Chapter 45 -----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: How to Survive as the Second Son of a Magical Noble Family
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17.75 million fel.
They'd already calculated my compensation in the meantime.
The weekly purification fee from the four countries, including Bayern, came to 3.55 million fel—355 million won.
Looking at the numbers, it seemed like they'd multiplied by five weeks.
'It's paid weekly, but they went out of their way to multiply by five weeks.'
Their intentions were plain as day.
"...Ha."
Narke let out a hollow laugh and shook his head.
A student who hadn't grasped the situation yet glanced around at the others.
"What's that about? Is it saying he's gonna blow all that money on cheating?"
"Looks like it? It's wild they went with that headline...."
The contents were obvious without reading them.
Just a lump of ridiculous fabrications.
Anyway....
I glanced at the magazine cover the student was holding and tossed out a comment.
"Looks like you guys need the money bad."
"Right? How much are they trying to milk this? It's just ridiculous now."
Another student replied without much thought.
I checked my watch and smiled.
"Well, looks like our time's up for today."
"What about Dasrote? You said you needed it. I can lend it to you."
"I'm good now. Let's wrap up here and call it."
* * *
Capital, Dasrote headquarters.
"You're saying cancel the title now and push it to tomorrow morning?"
The deputy editor stared at the person standing before him in disbelief.
"Yes."
"Why? If we don't ride this wave now, we'll get buried in no time. You know that...."
"After the reports on the additional three countries' purifications, we haven't done any proper investigation on Sir Nikolaus, Deputy Editor."
The deputy editor set down his pen, removed his glasses, and burst into laughter.
"Come on, since when did we stake our lives on investigations? It's fine—just run it. We have to hit this week's targets."
"I agree that's not the issue, but... the Bayern royal family has set up a press conference regarding Sir Nikolaus's purification work."
"A press conference?"
"Yes. They said they've already contacted the political desk at the Bayern Kingdom News since last night."
At that, the deputy editor stroked his chin.
"Planned since yesterday... Yesterday was the day we ran Nikolaus on the front page, right? Probably a combo explanation. Just push forward."
"Yes, sir. But there's a risky part, so I came to tell you in person. The fact that you didn't cancel even after seeing the new title makes me think you have something up your sleeve. Word is they've already called two emergency meetings at the Bayern royal family today—could be related...."
The deputy editor laughed incredulously and shook his head.
"You came all the way here just to say that? This isn't our first rodeo—why get cold feet now? The editor-in-chief picked this story himself, so just do it."
"..."
When the man hesitated without a clear answer, the deputy editor's face hardened.
"When the tide's coming in, you row with it. You gonna bail just because of a royal meeting or two and a press conference? How do you expect to get anything done here? This isn't the Imperial News."
"Excuse me? No...."
"Instead of sitting here with your ass glued to a chair pretending you just found out, you should be out there squeezing in extra questions. This is when you push for a front-page change? Did you even send proper reporters? Do I have to spell everything out?"
"No, sir. My apologies. Then I'll head back and...."
The deputy editor eyed him with clear displeasure, then softened his tone somewhat.
"Hold on."
"Yes?"
"Not trying to chew you out—I'm just saying it's a shame. We all know how it'll play out. You know what his ace in the hole is? He'll be sitting there at that conference, questions incoming for sure—that's why no cancellation."
"I... wouldn't know."
"'I would never spend money like that—I'll definitely give back to society.' That's what he'll say. Even a late explanation like that, and they think it'll polish their image."
"..."
"Every last one of 'em! That's how it goes. But that'll just dig their own grave. Makes people wonder why they're explaining it from that seat. Keeps the buzz going, sales up. Right? What if our speculation's off? What then—people'll think that, so just sidestep the money talk. Switch back to the affair as the main hook."
"Yes, got it. We'll do that."
Realizing words weren't getting through, the man nodded quickly to wrap it up.
The deputy editor smiled gently again, offering encouragement.
"Just give it your all in the moment. No need to overthink till the last second. What do you think our readers are gonna be thinking while reading this?"
"..."
"Nothing. Just keep feeding them one hot issue a day to stick in their heads—that's our job done. So hit today's target, yeah? Watching the numbers climb makes it easy. Right? And the front-page stuff's all approved by the editor-in-chief, so don't even think about touching it."
"Yes. Understood."
"Good. Now go."
The deputy editor watched him leave, lost in thought.
Then he called his secretary to fetch that day's Bayern Kingdom News.
* * *
Lucas René Ascanien
Impression: -9.9 [+5.0002513]
It was 2829 two hours ago, so only 300 shaved off in that time.
Compared to the 30 that dropped just from blinking during the day, it was a pretty gentle decline.
Once again, I stood at Bayern's press conference hall.
I gazed at the now-familiar conference room and broadcast cameras, preparing my statement.
For a moment, I wondered if it might be better to send a proxy instead.
With my face and body not showing properly, it could actually be a minus for conveying a human touch.
But given the sensitivity of the issue, dodging a hot topic like this could invite attacks of evasion, so I decided to sit there myself for this one.
The broadcast start signal came, and unlike last time, I placed both hands on the conference table and gave a brief greeting.
No need to drag it out—I dove straight into the main point.
"As reported today at 6 PM in the Imperial News and the papers across the kingdoms, I have accepted purification requests from the Kingdom of Württemberg, Hesse, and the Grand Duchy of Baden."
Questions flew the moment I finished.
"I have a question! Hesse previously offered double the fee—did the actual contract reflect that?"
"I understand there were more requests. Any reason you chose those three, including Württemberg?"
I gave short answers and waited for the next.
At least from the start, Dasrote's controversy hadn't come up as a question.
After fielding three or four more briefly, the controversy finally surfaced.
"I have a question. At 8 PM, Dasrote used the phrase 'purification for affair funds' regarding Sir Nikolaus Ernst's decision. Your thoughts?"
It was a reporter from a reputable paper that had fiercely criticized Dasrote before.
This question wasn't to help Dasrote—it was to bash them.
Dasrote's Bayern branch reporters were here too, but they hadn't raised their hands yet.
No idea why they were so laid-back... but now was my chance.
"I disagree. It's baffling—they're presenting baseless imagination as fact. Contrary to Dasrote's claims, I've never had any improper relations with anyone. We'll handle this through proper legal channels."
Talk like this couldn't prove my innocence no matter what, so best to mention it lightly and move on.
Now Dasrote reporters finally raised their hands. I waved them off and spoke.
"Since it came up, let me state the facts on Dasrote's latest claim."
A few reporters muttered spells and raised their cameras.
The Bayern Kingdom News was handling the broadcast, but they seemed intent on recording this themselves.
"This morning, I donated the full three months' service fee from the four countries, including Bayern. I hadn't planned to disclose it, but I don't want my intentions twisted by these insulting claims, so here it is."
The reporters' eyes changed in an instant.
Shouts of questions erupted from all sides.
"This morning? That's contrary to Dasrote's claim—what do you say to that?"
"Where did you donate...?"
"Exact time? Which organization?"
When I didn't answer, one of Leo's attached aides held back the reporters.
"Question time will be separate. Please wait until he's finished."
"From Bayern, 10.2 million fel for 12 weeks' service; from Württemberg, Hesse, and Baden, 12 million, 14.4 million, and 6 million fel respectively. The full amounts have been donated to each kingdom's contamination relief centers and Pleroma task forces. See the attached materials in the Bayern Kingdom News for details."
The sound of pens scratching paper rapidly followed.
Dasrote saw my purification report at 6 PM and only changed their title at 8.
Too late.
I'd donated every fel of the compensation 12 hours earlier.
And right about now, contact should be coming.
* * *
"So that's it...."
The deputy editor at Dasrote, watching the broadcast, tossed the Bayern Kingdom News aside and frowned.
Explanations after the fact meant nothing.
Scrambling with a "this is what I'll do from now on" only after the controversy? You couldn't build much trust on that.
Might work for someone with a longstanding good-guy image, but for someone like Nikolaus with no data—just recently in the public eye—it was even worse.
'I thought so, but....'
If he'd acted the opposite of our allegations from the start, if we'd been barking up the wrong tree from square one, that changed everything.
Had to pivot the topic before sinking deeper.
No choice.
If this dragged on as a losing battle for Dasrote, we might lose the Nikolaus story entirely.
He tapped the table with his fingers, then called his secretary.
"It's 10 PM now. Change the title and upload—reconnect the mana."
"Deputy Editor, we've already used up today's quota with the one change."
"Sheesh...."
The deputy editor crossed his arms, leaning back deeply in his chair with furrowed brows.
The day's reports hadn't gotten the expected buzz anyway—maybe better to freshen it up tomorrow morning.
The topic could be recycled for days.
It was late; uploading in the morning wouldn't lag much....
As the deputy editor mulled it over, the secretary spoke again.
"To shift tomorrow's mana over, we'd need the editor-in-chief's approval. He's at home, but I can go now."
"No, no. Forget it."
"You're leaving today's as is?"
"Yeah. We'll go up at dawn tomorrow. It's late anyway—no big results expected now, and thinking it over, we can milk this topic through the day after...."
Knock knock—
"Com—"
"Deputy Editor!"
Before he could respond, the door burst open.
"The Imperial Investigation Bureau.... No, the building.... Bayern.... No...."
"Speak clearly. What are you saying?"
Breathing hard, the man finally got it out.
"The Imperial... Imperial Investigation Bureau has sealed our building. The Bayern branch too."
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