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ArabicArknights: Prime Minister of Kjerag — Chapter 10
Chapter 10: Saving Money Isn’t Shameful
Luther Magnus, recognized as one of Columbia’s top ten outstanding entrepreneurs of the year, had inherited the heavy mantle of Magnus Bank President from his father at the age of forty-three. He was a man of aggressive ambition, vigorously promoting lucrative partnerships between his bank and the Columbian military. By pouring investments into the construction of numerous industrial zones, he had propelled Magnus Bank to the very forefront of the Special Region’s financial sector in just three short years. He ultimately crushed Will Smith International Bank, claiming the throne as the most profitable banking enterprise of the year. The press had lavishly crowned him the New Star of Columbia’s Banking Industry and the Morning Star of Youth.
Setting aside the glowing descriptions of Luther’s past from Enciodes’s briefing letters, the man standing before Ernst at this very moment looked remarkably underwhelming.
He sported the characteristic beer belly of a middle-aged Feline, a monocle perched on his right eye that seemed more decorative than functional, and a thin black suit that offered absolutely no protection against the freezing climate. Together, these elements formed Ernst’s rather blunt first impression.
He seemed like a man who cared far too much about appearances to dress for the weather.
“Prime Minister, isn’t Mr. Magnus cold? He looks like he’s shivering.”
Aurora stood dutifully behind Ernst, her voice dropping to a soft whisper. Her hands were neatly clasped over her abdomen, her back perfectly straight, projecting an aura of absolute dignity. Clearly, her time studying abroad in Columbia had polished her manners, proving she was not quite as impolite as Ernst had initially feared.
‘Then why are you always so boisterous in the office, constantly bumping into me or pressing against my back?’ Ernst thought to himself.
He strongly suspected the young woman was doing it on purpose, but he lacked the evidence to prove it. He settled for shooting her a mild, warning glance, silently signaling her to keep her observations to herself.
Luther clearly caught the subtle exchange of glances between Aurora and Ernst. A strained smile stretched across his face, his cheeks flushed a deep, biting red from the freezing winds. He actively quickened his pace, brushing past his guide, Enciodes, to firmly grasp Ernst’s hand.
“You must be Kjerag’s new Prime Minister, Mr. Ernst SilverAsh. So young, yet so incredibly accomplished!”
Ernst’s deeply ingrained instincts from his past life as a civil servant instantly activated. He smoothly transitioned into a flawless, professional smile, returning the handshake with equal vigor.
“You flatter me. It is entirely thanks to the favor and trust of the Kjerag people that I sit in this position. However, Mr. Magnus, you are truly a man of strong constitution and broad horizons. I was initially worried that Enciodes might have forgotten to warn you about our local weather, but seeing you now, it is obvious that even Kjerag’s biting cold winds are nothing to a man of your caliber!”
As he delivered the praise, Ernst deliberately squeezed Luther’s hand a few extra times, his eyes shining with genuine, unadulterated admiration.
The enthusiastic reception left Luther momentarily speechless.
He had just praised Ernst, originally intending to butter the young man up and establish a friendly rapport to make their upcoming financial negotiations much smoother. But after this brief exchange, Ernst hadn’t just deflected the flattery—he had hoisted Luther onto an impossibly high pedestal.
Now the situation was incredibly awkward. Luther had fully intended to subtly complain that Enciodes hadn’t prepared proper winter coats for his delegation, but Ernst had completely blocked that avenue of conversation.
When the Prime Minister himself has just publicly praised your fearless resilience against the wind and snow, you can hardly admit that your teeth are chattering, can you? That would be a humiliating loss of face.
‘This kid looks young, but he’s a tough one,’ Luther thought, gritting his teeth behind his smile.
Just as the banker opened his mouth to regain control of the conversation, Ernst smoothly preempted him once again.
“It is truly an immense honor to have Mr. Magnus personally travel all the way to Kjerag for this on-site survey. I will not waste another second of your precious time with idle pleasantries. The government has already prepared a welcoming luncheon for your delegation. Please grace us with your presence. How about we eat and discuss business at the same time?”
The words Luther had prepared were forced back down his throat. He looked at the smiling young man in genuine surprise before giving a stiff nod.
“Then we will gladly follow Prime Minister Ernst’s arrangements.”
Ernst smiled and nodded graciously. He then turned his head slightly toward Aurora, lowering his voice to a faint murmur.
“Take them to the Turicum Hotel. Order a table of Siracusan specialty dishes.”
Before Aurora could even turn to leave, Ernst suddenly reached out, catching her hand to pull her a fraction closer. His voice dropped to an even more urgent, hushed tone.
“Pick the cheap ones. We don’t have the budget for this.”
Aurora blinked, her expression caught between confusion and professional duty. “But…”
Ernst cut her off with absolute finality. “No buts, go!”
Left with no other choice, Aurora cast a fleeting look of deep pity toward the shivering Magnus delegation. “Everyone, please follow me.”
The moment the Columbian bankers were led away, Ernst dropped his professional facade. He leaned over toward Enciodes, his brow furrowing with clear dissatisfaction.
“Why didn’t you tell them to put on more clothes?”
Enciodes merely cast a sidelong glance at Ernst. A faint, knowing smile played on his lips, an expression that communicated volumes without a single spoken word.
It was blatantly obvious. This was a petty, calculated act of revenge, a quiet retaliation for Ernst causing trouble for Karlan Trade the very moment he assumed office.
Letting Luther and his delegation freeze in the snow would naturally sour their first impression of Ernst and the Kjerag government, but it was entirely harmless to the grand scheme of things.
“Do you know this matter is incredibly important to me?” Ernst asked, his frown deepening.
Enciodes gave a slow, elegant nod. “I know. But this is your career, not mine.”
Even if Ernst failed to secure a single loan, completely abandoned his duties to the government, and simply sat in the Prime Minister’s chair as a useless puppet for the next few years, Enciodes would not care in the slightest. His own careful plans for a coup d’etat would proceed without a hitch.
If anything, Ernst’s sudden, aggressive attempts to actually govern and enact real change were introducing unnecessary variables into Enciodes’s carefully laid chessboard.
The only reason Enciodes hadn’t actively sabotaged Ernst’s plans was a quiet sense of amusement. He could tolerate another man working toward the future of Kjerag in his own bizarre way, as it was, in a twisted sense, a reflection of his own ambitions.
But tolerance did not equate to blind support. He had no obligation to hold Ernst’s hand, especially before the young Prime Minister had produced any tangible results.
‘You messed with me once, I return the favor once. We are even.’
When it came to deciding the ultimate fate of their frozen nation, their relationship was one of cooperation within competition. Sometimes allies, always rivals.
Seeing Enciodes standing there with that infuriating half-smile and a perfectly unapologetic expression, Ernst felt his temper flare. He pressed his lips into a thin line, deciding to abruptly pivot the conversation.
“Can you reimburse me for this meal?”
Enciodes was genuinely taken aback by the sudden, sharp left turn in the discussion. “Why?”
“The government has no money.” Ernst looked at him with an expression of utter, shameless resignation.
Enciodes rolled his eyes, his elegant composure cracking for a fraction of a second. “I also have no money.”
Undeterred, Ernst leaned in, his tone turning earnest and persuasive. “It is perfectly fine. Business entertainment expenses can always be reimbursed later. Just come down to my office to collect the funds once the deal is signed.”
Enciodes felt a mixture of deep amusement and rising annoyance. “Did you not just tell me the government has no money?”
Ernst shook his head slowly, looking at Enciodes as if the man were being deliberately dense. “If the negotiation succeeds, won’t we have money?”
‘And if it fails, and you remain broke, wouldn’t I be the one paying for your lunch?’
Enciodes stared at his supposed subordinate in sheer, unadulterated disbelief. This man had just concocted a terrifyingly grand scheme to swindle millions from a major Columbian bank, commanding the political stage with absolute authority, yet when it came to paying for a single lunch, he transformed into a careful, penny-pinching miser.
And he was actively trying to scam his own ally. If Ernst wanted to run a con, he might as well claim he had Kjeragandr on speed dial, and for fifty bucks, Her Holiness would personally crown Enciodes the new Saintess.
Wait, why did that sound strangely plausible?
Enciodes quickly shook his head, forcefully banishing the bizarre image from his mind. He let out a long, weary sigh.
“I will not reimburse anything too expensive.”
Ernst waved his hand dismissively, his face lighting up with a look of complete understanding. “Do not worry, I completely understand. I specifically told Aurora to order all the cheapest specialty dishes. It will not cost much at all.”
Two seconds of heavy silence passed. As the reality of what Ernst meant by ‘specialty dishes’finally registered, Enciodes slowly raised a gloved hand and covered his face.’You want me to reimburse a table of cheap pasta? When did you become so impossibly stingy? Anyone watching would think I starved you of your living expenses when you were a child!’
To all of this, Ernst only had one firm, unyielding belief to clarify: saving money is not shameful!
In a frozen, impoverished nation like Kjerag, there was absolutely no wealth to embezzle even if he wanted to become a corrupt official. If he did not count every single penny, where else was the funding supposed to come from?
‘Life is hard, SilverAsh. Please be kind and drop some more gold coins!’