Chapter 67
Day after day passed without further incident. There had been a brief, razor-sharp clash, but in the end, we were all office workers.
Everyone behaved as though nothing had happened, communicating and working as usual.
The atmosphere was still a little strained, but I did my best to maintain a calm expression and a polite smile whenever I faced the Duke.
Work is work.
I didn’t want anyone else in the department to suffer because of me. So I tried even harder to act professionally. Time would smooth things out eventually… even if my heart was far from peaceful.
He hasn’t come to the snack bar, either.
I’d braced myself, fully expecting him to show up since he was practically a regular. I’d even prepared myself to get cursed out.
Word had it he’d been working overtime every day lately, returning late from the Ministry of Justice. Honestly, I’d bet a hand that half of that overtime was because of unnecessary reports and paperwork.
“Cornelia, want to get some fresh air?”
Frustrated as I was, I immediately accepted Lucan’s suggestion. We walked along the path we usually strolled after lunch, letting fresh air fill my chest.
“You feeling better?”
“About what?”
Lucan tapped his own chest lightly with his finger. I must’ve been more obvious than I thought.
“Sorry. I made you worry.”
“We’re colleagues. It’s fine. What’s spilled is spilled. Don’t stress too much.”
I gave him a faint, bitter smile.
“I know. Honestly, I know better than you. But even after going through it several times, it’s still not easy.”
“Anyone would think you’ve been a bureaucrat for ten years.”
“I had a pretty chaotic work life before joining this place, you know?”
He snickered, then led me to a nearby bench and sat me down. He handed me a small box.
“What’s this?”
“I’m close with the imperial chefs. They said sweets help when you’re in a bad mood, so I brought you something. The taste is guaranteed!”
Inside was a cupcake piled high with cream. I wasn’t particularly in the mood to eat, but I appreciated the gesture and took a bite. Sweetness blossomed pleasantly in my mouth. It was delicious.
“Thanks. I do feel a little better.”
“Good.” He smiled broadly. How did I end up being comforted by a junior colleague practically half my age? Maybe my brain had regressed along with my body.
“Honestly, I don’t think you said anything wrong. I felt the same way since I first joined the Chancellor’s Office. But most high-ranking officials are high-ranking nobles. It’s scary to speak up. That’s why the Concealment Department people aren’t blaming you. They were shocked, but also relieved.”
But I didn’t mean to be the one carrying the gun for everyone… and yet I charged right in.
I hoped all that chaos would at least amount to some kind of change, but based on the atmosphere, it felt unlikely.
“Do you know how worried Diplomat Simon was? He kept wondering if you’d be disciplined or fired for leaving your post.”
“Diplomat Simon?”
It surprised me that someone from another department would worry about me.
“He said you’re like a kid left near the water. I think you remind him of his daughter. You really do have a harmless vibe when people first meet you. Well… now we know better.”
“Pfft.”
A daughter and harmless? The thought alone made me laugh. If only people knew how many snakes lived inside me.
“You laughed, didn’t you? You did!”
Completely unaware, Lucan beamed, relieved that my mood was lifting.
Yes… it already happened. Time to shake off unnecessary emotions.
Feeling far lighter, I got up. I decided I’d buy Lucan a meal later. When we returned to the office, Abel from Treasury came running toward us in a panic.
“T-They got him! They finally caught him!”
“What? Who? Don’t tell me—?!”
“Yes! The bastard who helped Marcus and Dorian hide their assets!”
His speech was rougher than usual—probably an unfortunate influence from his superior—but that didn’t matter. I asked the more important question.
“This isn’t all, right?”
“How did you know?”
“Treasury officers aren’t the type to be shocked by a simple arrest.”
Treasury officers were cold and cool-headed, not easily excited. They cared about one thing: money. And Abel looked very worked up.
“The assets. The retainer is claiming they belong to him.”
“Knew it.”
Smiling, I walked straight toward Laira. She greeted me with sparkling eyes.
“We’re thinking the same thing, right?”
Other department members gathered around us in confusion. Simon, who apparently worried a lot about me, asked:
“Can’t we just trace the assets and prove they’re illegal?”
Laira wagged her elegantly painted finger left and right.
“That’s boring. We should get something out of this too. And Marcus’s hidden assets are a pretty good prize.”
“What do you mean?”
Laira looked at me, and I finished the thought.
“The Noble Asset Registration System. Since participation is low, it might be good to instill a little fear.”
“What does that have to do with—?”
“The hidden assets—those the retainer claims as his own, but which truly belong to Marquis Marcus—let’s register them as his assets.”
“……!”
“With imperial certification.”
“T-Then can’t he just take them back from the retainer afterward?!”
“Do you really think he could? A mountain of assets delivered straight into his hands without lifting a finger? I doubt the Marquis has such a loyal retainer. And human nature… changes easily.”
“Exactly. Money is the best wedge to pry open the weaknesses of the human heart. Once the imperial court certifies it, Marcus can’t touch it. Even if he kills the retainer, the assets will never revert to him. So what happens then?”
“Nobles afraid of losing their assets will rush to register them.”
I froze. The Duke had appeared at some point, standing in front of his desk.
“……!”
“At the very least, registered assets won’t be lost. I just came back with His Majesty’s approval. Laira, handle this with the Treasury Minister.”
“Yes, understood.”
Laira dragged Abel with her and hurried out of the Concealment Department. I’d expected the approval to take a day or two. I hadn’t imagined it would move this fast.
He really is capable.
My earlier suggestions felt almost laughable. I had to give credit where it was due.
“Thank you for handling it so quickly, Your Excellency.”
Pleased, I thanked him and returned to my desk with light steps.
For the first time in a while, I opened the shop with a clear mind—thanks to Lucan’s comfort and the successful project. The entire Concealment Department must have been in high spirits. But the customer sitting before me today was yet another VIP.
“Hello, Master Quokka.”
He looked strangely downcast.
Something personal? Well, he has work in the Concealment Department and the Ministry of Justice…
“I’ll listen. Speak comfortably—whatever the concern is.”
“My direct superior is acting strange.”
His direct superior? That meant the Chief Justice—the Duke.
“How strange? Is he saying hurtful things to you again?”
He shook his head.
“I wish he would. Then I could just curse and move on. But the Chief Justice… looks depressed.”
Huh? The man who always spoke so calmly and coldly?
“Depressed?”
“I don’t know. Maybe it’s just because I work close to him, but he barely talks now. Even less than usual. And he’s working overtime way more. Honestly, that annoyingly handsome face looked pitiful. Ha… maybe it’s because of that incident.”
“T-That… incident?”
A bad feeling crept up my spine.
“Ever since he argued with a lower-ranked official from another department.”
Oh God. He’s talking about me.
Hearing it laid out like that was mortifying, but the bull-headed young man kept going.
“To be honest, that official wasn’t wrong. I agreed with everything they said. But for someone who’s been a royal since birth… it probably felt like a challenge to his authority. He’s young, but he’s pretty rigid.”
“…He did seem that way.”
“Right? What that official said was really satisfying to hear, but it looks like the Chief Justice took real damage. It’s not easy to hurt the Empire’s most eligible bachelor like that. Honestly, the moment I saw that official, I knew they were unusual.”
“…Excuse me?”
“An entry-level secretary, talking one-on-one with the Chief Justice and not backing down at all! In the end, he even accepted their request and rewrote the contract. Thanks to them, we rooted out corruption in the Chancellor’s Office. It’s complicated, so don’t worry about the details. Anyway! The Chief Justice has told me multiple times to ‘work like that secretary.’ Must’ve hit him hard.”
“……!”
My elbow slipped, and my upper body lurched forward.
“Master Quokka, are you all right? You look like you have a headache…”
“I’m fine. Thank you for worrying.”
I told myself I wouldn’t regret anything. But a heavy weight settled in my chest.
Was I… too harsh?
