The Former Empress Roughly Hides Her Abilities - Chapter 129

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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 129】

The Emperor’s birthday.

Rianel had to attend as a matter of duty, so she entered the ballroom alongside Asil.

‘The decoration level isn’t much different from last year.’

The ceiling decorations, the texture of the cloth covering the tables, the composition of the food served, and so on. Everything was done to a standard that wouldn’t disgrace the Imperial Family’s dignity.

Neither excessive nor appearing completely half-hearted.

While Rianel was mentally calculating how much this banquet might have cost.

“I seem to have misjudged the situation.”

Asil said.

“Isn’t everyone just staring at Master?”

Rianel wore an ivory-colored dress with a mermaid silhouette.

It had no flashy decorations nor emphasized her body lines. Rather, it was a design that emphasized restraint, with a subtle lustrous texture that completed an elegant and noble look.

Rianel normally didn’t show her emotions much anyway, but today she looked even more composed and solemn than usual.

As Rianel walked with her head held straight, holding Asil’s hand, the surrounding noise receded accordingly.

“That falls under cognitive distortion, a phenomenon that occurs from subjectively interpreting others’ gazes.”

“You seem to be excessively unconscious of your surroundings though.”

When Asil turned his gaze, he saw several heads that had been sneaking glances, then looking away, then turning back again multiple times.

He wanted to hide her away completely so those unpleasant gazes couldn’t sweep over her.

So no one could see her.

“I am not the subject of the problem. You are also a target of attention.”

Asil wore formal attire that was much more splendid and richly colored than the previous crow fable-reminiscent outfit.

The body-hugging fabric clung to his body more naturally than leather, clearly revealing his impressive figure.

Indeed, there were ladies who glanced at Asil then looked away.

Asil opened and closed his mouth in disbelief.

“Could this possibly be jealou—”

“Isn’t that natural?”

The hand wearing the ring naturally overlapped with his.

The intention was clearer than words.

You’re mine.

A faint blush crossed Asil’s cheeks.

“Shall we move to the lounge for a moment?”

“I refuse.”

Where do you think you’re going, how shameless.

As Rianel grimaced and created distance between them.

“You two arrived early.”

The Special Tax Bureau people joined them.

“Yes. By avoiding rush hour and departing early, we can enter smoothly.”

Rianel hadn’t come early to celebrate the Emperor’s birthday. It just turned out this way after considering routes and efficiency.

“But didn’t you say you were getting new clothes tailored, senior?”

Wilbrin looked over Til’s outfit. Though there were signs of minor alterations, she could tell it was the same outfit from last year.

“Ah, I was thinking about it.”

Til shrugged.

“Gold prices dropped a lot recently, so I invested a bit in that instead.”

Til, who valued retirement planning, said he put his money into gold instead of clothing.

“Well, gold is gold even when it rots. Having a lot of it won’t be a loss.”

If Til lived scattered from his family due to debt, Mel lived alone because he didn’t want to support his family.

He too needed to prepare for retirement just the same.

‘Should I, should I buy some too?’

While Mel was pondering.

“To meet like this at such an occasion, isn’t this perhaps the positive function of Imperial balls? Don’t you think so?”

Led by Foreign Minister Karina, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs people appeared.

Benny came running over and grabbed Rianel’s hand.

Since Rianel had prevented Benny from the commercial property investment scam, Benny had been secretly building internal intimacy with Rianel. Though it had been months since they’d seen each other’s faces, approaching naturally wasn’t awkward.

“You look absolutely wonderful. It seems like you didn’t even try to dress up, yet your grace shows so clearly.”

“Thank you.”

“I don’t mean Team Leader came carelessly. It’s more like you naturally draw attention in a way that suits you so well… Of, of course Bureau Director looks great too. Especially your height and shoulders. When Team Leader mentioned Bureau Director had a good build, I couldn’t really picture it, but seeing you today, you stand out even from far away…”

At the endless stream of praise, the Tax Bureau people looked fed up.

‘Just listening to this feels like my energy is draining away…’

‘Truly a department full of Wilbrins.’

‘I already want to go home.’

The Tax Bureau people found this department full of extroverts burdensome.

As they were slowly creating distance.

“So you were here.”

Administrative Department Personnel approached and looked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs people.

The Administrative Department, which advocated performance-first principles and favored capable people, maintained amicable relationships with other departments.

Except for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Administrative Department didn’t approve of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ characteristically free atmosphere.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs had many people with overseas study backgrounds, and rather than proceeding with work according to set plans, their solutions often changed according to ever-changing situations.

From the Administrative Department’s perspective, which valued systems as much as results, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was an unreliable department.

Conversely, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs disliked them for being overly formal and conducting procedure-centered administration without flexibility.

So.

“I didn’t expect to see such unwelcome faces even at an occasion like this. It’s truly regrettable. Don’t you think so?”

When the two departments encountered each other, this level of friction was natural.

Benny clicked her tongue.

“They’d probably measure performance even at events like this. Just thinking about it makes me feel like my throat is being strangled.”

The Administrative Department Personnel responded in kind.

“You people are excessively free.”

“I bet you entered at exactly the appointed time today too. You live so efficiently, indeed.”

Because you value efficiency so much, you’re always late.

The Administrative Department Personnel openly clicked their tongues.

“Are you done talking?”

“Not yet. Let’s hear it all out to the end while we’re at it!”

Behind them as they bickered were people with awkward faces, fidgeting nervously. They were new hires from the Administrative Department.

The Administrative Department was a place with frequent new personnel recruitment, as it was a department with high work intensity and high turnover rates.

After being at a loss for what to do for a moment.

The new hires’ eyes lit up as soon as they were introduced to the rumored ‘Rianel.’

“It, it’s an honor to meet you.”

They were all working hard using the precedents Rianel had left in the Administrative Department as their standard. The reports she had left behind had long become the Administrative Department’s textbook.

When humans see someone standing in a position that seems utterly unreachable, they become reverent.

The new hires felt similar emotions looking at Rianel.

“Someday I’ll be able to write perfect reports like Team Leader, right?”

“Is there perhaps a secret to it?”

Rianel’s answer was concise.

“Yes. Just do it ‘roughly.'”

The new hires looked at each other, then exclaimed as if they had gained profound insight.

“I see. You mean not to put too much excessive effort into it…!”

“Leaving only the essentials is the royal road… I see. I should let go of my habit of pursuing perfection too.”

No. That’s not it.

Mel felt sad.

Those new hires were coming up with interpretations where the fortune-telling was better than the dream.

It was pitiful to think that before long they would be cursing and falling into a swamp of self-deprecation.

Regardless of that.

Since the Administrative Department recognized Rianel’s achievements, they only nodded at the newcomers’ words about wanting to follow her example.

“Team Leader Vincenheim’s work processing methods are worthy of being a model for everyone.”

“That’s right. That fast speed was certainly quite impressive.”

The Foreign Ministry officials also agreed.

The conversation that initially flowed with respect for Rianel quickly transformed into competition to recruit her.

“If there’s an opportunity, it would be good to collaborate once more.”

“That’s right. It would be better to do it with our efficient department—”

“Naturally, wouldn’t it be better performance-wise to work with a department that produces good results and is full of motivation?”

Karina glared at the Administrative Department personnel.

“Don’t you know that obsessing only with performance causes fatigue to accumulate in the body and reduces efficiency? Team Leader Vincenheim is already a high performer, so why would she need to obsess over results?”

“If you act so leisurely, you’ll only develop useless skills later and become more tired. You’ll also have the trouble of doing the same work twice.”

“So by being so obsessed with performance, have you ever tried to surpass Team Leader Vincenheim?”

A moment of silence flowed.

“Th-that’s why we’re saying we should learn how to produce those results.”

“If you invite a guest to your department, you should make them comfortable. If you burden them, who would want to come?”

“Comfort can be enjoyed at home. Since you seek that even at work, isn’t that why your department’s performance is declining?”

“What did you just say—?”

The people from both departments grew increasingly sharp, but.

‘What are they fighting over something like that for?’

The Tax Bureau people found it absurd.

‘The Team Leader has already gone somewhere else.’

The person in question had no interest in this dogfight.

“Excuse me…”

“His Majesty the Emperor enters.”

The moment the clear announcement cut through the hall.

The ongoing quarrel was abruptly cut off.

‘I never knew those words could sound so welcome.’

Mel caught his breath in relief, and those who had been arguing also straightened their postures from their respective positions.

* * *

The Emperor sat in his chair with a bored expression, killing time.

He had secretly expected an event today, but the Saint hadn’t brought the holy relic.

However, she didn’t show a worthless face that would displease him either.

‘At least that’s fortunate.’

The Emperor clicked his tongue while cursing the Saint.

Though it differed from his plan, the Emperor went ahead with the birthday ball.

The target that made him endure was elsewhere.

“We congratulate Your Majesty, the sun of the Empire, on your birthday.”

Ensilen.

My cunning Empress.

The Emperor smiled crookedly while resting his chin on his hand.

“The Vincenheim family’s circumstances must be pitiful.”

Seeing that she came empty-handed again.

“Since Your Majesty is already the master of all things, I judged that material offerings would be difficult to hold meaning. Furthermore, I refrained because I believed that tribute gifts that reveal a subordinate’s inner thoughts too much would likely not align with Your Majesty’s intentions.”

“Is that so?”

Rianel was calm, but the Tax Bureau people were not.

‘Wow, the Team Leader is flattering?’

‘Right. The Former Team Leader was also someone who could sweet-talk people, wasn’t he?’

The Emperor felt a strange sense of déjà vu.

‘Indeed, you were someone skilled at getting through situations with nonsense whenever necessary.’

He had thought they were similar last year too, but the more he examined her, the more Rianel reminded him of the Empress.

‘Isn’t this truly interesting.’

The Emperor leaned back in his chair and watched Rianel move away.

Because he was staring intently, he was able to take advantage of the gap when Asil left his position.

Just then, Rianel nearly stumbled and fell, so he reached out his hand.

“Oh my. You should be careful.”

“Thank you for your concern.”

Rianel steadied herself by gripping the table beside her.

‘Right. Not falling easily was also one of your characteristics.’

“Did the Saint not attend today?”

“She says she’s feeling unwell.”

“Is that so?”

What Rianel asked about was because she didn’t see the person who usually stuck to the Emperor’s side like a goldfish’s excrement, but.

‘Is it jealousy?’

The Emperor interpreted it completely differently.

Because Rianel was someone who expressed emotions clumsily.

Unaware of the Emperor’s thoughts, Rianel took care of her own business instead of strangling him.

“Have you reviewed the marriage proposal letter delivered to the Imperial Palace?”

“It’s still under review.”

He was in no hurry.

Whether there was a holy relic or not, he already knew the answer.

“If there are no disqualifying reasons, it will pass.”

That’s right.

‘Because you will return to me.’

My Empress.

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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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