And...? What is the hidden option and what happens if selected?
(spoilers)it allows you to offer the minister a more permanent alliance, hinting that the MC will have more influence over how historians record history. i guess it's not the best choice if you want a good ending.
Is it possible to prioritize the public and the elites at the same time?
If I remember correctly, the author said on her blog that prioritizing both is impossible and you have to take one side.