Kays Translations

Chapter 45: A nobleman laughs with medicine in one hand Part 2

Lute and Liselotte. The two heads of the Duke of Gascoigne's domain give their opinions on the handling of the deadly drug called "Rick".

“Their knowledge is nothing but a spark. It would be less trouble to get rid of them."

Lute judged Rick to be poison and decided to dispose of him as soon as possible. He has no power other than his knowledge of another world, and his shallow behavior is completely out of proportion to the risk he is taking.

“Technology development always comes with danger. It is our responsibility to control it well.”

Liselotte considers Rick to be a drug with strong side effects, and its use should be thoroughly supervised. Despite the numerous risks, the benefits are enormous.

“Surprisingly, my husband is a cautious person.”

"Yeah. I don't want any extra trouble. You, Liselotte, are very bold and surprising."

"Oh, I'm still a bit of a tomboy, you know? After all, I've been trained by Mrs. Heisenberg."

Low risk, low return. High risk high return. I can't say which one is right and which one is wrong.

"There's no need to go out of your way to take a risky bet. The empire is already renowned as a technological superpower, and with two demi-gods in its ranks, it is already rock solid."

"Then we should aim even higher.  because enriching the nation is the eternal proposition of us rulers."

Conservation and Reform. cautious and extreme. This is the difference between such doctrines.

"You don't know the horrors of advanced technology. You don't know what can happen if you put an extra hand in the development of a civilization. Civilization will develop without their knowledge. So we should let nature take its course."

“That can be said for all new technologies. Making mistakes, making sacrifices, and moving on. No matter how much knowledge you have about another world, the siblings here are also people who live in this world. In that case, it is natural to make use of that knowledge.”

With a knowledgeable understanding of the awesome and terrifying nature of advanced science and technology, Lute sounds a warning against the act of tampering with the development of civilization.

Liselotte, who only knows current technology, points out that Lute's caution is "the error of those who have knowledge of another world," and goes on to say that everything is normal in the steps of those who live in this world.

“Even if that were the case, how can we let shallow fools like these people be at the forefront of development? They have neither the awareness nor the ability to match the knowledge they handle. It is obvious that they will fail badly. No matter how many failures human beings make, we should avoid the ones that can be avoided.”

“I agree with you on that, but you, my husband, have pointed that out many times before. Seeing the big picture is a very important skill in life. But it is a must for aristocrats, and it is unreasonable to expect it of commoners who are struggling to survive each day. I think it is the way of a nobleman to show tolerance and give them a second chance."

When Lute pointed out that the siblings lacked awareness, Liselotte shrugged her shoulders, thinking that commoners would be like that at first.

"Even so, it's not a good gamble. Forced development always comes to a wrinkle somewhere. And there is no upper and lower limit to the losses that can be incurred in this kind of problem. In the worst case scenario, the economic and human losses will be immeasurable.”

“It is also true that there is wealth to be gained and lives to be saved through development. We should aim for 'sure' gains rather than hesitate because of a 'maybe' big loss. I believe this will result in the happiness of many people."

Lute emphasizes risk. He believes that if there is even the slightest possibility of the worst happening, it is an unnecessary choice for an empire that is already firmly established.

Liselotte emphasizes profit. Rather than being afraid of risks whose odds are unknown, she believes that the definite benefits of development will save the whole.

"We should kill them."

"We should keep them alive"

Therefore, the two opinions clash. This is a natural consequence, as long as the viewpoints they stand on are different.

"... parallel lines huh?"

"It's parallel lines."

──But fortunately, these two weren't just idiots who would just argue their opinions.

“What is the point that you cannot give up on, my husband?”

"It's all about eliminating as much risk as possible. It comes down to that one thing."

"The only way to be sure of elimination is to eliminate the root of the problem. That makes sense. My non-negotiable point is giving up the benefits to be gained."

"Who would be stupid enough to miss the untouched great untapped potential that's right in front of us? I would agree with you if I didn't know any better."

Both sides have confirmed their non-negotiables. Then the next step is to find a compromise.

"How about this? I will keep these siblings under my control and keep them under house arrest to prevent their knowledge from leaking out as much as possible. On top of that, let's make them work hard for the development of the empire."

“……Even if I compromise, it won’t be enough. I’ll always keep an eye on these guys so that I can deal with them anytime. Liselotte’s subordinates……they are inappropriate as long as you are the one defending them. I'll use my own people. If they show any signs of escaping or attempt to contact the outside world without permission, they must be dealt with. This is a fundamental premise."

"Yes. That's reasonable, considering it's confidential."

“On top of that, there are three points. The knowledge to be released should be in accordance with the technology of the empire. Inventions should be limited to those that can be reproduced using current technology as much as possible. Knowledge and technology released by Rick must be subjected to a number of safety checks, and especially when magic is involved, experiments and checks must be conducted under my supervision.”

"... There is no problem up to the second point. No matter how groundbreaking the knowledge or technology is, it will not be of any real value unless the surrounding environment is in place. But at the end of the day, I don’t think you, my husband, would be willing to do the work.”

"I can’t help it. Science and technology and magic from another world. I can't help it as long as I don't know the synergistic effect when they are combined. I can easily interfere with physical phenomena. No matter what happens, I can minimize the damage."

Any physical phenomenon, even a nuclear explosion, can be conceptually neutralized with Lute's magic.

No matter how much energy is generated, if the concept of [Freeze] is hit, everything will become zero.

As a safety in such an experiment, there is no one more qualified than Lute.

“That's very encouraging. But then, why didn't you just put them under your control instead of going to the trouble of getting rid of them?"

"I've said it many times, but I don't think the knowledge of these guys is unnecessary. On top of that, do you think I’ll make a choice that will increase my work? I still wish you hadn't intervened."

"Of course, I am very grateful that you have made my face stand out. My husband is really kind."

“I only respected the future of our relationship and your judgment as the lord of the land. This is your land, and when you say you will take responsibility for it, I will make some compromises. But don't get me wrong. It is a mere compromise by the scruff of the neck. If I decide that it is still dangerous, then I will never stop. There will be no third time."

“ Yes. I understand. That all these results are at your mercy."

Saying that, Liselotte showed a graceful yet meaningful smile.

"... Well. Siblings over there. You've heard the conversation, haven't you?"

But in the next moment, Liselotte turned from the face of a lady to that of a lord and turned to face the siblings.

“As of this moment, both of you are under the control of me, Liselotte, head of the Duchesse de Gascoigne. No objections will be tolerated."

"... uh, does that mean our lives were saved...?"

"Yes. That’s right. Just don't get me wrong. I did ask my husband to spare your lives, but that's because I didn't want to lose the benefits you could bring. It was never out of pity."

"Yes!"

“Actually, both I and Danna-sama’s allegations are justified. So this is the brink. If you are foolish enough to make a mistake even after being warned so severely, I don't want you either. I will cut you off without mercy."

"Hya..."

Involuntarily, the siblings gasped. The power of the words, which were spoken without threat, was simply plain.

Even without the physical terror of Lute, Liselotte also radiated a demeanor befitting a higher-ranking person.

“However, at the same time, this also means that as long as you continue to show your usefulness, I will give you my utmost protection. I am willing to confront the Grand Duke Gascoigne, the demi-god, as I have done this time. I will protect you as much as I can."

"Yes...!"

A declaration of protection by Liselotte. It was very convincing because she had snatched their lives from Lute in front of their eyes.

The words of the savior who banished despair brought much light to their hearts.

"Kneel here and now and declare that you are loyal to me and to the Empire of Froysel and that you are committed to its development."

"I, I swear! Natra Ambrose pledges her absolute loyalty to Duke Gascoigne and the Empire of Froysel!"

“Oh, and likewise Rick Ambrose pledges his allegiance to Duke Gascoigne and the Empire of Froysel!”

“──Very well. I will listen to your vows. Be diligent always, and never fail to do so.”

Thus, new people will join the Duke of Gascoigne.

A boy with knowledge of another world and a girl with unparalleled metalworking skills.

“──This is a farce.”

The ice demi-god was staring at the two of them with cold eyes.

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