CH 229

Chapter 229 - Risks taken by Politicians

It was a day about two weeks after the departure of the agent to Dorius.

Mil brought me a reply from the elven village head.

After telling me the reply, Mil looked at me with a fuming look on her face.

“Al…did you by any chance expect this answer? The village head was really surprised, you know. Asking who the hell is my husband.”

“No. if it’s unusually hot, it wouldn’t surprise me if there were other extreme weather events. That’s all.”

What I wanted to hear was about the extreme weather that has occurred in the past.

Have you ever experienced a heat wave before?

Have there been other extreme weather events in the past?

I checked that with the head of the elven village.

According to what Mil told me, elves are sensitive to changes over a long span of time, so I thought he would remember.

They would not be able to take a one-sided attitude toward them, as there would be opposition from the people of the village.

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However, if they are considering the possibility of joining us in the future, I don’t see why they can’t just talk about the weather.

I don’t think the people of the village would be repulsed by the idea of talking about the weather.

I asked the other tribes about it, but no one seemed to remember it, as if it had not been a catastrophe that resulted in deaths.

Just to be sure, I also asked the old men back in their hometowns, and their answers were vague.

We should check with the elves to see if you have any connections.

Depending on the frequency of extreme weather events, early action may be necessary.

As a result, extreme heat had occurred about 50 and 100 years ago.

Of course, we do not know the story before it drifted here.

Nor that the extreme heat was followed a short time later by heavy rains.

Since the town is built along the river, if it rains heavily, they have to install levees and so on.

I’ll give them instructions on how to deal with the rising river in the long rains and the damage to their crops.

If there is a crop failure, it will not affect them immediately, but it will be troublesome later.

I don’t know the details of agriculture, so let’s throw it to the professionals.

If the measures end up coming up empty and I get laughed at, that’s fine.

If I am wasting money, I can only be blamed for the results.

That is a risk that politicians have to take.

Those who blame only the results should be expected to take that risk when they are in that position.

Those who are only afraid of internal criticism and can only deal with disasters after they occur are not qualified to be politicians.　

Anyone can deal with the consequences after they have occurred.

Citizens cannot implement measures on their own.

Therefore, they have the right to criticize.

If there is an election and a bad guy is elected, the citizens should accept the result.

The only people who can criticize unconditionally are the citizens who have no choice.

But those who have the means to implement measures, but only to fry or defend themselves, are probably their limit as politicians.

I myself am not such a big fan.

But…I didn’t want to cause damage to the public by neglecting countermeasures.

However… budgetary constraints prevent me from taking countermeasures for everything.

It’s a combination of the size of the damage and the frequency…

When I was about to take a break after giving the instructions, Prytanis came to me.

The top priority issue for the time being is now in motion.

“Lord Alfred, I have sent a message to the town. I have also spread the word to the beastmen living outside the town.”

It sounds like a line I’ve heard before… In other words, you used that trick.

“That’s very accurate.”

Prytanis nodded.

“We have entered into a temporary familiar contract until the mission is completed.”

Mil and Kiara’s gazes sharpen.

Sorry to the two of them, but it’s up to Prytanis, and it’s not even explicitly forbidden.

And I also knew that if we wanted to achieve a quicker resolution, they would use this means.

It would be wrong to blame them for ethical issues.

I can’t admit that after becoming a citizen, but at this point in time, they’re a citizen of Dorius.

“I understand, and I repeat…I will keep my promise to them. Shall we go to Dorius then?”

Prytanis was not expecting my declaration.

He looked very surprised.

“Is Lord Alfred going too?”

This is not a situation that can be thrown to Charles this time.

There are other reasons… but I don’t feel like talking about them.

“Yes, this postwar process must include the wishes of Prytanis. This is not a thing that can be left to a single commander. “

Then I shift my gaze to Mil and Kiara.

They’re probably ready to follow me, so I’ll have to say this to them now.

“I’ll leave the place to you two. You two are the only people who can take over my daily duties. I am delegating Mil as my official deputy, with full authority to run the city. Kiara, please assist Mil. Without the two of you, I will not be able to deal the aftermath of the battle with Dorius with peace of mind.”

They both tried to protest, but seeing the look on my face, they nodded reluctantly.

There was no one I could entrust them to.

Furthermore, it is too bad that I am the only one with a woman in a military operation.

I looked at Prytanis and tapped him on the shoulder.

I want to see how far I can take this big business in the future.

I have no problem being cool-headed, all I need now is a practical ability to deal with the situation.

It’s not a matter of intellect, but a combination of heart and mind.

I want to see how he can deal with his subordinates who are not as smart as he is.

I’m sure he was not happy when he was under Dorius.

But can he control himself after their position is turned upside down?

This much… I won’t know until we let him try.

“Prytanis will be in charge of assisting me and negotiating with the surrenderers.”

“Yes, you can count on me.”

I can’t take the Elite Guard with me.

We have more men, but they are still in training.

Besides, I need them to protect the two of them.

I will inform Ramiro, who is today’s escort, of this.

Ramiro would be unhappy with the decision not to take the Elite Guard with me.

But I won’t be able to relax if I don’t have them protecting the two of them.

Accompanied by Prytanis, I go to Charles.

When Charles saw me in his office at the Ministry of War, he looked surprised.

“I would have come to you if you needed me, my lord.”

“No, I will accompany you on this mission. If we talk in the Office, Mil and Kiara will only be concerned about us.”

Charles shrugged his shoulders as he seemed to imagine the scene.

“I see, indeed… At last, it’s my lord’s first battle.”

“No, I’ll leave the war to you to lead. So I will stand back and not interject. My turn will come after it’s over.”

Charles looked at me and grinned.

Unusually, though, not his usual sarcastic laced laugh.

“It’s difficult to deal with the aftermath of this war, after all. I would be very grateful if my lord would accompany me.”

It seems he was wondering how to handle the postwar situation.

I’ll take care of the trouble, so I guess I’m a big help.

“I’ll try not to get in Sir Rossi’s way. I will also take an engineer with me as we lay out the road. We’ll have the surrendered beastmen help us with the construction.”

Charles narrowed his eyes as he realized that the postwar process would be different now.

“You intend to add towns in earnest, I see.”

“Yes, we will divide the beastmen under Dorius into separate groups and settle them in the new town we are building. Long-standing grudges will not be so easily resolved. Staying in the same place will only spark more disputes.”

Charles looked at me as if he had no choice.

“Thanks to your policies, we have had to work hard.”

I know that, even if I don’t like it.

I just shrugged my shoulders.

“It’s in my nature, I suppose. Besides, the demon tribe behind it is suspicious. We have to keep the unstable elements out of it.”

“So you see it as a conflict with the demons.”

“Unfortunately. They are also a bulwark against demons, so it’s hard to deal with them.”

If you do it thoroughly, there will be repercussions.

It is much easier to fight Dorius…