Chapter 534
The day after the Inspectorate officially launched, with me as the seventh-ranked Minister, swiftly becoming the fifth member of the Risiragui Order and getting verbally roasted by the Emperor.
“Congratulations on your official promotion.”
“Congratulations, Your Grace.”
Officials from the Inspectorate gathered to offer their congratulations.
Honestly, if we’re talking about when the celebration should’ve happened, it should’ve been yesterday. Yesterday, I was strutting around like a proud nephew of the Wise Duke, downing some strong wine with a look that dared anyone to approach. The poor Minister who was trying to come talk to me even turned around without hesitation.
“Thanks. I’m lacking in so many areas, so I’ll be counting on you moving forward.”
“Yes, Your Grace. I will serve you with all my heart.”
After a day of calming my nerves, I was in a state to exchange greetings at least.
At the same time, I felt pretty embarrassed. Regardless of how badly things went, if it wasn’t department work, I shouldn’t show any unpleasant feelings. Because the moment a superior clears their throat, subordinates are bound to be in a fray. I felt ashamed of my behavior yesterday, acting like a drunken lunatic worthy of a 0.05 Wise Duke.
‘They probably thought something went wrong right after the launch.’
I put myself in the shoes of the officials before me and recalled yesterday’s events. After almost a year of preparations, the Inspectorate’s founding was quite a spectacle, with the Minister becoming a member of the Risiragui Order and having a private meeting with the Emperor.
And the expression on the Minister’s face when he came back from that meeting…it was twisted all day long.
‘Wow.’
Just imagining it gives me chills. If it were me, I wouldn’t have been able to eat at all; my spine would be frozen.
“I am well aware of how hard you all worked for this glorious launch. As a Minister, I should have commended you first, but yesterday, I was so caught up in the party that I lost my senses. I apologize.”
With that, I forced a smile and spun a bizarre excuse.
Naturally, even if I said this, the officials won’t just dismiss it as, “Oh, he got drunk with excitement.” Even a rookie wouldn’t fall for that nonsense, let alone seasoned civil servants.
However, this isn’t just an excuse to sweep yesterday’s events under the rug. It’s a declaration: the remnants of my bout of insanity from yesterday are over, and my private anger won’t spill onto you all.
‘This is enough.’
Yeah, this is sufficient. For subordinates, it’s more important that a crazy superior doesn’t hurt them than knowing the reason behind their madness.
“You did drink a bit too much, huh? It was exciting enough that I was wondering when you’d be crawling on all fours.”
The problem arose the moment I drew the line; suddenly, a certain someone started tap dancing on it.
‘That jerk.’
3rd Section Chief… No, the Executive Manager, barged in, and I couldn’t help but chuckle. Just moments before, he had been cautious, but as soon as he sensed the situation, he transformed into a relentless dealer.
“Executive Manager. What impertinence towards the Minister.”
Yet, seeing as this was clearly an insult to his superior, the Information Director cautiously opened his mouth. He was visibly tense, probably taken aback by this spicy remark.
That reaction is totally understandable. It’s not just the Information Director; the other non-Inspectorate officials were looking at the Executive Manager as if to say, “Have you lost your mind?”
However, unlike those officials from other departments, the Inspectorate officials wore calm expressions.
“I’m okay with it, Information Director.”
And I was one of those from the Inspectorate.
“He’s just someone who can’t even grasp the hair he should have on his head. I can understand if a word that should only stay in his mind spills out.”
At my kind yet cruel remark, the Information Director’s eyes twitched for a moment.
I understand. Not long ago, he was with the Ministry of Special Forces. He must have served under a stoic and thorough Minister, much like a soldier under a superior. Given that the Ministry prides itself on strict hierarchy, it’s unusual for a subordinate to disrespect a superior while that superior smiles and fires back.
“Right, understood.”
However, the quick acceptance suggests that he’s picked up a bit of the Inspectorate’s vibe, considering he’s the Information Director.
‘With time, he’ll adapt.’
Watching the Information Director step back with a peculiar expression reminded me of the former officials from the Inspectorate. When they were first told to loosen up, they had confused looks, questioning if it was okay.
‘Wait a minute, that was a problem.’
Those silly bastards followed my orders perfectly, turned into the most laid-back folks, and degenerated into absolute monsters.
So, I believe the Information Director will adapt just fine. Even just recently, he was on formal terms with me; now he’s getting informal talk without showing any displeasure.
—
After exchanging greetings with the Inspectorate officials, I got caught up in a flurry of handshakes from other noblemen who’d been hesitant all day.
It wasn’t just the officials who avoided approaching me yesterday; the nobles must’ve been the same. Unlike the officials I had a bond with, the general nobility had no easy way out when I went into a fit.
“Are you okay, hyung?”
“I feel like I’m dying.”
The problem is, nobles who had been keeping their distance all day suddenly swarmed me. Shoving two days’ worth of socializing into one is all kinds of cruel.
Having the title of both the new bureau chief and the fifth member of the Risiragui Order meant that even more artsy nobles came out of the woodwork. It felt like I met every noble I needed to during the New Year’s ceremony today.
“Too much popularity can be toxic.”
At Erich’s remark, dressed up to sound like a compliment, I felt a rush of anger, but I didn’t even have the energy to curse back.
Damn it. I wanted to watch Erich squirm before the New Year’s ceremony.
‘Seems like I’m the spectacle instead.’
What a tragedy. As an older brother, just once, I wanted to see my little brother flounder. Why does the universe deny me even that one wish?
Eternal blue skies, do you hear me? Your humble priest begs for your mercy.
‘Speaking of which, I haven’t heard from you lately.’
Wait, did I get hit with a heavy one from Constantina and black out? The way she can throw a verbal jab could definitely knock someone out.
With such ridiculous thoughts, I brought the glass to my lips. At least I was thankful I had enough strength to move my hand.
“Hyung.”
“What?”
“What happened yesterday?”
Those words left a bitter taste in my mouth.
Yeah, a ton of stuff happened.
“Did the sisters find out?”
“If they know, tell me. They’re all worried sick.”
Seeing Erich shrug his shoulders, I broke into a wry smile. To get even Erich who is cozying up with imperial council members onboard means the wives’ concerns must be sky-high.
In fact, if they weren’t worried, that would be weirder. No matter how much I kept a smile in front of my family, how could any wife not worry if her husband meets the Emperor just to drink all day and then avoids socializing with fellow nobles? Even Piné was staring only at me during the Inspectorate’s meeting.
…Actually, given that Piné was always like that, maybe that example isn’t quite fair?
“Just, um, some annoying stuff happened.”
I dodged the question with some vague half-truth.
Now wasn’t the time to spill the beans. Mentioning an overseas mission to Rizie, who should be blissfully preparing for our wedding, would definitely dampen her spirits. Thinking about it made it impossible for me to open my mouth.
Of course, I’ll have to tell her eventually. If I’m going to get hit, maybe it’s better to get it over with quickly. But if I bring it up before the wedding, Rizie will only feel worry and resentment instead of excitement.
‘That’s a no-go.’
No matter how much I might hear Rizie lament about why I didn’t say anything sooner, I can’t steal her joy.
“Hyung. I know it’s not my place, but…”
While I was stewing in my thoughts, Erich spoke up again.
“I think it’s important to pick the right moment to say what a woman wants to hear. If the time passes, you might regret it.”
That unexpected piece of advice had me staring at Erich in disbelief.
“…You shouldn’t be the one saying that.”
Coming from a guy who once ignited chaos between Sara and Zenobia before barely getting engaged, that’s rich! And I practically had to push him toward that engagement.
Luckily, Erich spared me the embarrassment by quickly looking away after my comment.
‘Regret, huh.’
His words, despite lacking common sense, did touch on a valid point. If I choose to hide the truth thinking it’s for Rizie’s sake, it might do more harm down the line. I was just avoiding immediate pain for myself by choosing between now and later.
‘This is tough.’
Neither option feels right. Each has its reasons for being chosen or avoided, with pros and cons aplenty.
But strangely, the phrase about timing stuck in my mind, knocking around in my head. Against all odds, Erich managed to get through to me.
“Erich.”
“Uh, what?”
“It’s better to bring a gift than to come empty-handed, right?”
“Of course.”
Finally, Erich and I both burst into laughter.
Yeah, of course. It’s better to include a flashy present instead of just begging for forgiveness.
‘A gift, huh.’
Okay, I’ve made up my mind.
“Thanks, this helped me decide.”
“Then tell my sisters to stop calling for me—”
“I’ll make you a Count.”
“…Huh?”
I lightly patted Erich’s stiff shoulder and moved on.
Having made up my mind, I’ll switch my perspective.
I’m not heading to a foreign land for work. I’m going on a short expedition to buy rare luxury items that are only available overseas.
‘The Nayed family needs to boost their power too.’
I’m heading to establish a new royal family in the Kingdom of Leon. This means I’ll be the governor of Leon for a while. I’ll need to keep dissenting nobles in check and secure the rights the Empire will need to borrow indefinitely.
And while I’m at it, I’ll casually pick up some real estate. Since I’m going right after marrying Rizie, I can think of it as a generous honeymoon gift.
If I scrape enough together, I should be able to gather a few County titles. Giving those to Rizie will mean any children that come from us won’t just be Barons—they could even be Counts!
‘I don’t care if they’re foreign titles.’
I’ll only target real estate touching the borders of the Empire. That way, it’s practically an extension of the Imperial territory, despite the name.
“Hyung, wait a minute. Count? What do you mean by that?”
It seems like Erich finally realized what was going on and desperately chased after me. As a reward for the enlightenment he provided me, I intended to give him a County title as well.
“Hyung, let’s not make things awkward between us. What do I look like, a Count?”
“Would you rather be a Marquis?”
“Hyung!”
No one would stop me from scraping together a fortune for my family.
If I prepare such lavish gifts, perhaps Rizie’s heart will soften just a bit.
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