Insects were considered too weak to contain magical power, and even if they were lucky enough to possess magical power, they could only have extremely small amounts.”

The legislators nodded their heads.

So far, it’s a favorable reaction.

Elias is also speaking sensibly.

“But look here. Insects that weren’t even worth being vigilant about until now have transferred magical power and contaminated humans. And not at a level that can be ignored, but at a level fatal to the elderly and weak. I’m sure you all agree about the severity of the problem.”

“That’s correct.”

The Vice Chairman answered.

He is the highest authority figure in this place.

The Federal Committee Chairman, who is also this country’s Prime Minister, did not attend the discussion.

Now that I look at it, even from the Security Bureau, the bureau chief didn’t come, and the director of the subordinate Magic Security Finance Office was seated instead.

“Good. Please look at the data. These are the results of injecting mosquito poison into skin. You can see it shows the same pattern as the skin disease patients in Mefen.”

“We know this, Duke Elias. There probably wasn’t a single newspaper in the past week that didn’t cover this content.”

“Yes, the data I’m presenting next shows the results of classifying mosquitoes in the Mefen Region into three populations and then crossbreeding between populations. In the worst case scenario, we found that some of the offspring cause five times the damage of current contaminated mosquitoes.”

“This was also content reported in the media.”

The Federal Committee Vice Chairman nodded his head.

Elias stared at the Vice Chairman silently for a while, then smiled coldly.

“Since you know everything, there’s no need to speak at length. Before this matter was reported, I heard the news and urged action from the Security Bureau and Council.”

“Yes, we’re aware of that point. We should definitely mention this and move on….”

Elias extended his hand without even looking in that direction.

“I would appreciate it if you gave me a chance to finish speaking.”

“No, right now that’s….”

“I urged action! But the Security Bureau just returned external mail as is, didn’t they? I understand. There might be explosives sent. But shouldn’t you have established a channel to receive contact for the safety of the citizens?”

The Security Bureau mage stood up from his seat.

“We can provide an answer to that….”

“Ah, of course! I understand. Seeing that you all came to the emergency meeting called by the Prime Minister clearly means you have the will to improve. Of course I know that. I understand sufficiently, so there’s no need to explain.”

“No, what are you saying all by yourself…!”

“Duke Elias, please participate while maintaining dignity.”

“If it seemed undignified, I sincerely apologize. Anyway….”

He asked for a chance to finish speaking, but now he’s cutting off other people’s words.

If it were me or Leo, this attitude would make headlines in real time.

I watched his nonchalant expression and let out a hollow laugh.

“Returning to the main point, I declare once again in this place. For the safety of the citizens, purify the inside of the barriers once a week. We must not give contaminated insects time to grow.”

Elias finished speaking and looked around the legislative seats.

Someone in the back row of the legislative seats nodded and asked.

“Once a week…. Well, what do you think, Count Nicolaus?”

Can’t you tell from the fact that I’m here?

Of course, that’s not really asking what I think.

I answered calmly without being swayed by his words.

“I share the same opinion.”

“Huh….”

“What are you asking? This was originally a demand drafted in discussion with Count Nicolaus.”

Elias shrugged his shoulders as he answered.

Then, one legislator stood up from his seat.

“I am Federal Committee Legislator Henning Berend.”

“Yes, please speak.”

“First, since there is room for misunderstanding in the Duke’s statement, I will explain to the citizens who may be watching the broadcast. According to the data, mosquitoes causing five times or more damage were only 8% of the third-generation mosquitoes. Shall we look at the numbers? It was 4 mosquitoes. Just 4.”

“….”

Elias pursed his lips as if he was about to whistle, then smiled.

His face looked like he had a lot to say but was holding back for now.

When we didn’t challenge his words, perhaps gaining confidence, the legislator now shouted in an even louder voice.

“Duke Elias, do you know how much regional purification costs?”

“100,000 per case.”

“That’s also low-grade. In the case of mid-grade and high-grade, more money is invested. While I fully sympathize with Duke Elias’s concerns, the solution to any problem must be feasible. Cleaning all 21 Restricted Areas once a week is not a realistic method.”

The legislator now spoke gently as if soothing a disobedient child.

This is a worse sign than just raising one’s voice.

For his side, of course.

It means arrogance has crept in, and he feels very relaxed about this situation.

Elias smiled brightly and opened his mouth.

“15 low-grade, 5 mid-grade, 1 high-grade.”

“That’s correct.”

“Good. Then let’s fairly assume all 7 each of low-grade, mid-grade, and high-grade. No objections?”

I couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

Look at him laying the groundwork.

“Why specifically….”

“For calculation convenience. Anyway, do you agree or not?”

“If you want, calculate it that way.”

The legislator nodded his head.

There was no reason not to agree.

Since low-grade decreased and high-grade increased, more budget would be allocated, and then the public would understand how serious the cost problem is.

The legislator crossed his arms and waited for Elias’s answer.

“The labor costs allocated for mid-grade and high-grade are 500,000 fel and 1 million fel respectively. Then the total labor cost would be 700,000 for low-grade, 3.5 million for mid-grade, and 7 million for high-grade. Combined, that’s 11.2 million.”

1.12 billion won in Korean currency.

This needs to be multiplied by 52 weeks.

That’s 58.24 billion won per year.

“That’s 582.4 million fel per year, which seems quite reasonable to invest for citizen safety.”

“That’s not insignificant money. We must not overlook the fact that barrier maintenance costs are also included.”

“That side is about 1.8 billion fel. A total of 2.38 billion fel… this is definitely money that should be invested.”

About 238 billion.

But when we combine the newly calculated standard labor costs and barrier maintenance costs, it becomes about 1.16 trillion won.

They should already know this since they received the demand.

Even if they didn’t read the demand, it’s not a problem.

Just calculating barrier compatibility sensibly would yield roughly similar values.

This stark difference occurred because the existing maintenance cost of 180 billion was a value obtained by severely underestimating barrier compatibility.

Since these are the guys who shamelessly slashed 1 trillion down to 180 billion, they could certainly make a fuss even at this stage.

Sure enough, even though it wasn’t an unreasonable scale when considering the total amount of national money spent per year, several senators shook their heads with subtle smiles as if it was absurd.

Hollow laughter that burst out as if finding it preposterous could also be heard.

“Hah, really…”

“How can you say such things so easily…”

“Duke Elias, naturally there is no amount that must be brought in. The budget is something that must be adjusted according to the situation. We cannot dig up money that doesn’t exist. Should we borrow foreign currency for this problem? Our Empire?”

Elias smiled smoothly, paying no heed to their reaction.

“If necessary, naturally we should do so.”

“…”

“You don’t understand how things work.”

“Good grief, what are we to do…”

In the early part of the novel, the council passes an additional budget bill worth 2 trillion won to strengthen standing military forces.

Though they say that, the place it mainly gets used is for the salaries of Imperial Army and Royal Army bigwigs.

It means the budget goes into the pockets of federal representatives and nobles who each hold positions in the various armies.

The more sensitively they react to the insect problem, the less money can be used for the budget bill they plan to push through soon, causing disruption to their plans.

Moreover, the field related to Pleroma crimes is an area where once you raise the budget, it’s not easy to reduce it again.

From their position, they would have needed to attempt to crush that problem from the very start.

Making Elias’s demands, which stood on the people’s side, seem ‘absurd’ and ‘unrealistic’ from the beginning to reduce the future demands and criticism from citizens.

Since they had responded to the meeting intending to make Elias a buffer for the controversy from the start, they were deliberately treating him like someone who doesn’t understand how things work, even over the purification cost of about 58 billion won.

Of course, the fact that the properly calculated cost exceeded 1 trillion rather than 58 billion probably played a part too.

In the midst of rude words pouring out, the youngest-looking legislator scolded Elias with a voice mixed with ridicule.

“If Your Grace wants to do politics so badly, you should develop a sense of reality first.”

“…”

At those words, Elias’s face, which had been listening to criticism without any particular expression, hardened in an instant.

Crack— Bang—!

There was a sound of something breaking from the crutch he was leaning on. He threw the crutch that had been fitted to his right arm to the floor and leaned his body against the intact crutch.

I could see an assistant urgently contacting someone somewhere.

‘…They touched a nerve.’

He had never even said he would do politics, yet bringing up those words… with high probability, they know about Elias’s situation and are exploiting it.

The fact that Elias’s magical power overwhelms the current Emperor naturally connects to the fact that even if Elias tried to get involved in state affairs like typical imperial family members, the Emperor wouldn’t let that happen.

Right now in this place, there are several legislators from distant imperial lineage.

As long as the Emperor keeps his eyes open, no matter what Elias tries to do, he can only take positions that fall far short compared to his family name, and even compared to his abilities. Among those who do politics in this country, there’s no one who doesn’t know this.

‘Saying such things while knowing everything must be hoping he’ll lose his reason.’

That way they could easily draw out the picture they want.

‘He shouldn’t go berserk here.’

I fell into thought while looking at Elias’s cold face.

The legislator who had gotten on his nerves earlier stood up toward Elias, who was maintaining silence.

As if he had something he really wanted to say, he erased his earlier ridicule and looked at the broadcast cameras with a serious face.

“I understand well what you want to say. I fully comprehend it. From our position of working for the people, our concerns may be even greater than Your Grace’s concerns.”

“Is that so?”

“…”

“I, I…”

“…If this problem were truly a fatal issue, and if we had unlimited resources, we would spare no budget as Duke Elias says.”

The legislator walked forward and floated materials in the center of the meeting hall with magic.

“Let’s look at the Imperial Palace investigation data. The number of mosquito specimens investigated in Meppen over the past week was about 1,000, which is by no means a large number.”

Considering the entire region, it’s not that many.

But that’s not what’s important.

That person is now trying to erase the seriousness of the situation even by obscuring the essence.

I quietly opened my mouth in place of Elias, who had fallen silent.

“Let’s note that all 1,000 specimens are contaminated mosquitoes.”

“…Of course… that’s true. However, most exist inside barriers, and specimens without the ability to spread contamination made up as much as half. It’s too early to ruin daily life by falling into fear.”

“That means as much as half have contamination spreading ability.”

At my tone subtly mixed with amusement, he slightly frowned.

“If you think that way, of course the problem looks big, Count Nicolaus. But in reality, it’s not. Because 75% of the offspring generation died. Even when the mosquitoes with the strongest aggression mated with each other, as much as 90% of the offspring generation died.”

“That’s the same story as the research results I reported.”

“That’s right. Are Duke Elias and Count Nicolaus saying to pay 580 million pel annually for purification costs while knowing these figures?”

Now it’s getting real.

He’s starting to seriously muddy the point.

‘Should I continue pushing forward?’

Elias must have developed personal feelings toward that person, so it’s uncertain whether he can respond calmly.

Since we can’t mess this up, it would be better for me to step forward at this point.

I glanced at Elias’s face.

‘…No, no.’

Seeing his unusually calm and settled expression, I became certain.

There’s no need to take away the opportunity to pay back what he received.

When I quietly called him, Elias looked down at me.

“Please speak.”

I gestured toward the legislator with my chin to Elias.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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