SOLIRF~41

Chapter 41

Entry into the Imperial Palace

“I didn’t expect you to reach out first.”

It had only been a few days since we last met, but somehow, it already felt awkward. The Finance Minister greeted me with the same calm, gentle smile he’d worn the first time we met.

“Well, they say the thirsty man digs the well first. I already ordered tea.”

“Thank you.”

A short silence lingered before the tea arrived. He took a sip, wetting his lips, and then spoke.

“I admit I was hasty with my offer. I didn’t consider your position. My apologies.”

I hadn’t expected an apology.
What high-ranking noble apologizes to a young girl from an unknown family? My surprise must have shown on my face, because he exhaled softly—as if relieved.

“To be honest, at first I couldn’t understand why you refused. I thought I was giving you a great opportunity. That is—until I met Lady Chiara.”

“The young lady didn’t know about it. I was rather caught off guard by how things turned out.”

“Well, at the time, I figured since I’d already been rejected, I might as well go for broke.”

“…Excuse me?”

His face puffed up slightly, like a sulking child.

“I came in full confidence, expecting you’d agree. You refused me—so of course I wasn’t pleased. That’s why I went to hear your reason, even if it meant going overboard.”

This childish old man, really!

I was a fool to expect decency from nobles.

“Ahem. Anyway, looking back now, that was out of line. I apologize for that as well. Good grief, how many times am I apologizing to you today…” He gave a self-deprecating chuckle. “When I first mentioned scouting you, Lady Chiara practically exploded. But after I explained my reasoning, she laughed so hard she nearly cried.”

“Lady Chiara did?”

“Yes. She said you’re fully capable of living well without becoming a royal bureaucrat. That the idea of ‘working for the Finance Minister or the Empire’ held no charm for you. She even told me about the conditions you set when you joined her household—that you turned down the house she offered.”

“I’m starting to regret that decision, a little.”

I joked lightly, and he chuckled under his breath.

“I’ve never seen anyone negotiate work conditions so precisely. At first, I thought it was absurd. But Lady Chiara said you told her to think in terms of efficiency. And, well, the results speak for themselves. I had nothing to say to that. So I went home and thought long and hard. If I wanted you on my side, what kind of incentive could I possibly offer? Since appealing to duty clearly wouldn’t work…”

He trailed off and gave me a knowing look, waiting for my response.

I smiled politely and gestured for him to continue. Showing interest too early would be amateurish.
Rule one of job transitions: let the other side talk first, then decide.

My restraint seemed to please him.

“I knew I wasn’t wrong about you.”

He handed me a document.

“These are the employment terms. Review them, and let me know if there’s anything you’d like adjusted. I can draft a separate contract if needed. Since the Chancellor’s Office recently lost key personnel, I can hire you directly under my authority as Acting Chancellor—no exam required. We’ve already brought in another assistant secretary the same way, so there’s no need to worry about fairness.”

The document listed familiar terms—five-day work week, no late-night contact, competitive pay, and other standard conditions. But one clause made me pause.

“Academy admission and tuition support for family members.”

The Finance Minister noticed where my eyes landed and explained,

“That means I’ll personally sponsor your family. With your salary alone, covering three sets of tuition would be difficult. If I become your backer, life at the Academy will be much easier.”

Rio’s health had improved enough that he could probably attend classes, as long as he kept taking his medicine.

A short laugh escaped me. I couldn’t believe I was swayed by such a clause—for people who weren’t even my real family.

Still… the world’s harsh. Education’s the least I can give them before they grow independent.

After skimming the rest of the terms, I handed the papers back.

He studied my face. “What’s wrong? Something not to your liking? Speak freely.”

I shook my head. “No complaints. But aside from the salary, please make my conditions the same as other officials. At the Marquis’s estate, I was the only aide, so special terms made sense. But here, everything’s team-based. If I receive obvious favoritism, it’ll only create tension. I’ll adapt on my own. And… I’ll gladly accept the Academy support.”

He blinked, clearly surprised.

“I expected you to be more demanding. Did you change your mind about something?”

In that moment, I recalled everyone’s words—Pinea, Nicola, young master Aidan, and Lady Chiara.
The confusion that had once clouded me finally cleared.

“I just want to try something new. This time, I’ll work for myself. If you ever assign something I believe is wrong, I won’t hesitate to object. Will that be acceptable?”

The Finance Minister burst out laughing and stood, extending his hand.

“That’s exactly why I chose you.”

Everything moved quickly after that.
There was a mountain of work—handover duties, paperwork, preparations for entering the palace.

“Coco, this isn’t a dream, right?”

Pinea pinched her own cheek in disbelief.

Lady Chiara had personally interviewed candidates for my replacement, asking me to recommend someone who’d worked with me on the Black Diamond launch. Pinea was chosen as my successor, while Nicola was appointed liaison between Daijo Trading Company and the Marquisate.

It all happened so fast after my resignation was finalized that my head spun.

When I asked Lady Chiara why she hadn’t chosen a noble aide, she said:

“You’re close with her, aren’t you? If she worked with you on Black Diamond, then she’s at least competent—and not shady like that last man. And besides…” Her cheeks flushed faintly. “You’ll visit often, won’t you?”

Her shy tone made me smile.

“Of course. I’ll come see you often.”

“I’ll make sure your severance pay is generous.”

“As expected of you, my lady—you’re the best.”

When I stopped by to say goodbye to Aidan, he was packing his own luggage.

“The most interesting person in this house is leaving. I guess it’s time for me to go, too.”

“Me? Interesting? That’s news to me.”

“Coco, you didn’t know? You’re fun to watch, even when you’re just standing there.”

“Excuse me?”

I frowned in disbelief, and he burst into laughter.

“See? You’re already funny.”

Then he tapped his chest—right over the spot where his brooch gleamed.

“Keep that with you, okay? I’ll see you again soon—so stay well until then!”

Before I could respond, he vanished in a shimmer of teleportation.

“…Wow.”

His farewell got buried under the awe of witnessing magic up close.

After saying goodbye to Melony, Butler Fenel, and the rest of the staff, I wrapped up my final duties as Lady Chiara’s aide. When I left the Marquis’s mansion, I glanced back once. It hadn’t been long, but so much had happened.

Still… this is a step forward.

The day of my first job at the Imperial Palace arrived.

Marcella, Juliana, and Rio were up earlier than me, helping me get ready with near-military precision.

They’re more excited than I am.

They’d run around the house all night celebrating as if it were a festival, even though I hadn’t mentioned the Academy scholarship yet. Thank goodness we didn’t live in an apartment—at least no neighbors could complain about the noise.

The carriage stopped at the palace gates. After showing my identification, I entered. Unless you were a high-ranking noble, you had to leave your carriage at the gate and walk inside.

Ugh. What a disgusting class system.

Moments like this really highlighted the Marquis’s influence.

Still, being late on day one was out of the question, so I quickened my pace toward the Central Administration Building.

The Chancellor’s Office, second floor.

It wasn’t an errand this time—it was official employment.
My heart pounded. I had no idea what kind of people I’d be working with, or what my duties would entail.

At least the Finance Minister had said that plenty of minor nobles served as bureaucrats to aid their families, so discrimination against someone of my background would be minimal.

Knock, knock.

Standing before the door marked Chancellor’s Office, I took a deep breath and knocked.

“Yes?”

I heard a reply and slowly opened the door—

—and froze.

Before me stretched a vast space of warm wood tones—desks, shelves, pillars—all evoking a grand, centuries-old library. Green potted plants brightened the room, and beside a staircase leading to a second level lined with bookshelves, a cherry blossom tree stood in full bloom. Beneath it, a small pond shimmered in the soft light.

Was this… really an office?

The Finance Ministry felt like cold metal. But this… this is a fairy tale.

I must’ve missed this sight before when the Duke of Seraph caused that scene.

My motivation skyrocketed. The lively, buzzing energy of the place felt much freer than the Finance Ministry’s stiff atmosphere.

But then—

Wait… why is it so loud?

I tilted my head and crept closer. It wasn’t the kind of chatter that came from work discussions.

My focus shifted, and my jaw nearly dropped.
Scattered papers, ink bottles, and quills littered the floor. Some workers had turned their backs on their desks, chatting idly. One was reading a novel. A few desks were completely abandoned.

Hold on—that seat with the “Chancellor” nameplate… is that—?

Someone was slumped there, asleep.

Any trace of first-day excitement evaporated instantly.

The brooch Aidan had given me glowed red on my chest.

Great. Should’ve checked that earlier.

Finance Minister… you really left out some critical details, didn’t you?