Water Magician

Chapter 446: Those Who Handle Numbers

Editor: Tseirp

While a fierce battle was unfolding between a swordsman and a magician at ‘Sogyokutei’, an equally intense conflict was taking place in the grand conference room of the Manyamya government office.

“We have reported to the capital and are awaiting a response. Please wait a little longer at the inn.”

“I understand it takes time to decide on our treatment. However, we are not criminals. What do you mean by not leaving the inn!”

“Given the current situation. We ask for your cooperation to ensure your safety.”

“I cannot accept that!”

Administrative Chief Remengesas bowed his head as he explained. An elderly gentleman fumed with anger.

“Ronk, that’s enough.

“But, Princess…”

“The people of Manyamya are doing their best. Chief Remengesas, Ronk is acting out of concern for me. Please don’t take offense.”

“No, your words are too kind…”

The elderly gentleman called Ronk was pacified by Princess Iliaja, the sixth princess, while Chief Remengesas bowed his head.

Two days had passed since the royal ship of the Suje Kingdom had fallen into the city of Manyamya.

During that time, there had only been a message from the capital of the Komakyuta Principality, instructing them to ‘entertain them until a decision is made’.

Chief Remengesas really wanted them to hurry up with the process.

Logically, there should be no other option but to ‘transfer them to the capital’.

Is the delay due to the request to ‘send a ship that can carry the hundred asylum seekers’?

It’s possible.

However, that request had to be made. Because the Manyamya government did not have a ship of that size.

Even so, the response is slow…

They have a hundred asylum seekers.

Moreover, they likely include the sole surviving member of the old royal family, the princess…

The longer it takes, the more unpredictable the situation around the princess becomes.

First Sea Lord Kabui Somal, who led the rebellion, is known as a shrewd individual by neighboring countries.

Because of this, he should understand the need and method to address the situation before problems arise…

It wouldn’t be surprising if he decided that it was best to dispose of the surviving member of the old royal family as quickly as possible and acted on it.

Kabui Somal is shrewd and never lenient.

It’s his ruthless decisions that make him sharp.

Hence, Chief Remengesas thought.

“I want the asylum seekers to leave the city as soon as possible.”

However, no mistakes must occur while they are in the city.

If by any chance an assassination or abduction happens while they are here… it would undoubtedly be his responsibility.

Therefore, the area around the ‘Lovely Fountain Inn’ was fortified with a guard of three hundred.

This was almost the entire reserve force of the city.

Having finished the meeting with the princess and others, Chief Remengesas returned to his office.

Waiting for him was an instruction from the capital.

He read it immediately.

“What in the world… are the people in the capital thinking…”

The words squeezed out in a very low, low, truly low voice.

Chief aide Nij, listening beside him, also shrank his neck involuntarily.

However, he remained silent.

He understood Remengesas’s feelings.

And sometimes he wondered.

Why are the instructions or decisions from the capital often so disconnected from the actual situation?

He himself would probably be serving as a government official in the capital in ten years, working on a national level.

In other words, the ones issuing these instructions now were Nij’s seniors and were supposed to be competent individuals.

Yet, why…

However, Nij shook his head slightly to dispel the unnecessary thoughts.

Now, he had to focus on the problem at hand.

“Transfer the asylum seekers to the capital… the method is left to us…”

“Yes…”

Chief Remengesas read the instructions from the capital once more. Slowly, slowly.

Nij, understanding Remengesas’s feelings, nodded with a grimace.

“You told them… there is no ship in Manyamya that can carry a hundred people… including the princess, right…?”

“Yes. I confirmed that part, but they insisted that we handle it.”

Chief Remengesas asked bitterly, and Nij answered in a sinking voice.

“Do they expect us to split them into groups and send them on different ships? There’s no way they would accept that… they are people who fled the rebellion. If you tell them to board different ships away from the princess, we’ll be overpowered. Half of the hundred are military personnel, including the princess’s guards. They threw everything away for her asylum. Those people won’t get on separate ships. The people in the capital only see numbers, so they make such decisions. They should come to the field.”

“Exactly…”

Remengesas’s voice was calm due to his extreme anger.

Nij nodded vigorously at the part about only seeing numbers.

One must not forget that behind numbers, there is always the reality of the situation.

And that people have feelings.

Because human feelings do not appear in numbers, those who handle numbers must be able to imagine reality from them.

Bureaucrats and executives are the ones who need this ability the most… but how many of them are truly aware of this…?

They used to be able to do it.

Even if not perfectly, they made an effort to understand.

But at some point, they lost that ability.

Losing the ability to do what they once could… is it due to aging?

No, it is mere laziness.

It’s a consequence of failing to continually be conscious and make an effort.

“To accommodate a hundred asylum seekers… in addition to a crew. Moreover, to restrain them and, if necessary, to protect them, marines must also be on board. Even if we accommodate the same number, that’s two hundred. Two hundred people apart from the crew. Such a ship… does not exist in the government. Handle it on-site? Some things can be done and some things can’t… why don’t they understand this? And despite being explicitly told, they refuse to understand…”

Chief Remengesas’s words were filled with anguish, and Chief aide Nij nodded at every point.

The next day.

As expected, the persuasion by Chief Remengesas and Chief aide Nij failed.

Steward Ronk of Princess Iliaja, the sixth princess, steadfastly refused to agree to travel on separate ships.

It wasn’t just him; it was everyone, including Princess Iliaja and the royal guards standing behind Ronk, who listened in silence…

Both Remengesas and Nij could deeply understand their feelings.

However, the reality was that there was no ship available.

The meeting adjourned without any decisions.

“Chief, after all, the only option is…”

“…Nij, don’t say it so easily.”

Nij spoke, and Remengesas responded with a look of anguish.

Of course, Remengesas understood that Nij wasn’t speaking lightly.

Nij was urging a decision fully aware of the problems that the solution might cause.

But this was solely as the chief aide to the government.

Nij was not someone born and raised in Manyamya, with children living in the city…

The measure they might have to take could, in an exaggerated sense, cause trouble for generations to come.

Such a measure.

“Is it still unavoidable…?”

After shaking his head several times, Remengesas finally made up his mind.

“Nij, contact the Sogyoku* Trading Company.” (TLN: Blue Jade; as in Sapphire)

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