56

“Crazy…”

I immediately turned and headed to the 3rd floor Ministry of Finance.

How many times has this been now? My steps naturally quickened.

How long has it been since I was promoted to senior scribe that there’s another promotion already? Just when I thought I could finally have a normal work life, I’m hit again. I couldn’t understand what the Minister of Finance was thinking.

Knock knock.

I passed Ministry of Finance staff who knew my face well and stopped in front of his office.

“Come in.”

The Minister of Finance stood up cheerfully when he saw me. I seriously doubted his capacity for empathy at a time like this.

“It seems you want me to be ostracized at the Chancellery.”

I wasn’t in the mood for idle greetings, so I went straight to the point. The Minister of Finance seemed to guess why I had come and, looking embarrassed, gestured for me to sit.

“Of course not. Calm down.”

His words only made a cross-shaped crease appear at my temple.

“Do you know what just happened? The central ministry bulletin just announced that I’ve been appointed a 2nd grade secretary! It’s been only a few months since I became a senior scribe. You know how I’ve been since my promotion to the senior scribe!”

His indifferent attitude enraged me more.

“It wasn’t me.”

“Then who did it?!”

“His Majesty the Emperor.”

“…Huh?”

I was dumbfounded at such an unexpected name.

“Does that make any sense? I’m the one who temporarily tied up the Crown Prince’s hands and feet — if he hated me he’d hate me, but a promotion from his side is impossible.”

Even if he values the royal family’s dignity, one’s kin are another matter. Through this incident I had removed the pompous fellow and had given up hope of promotion. I considered it fortunate if I wasn’t fired.

“Well… I reported you as a newcomer who didn’t know the Crown Prince was the backer of Rinus, someone with great loyalty to the royal family who would reveal the current affair. The Supreme Justice agreed.”

“What? Why…?”

“Why? Because I’m your superior. If you did the right thing I should at least protect you. Are you telling me to report, ‘I informed because I wanted to dig into it and make trouble so the person who ruined the Chancellery, despite knowing the Crown Prince was the backer, would get what they deserve’?”

“….”

“I was already uneasy that I couldn’t get rid of that Dorian fellow. It was embarrassing too.”

“I didn’t know that.”

I had thought him selfish and self-serving, but he seemed to be a reasonably selfish, ordinary person after all.

“Anyway, His Majesty found it commendable and issued the promotion order.”

“In that case… sigh…”

I sighed deeply and let my shoulders slump. I couldn’t go question the Emperor and raise my voice. It wasn’t worth risking my life to show bravado over this.

I felt totally deflated. As I was about to stand up again, the Minister of Finance gestured for me to sit.

“Why?”

“Is it just me, or are formalities disappearing more and more?”

“I’m sorry. It’s been less than a year since I joined the Chancellery at your suggestion, and it’s been so eventful that I guess I’m feeling a bit resentful toward you in front of me.”

“Ahem… I made sure to convey the reasons for your promotion so everyone would accept it.”

“Yes…”

They would say they understood to my face, but I knew what they’d be saying behind my back. Still, it was tiring to hear him drone on about it.

“For the time being, finding a suitable Chancellor will take more time. Given what happened, we need someone to reorganize the department quickly, but we can’t choose hastily. You should assist Lucius a lot.”

I had a fairly good relationship with Lucius, so I agreed willingly. He would be much better than the pompous fellow. The Minister of Finance also told me about the Rinus company owner and his associates, and the punishment for the pompous fellow.

“Considering it could have caused worse accidents, you let him off comparatively lightly for his crimes.”

Losing one’s family in an accident causes deep grief — shoddy construction is truly horrific.

“Yes. He’s the sort who deserved to die. The Crown Prince will be kept in seclusion for a while; you won’t run into him on the street. Now that all of the Crown Prince’s lackeys are gone from the Chancellery, even more so.”

“He might try to make new connections, though.”

“We’ll definitely stop that. You might not know, but I’m doing my best to prevent his henchmen from sitting in the Chancellor’s seat. That’s one reason the appointment is delayed.”

When I repeatedly showed distrust, the Minister of Finance, uncharacteristically, took some credit. It would be good to fill the Chancellor’s post quickly with one of his people — anyone would be better than the Crown Prince’s man.

“Let’s have a meal together soon with the Supreme Justice, to celebrate this matter being settled.”

“…Understood.”

I trudged back to the Chancellery without any gain. Even as someone who had worked in the corporate world in my previous life, I’d never experienced this. If only I’d had an extraordinary promotion before. I opened the door prepared to face sharp stares.

Everyone was busy with their tasks. I quietly headed to my desk.

‘I feel down.’

I thought it had ended well, but no matter how I tried to raise my spirits, I felt deflated.

‘Should I leave early?’

Work life — even if not for fun, human relationships are very important. Having pleasant, even if shallow, relationships provides energy and helps work run smoothly. But when you’re in a situation that’s ripe for being openly insulted, even small tasks become difficult.

‘I thought I could at least have conversations with people now.’

It became hard to bring up even one question again. At first it didn’t matter, but when relationships improved significantly and then regressed, I found myself shrinking back without realizing it.

“Secretary Cornelia.”

Just as my mood sank endlessly, Lucius — now a 1st grade secretary — came to my desk.

“Yes?”

“Why are you like that? If you’ve been promoted, you should celebrate.”

“…Huh?”

For a moment I didn’t understand what he meant. Had I misheard? Before I could collect myself, he grabbed my arm and led me to the center of the office.

“Um, senior, it’s just that… I didn’t get promoted because I said something to the Minister of Finance…”

“I know.”

“What?”

Like a parrot, I only replied “What?” to my senior’s words.

“Lukan told me. He said you asked the Minister of Finance to request a revision of the contract, privately persuaded the Supreme Justice, insisted the contract be made more thorough so companies like that don’t sign in the future, and then brought very important evidence a few days later.”

“How…?”

Lukan smiled broadly and winked.

“The Supreme Justice’s aide is close with me.”

‘Ah… Mr. Bull…’

The long-haired brown-haired man with glasses was confirmed to be Mr. Bull — he was the only other person who heard the conversation. Seeing my awkward expression, Lukan quickly added more.

“Don’t misunderstand. It’s not that he went around blabbing; since I’m in the Chancellery, I told people in case many would question your promotion. To be honest, I had a rough idea too. When a 1st-grade secretary was dragged in for questioning, everyone was shocked, but you were remarkably calm.”

“Ah.”

Apparently I hadn’t managed to hide my joy enough. Lucius joined in.

“Elysia saw the revised contract and admitted it. She said you’re better than her.”

“Senior!”

Elysia jumped up from her seat with a flushed face and shouted.

“Then…”

I asked in a dazed voice, my voice trembling a little. Lucius smiled gently.

“It means everyone recognizes that you’ve become a second grade secretary.”

I instinctively covered my mouth with my hand. My throat tightened and I looked at the ceiling to hold back tears.

Lukan came over and offered a handkerchief.

“You solved what no one else could so brilliantly — how could they not acknowledge you? It was like a ten-year-old blockage suddenly cleared for me too. Thanks for making sure I don’t have to see that bastard, Cornelia.”

At those words, the Chancellery staff erupted into wild laughter in agreement.

“Congratulations!”

“Congratulations!”

“…Congratulations.”

“The fastest promotion in central ministry history!”

“Extermination of the crazy secretary!”

“All the way to Chancellor at this rate!”

From the timid little congratulations to absurd and pointless remarks, everyone stood to celebrate. Victor also shook my hand, saying he looked forward to working with me. I nodded happily.

Truly, it was such a relief.

Peaceful days followed after that. No one irritated me, and no infuriating incidents occurred.

But such days at work don’t come more than a few times a year. It’s truly regrettable.

“A temporary special department?”

It was the topic the temporary Chancellor, the Minister of Finance, brought up at the Chancellery weekly meeting.

“Yes. Former Chancellor Marcus resigned over a sordid affair, and it has been revealed that the construction case is linked not only to the 1st-grade secretary but to him as well. In tracing the embezzled funds, evidence of overseas transfers was found, and an enraged His Majesty ordered the enactment of legislation to pursue this.”

‘Did they even plan to flee abroad if discovered? They’re brazen.’

“Because of the unexpected impulsive actions of that new scribe, it was exposed before they could do anything. Truly fortunate.”

Lucius asked a question.

“If it involves overseas matters, it won’t be easy for the Chancellery alone to draft legislation. Cooperation with the Ministry of Justice is essential, and since funds are involved, the Ministry of Finance, and because of overseas concealment, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should be involved as well.”

“So we decided to select representatives from four departments — Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Finance, Chancellery, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs — two people from each.”

Victor asked.

“Who will be assigned from the Chancellery?”

The Minister of Finance looked at me with a meaningful smile.

Ah, damn. I had a gut feeling right away.

“We’ll send scribe Lukan and 2nd-grade secretary Cornelia.”

A four-person group project workload bomb had dropped.

I squeezed my eyes shut.