The Former Empress Roughly Hides Her Abilities - Chapter 111

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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 111】

“What about my book! My precious book got dust on it!”

Rude fussed while carefully brushing the dust from the book’s spine with his fingernail.

Even in the midst of this, he applied almost no force, worried the paper might get damaged.

“Dust attached to the book’s surface occurs naturally without contact with others, so it’s difficult to hold liability for compensation based on that reason alone.”

If pages had been damaged or the cover torn, that would be different. With minor contamination like dust, it was hard to hold anyone responsible.

“Moreover, I was standing here before you arrived.”

Since Rianel was visiting the Academy after a long time, she was observing parts that had changed from her memory.

“Therefore, I bear no responsibility for this matter.”

“Tsk.”

Since it was true that he had failed to see the person while walking hurriedly, his face reddened.

“Ah, forget it. Never mind.”

Right, what’s the point of talking to someone who doesn’t know the value of this book.

It was the moment he clicked his tongue and turned away.

“It’s a work containing arguments about imposing taxes on the existing wealthy class and using those resources to develop the Empire.”

People tend to open up in front of those who understand them.

Rude quickly turned back and stuck close to Rianel’s side.

“Have you read this book?”

This was the first person to summarize the work so clearly.

‘The other guys are fakes. They’re all idiots drunk on superficial style who don’t even know the essence of the book.’

Recently, Ensilen’s achievements were being reexamined and her works were being discussed like a trend, but Rude wasn’t happy about it.

Other students only carried the books around to follow the trend, not knowing what the book’s theme was.

Even students from his own economics department were like that.

But someone he bumped into by chance actually knew the content?

“That’s right. I wanted to see these policies actually implemented, which makes it all the more regrettable. The Former Empress passed away too early.”

He was genuinely saddened.

“Even if the Empress had lived longer, nothing would have changed.”

Rianel, who knew reality, corrected his error.

“Excuse me?”

“Reality and ideals are different. The Former Empress didn’t understand this gap.”

Right, I didn’t know.

“That research paper is a failure, closer to the fantasies of an idealist who doesn’t know the real situation.”

Indeed.

“Policies aren’t determined by right and wrong. To pass a resolution, you need the consent of those in power, but they don’t easily give up their actual authority.”

Ensilen believed that if she explained why she was right, people would naturally support her.

‘I didn’t realize back then that this was arrogance.’

However, the Empire had a high illiteracy rate and most commoners were people struggling just to make ends meet day by day. They didn’t have the capacity to listen carefully to what Ensilen’s policies were about.

Moreover, those with the power to intervene in politics didn’t want their world turned upside down.

Because the probability of them still being upper class in that overturned world wasn’t high.

Even those who knew the reality didn’t particularly pursue change.

“Even when people know the world they stand in is unfair, they pursue practical benefits within it because that’s human nature.”

Separate from people liking stories where you’re rewarded according to your work, good people are favored, and evil people are punished.

“Most people want fairness when they’re in an unfair relationship, but if they’re the ones benefiting unfairly, they want that relationship to continue.”

Even if they’re not currently in a position to benefit, poor people also choose to maintain the status quo, intoxicated by the expectation and possibility that they might someday reach that position.

“Therefore, it’s important to establish policies that those in power can accept and find compromise points.”

“That’s…”

Rude couldn’t hide his displeasure and twisted his lips.

Her words made sense, which made him even more agitated.

‘Who are you to say such things?’

How great was the Former Empress!

“The Empress couldn’t have been wrong. If she had just had more time, she could have proven the perfection of this book.”

“There’s no perfect person in the world.”

Rianel responded calmly.

Even she herself thought she was smarter than others, but had never considered herself perfect.

“What do you know to speak like that from the beginning…!”

“What are you doing there?”

Frederick looked at Rianel and Asil, who was standing behind with arms crossed observing the situation, and raised his eyebrows.

‘If you came in secretly, you should quickly take care of your business. Why are you loitering around there?’

Only then did the two people who realized the situation move.

“Excuse us.”

After Ensilen and Asil disappeared.

Frederick approached the student.

“Did you have a beneficial time?”

Frederick was curious about what conversation Rianel and the student had.

He couldn’t hear exactly what conversation took place due to the distance, but from the atmosphere, it seemed like there had been an academic discussion.

Since it had been ages since he himself had discussed with a mentor, he hoped this rare opportunity would be meaningful time for the student.

Rude showed his irritation.

“Beneficial my foot. It was quite an unpleasant time!”

Rude had also noticed that Rianel wasn’t just an ordinary student.

‘Probably around associate professor level.’

From her refined way of speaking, he could tell the other party had considerable professional knowledge.

‘But still.’

To refute the work of someone who made a mark in academia?

‘Who does she think she is?’

“She’s definitely the type who mistakes herself for being superior by refuting others’ words!”

Frederick’s reaction was completely different.

“How glorious that you got to hear her theories directly.”

“What?”

He never expected the professor he respected to show such a reaction.

“So did you get an autograph on the book?”

“No?”

Of course not.

He wouldn’t let anyone scribble on this precious book.

“Why didn’t you get one!”

Instead, Frederick raised his voice in frustration.

Rude was flabbergasted and opened his mouth.

Just who was that person to warrant such a reaction?

* * *

Rianel entered the department office.

There, various documents including the student records that had been written during Ensilen’s student days remained.

These documents weren’t originally stored here, but Frederick had temporarily brought them here just for today.

These documents were supposed to be discovered by Rianel, who would happen to stop by here.

[It would be difficult for you two outsiders to enter the basement where classified documents are stored.]

Accessing materials with students’ personal information was a completely different matter from checking ledgers.

Ledgers could be excused as investigation for public interest, but this was clearly personal information with no room for excuses.

Rianel discovered the list of nobles who had sponsored her.

Once they determined she wouldn’t belong to any family house, they cut off their sponsorship one by one.

The nobles wanted her as a retainer, not to become a scholar.

It was around this time that Ensilen worked as an intern at Marquis Parniel’s company.

Most nobles had cut off their sponsorship so Ensilen had to earn her living expenses herself, but there were exceptions.

Duchess Novantium and Duchess Vincenheim.

Only these two people provided some pocket money until Ensilen graduated.

After that, Ensilen believed she had become a professor through her own efforts alone.

“Is this the document you were looking for?”

“Yes.”

Rianel took the confidential supplementary documents from the professor appointment review process that Asil handed her.

Rianel held the confidential supplementary documents from the professor appointment review process.

All this time, she thought she had been hired as a professor because she was more outstanding than her peers.

However, this was not the truth.

-Reflecting the request of Duchess Vincenheim….

It had been possible thanks to Duchess Vincenheim’s assistance.

“I once asked the former chancellor about the reason for hiring me.”

Though he had passed away and there was no way to hear his voice now, the answer she had heard at the time remained clearly in her mind.

‘He said there was a strong expression of trust from an external person, so they accepted it.’

Ensilen had assumed that was the opinion of the academic world.

‘But in fact, it was thanks to Duchess Vincenheim’s influence.’

Ensilen had many opportunities to converse with her sponsors. They all gave donations while expressing their desire for her to join their families.

But unlike other sponsors, there was one person who never showed her face to the end.

-It’s just that you’re like a daughter to me.

When she asked for the reason, this answer came back in the letter.

There were no other conditions she wanted, and this was the entire reason.

-If you really want to express your gratitude, please send me a bouquet of dahlia flowers. I cherish those flowers.

At the time, she thought it was just a conventional expression. After all, the age difference between Ensilen and the Duchess was about that much.

‘Those words might not have been formal rhetoric.’

Rianel decided to investigate.

“Since the Duchess is from the Temple, there should be records left at the Temple.”

And Rianel knew several ways to dig into the Temple.

* * *

Meanwhile, the people from the Administrative Department were grinding their teeth at Rianel.

“This time we’ll definitely surpass the Special Tax Bureau!”

“Our performance being lower than the perpetual last-place department! At this rate, I wonder if we’re even qualified to breathe and collect our salaries.”

Though the Special Tax Bureau being the lowest-performing department was now a thing of the past, they still lamented while thinking of the old days.

Especially Ban, who was at the same team leader level, reacted even more severely.

For him, this performance competition was a matter of his dignity and pride.

“If my performance is lower than Team Leader Vincenheim’s again this time, I’m not part of the Administrative Department!”

“Really?”

“I’d be too embarrassed to hold my head up and live. Damn it.”

It was still a problem even if the Tax Bureau wasn’t the lowest-performing department.

The Administrative Department people had lived intoxicated by their belief in their own competence, so the fact that someone existed who could instantly see through their performance was painful.

‘Please, let us win just once!’

However.

“Since it has been confirmed that the Temple purchased large amounts of farmland under the pretext of events and then changed the land use to commercial districts for development, we formally propose an investigation into this matter.”

The moment they saw Rianel casually bringing in new results like that.

“Is this really reality? Can someone pinch my cheek?”

“Excuse me, which department are you from that you’re speaking to me?”

Wow.

Are they really going to pretend not to know?

Watching the Administrative Department people stubbornly pretending not to know, the Special Tax Bureau employees sighed.

Til clicked her tongue.

‘Why are they having an invisible fight?’

The person in question was just living carelessly today as well.

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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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