81 – Unexpected Victim
When asked about the most popular department in the empire, the name that’s mentioned would be the Evaluation Department; when talking about the most traditional department, it would surely be the Magic Department.
So, if one were to ask about the department with the most workload, someone would respond with a sorrowful look. It would be the Development and Innovation Department, where a black bull named Burnstain persistently toils.
Burnstain was looking down at the magic phonograph machine he was making with his bloodshot eyes.
Out of the phonograph flowed a song.
＜You’ve been born to be loved, a person that cannot cease to exist in this world ♪＞ it sung as if spinning its wheels ♪＞
Gritting his teeth, Burnstain stops himself from smashing the phonograph at the last moment.
“What am I doing…”
He was even beginning to hear hallucinations.
At times like these, a break is needed more than anything else.
However, every time when he applies for a break to his superiors, it is invariably rejected.
The empire knew all too well how to exploit workaholics. Once you put them into motion, something would come out, even if that something was the bone fragment of the workaholic.
“Alright. I am heading to the Evaluation Department.”
Holding the Magic Phonograph, Burnstain started to prepare to leave.
“Where are you going, sir?”
“I am on my way to the Evaluation Department Head in order to get evaluated for this prototype.”
“I will prepare the carriage.”
His subordinate, whose job title was Development and Innovation department manager but who did the work of a supervisor, guided Burnstain.
“By the way, where is Lady Seri?”
Lady Seri Ravione.
He is a newbie at the Department of Innovation Development, maintained by the select elite.
Even when she parachuted into the Department of Innovation Development, Burnstein was skeptical. However, she proved to be more capable than imagined. If you teach her one thing, she learns two; if you teach her two things, she knows four.
Burnstein had high expectations for Seri, but she had one fatal flaw.
“Here is her leave of absence request.”
“Love is something to be seized. As I need to attend bride class, I will be taking off for the entire week.- Seri Rabione”
“Why does everyone else have flexible work schedules but me! Ahhh!”
Her fatal flaw was her adept ability to manipulate the progressive system of flexible work hours.
The Imperial office had a cafeteria.
This cafeteria was created for a very imperial reason. It was set up because the officials were out and about during lunchtime and wouldn’t return even long after they were expected back. And their excuse was—
“I was born in the Kingdom of Kelly, so I need a two-hour lunch break.”
“After all, eating should be done leisurely and politely; it is only cattle that eat in haste.”
Ascal calmly relayed this absurdity to the crown prince.
The next day, new rules came down swiftly.
All imperial offices must have cafeterias.
And so, the officials who had been playing hooky were left to reminisce about the past as they ate tasteless food in the cafeteria during lunchtime.
What a glorious anecdote.
“Why is the food at the Evaluation Department delicious?”
As soon as Burnstein arrived at the Evaluation Department, he headed straight for the cafeteria.
It would be gauche to head straight to the minister’s office.
Doing so would only result in showing Ascal a prototype, exchanging some banter, then returning back to the Innovation Development Department, a bad ending all around.
True professionals have a different approach.
They go to the cafeteria first and eat.
“That’s because they have an affiliated contract with the best restaurant in the Empire, The Hanson. They send chefs there daily.”
“Envious. Our cafeteria only ever serves barley rice…”
“hehehehe. So, isn’t that why everyone who wishes to join the administration department lists it as their top choice? Be it food, welfare, or honor, they don’t fall short anywhere.”
A surge of anger and envy welled up in his heart.
Burns decided to assuage his anger by watching them gobble up one more bowl of the administration department’s food, thereby depleting their budget by a smidgen.
“Ah, I feel stiff, I might go get a massage.”
“What? What do you mean by a massage?”
“We have a rest area for the employees in our administration building. If you go there, you can have a massage from a skilled masseur.”
The disenchanted Burns asked earnestly.
“Even though I belong to the Development Innovation Department, is it possible for me to transfer to the administration department?”
“Oh, aren’t the people from the Development Innovation Department considered the cream of the crop? What’s your rank?”
“I’m the minister.”
“hehehehe… Someone’s taken a joke too far…”
The administrator of the evaluation department stared at Burns’ face.
A mustache.
Bloodshot eyes.
A face worn out by fatigue.
It was like the face of the rumored Minister of the Development Innovation Department had suddenly become a reality.
“Transfer me.”
“Gasp! It’s an honor to meet you, Minister!”
“I said, transfer me!!!”
In the end, Burns’ tantrum didn’t subside until he had fully enjoyed a high-quality massage from the masseur.
Having tasted a specially prepared dish with fire stones, Burns, looking refreshed, entered his office.
However, something seemed off.
Askel, who usually would chat away, was now sitting silently in the middle of an office chair, his body twitching irregularly.
And Lia, who usually would have offered tea by now, was just silently looking over her documents. Her quill pen had been still for several minutes.
“Askel.”
“Gasp! Burnstein, is it you?”
“I’ve come to have the prototype evaluated.”
Burnstein sat down on the guest chair.
Only then did Lia recover her senses and brought a warm cup of tea.
“Thank you.”
Burnstein, after a sip of tea, took out a pocket gramophone.
“Is this that new invention?”
“Yes. I feel strange saying this myself but, this is revolutionary. Take a look.”
Burnstein took out several records, chose one, and inserted it into the gramophone.
“When you press this…”
＜I am in love ♪ Always, from the first sight ♪ Now, look only at me ♪＞
It was a beautiful song.
“What do you think?”
Burnstein folded his arms with a brimming confidence.
Askel would have definitely recognized and admired the value of this gramophone at first sight.
But the response was a bit strange.
“…”
“…”
The conversation between the two fell silent.
＜Does confessions always have to be done by men ♪ The one in love should confess first ♪ With you, even a day with nothing is a treasure＞
“S-stop… S-stop…”
Askel twisted in pain.
Lia, at a lack of words, had her cheeks flushed red.
“Is, is that so? Perhaps there is still room for improvement after all.”
Burnstein, who had slightly lost his confidence, touched his mustache.
“No, no it’s not. Ri, Riya, could you take these documents to section 1 for me?”
“Ye, yes. I understand.”
Riya hurriedly left the room.
“Could you turn that down for a bit?”
“Sure.”
The reaction resembled someone brandishing a cross in front of a vampire. As soon as the phonograph was turned off, Ascal calmed down.
“Burnstein. Your invention is excellent.”
“Then why did you react like that earlier?”
Ascal supported his chin with both hands and began to speak seriously.
“It’s about someone I know.”
“Suddenly?”
“A man and a woman had known each other for quite some time. They were coworkers at the same company. But somehow, they ended up in a relationship that felt empty without the other.”
Was this a love story?
Burnstein decided to listen quietly.
As long as he had something to pass the time, he was fine.
“The man had never thought of the woman as a romantic prospect. Their statuses were too different. However, the woman thought differently.”
As he listened to the story, Burnstein played with his phonograph.
“One day, there was an incident. Coincidentally, the setting was a beautiful beach. Just as the atmosphere was getting better, the woman said to the man……”
“She confessed her feelings?”
“Yes.”
“The man rejected her?”
As the story unfolded, Burnstein began to become immersed in it. So much so, Burnstein failed to notice the red light beginning to emit from the phonograph.
“No, I didn’t refuse.”
“Not?”
“The man was so flustered he said something like this.”
Ascal spoke just like that day.
“Tha-t! Ah! Eh! Huh! Tha, that is… I mean…”
“Is the guy an idiot or what?”
“…I think in my opinion, he’s indeed an idiot.”
It’s easier to give advice about someone else’s life.
Bernstein had spoken.
“So the man is not really against the confession?”
“Hm. It could be said so but again there isn’t anything compelling about it…”
“What do you think the man would have said if he could return to that moment?”
Ascal pondered.
And then he replied.
“I am also in love with you, Lia.”
“sh*t! It was your own story after all!”
Bernstein slammed the table.
The sound of a gramophone clicked.
Just then, Lia, who had finished her work, entered the office.
And then.
The recorded gramophone started to play.
Lia, with her face turning red, hesitantly listened to Ascal’s recorded voice and then,
＜I am also in love with you, Lia.＞
Upon hearing this part, she couldn’t raise her head, but finally she spoke.
“Yes … I love you too.”
Bernstein grimaced.
The next day, Bernstein tried once again to escape the empire but was caught by the Emperor’s hunting dogs.
People particularly remarked that Bernstein’s wailings that day were especially melancholic.
XD
HAHAHAHAHA THIS IS GOLD XD