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The room was windowless and had a blue tone to it. The furniture was uniform, polished dark brown, giving it a somewhat austere atmosphere. Seiichirou was invited to sit in a leather chair in front of an antique-looking table. He sat there after saying his thanks.
"It's been a while, Seiichirou."
The person sitting across from him was the country's prime minister, Kamil Calvader.
With his pinkish blonde hair combed back, the handsome man of prime-age reclined against the backrest. He narrowed his bluish-grey eyes that looked cunning and showed deep intelligence at the same time.
Prime Minister Kamil was very busy, so Seiichirou hadn't seen him since the day he and Aresh had received their orders, even though he had been transferred on Kamil's directive. Seiichirou had a truckload of reports and questions for him. However, given Kamil's busy schedule and the fact that he wanted to make sure that he got the most detailed information, he had to be flexible.
"I am glad to see you are doing well, Prime Minister Calvader."
"Fu, no need to be so formal. You and I are friends after all."
Although he had changed his intellectual atmosphere, Kamil still exuded an air of maturity and spoke with a suggestive tone. Kamil and Seiichirou were only as close as someone in a very high position from another department and a mid-level manager could be. Their relationship was not personal at all. To put it another way, they were more of accomplices in the abolishment of the Saint summoning as well as in their current work.
"Thank you. Now then, may I begin with my report?"
Kamil nodded in satisfaction at Seiichirou's attempt at dismissing all idle talk and urged him to continue.
"First, regarding the church's funds, I would like to apologize for not being able to provide you with concrete figures since I still don't have the whole story."
"Oh, that's fine. The bishop and the church accountant are away right now, aren't they?"
"Yes. For some reason, they went on a business trip at the exact same time even though it was announced in advance that an official from the royal palace would be coming for an inspection."
"It has been arranged for them to return the day after tomorrow. But well, it wasn't all bad for you, correct?"
"Indeed, it was very easy for me to gather information."
Originally, the inspection would have been conducted with guidance from the accounting manager, but since Seiichirou was told that he was out of town, he had no choice but to look around on his own.
"That's good enough for now. I want to hear your opinion."
"I'm reluctant to say this because I haven't been able to present any data... but I suspect there is a discrepancy between the number and rank of nobles who visited the chapel and their donations."
"Is it embezzlement?"
"It's hard to say since I haven't been able to compile a list of the church's operating expenses yet."
Seiichirou picked up the nobles from among the numbers of the worshippers that were waiting in the chapel, and based on Norbert's information, estimated the donation amount. It seemed to him that there was more than enough money for the church's management expenses.
"Hmm, do you have any idea where the money is going?
"No... but at least the orphanage, the apprentice priests, and the priest are not related to this."
"Priest. Oh, you mean Priest Siegwold?"
Kamil raised his well-shaped eyebrows.
"Do you know him, sir?"
"Yes, he's famous. In addition to his family background, his magical power and features are remarkable. On the other hand, his devotion makes it difficult for the nobility to get close to him."
As expected, Siegwold's birth family seemed to be among the top in the aristocratic circle. Moreover, it was apparent that the amount of one's magical power, despite their appearance, was in demand even within the nobility. In that case, the future of the church's orphans was becoming more and more puzzling.
"Ah, right, there is no magic in the country you came from. Magical power is a valuable source of energy but it is difficult to handle, even with magic embedded tools. It requires specialized knowledge and skill. That's why children who are born with too much magic are trained to reduce their amount of magical energy in the church."
"Reduce magical power...?"
When Seiichirou heard about how dangerous energy sources could be, he immediately thought of nuclear power. It had no CO2 emissions and could stably supply large amounts of energy while also being extremely dangerous. Every good thing has its risks.
He wondered if it was possible to reduce the amount of magical power that one originally possessed. If Kamil was answering with such a serious expression, it must be common knowledge in this country.
"Speaking of which, how's your tolerance to magic and mana going?"
Not only did Seiichirou have no magical energy but he also had no resistance to it, so even the slightest magic would cause heat to erupt in his body. Furthermore, consuming too much mana weakened his constitution.
"Thankfully, I'm improving little by little."
Having Aresh cast weak spells on him, and by continuing to have a diet containing small amounts of mana, Seiichirou was becoming more resistant. No flattery intended.
"That's fortunate. However, it seems that the other one, who had a reputation for being as difficult to deal with as Priest Siegwold, has been completely reined in."
Seiichirou's eyebrow twitched, and he sighed at Kamil, who was trying to stifle his laughter.
"You say ‘reins,’ as if he were a horse..."
"Oh, not a horse, more like a silent beast. So you're not a rein then, but a chain."
"Your Excellency..."
Kamil's eyes narrowed in amusement as Seiichirou let out a dumbfounded voice, unsure of what to say. But Kamil suddenly reverted to a more serious look and cut him off.
"I'm not joking. Whatever your feelings are, you have become a 'chain' to him. Unlike Priest Siegwold's 'chain', you are real, can be touched, and are vulnerable. I'll try to help you as much as I can, but you can't be too careful."
Even the people around him were beginning to notice Aresh's unrelenting obsession.
Aresh, who had always been unresponsive and unapproachable, had only reacted to the tired, powerless man who came from another world as an extra to the Saint.
Seiichirou himself was working diligently to build a foundation for himself, but there was no denying that he was putting too much effort into his work and prioritizing it over his interests.
One of the reasons why Kamil has sent him to the church was to show him that there was more to him than just Aresh.
"I appreciate your thoughtfulness."
"Well, be careful... Now that we've discussed that, you were saying that you want to open a private school for the common people at the church?"
"No, nothing so grand."
He wanted to teach reading, writing, and math to those who wanted to, mainly, orphans at the church. That was all.
"For one, it will improve the church's image, which in turn will improve the image of the nobles who donate to it. It will also attract more visitors to the church and would make it easier for the citizens to familiarize themselves with it."
From there, they might be able to subsidize the activities of the local churches.
"Also, if they can read, write, and calculate, they will be able to find more jobs, which will reduce crime and in turn raise the living standards of the common people. I was wondering if we could get the government to sponsor those who are talented enough to go to school."
Kamil put his cheek on his hand that was resting on the armrest as Seiichirou went on and on.
"You excel in what you do, but do you really want to get involved in education?"
"I have no intention of going that far out of my way. The idea came from the Holy Saint in the first place. I'm merely supplementing it."
"The Saint, huh... Most probably, she came up with the idea after seeing the children in the orphanage. Occasionally, there are children of noble families who are like that too."
Kamil was right. There was no lack of calls for the reform of the educational institutions and the status system. The reason why this was not implemented was that it would cost money.
"I'm currently working on the preliminary calculations of its economic effects. I will submit it soon, so please wait."
"Ah, there you go with your area of expertise, huh? ...Let me ask you something though."
"Yes?"
Kamil leaned forward, his blue-grey eyes were fixed firmly on Seiichirou.
"Seiichirou, what do you want to do with this country?"
What did he want to do with this country that abducted him along with an underage girl whom they revered as a Saint?
What did he want to do with this country that had abandoned him, where even the very air did not agree with him?
‘What would Yua say here?’ Seiichirou wondered. She would probably say something like, "I want to make this country a place where everyone is equal," or "I want to make it a place where everyone doesn't starve or suffer from the miasma."
Seiichirou opened his mouth.
"Nothing."
But there was nothing Seiichirou wanted. Really, he didn't want anything. He neither wished to make this country better nor to make everyone happy. He didn't remember aiming for such lofty aspirations. He was just trying to do his job well.
"The Magic Department is seriously understaffed, thus delaying our plans to combat the miasma and to complete the returning magic. However, it's not a job that just anyone can do, so I want to recruit people from all over."
Even though ordinary people could work for the Royal Palace it was impossible for the illiterate. Even that East went to school.
"Ha...you really are..."
Kamil leaned back again and let out a dry laugh. His tone and expression were somewhat more childish than anything Seiichirou had seen before from him.
"It would be a great loss for the country to overlook such talented people. If the government were to support 100 commoners to go to real schools from the private ones, the expenses would be paid off if even one of them were to join the magic department and produce good results. It would be a shame if the government doesn't take advantage of such a cost-effective project."
People themselves were one type of resource. Perhaps that mentality came from Seiichirou’s ingrained corporate slave nature.
"You're right. A country can't exist without its people; it would be a loss if they are not utilized properly."
Kamil seemed to have a bad habit of chuckling through his throat.
At any rate, Seiichirou was glad that the Prime Minister, who was the highest authority on personnel affairs, seemed to be on board. Kamil stared at him again with a smile on his face as Seiichirou secretly felt relieved.
"Ah, it's a shame. It's such a shame, Seichirou."
"Is something wrong?"
When Kamil said that it was such a shame, Seiichirou panicked, wondering if there was a flaw in the plan they had just discussed, but it seemed that was not the case.
Kamil looked at Seiichirou with a look in his eyes that he had never seen before.
"That's not it. Really...if it weren't for that dark beast, I would have been the one to cherish you dearly instead."
Seiichirou somehow managed to swallow his saliva at the "desire" directed at him by his boss and let out a dry laugh saying, "I appreciate your concern."
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The room was windowless and had a blue tone to it. The furniture was uniform, polished dark brown, giving it a somewhat austere atmosphere. Seiichirou was invited to sit in a leather chair in front of an antique-looking table. He sat there after saying his thanks.
"It's been a while, Seiichirou."
The person sitting across from him was the country's prime minister, Kamil Calvader.
With his pinkish blonde hair combed back, the handsome man of prime-age reclined against the backrest. He narrowed his bluish-grey eyes that looked cunning and showed deep intelligence at the same time.
Prime Minister Kamil was very busy, so Seiichirou hadn't seen him since the day he and Aresh had received their orders, even though he had been transferred on Kamil's directive. Seiichirou had a truckload of reports and questions for him. However, given Kamil's busy schedule and the fact that he wanted to make sure that he got the most detailed information, he had to be flexible.
"I am glad to see you are doing well, Prime Minister Calvader."
"Fu, no need to be so formal. You and I are friends after all."
Although he had changed his intellectual atmosphere, Kamil still exuded an air of maturity and spoke with a suggestive tone. Kamil and Seiichirou were only as close as someone in a very high position from another department and a mid-level manager could be. Their relationship was not personal at all. To put it another way, they were more of accomplices in the abolishment of the Saint summoning as well as in their current work.
"Thank you. Now then, may I begin with my report?"
Kamil nodded in satisfaction at Seiichirou's attempt at dismissing all idle talk and urged him to continue.
"First, regarding the church's funds, I would like to apologize for not being able to provide you with concrete figures since I still don't have the whole story."
"Oh, that's fine. The bishop and the church accountant are away right now, aren't they?"
"Yes. For some reason, they went on a business trip at the exact same time even though it was announced in advance that an official from the royal palace would be coming for an inspection."
"It has been arranged for them to return the day after tomorrow. But well, it wasn't all bad for you, correct?"
"Indeed, it was very easy for me to gather information."
Originally, the inspection would have been conducted with guidance from the accounting manager, but since Seiichirou was told that he was out of town, he had no choice but to look around on his own.
"That's good enough for now. I want to hear your opinion."
"I'm reluctant to say this because I haven't been able to present any data... but I suspect there is a discrepancy between the number and rank of nobles who visited the chapel and their donations."
"Is it embezzlement?"
"It's hard to say since I haven't been able to compile a list of the church's operating expenses yet."
Seiichirou picked up the nobles from among the numbers of the worshippers that were waiting in the chapel, and based on Norbert's information, estimated the donation amount. It seemed to him that there was more than enough money for the church's management expenses.
"Hmm, do you have any idea where the money is going?
"No... but at least the orphanage, the apprentice priests, and the priest are not related to this."
"Priest. Oh, you mean Priest Siegwold?"
Kamil raised his well-shaped eyebrows.
"Do you know him, sir?"
"Yes, he's famous. In addition to his family background, his magical power and features are remarkable. On the other hand, his devotion makes it difficult for the nobility to get close to him."
As expected, Siegwold's birth family seemed to be among the top in the aristocratic circle. Moreover, it was apparent that the amount of one's magical power, despite their appearance, was in demand even within the nobility. In that case, the future of the church's orphans was becoming more and more puzzling.
"Ah, right, there is no magic in the country you came from. Magical power is a valuable source of energy but it is difficult to handle, even with magic embedded tools. It requires specialized knowledge and skill. That's why children who are born with too much magic are trained to reduce their amount of magical energy in the church."
"Reduce magical power...?"
When Seiichirou heard about how dangerous energy sources could be, he immediately thought of nuclear power. It had no CO2 emissions and could stably supply large amounts of energy while also being extremely dangerous. Every good thing has its risks.
He wondered if it was possible to reduce the amount of magical power that one originally possessed. If Kamil was answering with such a serious expression, it must be common knowledge in this country.
"Speaking of which, how's your tolerance to magic and mana going?"
Not only did Seiichirou have no magical energy but he also had no resistance to it, so even the slightest magic would cause heat to erupt in his body. Furthermore, consuming too much mana weakened his constitution.
"Thankfully, I'm improving little by little."
Having Aresh cast weak spells on him, and by continuing to have a diet containing small amounts of mana, Seiichirou was becoming more resistant. No flattery intended.
"That's fortunate. However, it seems that the other one, who had a reputation for being as difficult to deal with as Priest Siegwold, has been completely reined in."
Seiichirou's eyebrow twitched, and he sighed at Kamil, who was trying to stifle his laughter.
"You say ‘reins,’ as if he were a horse..."
"Oh, not a horse, more like a silent beast. So you're not a rein then, but a chain."
"Your Excellency..."
Kamil's eyes narrowed in amusement as Seiichirou let out a dumbfounded voice, unsure of what to say. But Kamil suddenly reverted to a more serious look and cut him off.
"I'm not joking. Whatever your feelings are, you have become a 'chain' to him. Unlike Priest Siegwold's 'chain', you are real, can be touched, and are vulnerable. I'll try to help you as much as I can, but you can't be too careful."
Even the people around him were beginning to notice Aresh's unrelenting obsession.
Aresh, who had always been unresponsive and unapproachable, had only reacted to the tired, powerless man who came from another world as an extra to the Saint.
Seiichirou himself was working diligently to build a foundation for himself, but there was no denying that he was putting too much effort into his work and prioritizing it over his interests.
One of the reasons why Kamil has sent him to the church was to show him that there was more to him than just Aresh.
"I appreciate your thoughtfulness."
"Well, be careful... Now that we've discussed that, you were saying that you want to open a private school for the common people at the church?"
"No, nothing so grand."
He wanted to teach reading, writing, and math to those who wanted to, mainly, orphans at the church. That was all.
"For one, it will improve the church's image, which in turn will improve the image of the nobles who donate to it. It will also attract more visitors to the church and would make it easier for the citizens to familiarize themselves with it."
From there, they might be able to subsidize the activities of the local churches.
"Also, if they can read, write, and calculate, they will be able to find more jobs, which will reduce crime and in turn raise the living standards of the common people. I was wondering if we could get the government to sponsor those who are talented enough to go to school."
Kamil put his cheek on his hand that was resting on the armrest as Seiichirou went on and on.
"You excel in what you do, but do you really want to get involved in education?"
"I have no intention of going that far out of my way. The idea came from the Holy Saint in the first place. I'm merely supplementing it."
"The Saint, huh... Most probably, she came up with the idea after seeing the children in the orphanage. Occasionally, there are children of noble families who are like that too."
Kamil was right. There was no lack of calls for the reform of the educational institutions and the status system. The reason why this was not implemented was that it would cost money.
"I'm currently working on the preliminary calculations of its economic effects. I will submit it soon, so please wait."
"Ah, there you go with your area of expertise, huh? ...Let me ask you something though."
"Yes?"
Kamil leaned forward, his blue-grey eyes were fixed firmly on Seiichirou.
"Seiichirou, what do you want to do with this country?"
What did he want to do with this country that abducted him along with an underage girl whom they revered as a Saint?
What did he want to do with this country that had abandoned him, where even the very air did not agree with him?
‘What would Yua say here?’ Seiichirou wondered. She would probably say something like, "I want to make this country a place where everyone is equal," or "I want to make it a place where everyone doesn't starve or suffer from the miasma."
Seiichirou opened his mouth.
"Nothing."
But there was nothing Seiichirou wanted. Really, he didn't want anything. He neither wished to make this country better nor to make everyone happy. He didn't remember aiming for such lofty aspirations. He was just trying to do his job well.
"The Magic Department is seriously understaffed, thus delaying our plans to combat the miasma and to complete the returning magic. However, it's not a job that just anyone can do, so I want to recruit people from all over."
Even though ordinary people could work for the Royal Palace it was impossible for the illiterate. Even that East went to school.
"Ha...you really are..."
Kamil leaned back again and let out a dry laugh. His tone and expression were somewhat more childish than anything Seiichirou had seen before from him.
"It would be a great loss for the country to overlook such talented people. If the government were to support 100 commoners to go to real schools from the private ones, the expenses would be paid off if even one of them were to join the magic department and produce good results. It would be a shame if the government doesn't take advantage of such a cost-effective project."
People themselves were one type of resource. Perhaps that mentality came from Seiichirou’s ingrained corporate slave nature.
"You're right. A country can't exist without its people; it would be a loss if they are not utilized properly."
Kamil seemed to have a bad habit of chuckling through his throat.
At any rate, Seiichirou was glad that the Prime Minister, who was the highest authority on personnel affairs, seemed to be on board. Kamil stared at him again with a smile on his face as Seiichirou secretly felt relieved.
"Ah, it's a shame. It's such a shame, Seichirou."
"Is something wrong?"
When Kamil said that it was such a shame, Seiichirou panicked, wondering if there was a flaw in the plan they had just discussed, but it seemed that was not the case.
Kamil looked at Seiichirou with a look in his eyes that he had never seen before.
"That's not it. Really...if it weren't for that dark beast, I would have been the one to cherish you dearly instead."
Seiichirou somehow managed to swallow his saliva at the "desire" directed at him by his boss and let out a dry laugh saying, "I appreciate your concern."
