I’m a Rookie, but I’m an Experienced Professional - Chapter 24
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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 24
It wouldn’t look good for me to step forward too much when I wasn’t the team leader.
I had already told Anton Brown everything he needed to know about what to do, so I stepped back at that point.
After that, I went around Districts 6 and 8, which had suffered significant damage from the autumn rains along with District 9, to check the water flow routes and drew blueprints.
Drawing blueprints wasn’t difficult since I had done it so many times I could do it in my sleep, but the problem was having to draw everything by hand.
The writing instruments in this world weren’t in very good condition either.
Most importantly, no matter how carefully I drew, there were bound to be errors.
At first it was very stressful, but I gradually became numb to it.
‘Is this why they say humans are adaptable animals?’
After finishing all the blueprints, I marked the points where waterways would be dug by driving wooden stakes into the ground.
Whenever I had time, I didn’t forget to stop by places where damage recovery was in progress to check if the work was being done properly.
And before starting construction, I posted official notices to inform the residents.
The Lord said it wasn’t necessary, but my conscience felt uncomfortable not doing so.
“They’re doing construction to drain rainwater?”
“That’s right. I think it was called a drainage system. If we have that, rainwater won’t pool and will flow out, so it can reduce damage from autumn rains.”
“Then we absolutely have to do it.”
Since they heard it could reduce the detestable flood damage, the residents said they could tolerate some dust and noise.
Indeed, while the City Planning Department was doing damage recovery construction, no one complained.
‘It would have been so nice if it was like this in modern times too.’
Even the slightest inconvenience would bring complaints swarming like bees.
Even when I explained it was for everyone’s benefit, people wouldn’t even pretend to listen.
Thinking of those times, this drainage construction was much easier except for having to do everything by hand.
“Does this really work?”
…No, I thought it was easy.
* * *
The first place we started drainage work was District 9, which had the lowest elevation.
Since it would be hard to work after sunset, I gathered the workers from early morning at dawn.
So on the day of construction.
I arrived at the site in a cheerful mood, but seeing the workers lounging around like idle rich men completely soured my mood.
On top of that, the foreman leading the workers looked down on me for being a woman and picked a fight.
Even when I said the Lord had approved it, he stubbornly insisted he couldn’t do the construction, which was a headache.
“Instead of just going home, come here and pour us some drinks.”
“That sounds good. Drinks taste best when a woman pours them!”
The workers were trash, but ironically, I was used to such jokes.
Even when I was ‘Han Seon-ah’, I often heard that kind of bullshit when I went to construction sites.
When I got angry and told them to stop, they’d get mad at me instead, saying I was like their daughter and asking why I was so sensitive.
They even threatened that they couldn’t work like this.
“Then go tell the Lord right now that you can’t do the construction. That the waterways are useless.”
That seemed to scare him, so Bram Gus shut his mouth tight.
Even then, his eyes looking down at me were arrogant and insolent.
Anyway, these kinds of trash exist everywhere you go.
‘Let’s not deal with them.’
These guys wouldn’t listen even if I talked until my mouth hurt.
It was more comfortable to just have someone in power come and crush them.
[Q. Strike the annoying foreman on the back of the head.]
[Reward: 0/1,000p]
[※Points can be earned based on impact strength.]
So I was about to turn around when a surprise Quest appeared.
‘A Quest I like for the first time in a while!’
I grinned and gripped my hammer tighter.
[Warning. Murder prohibited.]
Then a warning window popped up. How thoughtful to even tell me this. Unnecessarily kind.
‘If I can’t use the hammer, what should I hit him with?’
What caught my eye while I was pondering was a shovel.
‘A shovel handle probably won’t kill him if I hit him with it.’
Just as I was about to sneakily grab the shovel.
“Miss Eileen!”
Anton Brown appeared.
“Oh, Mr. Gus, you’re here too. It’s been a while.”
“Indeed. It has been a while, Mr. Brown.”
What? Do these two know each other?
I looked back and forth between the two men in bewilderment.
“But you haven’t started the drainage construction yet. Is there some problem?”
“Rather than a problem…”
“He says he can’t do it.”
When I interrupted, Bram Gus scowled deeply.
“Adults are talking, don’t butt in.”
“I’m an adult too.”
“Ha, adult my ass. You look like you still need more of mommy’s milk.”
Wow, isn’t this sexual harassment?
“Mr. Gus! You can’t say things like that!”
Anton Brown was also startled and grabbed his arm, then said something in a low voice.
“…!”
Then Bram Gus’s eyes widened like saucers. He looked at me as if he couldn’t believe it.
What did he say to make him react like that?
“…Really?”
“Oh my, would I lie about something like this?”
Bram Gus wrinkled his nose as if displeased, then spat on the ground and turned toward the workers.
“Alright, everyone stop eating and pick up your shovels. You have to work to get paid.”
When the foreman’s order came down, the workers picked up their shovels and moved busily as if they had never been slacking off.
“They’ll work hard now, so don’t worry.”
“Team Leader, what did you say to that man?”
What did he say to make the guy who was stubbornly refusing to work pick up a shovel?
“Hm? Oh, well… nothing much.”
Anton Brown scratched his cheek and continued haltingly.
“I just said that you’re receiving the Lord’s full expectations, so it would be better to listen to what you say.”
There must be more to it than that.
I was suspicious but figured he wouldn’t tell me even if I asked, so I gave up and looked at Bram Gus directing the workers.
It was good that construction had started, but I was disappointed that I couldn’t hit Bram Gus on the back of the head.
‘Wait a minute. Didn’t surprise Quests have penalties?’
I hurriedly checked the Quest window.
[Q. Strike the annoying foreman on the back of the head.]
The Surprise Quest was still there.
The points hadn’t decreased or anything.
Fortunately, it wasn’t marked as failed.
“Why are you waving your hands around in the air like that? Is there something there?”
Anton Brown suddenly reached toward the Quest window.
But his hand couldn’t grab anything and just passed through the empty air.
“It’s nothing.”
It seemed like he couldn’t catch what he couldn’t see, but just in case, I quickly closed the Quest window.
“More importantly, what brings you here?”
“Ah, I came to work in this area, and I heard the drainage construction starts today, so I came to check if things are going well as the City Planning Department team leader.”
Oh, he came to do something pointless.
Still, thanks to him the construction had started, so I answered without complaint that it was good he came.
“But is the waterway construction only happening here?”
“No. We’ll also do it in District 6 and District 8.”
“Then what about the other districts? The administrators in charge of Area 2 and 3rd District contacted me asking to do theirs too.”
“Those are districts protected by magic that don’t suffer rainy season damage, so do they need waterways?”
“Well, that’s true, but they want them made just in case.”
Really, the rich are always greedier.
“Since reducing autumn rainy season damage is the priority, let’s slowly work on other places after the autumn rains end.”
Though I won’t be here by then.
“Well, alright. By the way, Miss Eileen. Did you hear that news?”
Seeing his eyes sparkling, this must be the real reason he came looking for me.
“What news?”
Anton Brown glanced around, then whispered quietly in my ear.
“The punishment for the Harens Family has been decided.”
The Harens Family was the family where Toma Harens served as head.
“What do you mean the Harens Family is being punished? Toma Harens was the one who did wrong.”
“Since the family head committed wrongdoing, the family members are also punished together.”
Anton Brown answered as if asking what was so obvious about that.
‘Is this collective punishment?’
Come to think of it, in medieval times it wasn’t uncommon for entire families to fall due to the head’s mistakes.
If that was the law of This World, it couldn’t be helped, but it wasn’t particularly pleasant.
“What kind of punishment do they receive?”
“All their assets will be confiscated and they’ll be exiled. Since they acquired wealth unjustly and offended The Lord, it’s a natural result.”
Anton Brown spoke in an excited voice, as if he was so pleased about Toma Harens being exiled.
‘Confiscating all assets is a bit harsh, but the exile order might be for the best.’
If they stayed in Belheim, they’d become monsters in the near future and die a dog’s death.
Though it wasn’t intentional, as a result I had saved the lives of him and his family members.
I shook off my uncomfortable feelings with that thought.
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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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