Chapter Thirty-Four: The Potential Theresis Sees in "Yes, Prime Minister"! / Chapter Thirty-Five: We Must Make People Believe Victoria Is Being Defended!

"We could help you find a chef," Manfred suggested. Theresis immediately seized on the key point. "Then who pays?"

"Your chef, so naturally you pay."

"How much?"

"—Roughly eight to ten thousand Victoria gold coins a year."

"I can't afford that!"

Theresis sat back down in his seat, looking slightly exasperated. He clearly had not been surprised by the outcome. Yet this scene made the Sarkaz and politicians in both rooms smile despite themselves.

After all, it was quite rare to see a Prime Minister stumped by the issue of a chef. It completely shattered everyone's original impression of what a "Prime Minister" was supposed to be.

However, unlike the Victoria officials, who were simply enjoying the spectacle, the Sarkaz saw the man performing on screen as their Regent King. Theresis's image among the Sarkaz had largely been inseparable from titles like "iron-blooded monarch" and "iron-fisted general."

Now, for the first time in front of everyone, Theresis displayed an expression other than impartial severity, solemnity, and authority. Unknowingly, the Sarkaz watching began to see their king differently.

It seemed... His Highness the Regent King was not as cold as they had thought. He actually seemed rather human?

Theresis had never intended to cultivate an approachable image as Theresia had. They were different kinds of rulers. He intended to establish the image of a king with authority and deterrence. He needed his subordinates to fear and respect him in order to ensure they carried out his commands.

Yet now, his performance had inadvertently changed how his Sarkaz subordinates saw him... If Theresis knew, how would he feel?

"To hell with affairs of state. I want a chef." Theresis looked like a willful child, but in the end, he could only resign himself to handling official business first.

Manfred suggested that Theresis have Humphrey, played by the Bloodborne Archon, resolve this issue. After discussing the first news address and a visit from the Columbia Union representative with the News Department—the representative's nation was currently affiliated with Victoria and supplied a large portion of the Steam Knight production parts—the Bloodborne Archon naturally arrived at the office.

"Humphrey, I've been thinking."

"Very good." The Bloodborne Archon smiled, his tone indulgent, like an old fox coaxing a child.

Theresis was briefly taken aback by his attitude, but still said, "Since becoming Prime Minister, let me think... It's been three days already, hasn't it?"

"—And you've been a very good Prime Minister all along." The Bloodborne Archon immediately picked up Theresis's self-praise, teasing him with a suggestive wiggle of his brows.

"...I didn't ask you to flatter me, though things have indeed gone very smoothly." Theresis was secretly pleased by the well-timed flattery, and was nearly unable to suppress a smile, but he still spoke with forced composure.

Just a few short lines of dialogue immediately revealed their personalities to everyone who had known nothing about them before. The politicians and civil servants in particular burst into laughter at the Bloodborne Archon's performance.

So accurate. Far too accurate. These civil servants were exactly the same.jpg

Theresis Saw the Potential in Yes, Prime Minister!

"This Cabinet Secretary is going to run circles around that stupid Prime Minister."

"Exactly. Just like we used to run circles around our own Prime Minister."

"He'll absolutely be led around by the nose."

Humphrey, played by the Bloodborne Archon, had only appeared for a short while and exchanged just a few words with Hacker, played by Theresis. Yet these old hands who had spent who knew how many years in political circles had already spotted the signs, each wearing a knowing smile.

There was an unwritten rule in Victoria's political circles: whoever stood closest to the Prime Minister held the greatest power—because the Prime Minister's views were, to a great extent, influenced by the opinions of his Cabinet Secretary and private secretary.

Everyone present was extremely experienced in that regard. As long as a secretary mastered the phrasing and methods of guidance that the Prime Minister found acceptable, many of the Prime Minister's opinions could be changed.

And Humphrey, played by the Bloodborne Archon, had clearly demonstrated from the very beginning that he could influence the Prime Minister. For example, he had a firm grip on the Prime Minister's emotions.

Soon enough, just as the ministers and civil servants expected, after a brief conversation, Theresis brought up his chef problem to the Bloodborne Archon.

"There's a small matter. I need a chef who can double as a butler."

"You can place an advertisement." The Bloodborne Archon had no interest whatsoever in the matter, but Theresis immediately added:

"No, a publicly funded chef and butler."

"Ah... then that becomes somewhat difficult." The Bloodborne Archon quickly recognized the crux of the issue. It was indeed a small matter, but unexpectedly one involving principle. "That is your private residence. It merely happens to be in the same place as your office."

Theresis spoke as though it were only natural. "I live here and eat here. I simply want someone to cook for me. Isn't that perfectly reasonable?"

The Bloodborne Archon refused decisively. "It's not unreasonable. It's just impossible."

Theresis was surprised by that answer and blurted out, "—I have the authority to use Steam Knights to destroy any country on this land, but I can't get a plate of fried fowl eggs?"

"You have the right to apply." The Bloodborne Archon answered with a straight face, though the politicians clearly knew the unspoken second half of that sentence.

Yes, you had the right to apply. Whether they would grant it was another matter entirely.

Theresis clearly understood as well, and immediately shifted tactics. "What if I invite the Leithania ambassador to lunch?"

"Then it would be possible. That would be an official appointment, an official reception." Once the Bloodborne Archon heard a question within his professional field, he answered at once. "We can provide a seven-course meal, wine, and brandy. No problem."

"So the Leithania ambassador's lunch is a government event, but mine isn't?" Theresis seemed to have found a line of reasoning, though there was a fair amount of resentment in his tone.

"Not just Leithania. The same applies to every ambassador."

"All right..." Having received confirmation, Theresis turned to Manfred beside him. "Bernard, get my schedule."

"Monday, lunch with the Leithania ambassador. Tuesday, the Gaul ambassador. Wednesday, the Kazimierz ambassador. Thursday, the Laterano messenger—how many countries are there on this land again?"

"Twenty-one," Manfred answered immediately. Theresis's face lit up with delight.

"Then that's enough food for three weeks! After that, we can start over from the beginning!"

Theresis had racked his brains and was even willing to use diplomatic events to solve his lunch problem. This made not only the Sarkaz and politicians laugh uncontrollably, but even several Art Troupe members at the filming site nearly lose their composure.

Chen Qi did not call for a cut immediately. The sounds could be cleaned up in post-production anyway, so there was no need to ruin the perfectly timed atmosphere.

Soon, Theresis received the expected refusal. The Prime Minister could not possibly conduct diplomatic activities with every country every day just to solve his lunch problem. It would destroy the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' diplomatic achievements of many years.

Furthermore, Prime Ministers had never had private chefs. Prime Ministers before Hacker had all been wealthy or aristocratic. There was no precedent for a commoner Prime Minister like him, so naturally he could not make any progress on this matter.

"Let me put it another way. Are you certain your first policy after taking office as Prime Minister is to give yourself an annual raise of ten thousand Victoria gold coins?"

"—Just don't tell them—the public. Hahaha." Theresis displayed a bit of cleverness at that moment, drawing knowing smiles from everyone.

The Sarkaz in particular found it rather interesting to see their Regent King looking so... um... adorable.

"No, no. Transparent government, you understand." The Bloodborne Archon shook his head, rejecting Theresis's idea and speaking with righteous conviction.

"We must openly tell the media and the public everything that they have a way of finding out themselves."

At that point, Theresis knew his chef problem could not be resolved. He instead brought up his new policies to the Bloodborne Archon: halting research funding for new Steam Knights, no longer producing new Steam Knights, and restoring conscription.

However, the moment this proposal was raised, the Bloodborne Archon strongly opposed it. He insisted that new Steam Knights needed to be built because the current Steam Knights were too outdated. Only then could they ensure that powerful nations such as Ursus, Gaul, and Iberia would not harbor designs against them.

But Theresis believed Victoria's current Steam Knights were already enough to deter any nation. Hundreds of Steam Knights could severely weaken any great power. If those countries did not want others taking advantage of their weakness, they would not provoke Victoria. That alone was enough to deter Ursus.

"But that isn't enough!" the Bloodborne Archon argued. "Once the new Steam Knights are deployed, we can dominate the entire western half of this land!"

In the end, neither the Bloodborne Archon nor Theresis managed to convince the other, and they parted on bad terms. Clearly, neither had given up on his own ideas.

Bloodborne Archon: "Then next, we can only make the Prime Minister temporarily abandon that idea by finding him a chef."

"Then it seems the Prime Minister isn't that difficult to placate. It's like soothing a small child. As long as you satisfy his earlier demand, he'll forget the demands that come afterward."

Theresis: "—Is that so? I think this was merely a test. I believe that after today, Hacker will certainly improve and learn how to bargain with the Cabinet in order to achieve his goals."

After filming paused for the day, the Bloodborne Archon removed his makeup, revealing the Blood Demon's pale skin and bewitching features once more. He confidently poured himself a glass of red wine.

Across from the Bloodborne Archon, Theresis and Manfred, both having removed their makeup, each poured themselves a glass as well. Having finished a day of filming, they could finally rest and discuss the plot that would come next.

It had to be said that Yes, Prime Minister! had given the three of them many topics to discuss during this period. Their only common ground was their understanding of politics, yet many of the issues reflected in the show were indeed worth discussing.

"It seems that without the support of these important figures, the Prime Minister can barely get anything done. Even something as simple as finding a chef becomes difficult."

Manfred voiced his opinion first, then said to the Bloodborne Archon and Theresis, "This seems similar to what the General is doing now... General, you have been constantly winning the support of the kings of the Royal Court. Is it because you need greater influence?"

"You've improved, Manfred." Theresis nodded. Though they had already read one another's scripts, when they truly immersed themselves in the performance, they could see that many events within the story were related to their current situation.

"If I cannot ensure the support of the Royal Court members who hold influence, then every reform I attempt in Kazdel will be impossible to advance... let alone everything happening in Londinium now."

"Just like Prime Minister Hacker." Manfred nodded, then asked, "Then General, when you asked me to gather all officers above the rank of centurion to watch on the day it airs, did you also hope they would learn some political knowledge while laughing?"

"—Not only that, Manfred."

Theresis opened his eyes, revealing scarlet pupils, and spoke word by word.

"This television drama satirizes Victoria's government. Yet the enemy's mistakes are weaknesses we can identify."

"As an old great power, Victoria's political system surely has aspects worth learning from. But now, a television drama can expose many problems for us, preventing us from making the same mistakes as Victoria in our future rule!"

"By learning from the enemy's weaknesses and flaws, we can avoid repeating the same mistakes. That way, our rule will be more successful."

That was Theresis's true ambition. He believed the potential of Yes, Prime Minister! went beyond using it to weaken Londinium's residents' resistance, make them recognize the corruption of Victoria's government, or reduce the likelihood of strikes and riots.

Now he saw the show's potential. The Sarkaz upper ranks knew far too little about Victoria's politics. He wanted to use the enemy's flaws to improve his own policies.

"Director Chen Qi... is a genius. Not merely a genius screenwriter, but a political genius as well."

A faintly sinister smile appeared on Theresis's face. He said to the Bloodborne Archon and Manfred, "I have already told him that we will broadcast the first two episodes of Yes, Prime Minister! throughout Londinium now. By Sunday, we will know how the show has been received."

"And even if the reception is truly poor, I will tell him that everything is going very well..."

"—General, you need his wisdom to write more material exposing the flaws in Victoria's political circles?"

At that moment, Manfred and the Bloodborne Archon both understood Theresis's plan. Yet the Bloodborne Archon raised an extremely important point.

"Then when he has nothing left to write, General, what will you do with him?"

"You signed a Blood Pact. Even if you are the General, violating the Blood Pact will make every Sarkaz despise you."

"...That is something for later. For now, let us properly appreciate his wisdom."

Theresis did not immediately state his thoughts. He was no longer as greedy for the Integrated Cultural Troupe led by Patriot and Talulah—the Sarkaz military would never lack high-end combat strength, and the strength they currently possessed did not urgently need the Art Troupe's "icing on the cake."

What Theresis wanted more now was Chen Qi's "wisdom." Exactly how many of Victoria's flaws could he expose to these "country bumpkins" from Kazdel?

"I truly look forward to seeing whether Victoria's citizens can still trust their government after discovering how many problems their beloved government has exposed... or whether they will choose to defect to a more enlightened leader."

Theresis drained the red wine in his glass. He was gradually beginning to feel that... once public opinion was in one's grasp, it became something impossible to let go of.

We Must Make People Believe Victoria Is Being Defended!

Sunday. Londinium's defenses and information networks had been surrounded, and nearly entirely controlled by the Sarkaz military. The city was as gloomy as ever—not only because frequent Catastrophes in this world made blue skies and white clouds difficult to see, but also because of the environmental pollution caused by Londinium's industry.

The entire sky and the mobile city itself seemed lifeless... oppressive and stifling. For the worker Bill, it should have been another ordinary, boring day.

"I'm home."

After a day of intense work, with the Sarkaz overseer squads allowing no idleness whatsoever, old Bill dragged his exhausted body back home. His home was no different from those of ordinary workers: a fifty- or sixty-square-meter apartment, with the living room, dining room, and kitchen all connected together. There was only one bedroom, barely enough for him, his wife, and their child.

If there was anything valuable in their home, it was probably the television in the living room. They had bought it three years ago to celebrate their child's birth. Though it was somewhat old, it was still their only source of entertainment.

Unfortunately, since Theresis had moved in and taken control of Londinium, Londinium television stations had only endlessly replayed programs on old subjects. Over time, even old Bill had become sick of them.

But when old Bill returned home that day, he did not see his busy wife. Only his dinner was laid out on the wooden table: black bread, half a fish left over from yesterday, mashed potatoes, and a glass of strong liquor.

There was also the sound coming from their old television, along with occasional bursts of laughter—some from strangers, and some from his own wife.

"Ah, you're back, Bill."

Bill's wife quickly heard her husband return. She still seemed unable to recover from her laughter. Her face, once sallow and gloomy from poor conditions, had become lively again, and there were even tears at the corners of her eyes.

Old Bill stared blankly. Ever since the Sarkaz entered the city and took over Londinium, he had not seen his wife laugh so happily.

Before old Bill could react, his wife eagerly got up and pulled him over to the sofa, speaking like a child sharing candy.

"Come over, hurry up! Watch television with me!"

"The woman next door told me about a really good new television drama today! It's so funny—I've already watched it three times!"

"It's at the best part now. Hurry up and watch!"

"Hey, hey, hey, I haven't even eaten yet!"

Old Bill could not resist his wife and was forcibly dragged to the sofa. He was not interested in any new drama. Ever since the Sarkaz surrounded Londinium, information had been cut off. Everyone in Londinium knew they had become the Sarkaz's "prisoners," though most people simply did not dare resist openly.

Those who dared resist were either hanged or had fled into the underground passages, calling themselves the "Londinium Urban Self-Rescue Army," secretly urging everyone to join them every day.

Old Bill considered himself an ordinary person. He only wanted to properly protect his child and wife. Besides, he did not think he loved Victoria all that much. After all, Victoria had given him nothing. Everything he had was earned by himself.

Old Bill sat on the sofa. The television before him was playing a scene—several Aslan who were obviously social elites acting on screen. The slightly class-conscious old Bill instinctively frowned and asked, "What's this television drama called?"

"Yes, Prime Minister!" Bill's wife sat beside him and said expectantly, "It's about government affairs, but it's really interesting."

"What could possibly be interesting about government affairs... They might as well give us more subsidies." Old Bill muttered, already inclined to criticize the show.

Still, he did not want to spoil his wife's enthusiasm, so he patiently kept watching. Soon, two Aslan appeared on the television.

"...Why does one of them seem so familiar? He looks like that Sarkaz general who's always on the walls?" Old Bill frowned slightly, but then watched even more carefully.