Even so, Nian had actually found a way to earn back the money invested in filmmaking from Lungmen. Amiya had to admire her abilities—though that money probably had not been earned through filmmaking.
"...Amiya, who is this?" Vina did not know Nian either, but she vaguely sensed something extraordinary about her. Now that she lacked strength, she wanted to get to know as many capable people on Rhodes Island as possible.
"Ah, this is Nian, a friend we met while resupplying in Lungmen."
Amiya began introducing Nian to Vina, but she vaguely felt that this had been the wrong decision—because there was a very good chance Vina would get tricked by Nian into filming another movie.
Many Rhodes Island operators who did not know Nian had been fooled like this the first time. They had thought they could fulfill their dreams of becoming stars through a movie, only to end up starring in a terrible film. There was nothing to be happy about, and now Nian found it difficult to trick anyone on Rhodes Island into acting for her.
"Oh, what a beautiful Aslan lady! Are you interested in filming something with me?"
Sure enough, after giving Vina a once-over, Nian immediately smiled with interest and began trying to rope her in.
"I've got a great script lately! I got the inspiration from a television drama and thought we could make a political satire comedy!"
"...A political satire comedy?"
As the heir to the throne, Vina wore a baffled expression for the first time upon hearing those familiar words. Even Amiya was surprised by Nian's strange idea and asked instinctively,
"When did Miss Nian come up with that idea?"
Amiya knew that Nian was actually quite competent at many aspects of directing. Her only real weakness was scriptwriting. In Doctor Kal'tsit's words, her scripts were "patchworks of various classic films that kept the dregs and discarded the essence, while the few original ideas were even more unbearable to watch."
Put simply, Nian's ability as a screenwriter amounted only to splicing things together and imitation. Even most of her own rare ideas were spectacular failures.
But a political satire comedy... Amiya did not believe that such an unprecedented idea had come from Nian.
"Huh? Haven't you watched Yes, Prime Minister? I thought that show had some pretty good ideas! For a Victorian drama, it's unusually interesting!" Nian openly admitted where her inspiration had come from and said smugly,
"I think I could follow that idea and make a political satire comedy too. Amiya, which country do you think I should satirize?"
"...A Victorian drama?"
Before Amiya could respond to Nian, Vina immediately noticed something wrong.
Londinium was currently controlled by Theresis and his Sarkaz legion. They had sealed off every channel of information long ago—and every film or television production in Victoria had to receive official approval from Londinium Television.
How could Theresis possibly allow any information to leak out now? Broadcasting a new television drama was even more impossible!
Unless... he had permitted it deliberately. When Vina thought of how this drama was a political satire comedy, she automatically ignored the comedy part and focused on the political satire.
"—Miss Nian, that television drama is called Yes, Prime Minister, right?"
Vina immediately grasped the key point. She was certain there was something wrong with this drama. Theresis had definitely had some sinister purpose in specifically allowing it through!
Several dozen minutes later, Vina returned to her room and turned on the television to look for the drama. Just as Nian had said, it had already been released throughout Victoria and was incredibly popular. Somehow, she had not noticed it at all.
More importantly, Vina recognized several of the lead actors at a glance: Theresis, made up as a Feline, and Manfred, dressed as an Aslan. She did not know the third one, but even through the screen, she could smell that Sarkaz stench on him!
"Just as I thought. Those bastards dressed up as powerful figures in Victoria and used this satire to try to undermine the confidence of Londinium's—and even Victoria's—citizens."
Vina clenched her teeth slightly. She had seen through Theresis's intentions, but as someone displaced from her home, she could do nothing. She could only watch this detestable drama air—while watching two episodes of it.
And though Vina was unwilling to admit it, she reached the same conclusion as Alda: taken purely as a television drama, it was exceptionally good. Both its satire and comedy were first-rate.
But Theresis's sinister intentions lay behind it, which made Vina unable to help resenting whoever had made the drama.
"With the brains those Sarkaz have, they definitely couldn't come up with this... So this must have been the idea of the drama's director and screenwriter?"
"...Working hand in hand with the Sarkaz. Don't let me catch you."
Vina's reaction now matched Alda's exactly. She felt that the people who had filmed this drama were simply criminals against Victoria! Colluding with the Sarkaz at a time like this made them outright traitors to Victoria!
"Y-Yes, Boss. Those people are nothing but vermin of Victoria. We have to hit them hard!"
But Vina was not alone beside the television. Her guard Indra and Dagda, formerly a Tower Knight, were watching with her. Yet both women were red-faced and teary-eyed, clearly on the verge of being unable to hold back their laughter.
Indra in particular had righteously supported her boss, but she had nearly burst out laughing while watching it earlier. Even as she spoke, some of it leaked into her voice.
As for Dagda, she covered her mouth tightly, looking as though she wanted to laugh but did not dare. Not only was she Vina's subordinate, she had once been a Tower Knight and was also the heir to an earldom. If she mocked Victoria, the law said she would be stripped of her title!
Indra did not dare laugh only because Vina was her boss. Once Vina reclaimed the throne in the future, she might rise to great heights in a single step. But Dagda could not do that. Neither her current position nor her identity allowed her to laugh.
But Vina had no time to worry about them. She merely muttered to herself,
"The first and second episodes were mainly about the incompetence of civil servants and politicians, along with national defense issues... Then let's see what bad things that bastard screenwriter and bastard director say about us in the third episode."
As Vina spoke, she clicked on the next episode. She had to admit that the first two episodes had been hilarious. For instance, that famous line—"so that Victorians feel protected"—had nearly broken her composure. But she believed that was the limit.
She absolutely would not laugh during the next episode. She was Victoria's heir to the throne; she had to resist this absurd comedy that deliberately smeared her kingdom's image to the very end!
But clearly, Indra and Dagda did not think so... Judging by their expressions, they were already close to breaking...
Boss, that wasn't badmouthing us. We think it was the truth! Indra and Dagda thought, yet they had no choice but to endure the torment of wanting to laugh but not daring to...
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The Infected Are Victoria's Benefactors!
"Come to think of it, no matter how many times I watch it, it still surprises me... Theresis and Manfred, those two high-ranking Sarkaz, actually acted in this television drama themselves."
The third episode had just begun. Indra, sitting beside Vina, spoke in order to distract herself and keep from thinking about the earlier scenes and laughing.
"One's a regent, the other's a general, and that other Sarkaz must be someone important too, right? Aren't they all supposed to be proud? They actually acted personally?"
"—It must have been the suggestion of that damned unknown director, who persuaded them."
After considering it, Vina came to that conclusion. She picked up another lollipop and put it in her mouth. The sourness relaxed her a little as she said calmly,
"Few Sarkaz understand art. It must have been the director or screenwriter of this drama who used the script to persuade Theresis. Theresis is a cunning man. He intends to use this script to undermine Victoria's citizens' loyalty to their country."
"Indra, Dagda, once we finish these episodes, we'll go see Doctor Kal'tsit. She should know who directed this show. There are no credits afterward, so Theresis must have deliberately hidden them."
"When we get the chance to return to Londinium, aside from Theresis, we must beat that director to death and send her to the gallows. Understood?"
Indra and Dagda nodded in response to Vina's words, but... they really wanted to say that the drama was right. The Victoria government it satirized really did seem exactly like the one they knew.
But Vina was angry right now, and their positions forced them to stand by her. They could only silently agree.
When the three women turned their attention back to the television, Humphrey, played by the Bloodborne Archon, was discussing a topic that immediately caught their attention with a new character, Frank, the Ministry of Finance Secretary: tax cuts.
Tax cuts were naturally a good policy for a nation's citizens, and as a prime minister, one naturally needed policies that benefited the people to win more votes and support.
But what was there to satirize about that? Shouldn't it be a decision that benefited the public? Confused, Vina continued watching. The Treasury Secretary seemed to have objections to the tax cut and said bluntly,
"He wants to give away one and a half billion of our money. It took me ages to persuade the Chancellor to oppose the policy."
"What method did you use?" the Bloodborne Archon asked instinctively.
"I said we needed the money to fund hospitals, schools, and the elderly." Frank answered the question directly, and the two old foxes exchanged knowing smiles.
"The artificial kidney tactic."
"I understand, Minister for Humanitarian Affairs." The Bloodborne Archon chuckled, but the smiles shared by the two men on television made Vina frown in disgust.
"...I see. No wonder the Ministry of Finance people always use that excuse to brush us off, while schools, hospitals, and nursing homes haven't seen renovations for so many years. So that's why."
"Boss, they just don't want to hand over the money." As the former leader of the Glasgow Gang, Indra had plenty to say on the matter.
"It's like how orphanages receive so much funding yet never seem to have any money. Once the money goes into their pockets, it never comes back out."
"...This has to change, if we can return." Vina nodded and continued watching the interaction between the two men on television. At that moment, the Bloodborne Archon said,
"But is there really any need to make such a big deal out of this? It's only one and a half billion."
"—Yes, it isn't much money. I'm surprised you let it pass so easily." Frank could not help criticizing the Bloodborne Archon. His implication was obvious: as Cabinet Secretary, the other man could not even control the Prime Minister or persuade him to abandon the policy.
Naturally, the Bloodborne Archon understood. He responded elegantly, "If I were the Ministry of Finance Secretary, I'd be more concerned about the current economy. Low productivity."
"That isn't our fault." Frank reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on and immediately retorted,
"It's all Victoria's workers' fault! They're lazy and greedy, always waiting for something to fall from the sky! Absenteeism is getting worse and worse, and nobody is willing to put in an honest day's work!"
Frank's brazen accusation that Victoria's workers were lazy and greedy was met with canned laughter from the television. This time, however, Vina, Indra, and Dagda could not laugh. All three glared indignantly at Frank on the screen.
"They should throw that bastard into a factory and let him see what it feels like to work twelve hours a day." Indra said viciously. Vina nodded and replied calmly,
"These vermin will be rooted out in the future. Victoria's Parliament cannot tolerate such parasites."
Still, while Vina resented those civil servants on television, she also felt relieved inside. Sure enough, the screenwriter had run out of ideas. After the first two episodes, the quality of the jokes in the third and fourth episodes had dropped sharply. The first joke had not made her laugh at all.
What Vina feared most was laughing at a comedy that satirized Victoria while she was the heir to the throne. It would be unbecoming of her status, so she absolutely would not allow herself to lose composure.
The plot continued. Humphrey, played by the Bloodborne Archon, attended a cricket match and was received by people from the Originium industry. They brought up the Minister of Health and the matter of "banning Originium tools," asking the Bloodborne Archon for help. He readily agreed.
After returning to the office, the Bloodborne Archon and Theresis, who played the Prime Minister, once again expressed differing opinions over tax cuts.
"Why would the Chancellor oppose tax cuts? It's a great chance for him to win votes, yet he doesn't want it?"
"He listens to the Ministry of Finance. They won't spit out the money they've swallowed." The Bloodborne Archon answered as though it were only natural. Theresis hurriedly shook his head.
"It isn't theirs. It belongs to the taxpayers."
"That's one way of putting it, but the Ministry of Finance disagrees." Smiling faintly, the Bloodborne Archon explained the Chancellor's thinking to the Prime Minister.
"Tax revenue has nothing to do with demand. Prime Minister, the Ministry of Finance does not decide how to spend first and then find ways to raise money."
"They collect as much as possible first, then find somewhere to spend it! If you return money simply because it isn't needed, you'll destroy conventions that have existed for years."
"Taking their money is the same as taking their power. Naturally, they will resist."
Clearly, Theresis's tax-cut plan was delayed once again. Seeing no progress, and with the Minister of Health arriving at just that moment, Theresis had the Bloodborne Archon leave first and received the Minister of Health.
The moment the Minister of Health entered, he proposed something that shocked people both inside and outside the show: "Ban Originium tools." He suggested using various means to make Originium tools as expensive as pure Originium and eliminating advertising and sponsorships from the Originium industry. This could reduce infection rates by eighty percent.
The moment the Minister of Health made that proposal, everyone knew it could never pass. Even inexperienced Vina knew it was impossible and shook her head.
"That proposal can't pass... The Originium industry makes up a huge part of the treasury, and there are many Victoria workers tied to it. How could such a proposal ever pass?"
"Yeah... but this Minister of Health seems pretty competent." Indra nodded. Since none of the three women present were Infected, they did not expect much from the proposal, but they still thought the Minister of Health was doing his job well.
"Right. I knew friends who died after contracting Oripathy." Dagda nodded as well. None of the three wanted Oripathy to spread, so they supported the radical proposal.
But unexpectedly, Theresis did not reject the proposal outright. Instead, he thought of using it as leverage to negotiate with the Ministry of Finance, forcing them to choose between Originium industry taxes and the one-and-a-half-billion tax cut, thereby advancing his tax-cut policy.
Sure enough, once the Bloodborne Archon returned to the office, Theresis brought up his support for banning Originium tools. As expected, the Bloodborne Archon clashed with Theresis over the matter.
The Bloodborne Archon found it utterly absurd and believed it had no chance of being implemented. He was even surprised that Theresis supported the policy, and argued strongly,
"Infections caused by Originium tools kill one hundred thousand people every year. But we investigated it: if those hundred thousand people survived and lived out their natural lives, the pensions and social security payments they would need would cost more than medical insurance!"
"So from a fiscal perspective, there is no doubt that maintaining the current death rate is best!"
With those words, the Bloodborne Archon easily reduced one hundred thousand lives to a fiscal issue. Yet that black humor nearly made Indra and Dagda fail to hold back their laughter again—they had not immediately sensed the faint chill lurking within those words, because they were not Infected.
But Vina did not laugh at all. Instead, she felt a trace of coldness, though she was not sure why... So she could only keep watching.
Immediately afterward, Theresis on television refused to back down and continued, "Originium tools kill one hundred thousand people every year. What do we get in return?"
"—Four billion in tax revenue." The Bloodborne Archon answered without hesitation, every word firm. This time, his voice was more certain than ever before.
"Twenty-five thousand jobs related to the Originium industry, booming exports, and so on..."
Later, apparently unable to settle the dispute with the Prime Minister, the Bloodborne Archon finally gave his own view in response to the Prime Minister's question.
"Humphrey, we're talking about the lives and deaths of one hundred thousand people every year."
"Yes, but Originium taxes account for one-third of public health funding!" The Bloodborne Archon continued as though it were perfectly natural.
"We've worked hard to save so many lives because these Infected willingly sacrificed themselves to save their uninfected compatriots!"
"The Infected are our nation's benefactors!"
The Bloodborne Archon's line of reasoning instantly made the Infected sound incredibly noble, and his logic was nearly flawless. Whether someone had Oripathy or not, they would instinctively feel that it was praise rather than criticism.
The Bloodborne Archon's deeply convinced expression made Indra and Dagda burst into laughter. But gradually, once their infectious laughter faded, it slowed and softened... until it disappeared completely.
At that moment, the three women led by Vina seemed to realize something... Even though the canned laughter was so infectious, the three women, who had spent a long time in Londinium's slums and met many Infected, could all taste the chill behind those lines.
What kind of blow would a television drama like this deal to Victoria's image?
What would the Infected think of Victoria? Though Victoria's controls over the Infected remained harsh, it had never said anything like that.
Now that such words had spread, even if the uninfected treated them as a joke, what about those working in the Originium industry, who could become Infected at any moment? What would they think?
At that moment, Vina felt an inexplicable chill creep up her spine... She finally began to understand the horror of this drama... It used lighthearted humor to speak the truth...
Victoria had never cared about the Infected.
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