"You're going to accept all his demands? What do you mean?"
"The lawsuit won't even be valid on procedural grounds. It will be dismissed outright, so there's no need to take it seriously."
The other man let out a breath of relief.
"Is that so? But why..."
"Allowing the trial within seven days and broadcasting it nationwide means the public can voice their opinions before the issue dies down."
"That's precisely why we shouldn't give him the chance to speak."
The man tapped the table impatiently with his fingers.
"I understand, but it's not only him who will be speaking."
"Excuse me?"
"We can use this platform too."
The man stopped and looked at the Prime Minister with a dawning realization.
"We need to express our stance to ensure the public doesn't turn their anger toward the imperial family. And Elias is the perfect opponent. He'll rant without logical arguments, just venting his rage. Why refuse?"
"...I see. He's certainly a good opponent to showcase in front of the public. But didn't you say the lawsuit doesn't meet the necessary criteria?"
"Yes. The lawsuit will follow the proper procedures and be dismissed."
The Prime Minister glanced at the newspaper on the table.
[Elias Hohenzollern Sues Imperial Security Bureau: Why?]
"Even the mere fact that a lawsuit has been filed raises suspicion that the government has done something wrong."
"...Yes."
"If we dismiss the case too quickly, it could worsen public opinion. The public, in their emotional state, will be angry about the case being dismissed, regardless of the reasons. The process will take about six months, but if the issue is bigger than expected, six months won't be enough to resolve it. So, I still think we should take control of the narrative now."
The Prime Minister folded two fingers as he continued.
"Let's not have a trial but an emergency meeting of the Federal Council."
***
Four days after the lawsuit, we gathered in the waiting room of the Federal Council building.
"It's amazing how everything is happening exactly as you predicted, Lucas," Elias said, laughing as he put on his suit jacket.
Leo frowned at the sight.
"Do you know your jacket's shoulders don't match the seams on your shirt and vest?"
"Really? It looks fine to me."
"Doesn't it feel uncomfortable?"
"No. Help me out."
"...Sigh..."
Leo let out a deep sigh.
Since Elias arrived, Leo seemed twice as exhausted.
Regardless, we had anticipated this move.
Both conditions we set were clear signals that we wanted to speak to the entire nation.
Neither condition had any precedent.
Demanding such things at a trial in this timing couldn't be taken as a genuine desire for a trial.
"If they took it at face value, they shouldn't be in politics."
Of course, they could have just waited for the case to be dismissed.
This part was a bit of a gamble, but there was a reason we could be confident they would contact Elias.
To the Empire's nobility, Elias is a hotheaded troublemaker acting on emotion.
Such a person demanding to speak to the entire Empire out of a sense of justice?
"An easy target."
By granting Elias's absurd demands, the Prime Minister likely thought he could easily suppress him using political and economic logic.
Proof of that is right here.
[Federal Council-Elias Hohenzollern Public Talk D-4]
[Federal Council-Elias Hohenzollern Public Talk D-1]
[First Civilian Participant in Federal Council Meeting]
[Christian Schlieffen, Deputy Chairman of the Federal Council, "Please Tune In for the Live Broadcast"]
[First Informant Nicholas, Acting as Advisor to Elias Hohenzollern]
These headlines have dominated the front page of the Empire Times for the past four days.
The Federal Council has not only failed to stop this but has also heavily promoted it.
If they had handled it perfunctorily, there wouldn't have been a single line of news.
Given the growing insect issue, the government would eventually have to act, but starting by publicly humiliating an opposition figure like Elias would be better for their image.
After a struggle with his jacket, Elias finally sat down on the waiting room sofa.
He looked at me intently, about to burst into laughter.
"Whatever you're planning to say, use a privacy spell."
At Leo's suggestion, Elias snapped his fingers, casting a spell.
"Good? I still can't believe you're that Nicholas."
"Yes."
I nodded without enthusiasm.
The students in the group knew we used Nicholas's name for the contaminated insect announcement but didn't know it was me.
However, I told Elias before filing the lawsuit.
After answering "Are you really Nicholas?" about fifty times, Leo finally showed him the black mask to convince him.
"It was tough."
On the plus side, Elias's favorability towards me increased significantly.
His favorability was 2.5 before I told him the truth.
Now it's 4.5. Just revealing I was Nicholas raised it by 2 points.
Elias seems to have a high opinion of Nicholas.
Elias smiled and pointed at my face.
"Take off the mask again. You look like a completely different person with your eyebrows and eye color changed."
"...No. Is there any need for that here?"
I didn't need to take off the mask even inside the Council.
We got the Bavarian royal family's help for that. It might not have been approved otherwise, but their guarantee smoothed things over.
Though it might seem odd to some people... it's a small price to pay.
I also used a suitable spell to slightly change my voice. While it didn't sound strange, people who knew me wouldn't recognize it.
At that moment, the waiting room door opened.
"Get ready. The broadcast starts in 30 minutes."
"Yes, sir~"
"Keep your answers brief."
"Yes."
"Not to me, to them!"
Leo sighed and rubbed his temples.
"I'm not sure if I should leave this to you…"
"Why not? Lucas trusts me completely. You should try trusting me too."
Leo gave me a stern look and then nodded.
"...Fine. You've convinced him somehow. But why?"
"Because I'm going to win."
At my simple answer, Elias tapped the end of his crutch on the floor, as if clapping.
"That's the kind of answer I like to hear."
"...Alright. It's happening anyway, so please, don't do anything stupid."
"I won't. I'm just going to persuade them."
"Physically?"
"No, I have other methods. I'm not going to hit anyone or use magic. Don't worry."
"What other methods?!"
"Calm down, Leo. Anyway, I'm the only one here who can speak freely. If there's only one path, might as well enjoy it."
It's true.
Elias is the best person for this job.
If Leo or I were to take the lead, it might work, but it wouldn't be the best choice.
Even if the actions are the same, the evaluation differs depending on who does it.
Unlike the protagonist, who has been a troublemaker but has always lived like a loafer, Leo and Nicholas have much more to lose with even a single careless word.
Elias's track record of causing trouble and his carefree image allow for a wider range of acceptable actions.
The image of being 'a troublemaker by nature' is incredibly powerful, especially in politics where every word is scrutinized.
'Still, we have to be prepared for the risks.'
In the novel, Elias often got into legal trouble because he didn't always stop at words.
While he's still a minor and won't face severe punishment, I have to be prepared for the possibility that I might get dragged into trouble as well.
Since I've decided to join Elias in this story, I must be ready for these eventualities.
Others would naturally avoid this, but knowing who will hold power in this country ten years from now, I can bear it. It's not the time to be picky if we want to maintain the best conditions.
'Of course... I don't know if I'll still be in this crazy world by the time Elias becomes Emperor.'
But if necessary, I can expedite his ascent to the throne. This whole situation is already accelerating the attention Elias receives by about six months.
I checked my watch and leaned towards the table.
"Let's go over this one more time. Today, it's not me, but you, Eli, who will be talking to the lawmakers."
"Great, I love a good argument."
"You just love fighting, don't you?" Leo muttered.
"I'll speak when necessary, but I'm here as an advisor, not leading the dialogue. More importantly..."
"You'll be looking for the traitor. Right?"
"Yes."
I'll be present to find those connected to Pleroma. We need to weed out any threats from the start.
It would have been nice to use Narce's insight ability, but he has no reason to be here.
No matter. I can handle it.
"I'll leave most of the conversation to you. But I'll have to speak a few times to identify the traitor."
"Fine, no problem. You have a way to find them?"
I nodded slightly.
I don't have insight abilities, but the method is simple.
I'll use the favorability scores of those who actively supported the barrier installations earlier this year.
***
"Let's begin this emergency Federal Council meeting to discuss the Pleroma insect contamination issue. We've invited Duke Elias Hohenzollern and Sir Nicholas Ernst for this discussion."
The Deputy Chairman of the Federal Council stood in the center of the spacious hall, announcing the start of the meeting.
Elias stood up with his crutch and confidently smiled.
"Good day, I'm Elias Hohenzollern."
As his introduction ended and the applause died down, I began my introduction.
"Greetings to everyone present, and to all the citizens of the Empire. I am Nicholas Ernst."
Since using my real surname made Leo too conspicuous, we registered a new surname for me.
It doesn't roll off the tongue yet, but it sounds more natural.
Another round of applause followed.
Elias smiled at me and then turned to address the room.
"I'm genuinely pleased to be here today with the magical officers of the Security Bureau and the members of the Senate. Although he's not present, I'd like to extend my sincere thanks to Prime Minister Alexander for the invitation."
Surprisingly, he spoke properly.
Though I've seen the protagonist's serious side in the novel, witnessing it in person is still surprising.
Anyway, it's time to start.
I glanced around the room.
White text flickered around the people who met my gaze.
[Favorability +1]
[Favorability +1]
[Favorability +3]
[Favorability +2]
[Favorability 0]
It's my first time seeing so many people's favorability at once, and it feels awkward.
But none of them have asterisks.
This means my favorability trait isn't affecting any of them.
According to my research, those in the front rows are mainly pro-barrier and neutral.
Those in the back rows are primarily anti-barrier.
Naturally, the favorability is much lower among the anti-barrier group.
But there's no one with an exceptionally low favorability within their respective groups.
So now, I need to focus on those who show significant changes in favorability.
***
"From now on, the Federal Council emergency meeting will begin. To discuss the Pleroma insect contamination issue, we have invited Duke Elias Hohenzollern and Sir Nicholas Ernst."
The Deputy Chairman of the Federal Council stood in the spacious meeting hall, announcing the start of the meeting.
Elias, with his crutch, stood up and confidently smiled.
"Good day, I am Elias Hohenzollern."
As his introduction ended and the applause subsided, I began my introduction.
"Greetings to everyone present, and to all the citizens of the Empire. I am Nicholas Ernst."
Using my real surname made Leo too conspicuous, so we registered a new surname for me.
It doesn't roll off the tongue yet, but it sounds more natural.
Another round of applause followed.
Elias smiled at me and then turned to address the room.
"I'm genuinely pleased to be here today with the magical officers of the Security Bureau and the members of the Senate. Although he's not present, I'd like to extend my sincere thanks to Prime Minister Alexander for the invitation."
Surprisingly, he spoke properly.
Though I've seen the protagonist's serious side in the novel, witnessing it in person is still surprising.
Anyway, it's time to start.
I glanced around the room.
White text flickered around the people who met my gaze.
[Favorability +1]
[Favorability +1]
[Favorability +3]
[Favorability +2]
[Favorability 0]
It's my first time seeing so many people's favorability at once, and it feels awkward.
But none of them have asterisks.
This means my favorability trait isn't affecting any of them.
According to my research, those in the front rows are mainly pro-barrier and neutral.
Those in the back rows are primarily anti-barrier.
Naturally, the favorability is much lower among the anti-barrier group.
But there's no one with an exceptionally low favorability within their respective groups.
So now, I need to focus on those who show significant changes in favorability.