I’m a Rookie, but I’m an Experienced Professional - Chapter 19

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 19

“Th-the underground prison!”

Toma Harens widened his eyes and struggled.

“Just for stealing one blueprint, this is too harsh a punishment…!”

“Accepting bribes.”

Callix Crowbell raised his fingers one by one, listing his crimes.

“Abuse of authority, fraud and theft regarding public works.”

“…”

“And on top of that, you disobeyed my orders.”

Was it my imagination that he seemed angriest about the last part?

“Do you have anything more to say, Toma Harens?”

“…”

“How unfortunate.”

Callix Crowbell’s lips curved into a crooked smile.

“If you had said just one more word, I would have cut off your head right here and now.”

The moment I heard those words, I remembered the warning Noah Roheim had given me when I first came to the Lord’s castle.

If you go against the Lord’s mood, your head might get chopped clean off.

Back then, I thought there was no way he’d actually kill someone, but now I had the chilling thought that he very well could.

‘I must never defy the Lord.’

Toma Harens must have been scared of the Lord too, as he trembled and bowed his head deeply.

All traces of him shouting at me and acting intimidating had completely disappeared.

“From today, Toma Harens is stripped of all his positions. Take him away.”

Only after the knights dragged Toma Harens away did the atmosphere in the vacant lot relax a little.

It’s finally over.

I let out a long breath that I had been holding.

“Your skills are impressive.”

But I held it again when Callix Crowbell spoke to me.

“You knew from the beginning that Toma Harens was the culprit, didn’t you?”

“That can’t be. If I had known, I would have told you immediately, my Lord.”

I played innocent, but looking at his expression, he didn’t seem to believe me at all.

“Toma Harens was just fired from the City Planning Department. Since his crimes are serious, he’ll probably be banished from this city forever.”

“I see.”

“Then the position of City Planning Department team leader becomes vacant.”

The Lord said this while looking back and forth between the triangular roof model I had made and me.

I have an ominous feeling…

“Based on your skills, I think you’re the right person to take the City Planning Department position.”

“Cough-.”

Why do ominous feelings never miss the mark?

“I’ve only been in the City Planning Department for a month now. I’ve never done architectural administration work before either.”

I screamed internally while speaking calmly on the outside.

“If someone like me became team leader, everyone would think it strange.”

Team leader when I should be fired as soon as possible?

It was an absurd idea.

“I think it would be better to choose someone with more skill and experience than me as team leader.”

“Who would that be?”

“Well, that is…”

Although I’d been in the City Planning Department for over a month, there were only three people whose names I knew exactly.

Alan Kranter, Toma Harens, and Anton Brown.

Among those three, if there was someone suitable to be team leader, it would definitely be…

“I would recommend Sir Anton Brown.”

“Anton Brown?”

Callix Crowbell raised his eyebrows as if hearing that name for the first time.

“He’s Baron Brown’s younger brother, thirty-eight years old this year, and has worked in the City Planning Department for about fifteen years.”

Then Noah Roheim recited his personal details.

By the way, that face was thirty-eight?

He looks quite old for his age.

“What about his skills?”

“I haven’t been able to confirm that… I’ll look into it right away.”

“No, never mind. He must have skills if you recommended him. Isn’t that right, Miss Eileen?”

I had just mentioned the first name that came to mind because I didn’t want to become team leader, but I didn’t know what his skills were like either.

From what I’d seen of him following Toma Harens around and just flattering him, his skills didn’t seem particularly good either.

“…”

So when I couldn’t answer, the Lord stared at me intently.

My mouth went dry under his gaze, as if he knew everything I was thinking.

What if he just appoints me as team leader?

“I can’t just put anyone in the City Planning Department team leader position, so I’ll think about it more.”

Ah, that’s not it. Thank goodness.

It was still too early to feel relieved, but I was grateful to have safely passed this hurdle and was patting my chest when…

“You did well today.”

The Lord suddenly praised me.

“It was very impressive how you crushed Toma Harens with your skills.”

That’s… praise, right?

Since he said it with a completely humorless face, even though it was praise, it made my spine chill as if I were being scolded.

“I’ll be watching you from now on, so I hope you’ll do even better than today.”

As expected, it wasn’t praise after all.

His words put so much pressure on me that I couldn’t even manage an awkward smile.

Perhaps finding me funny as I stood there dumbfounded, he chuckled and turned around.

“Thank you for your hard work today, Miss Eileen.”

Noah Roheim also greeted me and followed the Lord.

I was staring blankly at the two figures growing distant when Tabin grabbed my arm.

“You really did well today, Eileen. Seeing that team leader bastard get dragged away so helplessly was really satisfying.”

That was definitely satisfying.

“And to be recognized by the Lord himself. You really are my daughter.”

Tabin smiled broadly as if he owned the world, but I couldn’t smile.

Because the more recognition I got from the Lord, the less likely I was to get fired.

I could almost see a future where I’d transform into a demon and meet a horrible death, so I shook my head in disgust.

* * *

The day after the experiment ended.

I went to work at the City Planning Department office for the first time in a while.

“…”

As soon as I opened the door and entered, I felt a strange atmosphere.

The employees still whispered while looking at me, but it was a little different from before.

Previously, they would look at me as if I were annoying and openly gossip about me, not caring whether I could hear them or not.

But now they seemed to be watching me cautiously, keeping as much distance as possible.

‘It seems the rumor has spread that Toma Harens was fired because of me.’

Well, it’s true that he was fired for falling into a trap I set.

If I had just stayed quiet, neither stealing the blueprint nor accepting bribes from Oak Heart Workshop would have been discovered.

‘More importantly, where is Anton Brown?’

The reason I came to the office today wasn’t just because I hadn’t been here for too long, but to meet Anton Brown.

‘I don’t see him.’

It’s past 9 o’clock, so he couldn’t possibly not be at work yet. Did he go to the restroom or something?

“Do you know where Anton Brown is?”

I asked Alan Kranter, who seemed the most approachable.

Then Alan Kranter visibly panicked and rolled his eyes around.

“Well, I wonder? I don’t know where he is either?”

What’s with that awkward formal speech?

“Oh, Miss Eileen.”

Just then, Anton Brown opened the door and came in.

Unlike the employees who were trying not to make eye contact with me, he approached me with a bright smile.

“I was just about to contact you, but you came first.”

…Why is he so happy to see me?

We’re not close enough for this, are we?

As I just stared at him in bewilderment, he smiled even brighter than before and grabbed my hand.

“Thanks to you, I became the team leader of the City Planning Department! Thank you!”

…This guy really became the team leader?

I did say I hoped he would become one, but I never thought it would actually happen.

‘This department must really lack talent.’

I clicked my tongue inwardly.

“The Lord said so. Even though you lack experience, your skills are solid, so let’s work well together from now on.”

So please take care of me, Anton Brown said as he patted my shoulder.

[Main Quest Complete.]

At that moment, a system window appeared before my eyes.

[You will receive 5,000 points as a reward!]

What? It didn’t have to be specifically Toma Harens – I just needed to be recognized by any City Planning Department team leader?

I was worried about what to do with this quest since Toma Harens got fired, but who knew it would succeed like this.

‘Now I can pay off my debt.’

Even after diligently completing sub quests, I had exactly 5,000 points left, and with this I’ve cleared everything.

“Yes. Let’s work well together from now on.”

Happy about that fact, I firmly grasped his hand back and smiled brightly.

Right, it’s a place I’m going to quit anyway, so what does it matter to me which guy becomes team leader?

Thinking that way, even the remaining unpleasant feelings completely disappeared.

“Well then, I’ll be going now.”

I had come to meet Anton Brown to ask what he planned to do going forward, but seeing how things were, it didn’t seem necessary.

“Wait a moment.”

I had shown my face, so I was about to go do my remaining work when Anton Brown stopped me.

“The Lord was looking for Miss Eileen. So hurry and go see the Lord.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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