Chapter: 827
I’m not a corrupt noble, but I wouldn’t say I’m exactly pure and unblemished either. During my time as the Executive Manager of the Information Department, the amount I’ve pocketed under the guise of “friend fees” is no joke, and every time I handled a task, I easily slipped a little something into my pockets. I didn’t set out specifically to amass wealth, but when opportunities to increase my fortune came knocking, I never turned them away.
The reasons for this? They’re somewhat complex. Putting on a show of being somewhat generous allows other nobles to think, “Oh, this guy’s a noble who can communicate.” Plus, it feels nice to see my wealth grow, even if I never have time to spend it.
Anyway, bribes aren’t something I particularly recoil from, nor do I feel the urge to spit fire about them.
“This is a new experience for me.”
But that’s only true for the innocent bribes given by nobles as friendly gestures. I’ve never accepted bribes from someone who was caught in the act of wrongdoing.
How dare anyone try to shake money in front of me while they’re committing a crime! Accepting that cash would only sully my mood and give me more reasons for the Emperor to hassle me.
Besides, anyone who gets caught by the Information Department is highly likely to have their assets seized. Those funds are just going to end up in the Department’s warehouse or the National Treasury anyway, so why would I overlook a live criminal just to get my hands on some dirty money? It just doesn’t make sense.
“Fortunately, it seems this gambling house is the only one in the Hauzentz Circle.”
— How can I show my face when I couldn’t even keep an eye on the one that exists? I have no words to dirty Your Grace’s precious time.
However, my displeasure started to wane a bit thanks to Winston, who showed up with his top of the head instead of his face.
The illegal gambling operation’s prominence seems to stem not from the Chief Regional Manager’s leadership but from the underlings’ mischief. When power shifted over from the Eiselon family to the Imperial Family, they seized the chaos and started showering local officials with undue influence. Managing a gambling house is something that a regional governor can easily pull off.
Of course, this isn’t certain. We’ll only know for sure if the Chief Regional Manager is truly innocent after a thorough investigation. For now, this remains a provisional finding.
“Minister! I’ve got the ledgers right here!”
“Oh, good job.”
To take care of this provisional check, it ended up being Erich, the Chief Manager of Information Department One. She’s much more skilled than me when it comes to digging into a place like this and better at making connections between the gambling house and local officials than your average bureaucrat from the Information Department.
That means the odds of this provisional finding leading to an official confirmation are quite high. If someone can dodge Erich’s sharp gaze, they definitely aren’t the kind to be rotting away in Hauzentz.
“What the hell…?”
“Huh?”
In the midst of this, an annoying voice caught my attention as I turned my head.
“Why is the Minister here!? As I understand it, you should be on vacation! You ought to be in 제도! What brings you all the way out to a far-flung gambling house to inspect its misconduct personally?!”
‘Is this guy nuts?’
I felt a surge of indignation listening to his aggrieved tone.
Dude, I’m on vacation! Do you think I would have come here if it were work? Plus, I’m not even here to inspect gambling misconduct! I was just minding my own business when I stumbled upon it!
‘Why is he the one whining?’
I desperately suppressed the urge to lash out. If anyone should be feeling wronged, it’s me! I came here to chill and ended up knee-deep in this mess.
But swinging my fist in anger could kill someone who still has a lot to answer for. Just like that time when I sent the head of the Red Tide to the grave back when I was still a school inspector.
One careless mistake and it’s lights out; I can’t afford to let it happen again.
‘Must… hold it in.’
I let out a sigh internally and tried to calm down.
Okay, this guy has a point. If he’s been living high on the hog for decades, putting on a facade that illegally operating a gambling house was all good and proper, he’s probably put a lot of effort into it. He must have been treading carefully to keep his little den of sin from collapsing, especially if a disaster like me was lurking nearby.
Then suddenly, someone he thought was perfectly safe turns up unannounced at his doorstep and takes his operation down. For him, it must feel like a bolt from the blue.
Actually, if he hadn’t committed any crime in the first place, there would’ve been no reason to feel wronged. But anyone who thinks like that wouldn’t dare trample on the government.
“You’ve enjoyed undue riches while leaving yourself exposed to massive penalties. All actions eventually lead back to you.”
With that, I calmly addressed the aggrieved illegal gambler.
Honestly, if he’d been more cooperative and turned himself in to the Hauzentz officials, I might not have shown up at all. After all, he’s been dodging taxes for decades without a peep, then suddenly has to deal with an investigation from the head of the Information Department.
‘Decades of tax evasion.’
A chuckle escaped me involuntarily. They raise hell over months of overdue taxes, so what kind of reaction would the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Justice have over decades?
Perhaps the magnitude of his evasion is so astonishing that they would just be left in awe. When confronted with something beyond normal expectations, people react with either fear or wonder.
And I can guarantee you the heads of the Finance and Justice Ministries won’t be the ones trembling! They’ll be thrilled because it’s a juicy opportunity to shake things up during their dull ministerial lives!
“Oh, Chief Regional Manager.”
— Yes, Your Grace.
As I opened my mouth one last time to give my orders, Winston must have heard the illegal gambler’s cries, as he answered with an even stiffer voice than before.
“This gambling house… replace all of the management but keep it running. It has substantial history and operations, so just shutting it down wouldn’t suffice.”
— Understood. I will ensure that this provides you with an opportunity for grace, so we maintain a clean gambling environment.
I nearly burst out laughing at those words. I get that Winston has good intentions, but can you really have “clean” and “gambling house” coexist in the same sentence?
“Right. Let’s see how that goes.”
However, when I gave those orders to Winston regarding the gambling house, it was also a hint that he should be safe from any purges. So for Winston, it would mean relief that he survived and determination not to mess up a second time.
No need to rain on his parade.
*
The Minister and Elizaveta headed to Northern Hauzentz. Unlike on their honeymoon, they’re planning a quick trip, setting off in the morning and returning in the evening.
At first, I was flabbergasted that the Minister was heading to Northern Hauzentz. It’s truly embarrassing and awkward. I know better than anyone that Northern Hauzentz is safe and quiet, yet I lost my reason when I heard that the Minister, the head of the Information Department, was going.
What a dismal situation. The Emperor doubted the tranquility of the Imperial Family’s direct jurisdiction, not to mention the devotion of the regional managers. He threw years of loyalty out the window!
Time to reflect. I can’t believe I forgot years of facts and results just because of some random memories and fleeting feelings from the past.
— And I vowed to remember that just hours ago.
“…There was an illegal gambling house in the Hauzentz Circle, and the Minister discovered it and arrested the management. Did I understand that correctly?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
I turned my head in silence at the report from the head of the Imperial Household.
Once, a portrait of the Minister hung here, but after a while, I took it down, fearing the Minister might go berserk if it hung too long. Now, it’s just an empty, clean wall.
‘Should I put it back up?’
I was seriously considering whether I should hang the portrait back up after all my troubles.
Surely, the Minister went to Northern Hauzentz with a light heart. He was only there to have fun, and he didn’t even plan to stay more than a day, from morning until evening.
But what in the world is going on? In those few hours from morning to evening, the Minister discovered and sanctioned a gambling house that had been hiding for decades. He took care of business within mere hours.
‘Not exactly the Guardian Angel of Bureaucrats.’
I can’t believe it, but I start to wonder if the Minister is some kind of Guardian Angel for bureaucrats since, even on vacation, he handles business! It doesn’t make sense otherwise!
I’m getting used to the Minister doing work while on vacation. It’s not the first time he’s gotten embroiled in something unusual on his honeymoon.
But for him to identify and normalize an illegal gambling establishment that I didn’t even know about in just a few hours? No matter how I look at it, that’s not something ordinary. This must make him deserving of the blessings of Enen, the Guardian of Bureaucrats.
‘Oh dear.’
As I concluded that the Minister was the bureaucrats’ guardian, the corners of my mouth began to twitch uncontrollably.
“Make sure to punish the criminals who defied the government according to the law, and ensure that all the overdue taxes are collected thoroughly. Cleaning up past filth will secure the strength of the Hauzentz Circle’s traditions for the future.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I will do so.”
Thus, I hurriedly issued the order to handle it by the book. If an illegal gambling operation has been found, we should seize all the gains made while operating illegally, punish the wrongdoers, and legalize the establishment.
It’s a straightforward command that can’t be opposed, allowing the head of the Imperial Household to bow deeply and retreat.
“Phew…”
As soon as I saw the head of the Imperial Household leave, I couldn’t help but chuckle.
All my questions were answered. I realized why the Minister won’t let go of work even on vacation and why he gets into odd situations during his honeymoon.
Yeah, if he’s a Guardian Angel, there’s no escape from that fate unless he renounces it.
‘And this is just the first day.’
Suddenly, it clicked that today marked the first day of the Minister’s honeymoon. Northern Hauzentz was just one of many destinations he would visit, and he still had countless travels ahead of him.
What kind of chaos will occur next time? My heart starts to race with anticipation—
‘Oh.’
A brilliant idea struck me.
*
The Emperor sent a message.
[ The Minister rose as an Imperial figure among merchants of various nationalities, amidst the conflicts that arise among them. This embodies the spirit of the Empire, which rules the continent and encompasses many nations – how can I not admire that? ]
[ The Empire encompasses everything; it’s like a small continent in itself. The Minister has successfully embraced and nurtured this “little continent,” which speaks volumes for the Empire and even the continent’s prosperity. ]
[ While on vacation, the Minister retains his duty and honor as a pillar of the Empire and the continent. I commend him and bestow upon him this small enterprise he has normalized. ]
Upon seeing that message, I instinctively shut my eyes.
“Damn it.”
I loathe this punk even more than the illegal gambler!
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