Surviving As The 5Th Prince Of Hellman Kingdom [EN]: Chapter 53

If someone were to ask me to compare the era of the Lionel Kingdom to my past life, I would cautiously say it’s somewhere between the Industrial Revolution and World War I.

Of course, this is based on the larger cities with territories of at least a County. The countryside is no different from the Middle Ages.

There are signs of a bourgeois [middle] class forming, mainly among commoner-born knights and merchants. Some are even suggesting creating a lower house led by commoners under the aristocratic council. I know the Royal Secret Service is working hard to crack down on them.

It can be summarized in five words:

A time of upheaval.

The political system is the same.

After the death of the previous king, the aristocratic faction seized power, and the administrative, legislative, and judicial branches slowly began to separate.

As can be seen from the fact that the Royal Committee was involved in all royal trials and hearings, the separation of powers is not yet complete.

It is so common for members of the Royal Committee to hold positions in administrative departments that it is not even a matter of controversy.

It’s a boring story.

I don’t need any of that, I think it can be summed up in just two words.

A mess.

“So, we need nearly twice the existing budget to build a dam to prevent flood damage this summer.”

Ah, they occasionally do real work like that just now.

Beortio passed away due to an unfortunate incident, and the Vice Minister, who is acting as the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, finished his presentation.

He took out a handkerchief, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and looked at Cliang, who was crossing his arms.

“That’s a valid point. We will consider it positively.”

The head of the White County.

Vice Minister of Finance and Economy.

That guy got promoted while I was in the West, immediately after the 4th Princess was decided to marry the Empire’s fatty.

He attended as a proxy for the Minister of Finance and Economy, one of those who are called scarecrows or plant ministers [ministers with little real power].

“Hahaha, that’s good. It seems the work of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is finished, so let’s move on to the next agenda.”

The proceedings of the State Council are originally the King’s duty, but as always, he is absent. The Prime Minister is conducting the meeting instead.

Although he is the decision-maker for the agenda of each ministry, he is neutral among the neutrals. He only passes agendas when there is an agreement between the 1st Prince and the 2nd Prince factions.

He is always laughing, so he is also called Prime Minister He [He means ‘harmony’ in Korean, implying his neutral stance], and he looked at Milroa.

The head of the Christie County.

Vice Minister of the Royal Secret Service’s Intelligence Department.

She was there as a proxy for her superior, who is a friend of the Minister of Finance and Economy.

Milroa also kept pace with Cliang’s promotion. In fact, my help was significant. It would not have been possible without the magic stones supplied by the Black Anvil Tribe.

“Royal Secret Service Intelligence Department… no, Countess Milroa, please speak. Sorry, it’s just a habit.”

“It’s okay. I’ve always been standing behind the Minister, so it’s my first time sitting in this seat and attending a meeting.”

What is prioritized between title and position is the title.

So, when calling out the names of royals and nobles without titles, the highest position they hold is used, and for hereditary nobles with titles, the title is attached to the name.

It’s a minor palace etiquette. Sometimes it calls for a sword fight. That’s why the Prime Minister apologized so hastily just now.

“The world’s great powers, including the neighboring Hamel Empire and the Arya Kingdom, are focusing on researching new weapons. On the other hand, we… well, it’s a sad story to talk about, so let’s skip this and get to the point. Shouldn’t we at least know what they are? The agents’ activity funds are severely lacking.”

“Oh, new weapons. Countess Milroa, what kind of things are there?”

Bert, who is also the Minister of National Defense with little real power, asked her with interest.

“As I said just now, due to the lack of support, the agents have only collected rumors. If I tell you only what has been reported, there are ships that move in the water, carriages that move underground, and single-person airships that move at high speed…”

Milroa began to list them one by one.

Most of them were impossible with current technology. Most of them were things that the ‘future’ me didn’t see until I died. Still, there were a few that actually appeared.

The participants of the State Council didn’t know that. Especially the people of the 2nd Prince faction, their lips twitched when Milroa mentioned some new weapons.

It must be because they thought it was absurd.

“…and a large golem ridden by a knight.”

At the end, her voice became smaller, as if she herself thought so too.

“Pfft- Ah, I’m sorry, Countess Milroa. My throat has been a bit sore since this morning.”

Milroa glared at the person who laughed out loud just now and opened her mouth.

“That’s why I said, we need to give the agents proper support so they can bring back proper information!”

“Countess Milroa, isn’t the budget already sufficient?”

The 2nd Prince, sitting next to Cliang, challenged her.

“What! Don’t you know how important this is?”

“Last year in the fourth quarter, you deployed a large number of agents to the Arya Kingdom and wasted a huge budget. Please disclose what you investigated and what you gained.”

“That, that is…”

Milroa couldn’t continue speaking.

She couldn’t say that she was digging into the secret of the 4th Prince’s birth, which can no longer be seen, even if she died.

“…It’s top secret.”

While I was smirking at her poor excuse, Member Bert put his mouth to my ear and whispered softly.

“What does the 5th Prince think?”

I am sitting next to him now.

A prince or princess of the kingdom without a special position participates in the State Council by sitting with one of the high-ranking officials.

It’s a bit cruel.

If there is no high-ranking official to accompany them, they cannot even set foot in the State Council.

The 2nd Prince next to Count Cliang.

Me next to Member Bert.

Today, two people are here at the State Council.

The 1st Prince is famous these days for swinging his sword day and night at the 1st Knight’s training ground to overcome the wall to becoming a 6-star knight.

He probably won’t overcome it.

Because I used the Sky Flower all up. It was delicious. I understood why people call it a panacea [a cure-all].

“5th Prince?”

“Ah, I was thinking about the new weapons that Countess Milroa mentioned earlier. Certainly, if they appear, there are many that would make the existing strategies and tactics useless.”

“So you think we should support Countess Milroa?”

I shook my head slightly.

“Why do you think so?”

“Member Bert, do you think the great powers would handle the security of such new weapons carelessly? Nine out of ten of the new weapons that Countess Milroa mentioned earlier will be traps. It will be a case of agents being massacred after receiving clumsy support.”

“Hoo, you’re sure of that.”

I just gave a bitter smile.

“Countess Milroa, bring back at least one piece of proper information and request a budget again.”

“So! There must be proper support! To get proper information! Ha… I understand.”

There was no need to step in.

This time, it was a picture of Milroa backing down. I’m thinking of stepping in when she brings a piece of proper information.

I can’t let those who dedicate themselves to the kingdom lose their lives in vain.

The 2nd Prince didn’t provoke Milroa any further. She was someone who might mobilize the powerful weapon of ‘audit’ if things went wrong.

“Hahaha… Then let’s move on from Countess Milroa’s agenda.”

The Prime Minister quickly proceeded with the meeting.

I tried not to step in as much as possible and focused on listening.

There were occasional cases like the Vice Minister of Agriculture and Forestry or Milroa who presented proper agendas, but most of them were agendas that brought great benefits to one faction.

They didn’t have knives, but they were eager to tear each other apart.

In the meantime.

“Didn’t the 4th Princess find a great marriage partner? So, shouldn’t we start looking for a marriage partner for the 3rd Princess that would be helpful to the national interest? The Hamel Empire people have very unique tastes, so how about the Arya Kingdom?”

Suddenly, the story of my sister popped out.

I frowned and looked at the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

“That’s something the Royal Committee will decide. I don’t think it’s a story to be shared in the State Council.”

Member Bert quickly cut it off.

The royals who also serve on the Royal Committee nodded in unison. Even the people of the 2nd Prince faction.

“Oh, I think I made a mistake.”

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, who stepped on the invisible line between the royal family and the nobility, quickly stepped back.

He’s not stupid enough not to know that…

I could see him making eye contact with the 2nd Prince.

‘He did it on purpose.’

The 2nd Prince was expressing his uncomfortable feelings towards me.

Having gained great benefits from the royal trial and hearing, and even confirming the engagement of the 4th Princess, he must have been in a flowery mood, thinking that he could take a step ahead in the succession battle.

I poured the magic stones I had obtained through negotiations with the Black Anvil Tribe into that flower garden.

He couldn’t say anything openly. I’m at that level now. So he was subtly touching my nerves with the issue of my sister.

Still, I feel pretty bad?

I kept it well in my memory so I wouldn’t forget. I’m planning to repay it 100 times later.

“Hahaha, next it’s Member Bert’s turn to speak.”

Finally, it was time for the discussion on the Northern Liberation Army. I took another look at the faces of the participants in the State Council.

There were many people who shouldn’t have been in this place in the ‘future’.

The butterfly effect that people often talk about.

Only 5 months after realizing my past life. Already, many things were twisted from the ‘future’ I knew.

Beortio, who was a member of the Royal Committee and the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, disappeared.

Cliang and Milroa, who should have been attending as the Minister’s attendants, are sitting as Vice Ministers representing the Minister.

Decisively, I am here.

Member Bert, who glanced at me and turned his head, opened his mouth to the audience.

“As you all know, the Northern Liberation Army played a major role in stopping the atrocities of the witch, Beortio. And although we have turned a blind eye to it, it is also true that the Empire has not been able to fully control the northwestern region of the kingdom that it seized during the last invasion, thanks to their activities near the newly created border. Is there anyone who doesn’t acknowledge this?”

His intense gaze showed his will to run up and knock them down if they didn’t acknowledge it.

“Well, to some extent…”

One minister, who seemed to have opened his mouth without realizing it, hurriedly closed his mouth at the gazes pouring towards him.

The conference room became quiet.

Member Bert, who nodded as if satisfied, opened his mouth again.

“I think we should officially recognize that they are not just a puppet group, but a militia group that rose up for the kingdom.”

The people of the 1st Prince and 2nd Prince factions looked at each other’s faces and exchanged glances, then whispered to their attendants.

I focused my attention on two places.

Milroa, and the 2nd Prince and Cliang.

Milroa kept tapping her lips with a hand gesture as if she was smoking, and the 2nd Prince and Cliang seemed to have different opinions.

“Hahaha, does anyone have any opinions on Member Bert’s statement?”

At the Prime Minister’s question, one person finally raised their hand.

“Oh, Countess Milroa, please speak.”

“Member Bert, I have no intention of denying that some of the things the Northern Liberation Army has done have been helpful to the kingdom. But! There is a clear reason why we shouldn’t recognize them.”

It seemed that the days when we were good partners developing mines in the West were over.

“Isn’t it a fact that everyone here knows that the Northern Liberation Army committed criminal acts such as banditry and train robbery?”

Milroa, who opened her mouth while calling Member Bert, was directing her gaze at me.

“I agree with Countess Milroa’s opinion. Furthermore, if the kingdom officially recognizes them, the Empire, which had negotiated a ceasefire, will foam at the mouth and rush at us.”

The rare event of the 2nd Prince supporting Countess Milroa occurred. Others who grasped the situation also looked at me with shining eyes.

“I also agree with the 2nd Prince’s words! The Empire’s ambassador will immediately make a strong protest. The atmosphere has softened a bit with the engagement of the 4th Princess and the Empire’s royalty. Absolutely impossible!”

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, who had touched my nerves by mentioning my sister’s marriage earlier, was the first to excitedly talk.

Have I looked easy since I’ve been quiet since the hearing?

I felt the need to remind them once again who was responsible for the arrow being stuck in Akard’s heart and Beortio becoming a witch.