ch 14; Preparation (3)
Whoa. 65 percent, he said.
This damn greedy pig. Physiology would tell his face and slender figure as a hardened veteran, hence a grateful person. Yet his greed should be plastered in figures like mine. Round and obese.
Sufficient? Sufficient, you said?? Hey, you mongrel. I gave you a chance and you dare extort me like this?
"Open page 14. There will be no smoke without a fire. I put everything in there. But since you're so eager to hear the good news, then let me explain."
Good news?? What good news?? I'm almost strangled to death here, and you said good newsss???—must be what swirled in his mind at the moment. Oh, that sour expression is just damn satisfying. Any kind of indigestion cured the moment my eyes laid on that visible inner turmoil.
"All this time, the clandestine part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been operating with full capacity in collaboration with the diplomatic side of the ministry. And, to truly open the true potential of our intelligence operatives, I decided to invest a lot while also retain the internal structure. However, this meant there would be much less agents since most of them are doubled as diplomats. Thus, there's a need to expand personnel, and since we need trainers for the new recruit, I had to borrow some diplomats. Hence, the diminished personel on the original ministry side."
In the first place, there's an on-going suspicion that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs might siphon a lot of budget money given the nature of cloak-and-dagger operations is one that cannot be brought into light, formally speaking. And to be frank, the current system was structured in ways where internal leaks can be practiced without much difficulty.
Even if it's merely a paranoia of mine, preparing an umbrella before the rain won't hurt.
Nevertheless, the mixed role of a diplomat and a spy is a diluted one. As convenient as it sounds, it's also very much open to the possibility of betrayal.
Personel control in this chaotic system has its limits. You can't truly expect everyone to play a good boy that won't betray no matter what. Thus, my exceptionally valid effort to surgery this highly volatile ministry into two, splitting based on the nature of the task.
However, the sacrifical lamb of this move is naturally the minister.
Tsk. Yesterday it was merely suspicion but today confirms it. He's siphoning the money. Or at least, planned to. The circumstancial evidence was clearer than ever.
"B-But Your Majesty… if that's the case, I should normally be converted into the new ministry as the minister, correct? Given that I'm the head of our intelligence…"
What? Why should I?? So you could retain and quietly grow your own force, is that it? Hey, don't tell me you actually thought by lowering your heads early I won't touch you? Can't you see others got cut in this reorganization? No one surviving this unscatched, I tell ya.
"Aren't you more of a diplomat rather than a head of intelligence bureau, Count?" my lips were on the verge of parting, yet before I actively refute the Count of Tylass's wimpy defends, another voice rang out. "I mean, at least I thought so. You've been knee-deep with various channels, after all. Even I, a treasury minister, don't have as much merchant connection as you."
Duke of Heinghram, the head of the Ministry of Treasury, slyly opens a pandora box in regards to Count of Tylass, revealing a hidden instance underbelly. Meanwhile, Count of Tylass hastily defending himself yet falls short when others, as if on cue, jump the bandwagon of humiliating him with various rumors they knew.
"Th-that's—! Wh-why…?! Huh? Why can't I forge a little connection with merchants to enrich my county?! This is this and that is that!!"
"Oh my, but isn't it true that you also use that connection to divert some goods meant for the recovery of our ranch?"
"That's a baseless rumor!!"
"And there's also a rumor that you use the agents to play dirty on merchants that aren't connected to you. Funnily enough, one of them is a regular for military supplies."
"What baseless slander you utter there! If that's how you want to play it, shall I expose every dirty deal you did, right here, right now?!"
"Ha! You finally showed your true colors!! I knew it, the rumors that you planted agents around us are true!!"
Oh? There's already a rumor about the people I planted? Damn, better let them lay low for a while.
But, this turns out messier than I thought. Should I tell Chamberlain to plant more people around Count of Tylass? Ah but, all this relevations makes the surgery more necessary. Not that I planned to concede in the first place.
Hearing the increasingly mud-caked arguments flying around, I gestured to Chamberlain.
"SIlence." his deep baritone voice immediately pacified the ministers.
"You are in the presence of His Majesty, for hell's sake. Act properly."
For the record, it was not the first, and certainly won't be the last time, they went feral and practiced political cannibalism like this. A logic-driven part of my brain still doesn't uncover much of their reason for all this farce, but my emotional-driven part did understand the bizzarely logical reasoning behind it.
It was all none other because of me.
To be precise, my mercy.
"For this instance, I won't compromise my decision. Separation of force under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be done as my will, and the follow up sequence such as the division of budget, will also be fait accompli." as my decree comes down unchallenged, the Count looks crestfallen knowing his fate is sealed tight. But, as always, I've employed stick and carrot tactics; its efficiency was undeniable although they knew the tricks behind it.
"However, after consideration, the partition won't be effective immediately, but gradually. In exchange, Count, I'd have you take additional tasks outside the usual. And, in the transitional period, you will be focusing on the diplomatic side of work rather than covert operation. Such work would be headed by another individual of your choosing until the transition period ends, but in case of incompetence, you'll also get the brunt, understand?"
A leader capable of compromising. No subordinate would reject such leader. In fact, this exact quality of mine, courtesy to my modern upbringing, was the vocal fuse of their unusual political savagery—tearing each other with words just so they could have a chance of having their verdict upturned and reimagined.
Or, leveraging on the principle of lesser evil, hoping I won't be too harsh on them when it's their turn. It was hella amusing, to say the least. Their antics were as intriguing as dogs barking without biting.
"Still, I'd very much respect your opinion as the minister; had you wished the partition to be done ASAP, I would have done it exactly as you wish."
"Ah, no—of course Your Majesty's decision is wise with no flaws whatsoever. I'll gracefully accept Your kindness."
Letting him hold the reins for a little bit longer but with lesser control is the most I could do in this situation. Compromising his yesterday's dark intention felt greasy in my mouth, but what choice do I have? I need them to properly run. At least the groundwork for the partition has already been done and laid down properly.
Honestly, I'd like to pose more shackles to this one. Make it more foolproof so I won't need to helpessly burdened in the future, worse case scenario. But alas. I had to be content with this resolution and adjust it in later days.
What a hassle…
"Next is…"
Hmmm. This one is tricky.
"...it's the Treasury, Your Majesty."
Mistaking my brief silence as an instant term memory loss, the ever loyal Chancellor low voice, almost whisper, audibly notify the next ministry for reorganization. But as I've said before, that's not why I was silent.
Given the vital instrument of economy, although I've already laid out plans and much on paper, the nature of this ministry which is entirely built to deal with it, forced me to second, or even third rethink my own plans.
There's a lot of reasons, but the most critical is that one wrong move could create a domino effect which may or may not persist until I've resigned. For better or worse.
The problem was, I'm still a bit lost at whether my decision, my plan which I concoct by enduring a lot of sleepless nights would bring better results or the opposite. Even after securing a deal under the table with the duke over this matter which he promised to support entirely, I couldn't easily decide.
For the record, in dealing with the Ministry of Treasury which holds all this country's economic authority safe for the royal family's natural apex hierarchy, I wasn't planning to derail from the established plans like I did to other ministries. Not even a chance to employ stick and carrot.
"Your Majesty?" once again, seeing me kept sealing my mouth in that instant I thought of the possible plothole in my plans, the Chancellor's steady but weary voice registered in my ears, calling me back to reality.
"Paid no mind." I waived my hand, indicating this matter shouldn't be pursued. Then issued a new command. "Open the pages 24."
For this ministry alone, I actually thought about it a lot.
My plan unfurled around two main questions. One; how much should I touch, and two; how much should I change.
Of course, not even I could plug all the possible holes of these two questions, which is as broad as the entire concept of economy itself. But, from the start, I've already known my own limit. Trying to resolve it all in one go would be greedy. I know I've said I don't want another reorganization in the future, but conversely, trying to tie all loose ends in this one instance would be arrogance.
Smart as I am, the consequence of mishandling it all just for hasty judgement would be dire, enough to drive a modern person like me to a corner.
And so, I narrowed it down.
To resolve the most pressing matters first, then less pressing ones later.
And like a natural occurence, in any state economic, the most pressing matter is definitely—
"We'll discuss the matter of taxes."
Tax.
