Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor - Chapter 190

Knock knock.

“Prime Minister. Ian Hielo, the Minister, has arrived.”

“Let him in, Quintana. The tax rate adjustment proposal I gave you earlier. I believe we had a similar case processed a few years ago. Was it five years ago? It would be good to compare and calculate based on that instance.”

“His Highness Jin is with him as well.”

The prime minister and high-ranking officials, who had gathered earlier to share reports, faltered for a moment.

His Highness Jin?

Of course, there was no issue with a prince attending the grand council meeting. Rather, taking the lead in resolving the palace’s turmoil was an exemplary attitude, nothing less.

However, Jin was too young, and above all, he was facing the succession issue.

‘Lord Ian has truly drawn his sword.’

Bringing Jin to the grand council meeting served the clear purpose of simultaneously announcing his support for the Fifth Prince and gradually asserting Jin’s presence in the political arena. Ignoring the murmuring officials, Quintana firmly stamped a seal.

“I’m done with cigarettes for today. What are you standing there for? Aren’t you going to escort them in?”

The attendant bowed and turned to exit, and soon, the massive doors slowly swung open. Ian was holding Jin’s hand. The prime minister and other officials rose to greet Jin.

Creak!

“Your Highness Jin. It’s a relief to see you safe.”

“The deep wounds on your face are truly distressing.”

“Please come this way, Your Highness.”

Perhaps it was due to his exceptionally fair skin. The gruesome wound stretching from his left forehead to his right jaw was prominent. It was so severe that it felt like divine protection that his eyes were unharmed, as the wound deeply divided the child’s face in half.

Quintana frowned as she put her cigarette case in his pocket.

‘His Highness Mariv and His Highness Gale are truly remarkable. What sin did the young prince commit to be treated like this?’

Fortunately, despite the wound, his complexion appeared good. Compared to before the incident, there seemed to be a spark of life in his eyes. Whenever he passed by, unlike Arsen, Jin often felt like a moving doll.

“You have all worked hard. It is you who are supporting the unsettled palace, and His Majesty the Emperor will be deeply pleased.”

“You flatter us, Your Highness. It is simply our duty.”

“Indeed. It is our obligation.”

“Your words are reassuring. Thus, although my power is meager, I have come to lend my strength. Please allow me to learn from the insights of the prime minister and the ministers.”

At Jin’s request, everyone bowed their heads. Did Jin always speak so eloquently? No. In fact, they had rarely heard his voice.

Surprised by the stark contrast to their memories, it was only momentary. Ian pulled out a chair and guided Jin. It was the seat closest to the prime minister, his own seat.

“Please sit here, Your Highness.”

“Thank you.”

Jin responded firmly and sat in the chair. His expression was solemnly indifferent, but his hands placed under the table were trembling. He had done well as Ian had instructed, but Jin was so nervous that he couldn’t even remember what words he had uttered.

“Are His Highness and I the last to arrive?”

“Indeed. Let’s begin the meeting.”

Ian asked the prime minister while glancing at the child’s hands. The impact of Jin’s appearance was evident, but it soon subsided. There was a mountain of matters to discuss and countless issues to handle, too much to be conscious of the prince’s presence.

Rustle.

Subordinates from each department circulated the meeting room, distributing reports. Romandro also mingled among them, conveying the opinions of the Ministry of Magic’s captains.

“First, the Administrative Department, Quintana.”

At the prime minister’s designation, Quintana raised her hand.

“This is the report on measures to secure the national budget. The damage to each palace building is more severe than anticipated, requiring an additional half of the budget allocated for this year.”

“The fire near the Third Palace was substantial. The annex there needs to be completely rebuilt. Fortunately, it’s an area where only the Minor Clan Department is located, so it won’t hinder operations.”

“How about taking this opportunity to downsize and reconstruct it? The budget is tight, and there seems to be no need to rebuild it exactly as it was.”

“Honestly, the building was large compared to the responsibilities of the department.”

“There will be strong opposition. It’s not a matter of efficiency, but the building was destroyed due to an unpleasant incident. Restoring it to its original form holds significance.”

The Minor Clan Department? As the officials passionately added their comments one by one, Jin merely observed with indifference. It was a department he had never heard of, so he didn’t understand what they were discussing.

Swish.

-It’s the Minor Race Diplomatic Support Department. They handle minor races that have officially entered Bariel. However, Bariel’s criteria are so low that most of them are transferred to the General Diplomatic Department. Even if they exist, most are illegal immigrants, so the jurisdiction changes again. It’s a defunct department, and I know they have already relocated the building once.

Ian wrote on the corner of the report and tapped it. Everyone was so accustomed to it that they often used abbreviations for convenience, but it was natural for someone attending the meeting for the first time to have difficulty understanding. That’s why experience was said to be important.

“Ah.”

Jin mumbled softly as if he had realized something. His flustered expression began to sparkle again. Now that he understood what they were referring to, he could follow the officials’ opinions.

“What is Lord Ian’s opinion?”

“I believe downsizing is the better option. Aside from legitimacy, that area is too far from the main building of the Third Palace. I suggest removing the middle garden and building it there. Then we can pave a new path connecting to the Second Palace.”

Although the question came abruptly, Ian answered naturally. The sound of papers being flipped could be heard from various places at his unique suggestion. They were checking the palace map to determine the validity of Ian’s words.

“It makes sense. To get from the central annex of the Second Palace to the left annex of the Third Palace, one had to pass through three buildings.”

‘Ah, to go from here to there, this is the only way.’

Jin nodded, tracing the map with his finger. He rarely had reasons to go there, and since he always traveled by carriage, he was unaware of the difficulties faced by the managers performing their duties. Everything they mentioned was fascinating and new to Jin, making his heart pound with excitement.

Rustle.

Ian flipped through the report and casually raised his hand. The prime minister granted him permission to speak with a nod.

“I have a question regarding the repair of the Ministry of Magic.”

“…Thanks to the protective barrier, there was no damage to the structure, but we did assess the impact. It’s minor, so we plan to address it last.”

Quintana answered with a suspicious look, as if she didn’t understand why Ian was asking about it.

“Along with the repair work on the Ministry of Magic, we also intend to construct an annex.”

It wasn’t a suggestion but a notification.

At Ian’s statement, Quintana’s brows furrowed involuntarily. Wasn’t this what Wesleigh had been pushing for so hard? It kept getting rejected due to the sharp confrontation with Mariv.

“Constructing an annex, you say?”

The Ministry of Magic’s status in the palace was already skyrocketing, and it was evident that it would continue to do so in the future. If they even expanded the building, wouldn’t their power grow even stronger? The more area they occupied in the palace, the more psychologically oppressed other departments would naturally feel.

Quintana immediately objected.

“I oppose. Compared to other departments, the Ministry of Magic already has sufficient workspace for its personnel. Moreover, we cannot allocate any more budget.”

“Hmm, I agree. Lord Ian Hielo, I acknowledge the Ministry of Magic’s significant contributions this time, but constructing an annex is a different matter.”

Several officials also rose, firmly stating that it was out of the question. Their vehemence was unexpectedly fierce, causing Jin to involuntarily glance at Ian sitting next to him.

When everyone opposed the topic he had brought up, what was Ian thinking? Jin was both curious and worried.

“Deputy Minister Quintana.”

Ian had a relaxed smile on his face. While those seated across from him tightened their lips, Ian remained unperturbed.

“I heard that when allocating the budget, you set aside five years’ worth separately from the current year’s budget. Is that correct?”

“Roughly, yes.”

This was because, in case of war, natural disasters, or sudden crises like this, they would draw from future budgets if additional funds were needed. Ian flipped through the papers and asked.

“Then, the budget listed here reflects the installment payment for the luronite that the Ministry of Magic had set aside in advance, right?”

When Ian sold the luronite to the Ministry of Magic, the amount was so substantial that they couldn’t pay the full price at once. Instead, it was scheduled to be paid in installments over several years. That’s what he was referring to now.

Quintana stared at Ian, at a loss for words. She seemed to understand what Ian was implying.

“We will allocate the luronite payment to the annex construction. According to our calculations, the payment exceeds the construction cost.”

Rustle.

The sound of flipping papers was heard once again.

If the reserved payment disappeared, there would be a slight surplus in the budget. The building wouldn’t be erected overnight, and the construction costs would be paid in installments anyway, so considering the national treasury, Ian’s proposal was advantageous.

“Then, there will be no need to draw two years’ worth of budget. We only need to draw one year’s budget in advance.”

“The luronite payment far exceeds several years’ worth of the Ministry of Magic’s budget. I believe there will be no issue proceeding with the construction.”

“Oh my. This is quite, ahem.”

The Ministry of Magic already received the most budget in the palace after the imperial family. Quintana quickly performed a simple calculation with his pen. Indeed, in the current situation where every bit of the budget needed to be saved, if only the luronite payment disappeared…

“Of course, all of this will take place after the palace stabilizes. I’m just mentioning it now since the topic of reconstruction came up.”

It meant, “I’m telling you in advance, so don’t even think about opposing it later.” Although there was no real justification to oppose it since they were using their own money, there was no one to take the lead and object now that Mariv’s forces had essentially collapsed.

“Furthermore, there are quite a few magic-related items, including the Truth Potion, that the Ministry of Magic is preparing for commercialization. If a certain portion of this is attributed to taxes, it will be of further help. Deputy Minister Quintana.”

As Ian finished with a smile, Quintana simply twirled her pen and swallowed a sigh. There was nothing more to say since they had no money to offer. Quintana was not in a position to blindly oppose for the sake of keeping them in check.

“…I understand. We will separately confirm the details on our end. Let’s move on to the next agenda item.”

She took a step back. With Quintana, who held the purse strings, yielding like that, the other officials also swallowed their bitter sighs.

Bang bang!

“Next agenda item.”

The prime minister banged the gavel, deciding on downsizing the Third Palace annex and considering the construction of the Ministry of Magic annex.

Several similar situations unfolded. The officials presented their best opinions from their respective positions, and through the process of coordination, answers were reached.

Dawn had arrived, but Jin didn’t notice, constantly nodding his head. The explanations Ian had written on the corners of the reports accumulated.

“Shall we conclude the meeting then?”

“Ah, I have one proposal to make.”

“Speak, Lord Hielo.”

As they were about to wrap up, Ian spoke while looking at Jin.

“It’s regarding His Highness Jin’s living arrangements.”

“Since his residence was destroyed, isn’t he staying in the Second Palace annex for the time being? I believe Lady Dilaina has also moved there.”

Jin fidgeted his fingers under the table. It would be revealed that he was an abandoned child.

“For the time being, I would like to be the one to take care of him instead of Lady Dilaina. Also, assign his residence close to the Ministry of Magic.”

“Why is that?”

“When Prince Mariv barged into the residence, I witnessed Lady Dilaina begging for her life and handing over His Highness Jin. That’s when His Highness sustained the injuries.”

At Ian’s words, the officials furrowed their brows. What was he saying now?

“It is my opinion that we cannot expect Lady Dilaina to fulfill her duties as a guardian.”

“Your Highness, is what he said true?”

The prime minister straightened his back and asked Jin. Everyone in the meeting room looked at Jin. Compassion and sympathy, shock, and absurdity. All those gazes were intermingled.

The child pondered for a moment and reluctantly nodded.

“It’s true.”