Reverence or Suspicion? Part 3
Commissioner Garcia Valen of the Prius Republic.
As expected, this was a public official with a personality that differed little from the other politicians supporting President Katro Fairmont.
Having provided a pretext for the revolution army's victory and fallen from power, he was on intimate terms with Prime Minister Auster, acting as the president's secretary and acting vice president who wielded influence over the entire administration.
As the person responsible for deciding national administrative policy within the National Council, he was one of the three pillars that formed the Prius Republic's government, alongside the prime minister and defense minister.
Though he held no title, the position was equivalent to that of a duke in the empire, so the idea of him using Princess Sia Lin as bait to summon me felt thoroughly distasteful.
'Of course, the Prius Republic government had far too many thorns in its side.'
Not only that, but Louis Fairmont the fake lucky encounter holder was secretly supporting the revolution army, just as he had earlier assisted Michelle Otis, the English Translation young lady, and Count Ekkers in copying data from the fake lucky encounter that the revolution army believed was the real one.
For that reason alone, I had avoided entangling myself with the government of the Prius Republic as much as possible.
I took Garcia Valen's outstretched hand and honestly expressed my unwillingness to do so.
"I was looking forward to a date with beautiful Princess Sia, but an unexpected obstacle has appeared."
"Heh heh, really?"
Garcia Valen's eyebrows twitched, but he showed no fear at all.
The Prius Republic was part of the world's four great powers or four great empires, but it was not the Brigham Empire.
Our Lheinhatz Kingdom was a strong nation that chased closely at the empire's heels.
A country with the power to regularly wage war against the rival Croisen Empire.
There was no reason to be intimidated by a duke-level figure even if he held the title of duke, and as a term-limited public official, there was no need to worry.
I was just another power holder who could be taught no lesson.
'I chose this approach for stealth, but it seems I've offended you. I formally apologize.'
The sharp reaction from Princess Sia Lin startled her, but the moment her patron and the National Council chairman of the Prius Republic bowed his head, her expression of surprise was clear.
The Roberto Kingdom she belonged to was called the ruler of the Triton continent.
But if the ruler of the Triton continent's six kingdoms crossed over to Defteron, it would become just another nation competing for the bottom rung.
The six kingdoms of the Triton continent were all high in population but similar in national strength, and many lacked their own Vanguard and Sky Fortress production facilities, depending entirely on imports.
If the six kingdoms of the Triton continent united, would they not reach a level slightly better than our Lheinhatz Kingdom?
That was why she was looking at the eyes of a powerful nation power holder.
'She came here to listen to what I had to say.'
If she wanted to pressure me, she would not have shown such a demeanor.
From Garcia Valen's appearance, I had roughly guessed his purpose and let out a silent sigh of relief.
"You're so busy with the war against the Brigham Empire these days. What business do you have summoning me?"
I brought the wine I had just poured to my lips as an aperitif and asked, and he gave a good-natured smile like a sly fox before turning the conversation.
"Conversation is best shared while eating slowly. There's still plenty of time."
Promising to have dinner with Princess Sia Lin meant leaving at least three hours open.
So he was saying there was time without even asking my opinion.
Since I could no longer leave the table now that he disliked me, I nodded with a helpless expression.
A short while later, the appetizers arrived.
A dish of marinated and seasoned abalone mixed with vegetables, paired with fermented pickled vegetables that released a refreshing, tangy broth.
"Oh?"
I took the dish without thinking and should have shown surprise, but the food from the Roberto Kingdom, which wasn't particularly famous on Defteron, carried a very strong Korean flavor.
The seasoned abalone with salt, garlic, and sesame oil was the same, and the fermented pickled vegetable broth was far too similar to dongchimi.
"This is incredible. It's so delicious."
Even the next dish, the braised fish with chili paste base, the conch and rice porridge simmered until soft, and the braised meat wrapped with pickled vegetables, I enjoyed every bite while forgetting about the taste of home that had been found in this world.
And when the main dishes of galbi-jjim and squid-roe stew arrived, with their flavor synergy rate at 99%, I couldn't help but exclaim.
"Hehe!"
Garcia Valen covered his mouth with his wide sleeve and laughed, and only then did I realize what had happened and look at the bewildered commissioner with a dazed expression.
The clothing of Princess Sia Lin, who resembled the hanbok of the Goryeo dynasty in a mysterious way, had already drawn me close, but I hadn't expected the food to be so Korean.
Thanks to her, I forgot for a moment about Garcia Valen's presence.
"I'm sorry. It's the first time I've eaten Roberto Kingdom food, and it suits my mouth too well..."
"Heh heh, it's fine. It's only natural that the host feels good about it."
I had a 'who the hell is this guy?' expression on my face, but he didn't seem to notice.
I placed a piece of galbi and a piece of squid-roe onto Arsia's plate and said.
"The reason why this seat has been prepared shouldn't be too late to hear now, right? If I miss the timing, I'll end up just eating dinner."
Princess Sia Lin smiled genuinely as she enjoyed her country's food, but she snapped to attention at Garcia Valen's dry cough and looked at his eyes.
"Actually, something very bad is happening in our republic."
"Of course. You're at war with the Brigham Empire."
"No, it's even worse than that. It's a domestic problem."
She was making bold claims.
In a situation where one should prioritize worrying about the Brigham Empire, what domestic issue could be more serious?
"Actually, since a while back, I've been dealing with the activities of an anti-government group that has declared itself the revolution army." Did the revolution army that threatened the country pose a greater problem for them than the Brigham Empire?
I nodded in agreement as if listening intently, but my expression couldn't possibly be good.
"Surprisingly, this anti-government group is even producing Vanguard equipment on its own."
What? I thought the atmosphere was an interrogation of me, but maybe I was mistaken?
"But I learned that this equipment has quite a few similarities with the Force Core of the new Fanzer 1.0 production currently underway at the Lawrence Tower."
"That means you've been studying our tower's Force equipment."
"I'm sorry. But I think it was done quietly without anyone knowing, from information agencies around the world."
Actually, it was nothing new.
Whenever another country released a new weapon, our intelligence agency would do the same thing.
"Unfortunately, even if there are similarities between the revolution army's equipment and our tower's equipment, they are not the same product."
But even the most important part of the Force Core, without the tower's special equipment, was encrypted and impossible to disassemble.
This encryption program had been made by Duke Lucas, and even after decades, no tower could arbitrarily disassemble equipment without inputting a specific value.
Even if some exterior similarity had been discovered, the core's core technology layer would not have been properly confirmed.
"I didn't come looking for you out of suspicion toward Sir Lawrence."
His evasion made him admit it was not an interrogation but acceptance of my approach.
As expected, he had not come because he had discovered I was selling technology to the revolution army.
"But I can certainly make a claim, can't I?"
"A claim?"
"That they stole Sir Lawrence's technology."
They had not come looking for the origin of the Vanguard equipment the revolution army had started producing.
They had come to put a card in their hand to make the revolution army suffer.
"In other words, you want me to report to the government of the Prius Republic that the revolution army stole my technology?"
"Exactly. Right now our republic is at war with the Brigham Empire. But that unscrupulous group is shaking the crisis-ridden republic from within."
A government with many dirty corners would feel a huge sense of crisis at a revolution army rising while stirring the people.
So they wanted to frame them and trample the revolution army's legitimacy by raising the banner of justice.
What they wanted was a scandal.
A scandal to break the people's trust in the revolution army.
'This is quite interesting...'
They were skilled at turning things in a shady direction.
"If I were to hear what you said, what would be given to me?"
"Heh heh! You won't suffer any loss. I will introduce 1,000 units of Force equipment from the Lawrence Tower in the name of the republican army. Even at a cost 10% higher than the regular selling price."
"That's quite an enticing offer."
He seemed to already think I had fallen for it.
Of course, buying 1,000 Vanguards at a 10% premium over the regular price meant giving 100 units for free.
This was clearly a bribe.
But he didn't think I would accept it outright.
Since he was giving extra, he would certainly expect a kickback.
Of course, as an interest-based transaction, the expected kickback rate would be very low, but I thought that for them, a kickback was far too natural an act that there would be no problem even at a low rate.
'Usually the average kickback is 5% of the payment, right? Then he'd demand 2-3% from me.'
Despite the title of the same kingdom, making a proposal for a transaction exceeding 50 trillion to a noble house that was not even the royal family, Sia Lin's expression showed both surprise and bewilderment.
"What does the princess think?"
"Eh?"
Princess Sia Lin, who hadn't expected me to suddenly ask such a question during the Garcia Valen transaction talk, tilted her head with a bewildered expression.
"Do you think the princess believes I should accept this proposal?"
And with the follow-up questions repeated, she had no words left.
"It seems like it would be right to give the revolution army a blow for the sake of the republic's politicians."
She would know how the people of the Prius Republic were living.
And why the revolution army had appeared.
As if testing me, she stared at me for a while, then looked like she was hesitating, shook her head with a small sigh.
"I think it's something I can't meddle in."
"Princess?"
Sia Lin avoided answering.
In that case, I smiled and Garcia Valen frowned.
She had avoided answering.
But avoiding an answer could be interpreted as not liking the transaction.
After all, the government of the Prius Republic was not her reliable patron.
It was only natural to side with him.
"But I will support the choice of the Prius Republic government from the perspective of representing the country."
In the end, she clearly stated her support for the republican government, and Garcia Valen's expression softened considerably.
'Quite skilled at finishing up.'
She had spoken on behalf of the republic while raising the country's position, but she had not expressed her personal opinion until the end.
From her appearance, there was a bitter feeling as if the image of living on Earth, always looking over the shoulders of powerful nations around her, had been projected, but the evaluation of Princess Sia Lin rose even higher inside me.
"Naturally, you will accept my proposal, right?"
Garcia Valen's tone as if there was no need to say anything longer.
I looked at him fixedly and nodded with a smile.
But the continued answer was different from his expectation.
"What is so natural?"
"What?"
"I will reject that proposal."
-KWAANG!
"What is that!?"
His unexpected rejection showed surprise, not like a politician.
He slammed the table, and the food's broth splashed everywhere.
But I flicked my fingers in time to form a defense barrier and nothing dirtied my clothes.
"You will have to convince me properly."
If I didn't convince him, would I have to blackmail him?
I gave a light laugh and pointed at his chair with my finger.
He was forcibly seated in the chair by the power and his face reddened even more.
'You're mistaken. This is the Defteron continent.'
"What does that mean?"
"Why would I think you'd do something that benefits the Brigham Empire? I support the Brigham Empire in this war, which belongs to the same continent. There's no reason to solve internal problems in the Prius Republic that would benefit the Brigham Empire in the war."
With a simple reason, his complexion quickly paled and confusion entered his face.
And as if he had just gotten angry, he continued to speak coaxingly to persuade me.
"After all, that's a story between different countries, isn't it? Sir Lawrence, wouldn't it be better for you to think about the benefits you can get?"
'Long term, being disliked by the Brigham Empire seems like a greater loss.'
I hadn't expected him to put up such a tag.
In the end, he lost his words against the all-purpose shield of the Brigham Empire.
I leisurely took a bite of the galbi and rinsed my mouth with wine.
"And domestic issues should be handled by the government, right? If the people are listening to impure groups, there must be a reason. If I step in, it would be a simple matter to solve it."
"......"
That was sound logic, but if it were possible, they wouldn't have planned such a thing.
Corruption in the current republican government was impossible to tear away.
"Oh, you're leaving?"
Garcia Valen, who had welcomed me so energetically, stood up and left the restaurant without looking back.
"Rude person."
Even the companion Princess Sia Lin was left behind.
I looked at Princess Sia Lin and said so, and she showed an awkward smile.
"If it's come to this, wouldn't it be nice to enjoy it just between us, excluding the obstacle?"
She was considering getting up to follow her patron, but in the end, she decided that inviting a guest and leaving first was not etiquette, and accepted my proposal with a helpless expression.
Only after Garcia Valen disappeared could we finally eat our meal without restraint.
* * *
And that evening.
I posted one article on my online diary (SNS).
[Today I was supposed to meet Princess Sia Lin, but suddenly the republican Garcia Valen appeared.]
#False Claim Request #This is exactly what a conspiracy is #Brigham Empire is scary
My post with no followers spread across the world through 20 million followers.
Naturally, the Prius Republic was in chaos, and along with it, the royal family of our Lheinhatz Kingdom was also in chaos.