Chapter Forty-Three: Exposing Corruption Among Victoria's Civil Servants / Chapter Forty-Four: It's Not Over Yet? More Satire-Diplomacy!

Rumors like "Maybe the demons haven't treated them that badly after all" had even begun spreading through Londinium. While this made everyone in the Self-Rescue Army hate Theresis to the bone, it also filled them with fury toward the screenwriter and director of Yes, Prime Minister... yet left them powerless.

Moreover, whether it was Alda or the others in the Self-Rescue Army, they had to admit that the satire aimed at the Victorian government in Yes, Prime Minister was all real—something no one understood better than a duke's daughter like Alda.

An invisible pressure called "public opinion" hung over their heads. It was quietly and bloodlessly eroding every one of their advantages... yet they did not even know how to strike back.

Because Theresis now held every advantage in the war of public opinion. They were nervous even turning on the television, afraid of drawing the attention of Theresis or other Sarkaz. How could they possibly clear Victoria's name?

"Don't be angry, Alda... Look at it another way. The Sarkaz have eased off on hunting us down, and their persecution of the people of Londinium has lessened considerably. That isn't entirely a bad thing."

At that moment, Clovicia, the commander of the Self-Rescue Army and a young girl suspected of being a Sankta unicorn, comforted Alda.

"Theresis thinks he has everything under control now. We have to seize this breathing room and use the Sarkaz's carelessness to gather as much information as possible about that screenwriter."

"Yes. Our people have found the hotel where that production crew is staying, but they're heavily guarded."

Nearby, the Feline young man named Frost, codename White Iron, nodded as well. "There are not only Sarkaz guards; the crew itself has quite a few armed personnel. I saw a Sarkaz as tall as a small mountain and his guards protecting the hotel. A frontal assault is simply impossible."

"...We have to wait for an opportunity. We need more intelligence." Clovicia knew that, for now, they had no choice but to continue barely surviving. "Everyone, keep watching for now. I think the first four episodes have already satirized nearly everything they could... Even if they repeat the formula, it probably won't be as effective."

"That's true. The third and fourth episodes were clearly less sharp than the earlier ones. That screenwriter must be out of new material."

Clovicia's words quickly drew agreement from the Self-Rescue Army, but Alda vaguely felt... that things were not so simple.

As Yes, Prime Minister continued on the television, the contents of the fifth episode gradually unfolded.

The fifth episode quickly turned to a pointed issue—facing an economic crisis, Prime Minister Hacker, played by Theresis, had no choice but to cut spending across Cabinet departments. Naturally, that would cause turmoil throughout the Cabinet, because nobody wanted their budget cut.

A deeply troubled Hacker complained as though pouring out his frustrations. "Bernard, Humphrey should have foreseen this and warned me."

"I don't think he understands economics, Prime Minister. Sir Humphrey studied classical literature." After setting down the documents, Bernard, played by Manfred, took a large glass of whisky and answered.

Theresis said, "What about Sir Frank? He heads the Ministry of Finance."

"Then he is even less likely to understand economics. He's an economist."

The fact that every department had failed to expect spending cuts to land on them, and therefore opposed them, struck Theresis as absurd. As Prime Minister, he apparently did not even have the authority to make that decision.

"A leader can only listen to others and obey the majority. That is what they call 'the Victorian way of government.'"

"Then if you aren't responsible, who is?" asked the shapeshifter's wife beside Theresis.

"No one." Theresis shrugged and replied as if it were only natural. "That is the purpose of 'the Victorian way of government.'"

What angered the Prime Minister even more was that, at a time like this, the backbench MPs had raised demands for pay increases. At the mention of backbench MPs, Theresis spared no effort in portraying their corruption.

"Being an MP is a top-tier cushy job that brings both fame and fortune—no qualifications review, no fixed hours, no performance standards. You keep a crowd of egomaniacs and busybodies fed with comfortable rooms and fine food."

"How could they possibly be underpaid? At least two hundred people apply for every seat. Even if the seat were put up for sale, it could be sold at least twenty times!"

Theresis's sharp comments at the very start instantly shattered Alda and Clovicia's hopes. Less than three minutes in, Theresis had already viciously smeared the backbench MPs in the drama, even blackening their very image.

Damn Theresis! Alda thought. Yet she had little contact with backbench MPs, and simply could not believe Victoria's MPs were as terrible as Theresis claimed.

This was slander! It had to be slander! Alda thought.

Meanwhile, aboard Rhodes Island, which was heading toward Victoria in the distance, Vina watched Yes, Prime Minister with Amiya and the others. Amiya curiously turned to the Victorian crown princess beside her and asked:

"Miss Vina, um... are MPs really like that?"

"...More or less. I can't really refute it." Vina answered flatly. This time, she did not think it was slander. It was simply the truth.

Kal'tsit said nothing beside them, only watched quietly. For the moment, she was relieved that the fifth episode had not yet revealed anything too explosive, but she still felt a vague unease in her heart...

Is it just my imagination? I hope he still knows when to stop. Judging from the scale of the first four episodes, Kal'tsit felt that Chen Qi's limits were surely not just this.

Elsewhere, Wei Yenwu, Wenyue, Chen Huijie, and the others in Lungmen were also watching Yes, Prime Minister. Seeing this, even Wei Yenwu showed a rare look of surprise and could not help saying:

"...That brat Chen Qi is getting bolder and bolder, more and more daring in what he films. Isn't he afraid this drama will offend every politician in Victoria and several other countries with similar systems?"

"That idiot... Why was Little Tal only willing to follow him?"

Although Chen Huijie only half understood it, she could still sense just how far Chen Qi had gone with this drama. He had begun touching upon the "unspoken rules" of many nations. If he exposed those rules, how great would the consequences be for him and Little Tal...?

Yet none of them could have imagined that this was only the beginning. Even more explosive material was waiting ahead...

Exposing the Corruption of Victoria's Civil Servants

Everyone following news of Yes, Prime Minister, whether or not they knew it was a television drama made by Chen Qi, understood one thing clearly: given the scale of this show, things were certainly only getting started.

Criticizing MPs was already rather bold in itself, and because the character played by Theresis was the Prime Minister, his assessment of MPs was so realistic it was almost laughable.

"I'm actually hoping a creator's work will not be so biting... and worrying that the upheaval caused by this work will bring even more unforeseen consequences to this land."

Kal'tsit rubbed her eyes, feeling a little tired. Chen Qi's previous films, whether The Godfather or Young and Dangerous, had never held much interest for her. Even though Chen Qi was already fairly famous as a director on Rhodes Island, with quite a few operators among his fans.

But before Yes, Prime Minister appeared, Kal'tsit had never imagined that a television drama could cause such upheaval. Now that she had no way to stop anything, she could only pray—pray that Chen Qi would show some restraint and not expose all of Victoria's dirty laundry...

But the problem was that everyone could see the purpose of this show was to expose all of Victoria's secrets. Theresis undoubtedly had that intention. Kal'tsit could only hope that, by the time they arrived, there would still be something they could do to remedy the situation.

As the plot progressed, Theresis brushed aside the backbench MPs' demand for pay raises. But then, at this ill-timed moment, Humphrey, played by the Bloodborne Archon, and Frank, the Ministry of Finance secretary, devised a "civil servant pay raise plan."

As the heads of the civil service, Frank and Humphrey were not merely beneficiaries—they stood to gain the most. Naturally, they had no reason not to support the proposal.

"Of course, we do not care about personal interests." The Bloodborne Archon put on a thoroughly righteous appearance. Though everyone knew they would benefit the most, he still fought back a smile and declared solemnly:

"But one must always consider one's junior colleagues. Rather ironic, isn't it, Frank?"

"To serve them, we have no choice but to raise our own salaries. We don't even care about it! Yet people call us self-serving profiteers."

"This is a charge we have no choice but to bear." Frank, the Ministry of Finance secretary, exchanged a smile with the Bloodborne Archon while suppressing his laughter. They both knew perfectly well what was going on, yet spoke as though they were so righteous that countless families watching the program burst into laughter along with the television's canned laughter.

For a time, countless people in the Self-Rescue Army, Rhodes Island, Lungmen, and elsewhere laughed aloud at the scene. It was clearly an act of forming cliques for private gain, yet no one had expected it to be made so funny.

But soon, after the two old Vulpos had conferred, they decided to submit the proposal before the spending restrictions came down, and to send it over on the eve of the Cabinet meeting—before work ended—so no one would examine it carefully.

However, this put Theresis on alert, because it was not the first time they had submitted a proposal just before the end of the workday in order to bypass the Cabinet meeting. Theresis directly questioned the Bloodborne Archon.

But faced with Theresis's questioning, the Bloodborne Archon remained perfectly composed and offered his prepared explanation. "But Prime Minister, as Cabinet Secretary, I too am eager to reduce public expenditure."

"But as the leader of the civil service, I must take responsibility for the administrative crisis before us, if the pay raise plan cannot be passed quickly."

As he spoke, the Bloodborne Archon put on a troubled expression and deliberately said, "I'm really in a difficult position, you see. I wear two hats."

"That's true. You must indeed find it difficult to manage, yes?" Theresis clearly was not convinced by the Bloodborne Archon's explanation and spoke thoughtfully.

"Not if one has two minds." The Bloodborne Archon was not intimidated by the Prime Minister at all. Instead, he took the opportunity to boast of his own cleverness and competence. At that moment, Manfred could no longer hold back and immediately exposed him.

"—Or two faces."

"Hahahahaha!"

Manfred's sudden jab immediately sparked a burst of laughter. This time, whether it was Vina and Amiya on Rhodes Island, Chen in Lungmen, or the Self-Rescue Army group, all of them laughed at the unexpected takedown.

But immediately afterward, the Bloodborne Archon began explaining his difficulties again. Civil servant pay was too low, making recruitment difficult. Though there was no shortage of successors for the posts, the quality of those successors was worrying.

"Very few have first-class honors degrees. Most only have lower second-class degrees."

"...I got a third." Theresis suddenly interjected. Without even thinking, Manfred dealt another blow from the side.

"That is sufficient for being Prime Minister. Sir Humphrey was referring to the standards for civil servants."

"Hahahahahaha!" XN

"Bernard—Bernard! How has he not been fired yet?! Hahaha!"

"Does anyone tear down their own boss like that? He tore down both bosses at once!"

"At this rate, he won't survive in the industry! Rather, it's amazing he became a private secretary after tearing down his own bosses like that! Hahaha!"

In an instant, Bernard, played by Manfred, had delivered the two biggest jokes of the episode with his two "resignation techniques." Even Wei Yenwu laughed heartily, while Kal'tsit showed a rare hint of a smile.

"It seems their internal relations are not very harmonious." Kal'tsit knew full well that it was only acting, but for some reason, she sensed that the performances of the three men might not have been entirely performance.

For while Manfred had embarrassed both of them, the Bloodborne Archon's gaze was clearly harsher than Theresis's, even carrying a faint killing intent... That obviously went beyond acting. From what Kal'tsit knew of the Bloodborne Archon, he was not good at acting. He only knew how to be himself.

Which meant... the Bloodborne Archon did not get along with the other two either... An unexpected gain, perhaps.

As the plot continued, Theresis finally relented and, on the condition that a neutral committee would also be established, temporarily approved the civil servant pay raise proposal.

"Since the two highest-ranking positions among the civil servants carry the greatest burden, their pay increases will also be the largest."

The Bloodborne Archon and Frank, the Ministry of Finance secretary, appeared together again. This time, Kal'tsit faintly sensed that something was wrong...

After all, the two highest-ranking positions in Victoria's civil service were not they themselves, were they?

Sure enough, as if confirming Kal'tsit's suspicion, after receiving the projected raise schedule, the Bloodborne Archon could not help remarking, "The Deputy Secretary has received quite a substantial increase... So has the Permanent Deputy Secretary... And the two highest-ranking positions among us..."

The Bloodborne Archon did not continue, but Frank picked up the thread and stated something chilling in an even tone:

"That's right—an increase of roughly 43 percent."

"No more than we deserve." The Bloodborne Archon smiled knowingly. At once, the conversation between the two old Vulpos, paired with canned laughter, once again filled Rhodes Island with laughter.

But this time, neither Kal'tsit, Wei Yenwu in Lungmen, nor Alda in the Self-Rescue Army showed the slightest amusement, because they all understood what that 43 percent increase meant.

Such a pay raise proposal could never possibly pass. Yet Frank and the Bloodborne Archon seemed to feel that the increase was not high enough. Clearly, they knew exactly how to get their proposal approved—and that was what made everyone nervous.

Were they really going to expose things to this extent? Kal'tsit, Wei Yenwu, Alda, and many others following news about Yes, Prime Minister were all stunned by this scene, vaguely sensing trouble.

Yet right after that, Frank and the Bloodborne Archon actually began discussing how to get the proposal approved.

For example, the summary submitted to the Cabinet had to be six volumes as thick as dictionaries, and it had to be delivered before lunch at the Cabinet meeting, ensuring that no one had time to read it.

Nor was that all. They had a reasonable explanation based on the salaries of executives in Originium mining companies and other high-income corporations. They would also arrange for civil service officials, who had a vested interest and would not reject a raise, to ensure that ministers who received information from their secretaries would not notice anything suspicious.

Even the reviewers were in league with them. Every move seemed like a minor trick, but the entire sequence of effective tactics made Kal'tsit, Wei Yenwu, and the other viewers turn grim.

"Messengers get an extra 3.5 Victorian gold coins per week; registry clerks, 4.2 coins per week; technical officers, 8.2 coins per week. Hardly worth mentioning."

"—So we get an extra twenty-six thousand gold coins a year?"

The Bloodborne Archon's summary finally shocked everyone with the most straightforward number possible. They immediately realized just how enormous the increase truly was.

"T-twenty thousand more a year in salary?!"

On Rhodes Island, the operator codenamed Snow Pheasant counted nervously on her fingers, her eyes swirling like spirals. Thinking about how much research such a tremendous raise could fund, the cash-strapped little girl was so shocked that she nearly fainted.

"Are civil servants really that rich? I-if I just became a civil servant, then did research on the side, would that mean...?"

Yet no one answered Snow Pheasant's question. On Rhodes Island, Kal'tsit could not help letting out a breath. After a moment of silence, she said flatly:

"...Now, I fear every civil servant in Victoria will hate him to the bone."

"Yes. He has summed up all their tricks. Once Victoria's civil servants come to their senses, they will definitely blame him for exposing all this." Vina nodded helplessly. Both of them could not help feeling that Chen Qi was simply too bold.

They had no idea where he had learned these inside details, but these unspoken rules unique to civil servants were things everyone inside understood. Putting them openly in a television drama for the public to watch was something entirely different.

In Lungmen, after watching it, Wei Yenwu could not help saying with lingering unease:

"If my younger brother saw this... he would probably launch a thorough investigation into whether the Six Ministries have the same problems... If this gets broadcast, that brat will really become famous."

"Fortunately, this level of thing will not spread to Yan. That brat... why does he always write things that put people in such difficult positions?"

It Still Wasn't Over? A New Satire: Diplomacy!

"Fortunately, while the content of the fifth episode's civil servant pay raises counts as insider information, it still should not cause too much upheaval."

Soon, half an hour later, the fifth episode of Yes, Prime Minister finally ended. On Rhodes Island, Kal'tsit let out a sigh of relief. This time, the show had satirized the Civil Service System's practice of forming cliques for private gain. In the end, even Theresis, as Prime Minister, had to take a share of the spoils. It had been exceedingly sharp.

But fortunately, compared to some of the famous lines in the fourth episode's "Ban on Originium Tools"... this was still within what Kal'tsit could accept. It was relatively mild.

"Does this really count as mild... Doctor Kal'tsit?"

While soothing Snow Pheasant, who had fallen into confusion after watching Yes, Prime Minister with them, Amiya heard Kal'tsit's thoughts through her Originium Arts and could not help asking:

"Wouldn't this expose how Victoria's civil servants raise their pay? If they can no longer use methods like this to increase their salaries in the future... Victoria's civil servants will resent him deeply, won't they?"

"...Don't worry. Even without this episode, Victoria's civil servants already have more than enough reason to hate him." Vina shared a view similar to Kal'tsit's and spoke calmly.

"Besides, I think most people in Victoria's Civil Service System will probably just laugh it off."

"Huh? Why?" Amiya was rather confused. Seeing Kal'tsit and Vina looking so serious, and hearing them say it might bring upheaval to the land, she had thought this was a very serious matter.

"—Because Victoria's civil servants still have other ways to raise their salaries."

As Victoria's crown princess, Vina had perhaps the greatest authority to speak on the matter. She understood better than anyone just how utterly corrupt Victoria's Civil Service System had become.

It was practically a money-making machine for the other dukes. Vina had already formed a blueprint for rebuilding Victoria in the future. She was determined to thoroughly reform Victoria's current Civil Service System and could not allow those parasites to keep poisoning Victoria.

"Come to think of it... people like Humphrey in the television drama were at least from Victoria's peak era. Though they all had their own agendas, they were still capable."

"Compared to Victoria's present officials, drowning in luxury and decadence, even Humphrey now seems worthy of being entrusted with important responsibilities... Isn't that a form of satire in itself?"