Chapter 67

After that, days passed without incident. There was a brief fierce conflict, but we’re office workers. Everyone resumed communication and work as if nothing had happened. The atmosphere was awkward, but I treated the Duke with as calm an expression and smile as I could.

‘Work has to be done.’

I didn’t want other department members to suffer because of me. So I tried to act even more professionally. Time would fix it. Though my mind wasn’t exactly at ease.

‘He didn’t come to Those Who Can’t Resign either.’

I had steeled myself, expecting my regular customer to come, but he didn’t. I was even ready to take a stream of curses.

I heard the Duke has been doing overtime every day lately, leaving the Ministry of Justice late. Honestly, I’d bet half his overtime is due to pointless reports and paperwork.

“Cornelia, shall we get some fresh air?”

Feeling stifled, I readily accepted Lucan’s offer. We walked the path I often took after lunch and let fresh air into my chest.

“Are you doing a bit better?”

“About what?”

Lukan tapped his chest with his index finger. It seemed awkwardly conspicuous.

“Sorry. For making you worry.”

“We’re colleagues — so what about it? It’s water already spilled. Don’t worry so much.”

I gave him a wry smile.

“I know. I probably know it better than you. But I still can’t get used to it even after going through it every time.”

“Someone might think I’ve been a bureaucrat for ten years, judging by you.”

“You had quite an eventful career even before coming here?”

He chuckled, sat me on a nearby bench, and handed me a small box.

“What’s this?”

“I know some of the royal chefs. They say sweets help when you’re down, so I got these. Guaranteed tasty!”

I opened the box to find cupcakes piled with cream. I wasn’t particularly in the mood to eat, but grateful for the gesture, I took a bite. A pleasant sweetness filled my mouth. It was delicious.

“Thanks. I think I’m feeling a little better.”

“That’s a relief.”

He smiled. How had I ended up being comforted by such a sweet junior? Maybe my brain had grown young along with my looks.

“Honestly, I think none of what you said was wrong. I noticed problems when I joined the Chancellery. But most senior officials are high nobles. I couldn’t bring myself to speak up. That’s also why people in the Hidden Department don’t blame you. I was surprised but also relieved.”

‘But I never intended to take the lead… and yet I went and stuck my neck out.’

For all the fuss, there should be change — but the atmosphere made it seem unlikely.

“Diplomat Simon worries a lot. He frets that if you step away you might be disciplined or even fired.”

“Diplomat Simon?”

I was surprised someone from another department was worrying about me.

“He said you look like a child left out at the water’s edge. Maybe you remind him of his daughter. At first glance you do seem harmless. Of course he knows that’s not the case now.”

“Pfft.”

Daughter and harmless — just hearing that made me snort with laughter. How many sly snakes did he think lived inside me?

“You laughed, didn’t you? You did!”

Unaware of it, Lukan beamed, relieved that my mood had lifted.

‘Right — it’s already happened. Time to shake off useless feelings.’

Feeling much lighter than before, I rose and headed back to the office, thinking I’d buy Lukan a meal later. Finance officer Abel came running up, urgent.

“They have finally been caught!”

“What? No way, you mean?!”

“Yes — the bastard who hid Marcus and Dorian’s assets has been caught!”

He was so excited his rough phrasing resembled our chief’s angry speech, but that wasn’t important. I asked, expecting more.

“That’s not all, right?”

“How did you know?”

“The Ministry of Finance staff aren’t the kind to be stunned by just an arrest.”

The cool-headed finance people rarely got worked up. They care about one thing: money. Abel was quite agitated.

“That estate — the retainer is claiming it’s his own!”

“I thought so.”

I smiled triumphantly and went straight to Finance officer Reyra. She greeted me with eyes full of expectation.

“I assume we’re thinking the same thing, aren’t we?”

“Yes.”

Other department members, not knowing the details, approached us. Diplomat Simon, who had worried about me, asked,

“Can’t we just trace the assets and prove they’re illegal?”

Leira flicked her long, ornately manicured finger left and right.

“That’d be boring. We should get something too, right? Marcus the Marquess’s hidden assets would be a bargain for us.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Reyra’s gaze turned to me, and she continued.

“The Noble Asset Registration program. Registration rates are low, so instilling a sense of crisis would be good.”

“What does that have to do with this…?”

“The hidden estate — the one the retainer claims as his own, Marcus the Marquess’s property. Let’s register it as his asset.”

“…!”

“As royal-recognized property.”

“Th-then can’t we just accept it and hand it back to the Marquess!”

“Do you really think so? A huge fortune enters without anyone touching it. I don’t even think the Marquess would have such a loyal retainer, and humans… their minds change easily.”

“Exactly. Money finds the gaps in people. If the crown recognizes it, even Marcus the Marquess can’t touch it, and even if that retainer were killed, the estate would never pass to Lord Marcus. So what happens then?”

“The nobles, fearing they’ll lose assets, will scramble to register like mad.”

Before I knew it, the Duke was standing in front of his desk.

“…!”

“At least if it’s registered, nothing will be lost. I’m on my way back after receiving His Majesty’s approval. Reyra, Finance Minister, handle this quickly with the Minister of Finance.”

“Yes. Understood.”

Reyra hurried out of the Hidden Department with Abel. I expected approval would take a day or two, but I hadn’t imagined they’d move so quickly.

‘They really are capable.’

My proposal suddenly felt insignificant. I had to give credit where it’s due.

“Supreme Justice, thank you for handling this swiftly.”

I thanked him with a proud heart and returned to my desk with light steps.

I opened the shop with a rare lightness. Thanks to Lukan’s consolation and the project’s success, morale in the Hidden Department must have risen. But the customer sitting before me was another VIP.

“Mr. Bull?”

“Hello, Master Quokka.”

He strangely looked listless.

‘Is it personal? Well, he does have Ministry of Justice matters besides the Hidden Department.’

“I’ll listen, so speak freely. Any worry is fine.”

“My direct superior is acting strange.”

His direct superior is the Supreme Justice, that is, the Duke.

“How is he acting strange? Is he spouting hurtful words like before?”

He shook his head left and right.

“If that were the case I’d at least curse, but the Supreme Justice… looks depressed.”

Huh? The man who spoke so calm and cold?

“He looks depressed?”

“I don’t know. Maybe it’s because I’m so close, but he was already taciturn and now he’s even quieter, working overtime more often. Even that annoyingly handsome face looked pitiable. Sigh… maybe it’s because of that incident.”

“Th-that incident?”

A bad premonition pricked me.

“It seems to have started after he argued with a junior official from another department a while ago.”

‘Ugh, that’s my story.’

Hearing it so bluntly was humiliating, but Mr. Bull’s mouth didn’t stop.

“Actually, what that person said was right, and I genuinely agreed. But for a Supreme Justice who’s royal to his bones, it might feel like a challenge to his authority. He’s young but has a stubbornly closed side.”

“…I thought that might be the case.”

“Right? That official’s words were satisfying in a way, but the Chief Justice seems to have been internally wounded in an uncharacteristic way. It’s not easy to wound the empire’s most eligible bachelor. Honestly, that official seemed unusual from the start.”

“…Yes?”

“That junior scribe stood toe-to-toe with the Supreme Justice in a one-on-one conversation, not backing down at all. In the end the Supreme Justice granted that scribe’s request, rewrote the contract, and played a big part in peeling away corruption in the Chancellery. It’s complicated to explain in detail, so just go with that. Anyway! The Supreme Justice has even told me several times, while looking at me, to try working as well as that scribe — so he must have been quite shocked.”

“…!”

My supporting arm went weak and my upper body trembled.

“Master Quokka, are you okay? You look like you have a headache…”

“I’m fine. Thank you for worrying.”

I had resolved not to regret it, but a heaviness began weighing on me.

‘Was I too harsh?’