Altec stared at Julius with an expression of hating steel. It seemed his eyeballs could even swallow Julius whole if he didn't wipe that taunting smirk off his lips now.
"Brat."
Altec's imposing tone caused everyone to freeze.
Eh?... Wasn't the focus on them just now?
Very slowly, the group of frightened Ministers first tilted their heads up, with one closed and one eye open. They looked forward, they looked left, and looked right. Well, it seemed there truly all in the clear now.
Phew~
They breathed out a sigh of relief, but quickly felt their faces pull to the ground when thinking of their 8-month salaries that were about to be cut off.
Dammit!
What sort of unluckiness was this?
Sure, it's true that minister Clayton and a few others have always been contributing in the past. But does this mean they should be exempt from this salary streak?
They don't CARE! It was unfair to them!
What happened to Brothers in arms? What happened to: one for all, and all for one? So what if those bastards contributed severally over the years?
Shouldn't their contributions be seen as a collective contribution made for 'ALL' Ministers?
If Julius knew their thoughts, he would definitely curse out at their shameless behaviors.
It's like going to a birthday party and giving a gift to the celebrant, only for your coworkers and many others to hop in and say it's a gift from Everyone.
Who the hell is the Everyone here?
These Ministers and officials felt that Altec was being too biased in favoring Clayton's group.
Even if they sat on a mountain of gold and someone wanted to take just a single coin away, they would wage war and grumble till enough acidic bile piles up and explodes in their bellies.
Everyone grumbled and twisted, unwilling to give up 8 months worth of salaries. But what could they do?...
"Spit it out, Brat!" Altec's voice brought them back to reality. Their eyes followed Altec's, only to land on Julius's silhouette.
????
What did his Majesty mean?... What good idea could this song of bitch have? Don't think they haven't forgotten how he played them like a flute just now.
"6th Prince, this is not the place for you to play!"
"Yes, yes, yes! Your Majesty, what good ideas can a well-known Dandy like the 6th Prince have?"
Bah!!!
They would rather eat their own shit than believe any good ideas can come from this bastard!!!!
Clayton, Hoggard, Gin, and several other Ministers massaged their chins as though watching a show. Yet, there was a hint of intrigue in their eyes, wondering just what this troublemaker was up to now.
"Enough!!!" Altec's dragon voice quaked. "NONE of you are eligible to retort on this matter!"
The longer Altec spike, the more his body vibrated.
"Tell me, is it now that I've asked you all for solutions? For weeks and weeks, this matter has been seeping!"
"None of you could give any tangible solutions To solve the People's troubles… But if it comes to retorting and shoving your saliva around my Audience Room, you're all number one at that!"
Hmph!
Altec sneered, sweeping his gaze across the masses till he once again paused on Julius's relaxed silhouette. "And you… don't make father repeat himself. If you have anything good to say, then bloody well say it already!"
So annoying. Where does this brat get his annoying nature from?
'—' [Hidden Guards, Steward Hayden.]
Your Majesty, why don't you look in the mirror to find your answer?
"Father," Julius wore an innocent expression, not phased by Altec's outburst. "I do have a solution, one that I guarantee will solve the matter of the Displaced, permanently… But…"
He paused, traveling a sardonic smile that sent ripples down the spines of many. "As they say, Nothing in life is free…. A small fee will of course be needed to get the job done."
A fee? Altec frowned. They don't have much money to spare.
"Well, saying it's a few, is a bit of a stretch." Julius continued. "Father, let me break down my thoughts further, not because of you… because I know that if I don't, some ignorant buffoons won't be able to keep up if I don't."
'—' [Minister Walfen, Minister Bhu, the other opposing Ministers.]
This little Imp is talking about them right?
A dark light flickered in Walden's pupils, too fast for anyone to catch. No one knew what thoughts he was brooding, as Julius began his Baby Explanation as he called it.
"Father, there are two major concerns surrounding the Displaced."
"First, they need the primary basics of life: food, shelter, and clothing."
This fact was evident.
Sure, they could appease these Displayed by giving them food for a few days. But according to the report, hundreds and thousands of more people were expected to arrive during the course of the next few weeks.
Obviously, the relief they would have Anne's out would definitely not be enough to feed these people for a long period of time.
Do you think it's that simple to settle down so many Refugees at once?
Some have come with grave injuries, and others were as skinny as twigs... Some even fainted the moment they reached the Promised land.
These were dark times when disease and dirt filled the streets and atmosphere, stumping human healing when injured or ill. Feeding these people and getting them up to tip-top shape might take a while.
At most half of the refugee group should be able to kick up on their feet in a short time. But the half will lag… meaning they had to be responsible for this group. And with how tight the money in the national treasurer was, it was hard to say how long they could go on before they eventually ran out.
Even if they cut the salaries of many, it could take months for things to get back on track.
Speaking of the Recovered Refugees… after they assist them recover, do you think they can send these people off just like that?
In one corner, they say Etratis had received its greatest Flood attack ever.
Do you know how long it takes for a flood to recede?
Sometimes it takes weeks and even months. That means they can't send those from Flood stricken places back… at least until they get reports of the Floods recession.
As for the other areas with heavy drought… unless rain decides to fall, sending these people there is like sending them to the desert to die. So in addition to food, they must provide temporary housing for these Refugees.
Luckily it was Summer now, and the sun was high up, meaning they could provide a few tents for now. But what happens when winter or Fall comes and these Refugees haven't left yet?