บท 26: The Arrogance of the Minister of Education
Mia then left the in and went in the direction of an affluent residential area near the Royal Palace. Her destination was the home of Gerhard Von Heer, the Minister of War for the Kingdom of Vorbei. The Minister of War, as well as being one of thirteen national ministers, was in charge of the King's Army and Navy, as well as number of outposts on the east bank of River Grenze. Gerhard Von Heer was a high ranked noble, being a first cousin of the King, as well as a solid member of the Royalist Faction. As such, Von Heer was a close friend and aly of the Von Ritter Family. When she finally reached the Von Heer mansion near the city center, she knocked on the door, and was greeted by a servant.
"Lady Von Ritter, welcome inside." Said the servant.
"I'd like to speak to Gerhard" said Mia as she entered the mansion.
"Of course. I'll inform him that you're here" Said the servant.
Mia waited for a little bit, and then Gerhard Von Heer, a middle aged balding man in expensive clothing, entered the room.
"I wasn't expecting you to return to the capital so soon. How did the goblin subjugation mission go?" Asked Gerhard.
"There were no goblins and there was no village. In their place was the Red Dragon of Calamity." Said Mia.
The Minister of War was shocked for a moment, and then began speaking.
"I suppose that this is Von Geld's doing then?" Asked Gerhard.
"Yes, and I want him removed from his post. Tomorrow, I want you to get the other five national ministers who are members of the Royalist Faction and lead the vote to remove him from his post." Said Mia.
"Getting the other five won't be a problem, but six votes is not enough. You need at least a two thirds majority." Said Gerhard.
"I know. I will get Von Buch and Von Weizen tonight." Said Mia.
"Really?! I guess that those two are not members of the Nobles' Faction, but they don't usually get involved in court politics. Are you sure that you can get them on your side?" Said Gerhard.
"Yes. I have a plan. I just need you to communicate with the other five Royalists, and get them on board with removing Von Geld." Said Mia.
"That won't be a problem." Said the old Minister of War.
"Alright, then I'll see you tomorrow." Said Mia.
"See you then" Said Gerhard.
Mia then left the mansion, and went in the direction of the Vorbei National Library. There, deep in a soundproof archive room, she found the Minister of Education of the Vorbei Kingdom, Josef Von Buch, an old man in scholar's robes and with a long white beard reading through some old manuscripts looking like he didn't want to be disturbed.
[He is really reading intently there, but I think that he will forgive my interruption once he sees that what I have brought will change the way his scholarship views the world.] Thought Mia.
"Josef, in my travels, I've come across some rare alchemy that may interest you" She said.
"I've probably seen it already. I've already studied all the alchemy that this land has to offer." Said Von Buch, clearly a bit annoyed to be disturbed.
"But this comes from the alchemists east of the Ancient Forest." Said Mia.
"Nonsense, no one's ever been east of the Ancient Forest." Said Josef.
"I know someone who has, and he brought with him an alchemical substance that can create an explosion without magic." Said Mia.
"An explosion without magic, you say? Impossible. It is a scientific fact that mana is the only substance in the world that can concentrate enough energy to create a true explosion. Likely what happened is that this person who claims to have seen the east side of the Ancient Forest is a simple conman who used a small amount of magic, too small for you to notice the mana dispersal, to convince you that he could create an explosion without magic. I'm honestly surprised that you believed such a fairy tale from a conman; Such a silly girl. No doubt this shows that your education was lacking, a sad fact in many noble families these days." Said Von Buch.
Now it was Mia's turn to be a bit annoyed.
[Is this man so arrogant with his supposed knowledge that he immediately rejects any information which doesn't immediately fall into his preconceived notions about the world? Doesn't he at least entertain the possibility that something that he may think he knows could be wrong, or that something could exist without his knowing it? I had heard rumors about his so called 'scholarship', but I didn't fully believe the rumors until now. He may have memorized all the books in this library, but the words that he says are not the words of an educated man, but rather the words of an indoctrinated man. He is not indoctrinated in any political ideology, but rather indoctrinated in the idea of his own supposed limitless knowledge. He may have even memorized the words of all the ancient philosophers put together, but that's all it was, memorization. He put no effort into understanding the words. 'Bookish' is actually the perfect word to describe him, because he cares only about the books, and not the ideas within. I have something which will shatter his worldview, if only for a moment. I doubt that even seeing an explosion without magic will do much to conquer his pseudo-intellectual arrogance in the long run, but in the short term, he will have seen something that he will know he doesn't understand. He will then beg me for the recipe for the substance, and do anything to get it, so that he can say that he can say that he 'understands' gunpowder, just by memorizing how to make it. It is a sad story of a once brilliant mind, but I can't dwell on that now. I just need him for his vote tomorrow.] Thought Mia.
"If you're so confident about that, then perhaps you could explain to me what's really happening with this substance called gunpowder when I set it on fire." Said mia while pulling out a small glass vial full of gunpowder.
"Fine. I suppose that educating the young is the job of the elderly." Said Josef.
Mia then poured the contents of the very small vial on the table, and then touched a candle's flame to it
*POOF* went the very small pile of gunpowder, and a small cloud of smoke went up.
"What was that?!" Asked Von Buch incredulously.
"Probably nothing. I think that you're right; he was a conman. After all, it's scientifically impossible to create an explosion without magic. I guess that I'd better forget the recipe that he taught me to make this substance." Said Mia, somewhat facetiously.
"NO! Please tell me how to make it." Said Josef.
"I don't know. You did just call me a silly girl. I am not really inclined to share my knowledge with you." Said Mia.
"No, please tell me. I'll do anything." Said Josef.
Mia smiled at this. "Anything?" She asked.
"Yes. Anything that is within my power." Said Josef.
"Tomorrow in the Royal Court, when the Royalist Faction calls for a vote to remove Otto Von Geld from his position as Treasury Minister, you also will vote with them to remove Von Geld." Said Mia.
"Yes. You have my word. If you show me how to make this 'gunpowder', then tomorrow then I will vote to remove Otto Von Geld from his position as Treasury Minister." Said Josef.
[Well, whatever else you may say about him, he is a man of his word. They say that he has never broken a promise or told a lie in his adult life. I can trust that I have his vote.] Thought Mia.
Mia then wrote down the recipe for gunpowder on a nearby piece of parchment, handed it to Josef, and then quickly headed back to the inn where she was due to meet with Ethan Soon.
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