Chapter 16: Chapter 16: The Sinful Flower Nurtured by the Human Heart
Snow raised his head and looked at Marquis York, saying calmly:
"Lord York, I respect you because you are the one who elevated me to this position. This great favor is something I cannot repay in this lifetime.
But Lord York, regarding the issue at the plant, you really can’t blame me!"
Marquis York laughed angrily: "Then according to you, the money allocated by the royal family for purchasing new equipment was embezzled by you, and I’m also to blame for it?"
Snow chuckled shamelessly and said:
"Before the White Tower settled in Tino City, our disposal plant was quite the place."
"With the elves’ equipment efficiently handling waste, any apprentice wielding the Hand of the Mage of the Zeroth Ring could complete a day’s work in one morning without dirtying their hands, and those working in offices were even more comfortable."
"Back then, the plant was so grand that everyone of note in this vast Tino City wanted to push people in."
"Just among the daughters-in-law of nobles ranked above Count in the city, there were six stuffed into the clerical department, plus those who somehow climbed the noble relations ladder, who among them could I afford to offend?"
"The White Tower’s magic waste has increased year by year, and as a result, the number requiring dedicated handling has risen as well, driving up labor costs step by step."
"Given the meager budget allocated, Lord York, if I didn’t act like this, would everyone go hungry with me?"
Olivia furrowed her lovely brows, realizing this argument did not hold up at all.
She shook her head and said:
"Don’t glamorize influence-pandering so much. Labor costs rising step by step?"
"I fear you were just afraid the noble offspring would get tired, feeding a group of freeloaders with only a handful actually working."
"The National Waste Disposal Plant could originally reform processes to spend less money while reducing more procedures."
"Yet specifically set a priority scheme to recruit people from outer city just to have more positions, allowing some unyielding Ense folks to survive in Tino City."
"By the time it reached you, it turned into a business deal, howling like a dog seeking presence, really..."
Louis looked at the sharp-tongued little swan in surprise.
What a biting rebuttal.
Previously he thought the little swan looked a bit innocent, seeming suitable for cheek pinching.
But unexpectedly, her counterattack was quite articulate.
The situation has reached a point where it is impossible to end smoothly.
He originally thought Snow would plead guilty and face his penalty next.
Who would have thought, even pressed to the ground, he shamelessly argued:
"It’s not my fault. I’ve turned an empty shell plant into a premium city institution, Lord, if this continues to be investigated, everyone’s face will be lost.
Only I can sit in this position and ensure this ends well."
Louis was stunned.
The royal swan is still here; how dare he boast thusly?
Magic waste, is there much?
With no recollections regarding this, Louis has no concept.
But he quickly noticed Marquis York’s expression visibly sullen.
"Looks like it not just abundant?"
Marquis York’s cane directly jabbed into Snow’s back, seemingly jabbed a bloody hole out of anger.
"I’m thrilled to announce you’ve finally enraged me, Snow. Indeed, with such a massive amount of magic waste, how long has it been accumulating here?
A month, six months, a year?
Or since shortly after you formally started accepting it here?"
Today was the first time Louis saw anything other than an emotionless expression or formulaic smile on the old marquis’s face.
It was... anger!
A Secret Guard, half-kneeling in front of Olivia, heavily said: "Princess, I’ve checked earlier.
The amount of magic waste is extremely massive, and with the plant’s processing speed, even at full operation with current facilities for half a year, it cannot be fully processed..."
Snow couldn’t lift his head in pain but still laughed aloud:
"Half a year? Be bolder, give it a year and a half, still won’t be processed, don’t expect the elves from the Supreme Forest to send us equipment.
Given the Imperial Capital’s scale, from custom-making to delivery for those specific equipment, it would take at least half a year from scratch!
By then, the unprocessed magic waste will have turned the Imperial Capital into a filthy mess."
Olivia’s expression looked unpleasant, urgently saying to the Secret Guard: "If enough slimes were purchased, can they digest all this magic waste?"
Secret Guard: "The situation is not optimistic."
Snow’s face revealed a hint of smile.
This matter is something only he knows the easiest way to handle.
Louis froze, watching Snow laugh, suddenly feeling a chill.
"Are you planning to create a massive explosion to neutralize the magic waste?" ×2
The speakers were Louis and Olivia.
Both exchanged a glance, their expressions slightly puzzled.
Louis thought:
"This little swan is genuinely clever! If it weren’t for Madam Slavs’ operation of using the core to treat the core, I wouldn’t have thought of this."
Olivia was even more confused:
"Huh, why does Trouble Country start thinking?"
Only Snow’s smile instantly froze.
Seeing his expression, everyone could no longer doubt this madman really thought this way.
All at once, everyone’s gaze toward him was both shocked and angry, even the original plant managers looked at him as if they saw a demon.
Yes.
Just now, simultaneously Louis and Olivia had a thought flash in their minds.
That Tino explosion incident wasn’t just a simple matter of untimely waste processing.
This was a man-made disaster!
Intentional man-made disaster!
Followed by a storm of alarm ringing within the two holding little secrets.
Louis: "Not good, the special slime can digest limited magic waste, and the waste left after the explosion differs by a magnitude compared to un-neutralized waste pre-explosion, danger!"
Olivia: "Things have gone bad, initially thought the slimes purchased were enough, now it seems even handling post-explosion waste is a stretch, now especially... it’s ruined!"
The little swan felt her eyelids twitch uncontrollably.
"Going to die going to die going to die! Are 23,004 slimes truly enough? Don’t let them fail to digest and all suddenly perish from magic waste overdose"
Not because the little swan underestimates the slime’s digestive abilities.
In pure digestion speed, slimes and their evolved forms rank among the strongest beings.
But these creatures lack wisdom, digesting and absorbing without restraint!
Fear eating too much magic waste, straight bursting their demon cores is common!
"By then, going to Sister Wang for reimbursement might even be problematic!"
But what could the little swan do?
The little swan just wished to protect the sister who treated her best.
So even if they couldn’t reimburse...
She raised her hand full of heartache:
"I have 23,004 slimes, able to assist in digesting the majority of kitchen waste, hazardous waste, and part of the magic waste."
"I have a slime specifically enhanced for digestion. It can attempt to digest some of the magic waste."
Olivia: ...
Louis: ...
"Huh?" ×2