Water Magician

Chapter 212: Intermission

Release 2 of 2

Editor: Tseirp

Lord Aubrey, the governor of the Union, seemed troubled.

The reason was that the return of former Inbury citizens who fled to the Kingdom after the annexation of the Inbury Duchy by the Union was slower than expected.

Which was due to the deteriorating public order situation in the eastern region of the Kingdom.

During the war, those who fled the Duchy to the Kingdom were accepted into the Kingdom as so-called refugees.

Most of them first fled to the eastern region of the Kingdom, but since the security situation in the eastern region of the Kingdom was already deteriorating at that time, many of them did not stay in the eastern region but went further to the northern, southern, and even the central regions of the Kingdom where the royal capital is located.

Even when the war in Inbury was over and they were ready to return to their home country, they found it difficult to return because of the dangers in the eastern region of the Kingdom that lies in between.

“Roughly twenty percent of our initial estimate.”

Lord Aubrey let out a small sigh at the report of his aide, Lamber.

“If I were a refugee, I wouldn’t want to go back to Inbury, if it means going through that eastern region of the Kingdom, that’s for sure.”

“Exactly…”

Both Lord Aubrey and his aide Lamber understood that in their heads.

But even so, twenty percent of their estimate was still too small.

“I suppose this is also one of the Emperor’s schemes, huh…”

“That can’t be right, you think His Majesty Rupert has something to do with it?”

“I should think so. At the very least, the Empire is certainly behind the chaos in the eastern region of the Kingdom. And if the refugees are not able to return because of this, wouldn’t it be more prudent to assume that this is within the Emperor’s plans?”

“Okay, but why would the Emperor take such measures to keep the Inbury refugees within the Kingdom?”

“I have no idea…”

Lamber’s question could not be easily answered, not even by Lord Aubrey.

“Lamber, what’s the biggest problem that will result from the influx of refugees?”

“That would be…the deterioration of public order, I guess.”

An increase in the number of refugees will cause a deterioration of public order.

This is a problem that cannot be avoided no matter how well-organized the governing structure is.

The same is true on ‘Phi’ as it was on Earth.

“But more people means a better economy, doesn’t it? I don’t see how the Kingdom’s economy improving benefits the Empire.”

Lamber asked.

“…Has the Kingdom’s economy improved since our annexation of Inbury?”

“…No…actually, there’s no such indication at all.”

“Right? Just simply accepting refugees is not enough to boost a country’s economy. Unless they are properly integrated into the country’s commerce and tax collection system, the economy will not improve. And with the current governing capacity of the Kingdom, it seems unlikely that the refugees can be smoothly integrated into the national economy.”

It’s plain stupidity to think that a country’s economy will automatically improve if the number of refugees increases.

It is only when the increased number of people earn money, spend, and pay taxes that they contribute to the country’s economy.

Unless the country proactively performs the integration, ‘accepting refugees’ won’t make anyone happy….

The refugees will just become economic slaves for cheap labor….

Even refugees are people who have families…and there is no way they will continue to accept such a situation forever.

And if legal methods don’t improve the situation…they will try a not-so-legal approach.

Violent solutions, represented by riots.

Which will further worsen public safety.

Which begs the question, how many people in the heart of the government understand that….

Unfortunately, not nearly enough in the Kingdom.

“Is the Emperor purely trying to disrupt the Kingdom, further aggravating public security…?”

“If so, to what end? That’s the question we should be asking.”

Lord Aubrey muttered, and Lamber picked up on his mutterings with yet another question.

“I should probably move, even if it’s just the elite troops to the border area. So that we can respond in time in case something happens.”

Lamber simply nodded at Lord Aubrey’s mutterings.

“Deteriorating public security…nothing could be more bothersome.”