The Former Empress Roughly Hides Her Abilities - Chapter 159

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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 159】

Epilogue

About a month had passed since the new Emperor’s ascension.

The civil service examination was conducted.

Contrary to expectations of large-scale special recruitment, a similar number of people as last year were selected, which was a result reflecting the young Emperor’s opinion.

“We can’t fill all the necessary personnel at once anyway. We also need time to train new civil servants.”

Since we have to wait for them to become proficient, that much labor costs would be wasted too.

“Since we recruit civil servants every year anyway, wouldn’t it be better to gradually increase the numbers?”

The Emperor said he wouldn’t invest excessive budget from the early days of his reign.

Among the few civil servants who passed this way was Chloe.

If her goal was simply to receive a salary, she would only need to pass the minimum score, but Chloe had a different goal.

‘Please let me get into the Special Tax Bureau.’

It was an agency that had achieved major results over the past year and risen fastest in status within the Empire.

Since it was also a place the newly enthroned Emperor was paying close attention to, it was more urgent than anything for Chloe, who was full of ambition to succeed.

However, for the same reason, there were countless civil servants who aspired to the Special Tax Bureau.

When competition was fierce, one needed good exam scores.

‘I think I did reasonably well on the exam, but…’

The results were unknown.

Like last year, the Special Tax Bureau might not accept new recruits this year either.

‘Still, please…’

Perhaps it was because she wished so earnestly.

‘It worked, it worked…! I got in.’

She was able to be assigned to the Special Tax Bureau.

Moreover, she was the only new recruit.

‘I don’t usually believe in God, so I won’t be able to pray faithfully in the future either… but if you’re there, thank you. I’ll work hard from now on.’

Chloe prayed with her hands clasped together.

And on her first day of work.

Chloe arrived at the Government Building from early dawn.

‘The smell of ink.’

Though it wasn’t much different from what she smelled at home, the scent here felt particularly special.

As Chloe stood feeling the dawn breeze wrap around her arms.

The Government Building door opened and senior civil servants who came to work early poked their heads out.

“Who…?”

“Good morning. I’m Chloe Milton, joining the Special Tax Bureau starting today.”

She answered while standing stiffly at attention.

Til blinked her eyes three or four times before letting out an exclamation.

“Ah, the new recruit who was supposed to come!”

“You came early. If you’re going to work in our department, you don’t need to be that diligent.”

Wilbrin pointed to an empty seat for now.

“Sit here. That seat is empty.”

“Sit comfortably. If you get bored, there’s tea and snacks in the break room over there, so you can have some.”

“Thank you, senior.”

Chloe bowed her head and sat down, fidgeting with her hands.

She had greeted them, but now she didn’t know what to do.

Chloe sat stiffly and awkwardly, while the two people began talking among themselves, leaving her aside.

“Come to think of it, when is the Team Leader’s wedding?”

“Well? I haven’t heard anything specific either.”

Chloe was sitting blankly when she perked up her ears, as the conversation topic seemed to be about Rianel.

‘Isn’t this about that person?’

Team Leader Vincenheim, known for rewriting the legend of the Special Tax Bureau.

Other departments were eager to poach her.

The rumor that the Emperor tried to put her in the Deputy Bureau Director position but she declined and remained in her current position was well known.

‘I don’t know if that’s true, but it’s really cool.’

If it was about such a person, it would naturally be full of amazing and admirable stories.

Chloe held her breath and opened her ears wide, then doubted her own hearing.

“By the way, if we give congratulatory money at the wedding, would that violate the anti-graft law?”

“Maybe if we give 10 gold or less?”

“Who gives congratulatory money like that these days? How stingy, really.”

“Look up the ordinance first. See if there are related provisions.”

“Or should we ask when they come? They come right at the official time.”

“Well, it’s still a bit early, isn’t it?”

‘Something seems a bit strange.’

Is this a normal conversation?

‘I must have heard wrong, right?’

Chloe shook her head lightly and smiled.

“By the way, what should I do?”

“Wow, our new recruit is full of enthusiasm. You don’t need to work that hard since it’s your first day.”

“Th, thank you?”

“Well, if you’re really bored, look at this.”

Til tossed her the liquor tax collection ledger.

“It’s not anything major… just check against the vouchers to see if there are any missing parts.”

“Uh…”

Chloe, who thought she’d just be given errands, was flustered by the sudden flood of numbers.

‘Th, they must be giving me work I can do, right?’

She smiled for now.

“Yes, I’ll try.”

However, before she could turn even a few pages of the ledger, Wilbrin’s rebuke came back.

“Hey, who assigns that to a new recruit?”

“What’s wrong with it? The predecessor did it on her first day of transfer too.”

‘I knew it wasn’t work for a new recruit!’

Learning the full story, Chloe fell into deep despair.

‘Right. My predecessor was Team Leader Vincenheim, wasn’t she?’

Organizations often take outstanding predecessors as new benchmarks and demand the same level of capability from the next person.

Chloe had become a victim of the new standard.

‘There’s no easy work in the world.’

She thought all of life’s hardships were over when she was assigned to her desired department, but it seemed this was just the beginning.

As Chloe was letting out a long sigh.

Rianel and the Bureau Director came in.

“Welcome, Team Leader.”

“You came a bit early today.”

“Yes, it turned out that way.”

“Good morning, Bureau Director.”

After that, Tax Bureau people filed in one after another, and the Government Building quickly became bustling.

“By the way, when is your wedding?”

Receiving everyone’s attention, Rianel said.

“We did it yesterday.”

“Yesterday?”

Wilbrin’s eyebrows twisted.

“Without even telling us?”

“Did we need to tell you?”

“Of course that’s…!”

As Wilbrin bit her lip in disappointment, Mel spoke up.

“Did you two just have a simple ceremony by yourselves?”

“No. We rented a hall and invited people we knew to hold the ceremony.”

Those invited included the Emperor and Duke Vincenheim, Prince Rupert who would become the next Duke, the former Duke of Novantium and Frederick who would soon become Academy Chancellor, Arman Bank President Norman, and Logan.

The Special Tax Bureau members who heard about this small but substantial group of attendees grumbled inwardly.

‘Why is she being so unnecessarily honest about such things?’

‘She should just give vague explanations about stuff like that.’

‘Seeing how she explained it in such unnecessary detail, she must have enjoyed it.’

They recognized that Rianel was a newlywed and accepted it.

Then when Rianel put down some documents, everyone’s attention turned that way.

Chloe was the same.

“What’s that?”

“It’s data I roughly organized on high-amount tax delinquents.”

It contained not only the delinquents’ names and personal information but also the scale of their unpaid taxes.

“You call this ‘roughly’?”

Chloe’s hands trembled.

“I reflected recent changes to the data I organized previously.”

It included how much the delinquents’ tax evasion amounts had increased during this time, and how they had concealed their assets.

It also organized how much tax had been collected previously and how much more needed to be additionally confiscated.

Chloe asked cautiously.

“Um, is this normal here?”

‘Or am I the only incompetent one?’

“You don’t need to feel so intimidated.”

Mel comforted her.

“Really?”

‘Well, this is a place where people live too, so there can’t only be monsters here.’

Chloe asked, trying to grasp at a thread of hope.

“Could I possibly get some advice on this?”

“Well… there’s nothing particular I can tell you.”

Mel thought for a moment before speaking.

“You’ll learn how to endure half-hearted people from now on.”

“…What?”

What was this about now.

‘Should I even be here?’

Chloe seriously considered requesting a transfer.

Wilbrin looked at the name on the first page of the documents and rested her chin on her hand.

“By the way, doesn’t the name Count Redang sound strangely familiar?”

“Don’t you remember? You know, when the Team Leader previously arranged meetings with high-amount delinquents in the form of blind dates. There was one meeting that didn’t work out then.”

Wilbrin let out an exclamation.

“Right, there was Lady Violen. She was quite strange as a person, but she was someone we needed.”

They had caught several delinquents quite profitably in the form of blind dates.

“Those were good times.”

The Tax Bureau people muttered as if lost in memories.

“We’ve received a tip that Count Redang frequently appears at luxury restaurants, so you can confirm the location and begin seizure.”

“Wow, he doesn’t have money to pay taxes, but he has money to buy expensive meals?”

“Confirming that is the most enjoyable aspect of our profession.”

“Shall we depart right away then?”

The Tax Bureau people moved while doing light stretches.

Even though they were clearly going to work, they were chattering noisily and seemed as excited as people going on a trip.

Chloe was watching this with curiosity when Til gestured to her.

“Newbie, you come too.”

“Me too?”

“Of course, this is a sight you couldn’t see even if you paid for it, so you’d better hurry and follow along.”

Til had no doubt that once she tasted the dopamine, she would give up on transferring and become a ghost bound to the Tax Bureau.

When they arrived at the restaurant that became their destination, they asked Chloe at the entrance.

“What did we say earlier was most important when seizing expensive estate?”

“Taking control of the initiative?”

“That’s also correct, but identity verification comes first. We can’t go after the wrong person.”

“Ah.”

“Take a deep breath before going in, it’ll be embarrassing if your voice gets muffled.”

Chloe took a deep breath as instructed.

‘One.’

In sync with this, the Special Tax Bureau members also got into formation.

‘Two-,’

At the same time, Asil grabbed the door handle.

“We’re going in now.”

‘Three!’

And it was the beginning.

“We’re from the Special Tax Bureau!”

【The Former Empress (Roughly) Hides Her Abilities】 End

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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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