Chapter 429
Someone was gently petting my head. The affectionate, yet cautious touch slowly roused me from slumber.
“Carl, are you awake?”
As I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was Mar’s beaming smile.
Staring at the beautiful sight before me, I blinked in disbelief. It was a lovely view, but why was I here? I was sure I had been sitting on the couch, yet here I was, lying down and looking up at Mar.
When I just continued to stare in silence, Mar let out a soft giggle and spoke up.
“I saw you sleeping, so I laid you down. Lying down is obviously better than sitting up, right?”
‘Ah.’
Only after hearing that did my scattered memories start to come back. Outside, it was a frigid winter day, but the academy was incredibly warm. This place, where students with noble lineage or exceptional abilities burn with academic fervor, should have perfect heating.
Besides, it was the student council room and the place where the Duke’s youngest daughter resides. With the ideal temperature, it seemed I had dozed off.
And just as I pieced everything together, my senses started to awaken.
‘Soft.’
Using Mar’s thigh as a pillow filled me with bliss. I was lying on what felt like the most perfect pillow on the planet. Even though I was always relying on this pillow, it felt new every time.
That’s why I involuntarily turned 180 degrees to face Mar, who was still petting my head.
“C-Carl!?”
I heard Mar’s startled voice, but I could only hold my ground. The warmth and softness were far too inviting to yield.
“I’ll just stay like this for a moment.”
Seeing Mar panic, she finally seemed to give in and resumed petting my head. Of course, I got scolded a little after I got up, but…
I had no regrets. After all, happiness without a price is a rare thing, isn’t it?
That’s what I believe.
After a brief commotion, Mar soon came back with a cheerful face, serving tea. She insisted I needed something warm since I had just woken up.
Her thoughtfulness brought me almost to tears. I didn’t regret the 180-degree flip, but I did feel a tinge of guilt for embarrassing such a gentle partner for even a moment—
‘I was usually making her blush all along, anyway.’
Thinking about it, it seemed that every time I got a bit too close, Mar would show both happiness and embarrassment at the same time. If I really wanted to free her from this embarrassment, I’d need to stop the skinship altogether.
For Mar, wouldn’t that be a much harsher fate? I’d make sure to keep her blushing in the future.
“Oh right, Carl.”
“Yeah?”
Just as those thoughts crossed my mind, Mar opened her mouth, making me flinch. Did she read my mind or something?
“It’s almost time for the executives to arrive. There’s no rush, so I told them to take their time with lunch.”
Fortunately, it wasn’t some mind-reading ability, but just a regular info drop.
“Really? Then I guess we should start preparing.”
I felt an odd sense of relief, retrieving my business cards from my pocket.
The executives Mar spoke of were the student council executives. In other words, it was time to see the fresh faces who would be stepping into civil service thanks to my recommendations. Last year, the executives taking my recommendation had all landed jobs, so they could be considered the second batch.
‘This year, there are five of them.’
One downside was that this year, there was one less executive than last year.
Originally, the student council executives included the president, vice-president, treasurer, accountant, secretary, head of the discipline committee, and head of publicity—seven in total. The vice-president would be a second-year, so we’d still have six left, but this year Mar was the president. She didn’t need my recommendation to be a civil servant, leaving just five executives needing my backing.
It’s unfortunate that the number of promising seeds ready to dedicate themselves to the royal family and the empire has decreased, but still, it’s better than having none at all—five is still something.
‘Hmm.’
Trying to stay positive while signing the cards, another thought crept into my mind.
‘Do we really have to send them to the Executive Department?’
Was it really necessary to send the precious gems I unearthed into the Executive Department?
Sure, the influx of personnel into the disciplinary office would make my life easier, but the disciplinary office is practically an extension of the emperor himself—operated with consolidated departments and special funding and personnel from the emperor. I didn’t need to do any more heavy lifting there.
Wouldn’t it make more sense to funnel talent into an area where I had to develop personally, rather than one that would get imperial support just by existing?
‘Gathering a hundred would just lead to no one getting pushed out anyway.’
Back when the emperor was still the crown prince, he had provocatively suggested that if I gathered a hundred talents, he would consider my retirement.
It sounded like a joke to anyone, but back then, I was desperately hoping for my retirement. Bringing together a hundred talents, if the crown prince permitted my retirement, it’d be a win-win for everyone—and even if it didn’t happen, I’d still have a hundred passionate new hires, which would be great.
‘Retirement can freeze over.’
Now even that desperation has waned. I’m the uncle to the crown princess and the first director of the disciplinary office, a faction leader in the northern faction, and the trusted aide who faced the Dragon Lord.
Not a hundred, but even if I brought a hundred legions, resignation letters would be torn before me. I’m sure of it.
…
After a moment of contemplation, I pulled out another business card from my pocket.
Still, I shouldn’t forcefully change the future of those kids aspiring to be civil servants. They deserve to have options.
*
After taking several deep breaths to steady my thumping heart, I found my fingers still slightly trembling, unable to shake off the tension. But I couldn’t delay any further.
Behind this door waits the head of the disciplinary office—no, the Minister of the Disciplinary Office, who has made it possible for both me and Olivia to continue our studies and is about to bestow us with a life-altering opportunity.
So, with one final deep breath, I knocked on the door of the president’s office.
“Marghetta, it’s me. The other executives are here too.”
Though I knew the Minister was inside, I chose not to mention it. Formally, we were gathered here at the summons of the president, not the minister.
“Come in.”
However, the voice that returned was unmistakably the Minister’s, and I felt everyone behind me shudder slightly at its authority.
That was odd. The Minister isn’t cold or cruel. From my experience, she’s quite the opposite—friendly and warm. But perhaps due to her title, even simple words felt intimidating.
‘It wouldn’t have felt this way last year.’
I couldn’t help but recall my first meeting with her last year. At that time, she was the head of the disciplinary office, so no one could ignore her, but in just a year, that position has transformed into Ministership, and she now holds multiple titles. Furthermore, she’s set to be the next emperor’s esteemed uncle.
Suddenly, I envied last year’s seniors. They would have seen the Minister back when she was just a department head, not this incredible evolved figure.
Not to mention there were times earlier this semester when the Minister was still manageable.
“I-I’m coming in!”
Suppressing all other thoughts, I carefully opened the door.
‘…I should have picked accounting instead of treasurer.’
And just as I thought I had suppressed that, another thought slithered out.
Among the executives, aside from the president and vice-president, the treasurer holds a leading role—there has never been a time I wished for a different position as much as today. If I had been any other executive, I would have been able to enter the president’s office as one of her aides rather than the representative.
Once seated, the princess herself handed me the tea. Inside the academy, since we’re classmates, I could call her Marghetta, but once we graduate, she would become someone I could hardly look at.
Just that action alone was enough to make my heart race. And then came the Minister’s words, which attacked my heart on multiple levels.
“Having observed you all closely, I am well aware of your talents. It would be a waste not to open up more than just one future for you.”
With that, the Minister handed each executive a business card stamped with her signature.
Two cards.
“One is a recommendation written as the Minister of the Disciplinary Office. You can take that and visit the Executive Department or other institutions, and they should offer you an appropriate position. While I’d prefer if you came to the Disciplinary Office, it’s up to you where you want to go.”
I already knew that. The seniors who received this card last year danced in jubilation, turning the student council room into a ballroom. At that time, our junior selves were shown off their recommendations with pride.
I hadn’t intended on seeing it, but the dance party dragged on long enough that I had to look.
“And the other is a recommendation more accurately described as an invitation from the Grand Duke.”
An invitation? I glanced down at the card. Instead of saying Minister Carl Krasius of Tileglehen, it was written Tileglehen Count Carl Krasius of Tileglehen.
“I’m both an official in the Executive Department and a Grand Duke. While I have a duty as a bureaucrat to serve the royal family and the empire, I also have a duty as a Grand Duke to care for Her Majesty’s subjects.”
No sooner had her words finished than the other executives stared at their cards in disbelief. Everyone seemed to catch on; they must have realized what the Minister was implying.
Of course, so did I. If I didn’t grasp her underlying message after hearing that, it would be strange indeed.
“The Tileglehen Countship has a glorious history accumulated over 300 years, but Wieridia has just recently transformed from a direct territory into a countship, which means it still has many shortcomings.”
Nevertheless, the Minister kindly explained.
If we chose to follow her as Grand Duke, we’d be heading not to the bustling center of Tileglehen but instead up north to Wieridia.
We would be working in a somewhat desolate region, not in the vibrant city.
Yet, due to its inadequacies and newness as a territory—it’s a land replete with opportunity.
‘Wieridia.’
I unconsciously swallowed. Rumors of Wieridia had spread through the likes of peasants such as me and even aristocratic students.
More specifically, it concerned the territory’s steward, Kisele, who was newly appointed as a baron in a single day.
‘The land of opportunity.’
Even with a castle in sight, it remained in a position too ambiguous for aristocracy. There were countless positions and titles remaining vacant.
‘M-Me too…’
My hands began to tremble again. But this was a different kind of tremor.
Greed bloomed. While it’s something I could hardly aspire to, it’s now within reach. The Minister has shown hope even to someone like me.
If, just if, I could catch the Minister’s eye, and if she found me satisfactory…
I could have the chance for my family and me to—
‘We could live as nobles…?’
Could we live comfortably and warmly?
*
Among the five, three chose Wieridia over the Disciplinary Office.
In fact, considering the head of the discipline committee is better suited for military service than administrative roles, it essentially means that only one of them opted for the Executive Department. That one friend even comes from a family located near the capital, wanting that kind of life.
I was satisfied. Aside from those who clearly needed to choose different paths, everyone else came to Wieridia.
‘Well, at least I can take a breath now.’
After sending off the weeping executives who were bending over backward with gratitude (and in some cases, tears streaming), I let out a sigh.
While securing a gem like the steward is excellent, Wieridia was still crying out for talent. In that climate, bringing in three young individuals with prior administrative experience, no matter how small, should positively impact the steward’s time.
“Congratulations, Carl. The territory will thrive.”
Mar seemed to share my thoughts, smiling gently as she offered her congratulations.
“My child will inherit the territory, so it must, of course, develop.”
As I flashed a grin back at Mar, her smile deepened even more.
To my future son or daughter—are you watching? This father is working hard for you.
So please, for the love of all that is good, be a peaceful little bum.
Please.
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