Ch.133The Minister seems to know everything.

# Chapter 133: The Minister Knows Everything

Of course, there was a reason why I hadn’t used this function until now.

[Event: Master Administrator Open]

[You are conducting full-scale civilian surveillance using the hidden ministerial function.]

[As you formally utilize this secretive function, your information gathering ability increases proportionally to its risk.]

[Added ‘Master System Administrator’ trait to Arto Virtorius Sevelli]

[This trait can be deactivated at any time. While maintained, information power within the Holy Sevelli Empire +100%]

It wasn’t that the performance was poor.

To be frank, it was a function that exponentially increased information gathering capabilities—the most crucial ability for counterintelligence agencies like ours.

But the problem wasn’t with its performance, but elsewhere.

[During function maintenance, 50% chance each month of triggering the ‘Exposed Function’ event.]

[When ‘Exposed Function’ event occurs, approval rating for factions opposing the current regime in the Holy Sevelli Empire +50%]

[Impeachment approval rating against Arto Virtorius Sevelli +90%]

As those brutal figures show…

Using it just once could deliver a blow severe enough to make the Empire stagger.

Moreover, “when” that event would trigger was also random—sometimes the check would only happen on the last day of the month.

In other cases, the random probability would roll immediately after the beginning of the month.

With such high risk compared to return, I rarely used functions like this in the game.

The risk was even worse before I possessed this body… or rather, before the update.

Now, the random probability only rolls after the first week of each month.

Previously, it would mercilessly start calculating from the first day of the month…

How many countless newbies had shed tears of blood after pressing the button without reading the function description properly?

Thankfully, the original ruthless system wasn’t implemented as is.

After receiving 5,700 characters of angry feedback and review bombing from users, the developers hastily modified the function—which was truly fortunate.

Thanks to that, it became an excellent function that could be used risk-free for about a week from the first day of each month.

Of course, in the actual game, a week was only a few seconds in real time, so it wasn’t particularly meaningful…

——————————

But none of that mattered in the current situation.

After observing the media play for about a week:

Anonymous 1: It seems all the controversies about Minister A are true. This seems like a really dangerous situation…

(IP: Zeltech Corporate Alliance Ka’zan Trade Headquarters)

Anonymous 2: Actually, I heard Minister A was a spy sent by materialist nations from the beginning to create favorable public opinion toward heretical intelligence.

(IP: Zeltech Corporate Alliance Janiradiya Branch)

Anonymous 3: Is the comment above for real? Truly disappointing

(Same author)

Anonymous 4: I always hated how Minister A pretends to be a war hero without actually fighting in the war, and now the truth comes out. Tsk tsk

(Papal Office Internal Affairs Department)

“Disgusting, absolutely disgusting.”

The media was still playing their games.

-SPLASH!

“Th-this!”

“A civilian threw black bean sauce at the Diplomatic Execution Ministry!”

“That bastard… attention!”

“What attention? This isn’t the military!”

Idiots instigated by the media were caught attempting to throw… not balloons, but actual filth at the Diplomatic Execution Ministry where I was stationed.

As Zeltech and the Papal Office’s media games went beyond serious to downright disgusting,

I decided I didn’t need to watch this spectacle any longer, and also because:

‘Ah, the event time is approaching. Better turn it off.’

As the risk period for the Master System Administrator was approaching:

[Master System Administrator Deactivated]

[By deactivating this trait, the ‘Exposed Function’ event counter will no longer progress.]

[The event counter has been reset.]

After immediately deactivating the function, I reported to Arthraia that I would now begin the real operation.

-“So that’s why you’re reporting through communication instead of coming in person?”

“That’s right. There’s no way I could go to the imperial palace to report to you in this situation.”

When you think about it, one might wonder why I wasted a week in such an urgent situation…

But this world I’ve possessed in the game seems designed from a user’s perspective.

Things that should be resolved incredibly quickly in reality—

For example, events like coups that would be over in less than a day in the real world—tend to drag on for a month or more here.

It’s incomparably more leisurely than reality.

Of course, it’s not always like that, but at least that’s the situation now, so there’s no need to explain further.

Anyway, after I reported the situation to her through communication,

Arthraia looked quite displeased after hearing my story.

“Arto, when this is over, could you send me the list of those comments you collected?”

“…”

It was obvious what brutal things would happen if I sent them, so

I decided to ask Arthraia not to go that far.

“Arthraia, no matter what, it doesn’t look good for you to personally go after these people.”

“Hmm… now that I hear it, you’re right.”

Hearing my words, Arthraia nodded and instead expressed sympathy for my situation.

“Arto, the situation seems too serious. Should I personally make a statement to clear things up?”

“…”

The Emperor personally stepping forward to clarify to the media that this matter is false and resolve the situation.

Normally, that would be a cheat-key move, but in the current situation, it wasn’t ideal.

“No, that would make the situation even worse.”

I put a stop to Arthraia’s suggestion and briefly explained why.

“Arthraia, I appreciate your willingness to go that far… but doing so would actually play right into Zeltech and the Papal Office’s hands.”

“Hmm… why?”

“You know why, don’t you? Your declaration would be equivalent to openly supporting me.”

After pausing briefly while drumming my fingers on the table, I finally spoke with resolve.

“That means the Emperor would be seen as protecting someone the public opinion has labeled a ‘heretic,’ which isn’t good.”

“Everyone knows you can’t possibly be a heretic, and besides, couldn’t you manipulate such public opinion easily?”

What was she so anxious about?

I couldn’t help but tilt my head at Arthraia’s seemingly impatient demeanor on the communication screen.

If we made a mistake, it could be seen exactly as I pointed out—the Emperor supporting a heretic.

And if that happened, according to this empire’s historical setting…

A disaster like the historical Humiliation of Canossa could occur, with Arthraia having to bow her head to the Pope.

‘I’d never allow that to happen.’

I couldn’t stand by and watch our Arthraia make a humiliating surrender to some Pope I’ve never even seen, all because of me.

“Arthraia, I understand your concern… but don’t worry too much.”

“…Huh?”

“It’s time for me to return to my role as Execution Minister with this cool sensation.”

“…???”

Of course, Arthraia couldn’t understand my strange comment.

But before long, she too would understand what I meant by that odd remark.

Because right after ending the communication with Arthraia,

After a week of various checks and pranks…

“Minister, Alina has finally arrived!”

“At last!”

After being half-confined to the Technology and Science Ministry,

I received news that we had successfully brought in Alina, who had been overworked by the mad scientists there.

Of course, our purge unit didn’t have enough personnel to make this happen on their own, so it should have been an impossible plan…

“Good work. You’ve saved me a lot of trouble.”

“We’re requisitioning the AI from those damn scientists!”

“Bastard… goodbye!”

“Our ambassador has instructed us to cooperate fully with the Minister’s orders. Please command us as needed.”

The problem that couldn’t be solved due to insufficient personnel was resolved with the help of the Prosnack Marines, who quietly appeared as soon as the Holy Knight Order disappeared.

I realized I was finally ready to counter the games played by both Zeltech and the Papal Office, and began moving to the next phase of the operation.