Ch.17Even the gentle minister became angry.

# Chapter 17: Even the Gentle Minister Got Angry

**Problem**: What happens when you’re caught playing tricks on the power holder of a space rescue superpower?

**Answer**: If you don’t want your entire star system annihilated, you kneel down and perform a grand bow.

Considering how many species and nations have gone extinct or collapsed because they couldn’t provide this simple answer…

“I sincerely apologize, Duke Arto!”

“Regarding this matter, we will take immediate compensation and full responsibility!”

The directors bowing perfectly before my eyes seemed to be scoring passing marks.

Especially since it wasn’t just any regular directors of the Trade Union, but all seven of the highest directors who came out to do so.

By the way, this sofa is really soft and comfy.

“…”

“A-Also, we will make thorough preparations to ensure Your Excellency never experiences any discomfort again!”

These highest directors kept adding more conditions on their own, just because I remained silent.

After all, they were the ones who played tricks first, and now it was revealed that I had noticed it from the beginning…

“Is that really all?”

“Ugh…”

Since I had deliberately pretended not to know while following their scheme all the way through, they had nothing to say once I revealed this fact.

‘Hmm, sweet.’

Of course, there were other reasons besides that…

“Do you really think our Minister will let this slide with just those conditions?”

‘How cute.’

Riel’s sharp response, standing proudly in her neatly pressed suit trying to show dignity, was probably not what they expected.

But it seemed like it was time to end the game.

*Shift*

After adjusting my posture, I opened my mouth to address the directors before me.

“…Well, I did enjoy the show, so I’ll overlook this matter.”

“Thank you for your tremendous generosity!”

Of course, I wasn’t letting this prank slide because I was a pushover.

“Then let’s move on to the main topic, shall we?”

“Yes, Duke!”

Because if this matter ended here, it would simply be about insulting me as an individual and compensating for that…

“I would like to have an in-depth discussion about the debt owed by the former Emperor of our great Holy Sebelli Empire.”

…but by subtly dragging it out, it would bring tremendous benefits to negotiations between the Empire and the Trade Union.

——————–

Of course, I wasn’t an economic expert.

All the complex practical negotiations and dialogue processes that followed were just empty talk to me.

From the beginning, my role here was simply to be a kind of totem for our negotiation team to gain an advantage over the Trade Union.

In addition, there was something that cemented my role as a totem…

[Event: Price of Strategy]

[The price for taking the Trade Union’s playful activities too seriously is truly enormous.]

[Your reputation within the Trade Union has significantly increased!]

[Wariness toward you within the Trade Union has significantly increased!]

[Your very existence forces Trade Union members to consume substantial mental energy!]

[Reward: -10% commission in trade processes with the Trade Union, greatly reduced influence usage]

[Additional reward for completing the trial: When the player personally oversees negotiations with the Trade Union, massive additional rewards or additional influence and commission discounts are possible]

The rewards from this event were incredibly sweet.

And the additional reward further elevated my value as a true buff totem.

‘I didn’t expect this.’

The practical negotiations with the Trade Union were going incredibly smoothly.

After completing all sorts of minor negotiations and preparing to return to my sweet home…

At that moment when everyone, including the negotiation team, was immersed in joy, a certain fact crossed my mind.

‘…We didn’t actually address the debt problem.’

I thought I might be mistaken, but no matter how much I looked, it was true.

‘Ah geez, messed up again.’

Realizing that we had only dealt with various miscellaneous negotiations without addressing the former Emperor’s mountain of debt, I had to endure a peculiarly strange feeling.

‘Surely this isn’t another trap from those merchants…?’

Although I had some hope, our status window drove the final nail into my mental coffin:

[Event: The Cold World of Debt Collectors]

[Despite becoming a buff totem, you and your negotiation team have once again been played by the Trade Union’s cunning operators.]

[If you do not complete the repayment of the former Emperor’s debt, you will suffer massive debuffs and consequences upon returning to the Empire.]

‘Oh my.’

Seeing the status window’s warnings in bold red letters, I felt a throbbing pain at the back of my head.

But I couldn’t use the negotiation team gentlemen for this problem…

‘Artraia… you should have at least included people who know about debt repayment.’

Perhaps she assembled the personnel more urgently than I thought.

The negotiation team’s faces were bright with happiness, as if they had successfully resolved everything.

There was no trace of fear about not having addressed the debt repayment on those shining faces.

‘No… thinking about it, this is a natural measure.’

Would it make sense to inform the negotiation team that the “former Emperor” owed a debt to the Trade Union, and a gambling debt from a casino at that?

No matter how much information control was implemented, this would be a major scandal that could spread throughout the Empire in an instant.

‘Did they judge that this could humiliate the entire imperial family, including the current Emperor Artraia?’

Realizing this could be an issue that might shake the very foundations of the Empire beyond merely insulting the imperial family, I felt a chill run down my spine.

‘This isn’t just some nonsense to laugh off.’

And it seemed Riel felt similarly about it.

*Shift*

“Minister, what are you going to do about the former Emperor’s debt?”

“…”

She approached quietly and sent an ultra-low frequency transmission to prevent eavesdropping.

But Riel, I don’t know how to use ultra-low frequency transmissions, so what am I supposed to do when you send one?

For that reason, after sending the negotiation team ahead to the ship:

“Do you have something else to discuss, Duke?”

“…”

Seeing the confused expression on the face of the highest director, I sighed deeply and said:

“I can’t discuss sensitive matters with those people present, can I?”

“…Ah.”

The highest director paused momentarily at my words.

Eventually, nodding as if in understanding, he sent away the directors standing around us.

And shortly after:

“Then shall we proceed directly to… ‘the main point’?”

To that, I nodded slightly and responded:

“Since we’ve consumed quite a bit of time, the sooner the better.”

————————–

Inside the Helvetia Edelweiss Central Command Center.

“He’s even sharper than the rumors suggest.”

“Indeed, we can’t let our guard down.”

In that place that maintained a deliberately dark interior for the sake of style, unlike other areas…

Inside, the remaining highest directors who weren’t dealing with Arto were busy responding to Arto’s offensive(?).

“He deliberately dragged out time with useless miscellaneous negotiations during the practical discussions, and now he’s shifting the blame to us when we get to the main point.”

In reality, Arto himself had no particular thoughts about it.

He even paused the meeting intermittently to take naps…

But unable to imagine such a thing, they mistakenly believed Arto was proving the rumors about himself to be true.

And what was adding evidence to their suspicions continued to appear on the current screen:

-“For that reason, I request the repayment of accumulated interest.”

-“Hahaha… even so, regarding this matter, we are entitled to receive proper compensation…”

Every time Arto spoke, they tried to confuse him with highly intelligent responses and complex answers supported by the entire board, but…

-“…therefore, I would kindly ask for your understanding on this matter.”

-“That doesn’t seem right… let’s stop subtly changing the subject.”

-“Haha, what do you mean by that…?”

-“According to Galactic Federation Legal Clause 320…”

“How is he giving immediate responses to statements that the entire board is making with AI assistance?!”

“So the rumor that the Minister is the greatest genius of this century is true!”

Whenever this happened, Arto would provide immediate and perfect answers without delay.

The image of this capable(?) man was making the Trade Union directors, who were incarnations of meritocracy, fall under a strange charm.

“Oh, to think we dared to test such a person.”

“It seems we were mistaken.”

“But even so, we must absolutely collect the debt of the Sebelli former Emperor.”

Of course, those with some rationality tried to recover their original purpose somehow…

“GO!!!!”

“He is truly the embodiment of rationality we’ve been dreaming of!”

“No, damn it…”

In the face of the madness of fanatics captivated by an unidentified charm, reason was as fragile as a candle flame.

In the end, those who had been dealing with Arto as symbols of reason and moneylenders(?) were suddenly reborn as Arto’s new alien connections.

———————-

At the same time.

“Hmm, is that so? I understand… let’s proceed that way then.”

When the highest director asked for my understanding because of an urgent call, I gave my OK, and then…

“Duke, we have decided to relinquish our debt rights regarding the interest on the debt incurred by the former Emperor of the Sebelli Empire.”

“…Oh, yes.”

I couldn’t hide my bewilderment at how smoothly things were resolving so unexpectedly.

‘What’s going on?’