54 – Returning to the Evaluation Department
Returning to the administrative office of the Evaluation Department after a month.
And writing the closing statement.
“Even though the Chief of the Evaluation Department, Ascal Erin Dale, was supposed to swiftly return to the Empire and report after completing his mission…”
Ascal, holding a feather pen, scratched his head.
Am I a little lacking in sincerity?
“To be honest, I have been very tired lately. This incident can be seen as a result of accumulated fatigue and dissatisfaction that I have been experiencing for a while.”
This statement feels too sincere.
If I continue like this, it seems I’ll end up receiving a super-fast delivery of a reprimand.
In the end, Ascal folded the closing statement he had been writing and threw it into the trash can, then leaned back on the vice chair.
Fortunately, the messenger from the Kelli Kingdom mentioned that the incident had been resolved well, especially thanking Ascal, so the situation did not escalate seriously.
It ended with just submitting the closing statement and report to the superiors, along with a promise not to do such things again.
“How can I make a reputation for writing good closing statements?”
Ascal, who was pondering, ended up wandering around the corridors of the Evaluation Department and arrived at the lounge on the second floor.
And naturally, he took off his jacket and lay down on the massage bed.
Then, a familiar touch began to massage his back.
Now, without even asking about the intensity or the specific areas, it felt like a regular customer who naturally released tension from the shoulders. Ascal was inexplicably proud of this.
“Indeed, the massage skills of the Mysterious Tribe are top-notch.”
During working hours, he confidently received a massage in the lounge.
It was a privilege that only the minister could enjoy.
“Didn’t you accumulate more tension than you thought? At this rate, you might not even need a massage. Did you go somewhere nice?”
Laica murmured as she massaged Ascal’s shoulders, sounding somewhat puzzled.
“I went to a hot spring for a bit.”
“That explains why your skin feels smooth, and your muscles are so relaxed. At this point, you might not need a massage.”
“Is that so? Well, please continue massaging a little longer.”
He needed some time to stall.
“In that case, would you like to see the Mysterious Tribe’s secret, the Fire Stone?”
Fire Stone?
Just hearing the name was unsettling.
What kind of technique was this?
Laica extinguished the light and made the area around the massage bed dark by pulling a cloth. Then she brought small pebbles and blew air onto them with her mouth. Flames spewed out from her lips.
“Is this an assassination attempt?”
Ascal was taken aback.
But the flames landed on the pebbles, not Ascal. The specially treated pebbles lit up and began to shine.
“Shall I place these pebbles on your back, Minister?”
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“They seem hot. Are you sure it’s safe?”
“These pebbles are specially treated and aren’t as hot as they appear.”
As Laica said, the pebbles were not scalding. They were rather warm, and they relaxed his back, making him feel drowsy.
Sleep was coming.
“Finally, an opportunity for just the two of us.”
Laica’s eyes sharpened.
She raised her hand and then clenched her fist with the other.
It was a gesture of gratitude passed down among the Mysterious Tribe.
“Have you always wanted to express your gratitude to the Minister? Not only for saving me, but also because thanks to the Minister, the Mysterious Clan, who used to be despised, can now confidently walk the streets.”
The world that the Mysterious Clan dreamed of.
It wasn’t difficult.
Just being able to walk the streets like everyone else, eat food, and sing songs.
Those easy things were so difficult for the Mysterious Clan.
“Thanks to the Minister, the Mysterious Clan can live just as they are, like everyone else. It is a grace that could never be repaid, even if I spent my whole life trying.”
Ascal was already fast asleep.
Lyca once again bobbed her head and moved aside to ensure Ascal could nap comfortably.
“He slept well.”
Ascal, who had woken up from his nap with a refreshed mind, got up from the bed.
Evaluation department employees were slowly entering the break room.
“Is it really that time already?”
He had to submit the resignation letter today.
Ascal hurriedly headed towards his office.
Sitting down, Ascal, with a feather pen in hand, began writing a resignation letter disguised as a report. It seemed like inspiration had struck during his nap.
“I just have to write it as it is.”
“There were many events.
I went to the hot springs to investigate the disappearance case of the Kelly Kingdom and encountered a bear. After greeting the bear, it seemed satisfied and left.
The culprits behind the disappearance were actually singing sirens. They tested people in order to find their queen and if they failed, they would kidnap and use them as servants.
And Seri Lavionne Young-ae, with her excellent singing skills, astounded the sirens and became their queen.
Under Queen Seri Lavionne’s command, the people safely returned home and the case was resolved. However, I was drawn to the Kelly Kingdom for a long time by an unknown force.
Then my father, Arthur Debre, who is the head of the Imperial Special Forces, came to capture me.”
“The report seems perfect by now. Just write down the facts as they are, so that anyone can understand it at a glance.”
Now, if I add the regretful words and express my gratitude to His Imperial Majesty and His Imperial Highness, the resignation letter will be perfect.
Ascal proudly looked at his writing skills and sent the resignation letter to his superiors.
“I am told not to falsify the resignation letter.”
“…I feel unfairly treated.”
The next day, the resignation letter returned to Ascal untouched.
In the end, facing a blank sheet of paper once again, Ascal clenched his head and started writing the resignation letter, silently glancing at Ria who was sitting and working.
“Ria, I tried writing the resignation letter again. What do you think?”
But Lia’s reaction was somehow strange.
“You must know the minister well.”
“Um. I still want you, as my assistant, to review it.”
“It seems fine. Shall I submit it as is?”
Anyone who had been with her for a long time could tell.
The subtle coldness in Lia’s tone.
‘Come to think of it, her attitude has been strangely different since she returned to the Evaluation Department.’
As if she was offended by him.
No way.
The perfect superhuman, the 3rd Imperial Princess Yulia Barba, who would later be called the Ice Princess, being offended by someone like him?
“Will you please make some tea?”
“I have a lot to do. It’s best if you make it yourself.”
Even Ascal could tell.
The subtle shortness in her tone. Her gaze not looking his way.
Lia was indeed offended.
“I’m sorry. You must have been burdened with work while I was away for a month. You did a great job.”
“…Is that all?”
Ascal was taken aback.
What else could there be?
In truth, he felt guilty. It was natural for the assistant to struggle when the leader of an organization left his position without permission for a month.
“Sigh…”
Ascal fell into deep thought as he watched Lia turn away from him again.
‘Well, I don’t know. It will probably work itself out eventually.’
But Ascal overlooked something.
There are types who naturally let go of their anger over time, and those who, if not appeased, cause trouble.
Lia was the latter.
“Her Highness, the 3rd Imperial Princess Yulia Barba, is coming to inspect the Evaluation Department!”
Could she even inspect her own house?
Ascal looked at Lia’s empty seat, puzzled.
“It’s a big problem. The princess was very upset. She was disappointed with the complicated inter-departmental communication system, the sloppy lunch culture, and especially your slack in work, Minister.”
“However, we’re not our employees, so how do you know these facts?”
“Well… maybe Your Highness has some supernatural abilities?”
“What department are you in?”
“I’m in Department 4.”
“I thought as much.”
Ascal, who was in charge of Department 4, stood up.
Since Lya was the Princess Yulia Barbaros and had recently become a Marquise along with Ascal becoming a minister, she deserved the utmost respect.
“You visit the Evaluation Bureau without any prior notice. Even though you’re a princess, it’s a bit unsettling.”
“Hmm…”
A few years later.
“Inmate Ascal Erindale, raise your head!”
“Please spare my life, Your Imperial Majesty!”
“Prepare for the execution by beheading!”
“Your Majesty!”
Not a good idea.
Ascal decided to treat Yulia with as much courtesy as possible.
“Oh my, it’s an honor to have the Third Princess, renowned for her wisdom in the empire, visit the Evaluation Bureau. Would you allow a mere servant like me to introduce the Evaluation Bureau to you?”
Yulia looked down coldly at Ascal, who had knelt on one knee.
With her dark cloak concealing her face, Yulia emitted a mysterious aura.
“You talk too much.”
“I apologize.”
“Guide her to the Chancellor’s office.”
With those words, Yulia walked toward the office, her steps confident as if she had worked in the Evaluation Bureau for years.
“I… I should be the one to guide you.”
“Close the door.”
Ascal closed the door, leaving only the two of them in the office.
Yulia narrowed her eyes.
“The air feels stuffy. I should open the window and let some fresh air in.”
As soon as I opened the window, clear air entered the study.
The study became brighter.
Julia, sitting confidently in the highest seat, the chair for executive officers, frowned as she looked at the desk.
“The desk of someone who handles important national affairs is this messy? The desk should be clean for things to be done properly…”
She then tidied up the desk according to her preferences.
The desk became neat.
…What on earth did she come here for?
“Hmm. Has the Chief Assistant to the Advisor not come to work today?”
“Yes. She took a sick leave.”
“Why do you think she took a sick leave?”
“I’m not sure.”
“If you don’t even know the state of your subordinate, can you claim to be qualified as a superior?”
“Please let Her Royal Highness inform me.”
Julia frowned.
“How do you know about your subordinate’s condition?”
As Ascal sighed inwardly while observing Julia blatantly flaunting her authority, he had no intention of just standing back and enduring silently.
“This is problematic.”
“…?”
“When I went to the Kingdom of Kellie, I bought a pie generously spread with honey, the local specialty, as a gift for the Chief Assistant who always works hard for me. But after today, I will have to throw it away…”
In truth, it was a lie.
The pie generously spread with honey was simply bought from the Imperial Bakery.
But Ascal was confident that he could lure Julia with this.
-If a child returning from a school trip doesn’t bring back a gift, their parents will feel subtly disappointed.
The teaching passed down to him from his previous life.
The reason Maria was upset was probably because he didn’t bring her a gift.
“…That would truly be troublesome.”
It was the correct answer.
He could feel the atmosphere under the muslin fabric changing. Somehow, it felt like she was becoming restless.
“This honey pie is really delicious, but it would hurt me so much to throw it away,” Ascal said, looking at the pie on the desk as if he was deeply regretful.
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Yulia let out a small sigh.
“…Can you pass me a hair tie?”
What kind of transformation item is it?
Ascal politely handed Yulia the spare hair tie on the minister’s desk.
Yulia accepted the hair tie, and as she tried to tie her hair herself, she paused for a moment.
“Your Excellency, should I tie your hair for you?”
“If you dare to touch my hair, even though it’s made of jade, I’ll allow it.”
“Permission granted.”
Ascal touched Yulia’s hair. The soft strands flowed through his fingers.
“Are you okay?”
“Mm.”
He tried to make her hair resemble what it looked like when she was Lya, but it ended up just vaguely resembling it.
Yulia looked at herself in the mirror and smirked, taking off the linen cloth.
“What is this? It’s a complete mess. I’ll have to tie it again.”
“That’s your effort.”
“Yes, it seems so.”
Yulia tied her hair again. A faint smile lingered on her lips.
“Is it straightened out now?”
“Somewhat.”
Yulia checked her neat hair and sat back in the minister’s seat.
And just as she was about to say something.
The office door swung open.
It was Sushia.
“Minister! Something really big happened!”
“What kind of commotion is it this time?”
“I’ve been chosen as a candidate for the Saintess!”
It was indeed a big deal.