The Former Empress Roughly Hides Her Abilities - Chapter 38

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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 38】

 

Meanwhile.

 

“Our rookie is leaving?”

 

Really?

 

The people at the Tax Bureau were immersed in a cauldron of shock and horror.

 

Torban’s resignation had become a trivial and minor issue.

 

After all, there was nothing to be gained by trying to keep someone who was leaving anyway, and Torban didn’t do much work in this department to begin with.

 

“Without our rookie, we’re basically corpses.”

 

“This is talent poaching!”

 

The people at the Special Tax Bureau, who were strangely good at self-objectification, sighed deeply.

 

Among them, Til was particularly severe.

 

When she sent off a lover she had dated for two years, she felt relieved, but hearing that Rianel, with whom she had spent less than two months, was leaving made her feel incredibly wistful.

 

Til glanced toward Rianel’s desk. As if showing Rianel’s personality, the desk was neatly organized like someone ready to leave at any moment.

 

“Even now, it feels like the rookie might open that door and walk in…”

 

To think that the sight from the interrogation was the last.

 

Til recalled every moment from when Rianel first entered the Special Tax Bureau.

 

Come to think of it, she had only praised that ability as remarkable, but had never treated her like a rookie or taken care of her.

 

“If I knew that was the last time, I would have been nicer.”

 

“Hey, when you say it like that, it sounds like our rookie died.”

 

Wilbrin was exasperated.

 

Mel agreed too.

 

“Right. She just went to a good place and won’t come back…”

 

“Doesn’t that sound even more like it?”

 

As Til shook her head.

 

“I’m back.”

 

The government building door opened, and someone everyone hadn’t expected poked her head in.

 

“Gh, ghost!”

 

“I’m alive.”

 

“Ah. Right, of course.”

 

Til cleared her throat awkwardly.

 

“But why are you here? Don, don’t tell me you came to pack your things…”

 

“No. The meeting with upper management is over, so I’ve returned to resume work.”

 

“Weren’t you going to become a minister?”

 

“I declined.”

 

“Why on earth?”

 

Til was genuinely curious.

 

She herself disliked everything related to the Ministry of Finance, but the minister position had enough appeal to suppress such aversion.

 

Rianel’s answer was clear.

 

“That position makes it difficult to be ‘half-hearted.'”

 

“…At this point, I respect your consistency. Normally, when an opportunity arises, people think about climbing up first, not about suffering from overwork!”

 

“There are many ministers who just come to work and stamp approval seals since subordinates handle the actual work…”

 

Meaning it wasn’t a position where one could live the ‘half-hearted’ life Rianel desired.

 

“Work negligence is an act that requires highly intelligent tactics. This is because one must maintain incompetence at a certain level while balancing things so the organization continues to exist. This is quite troublesome and labor-intensive work that cannot be done ‘half-heartedly.'”

 

“Ah…?”

 

The Tax Bureau people opened their mouths in amazement they hadn’t felt in a long time.

 

Is, is that so?

 

It was definitely nonsense, but for a moment it sounded plausible.

 

‘Don’t people who really live half-heartedly just drift along soaked in laziness as time passes, then scramble to produce results only when deadlines approach, living like mayflies?’

 

It wasn’t that they lived that way on purpose, but because they were dragged along by habitual laziness, wasn’t that how it turned out?

 

“R, rookie. I don’t think that’s quite right…”

 

But before Mel could finish speaking, the Bureau Director’s office door opened and Asil came out.

 

“Since everyone is gathered, I’ll announce one matter.”

 

Mel cleared his throat, and the others straightened their posture and focused their attention.

 

Asil wasn’t a director who enforced discipline, but still, the position of agency head carried that degree of authority and presence.

 

“What kind of…”

 

“Since Torban Jansen resigned, the team leader position at the Special Tax Bureau has become vacant, so we need to select a successor.”

 

The Tax Bureau people completely forgot the conversation they had been having just moments before.

 

* * *

 

The team leader position at the Special Tax Bureau.

 

On the surface, it was indeed a ‘promotion,’ but among the people here, no one coveted that position.

 

‘Well, wearing the hat doesn’t significantly increase your salary.’

 

Unless it was a promotion to vice-minister level, team leader salaries were all about the same.

 

‘And on top of that, you have to take on a ton of responsibility.’

 

The previous team leader, Torban, had performed his duties relatively comfortably before leaving.

 

But now the situation was different from then.

 

With Rianel’s arrival, the Special Tax Bureau’s authority itself had grown, and even a big shot like the Empress Dowager was watching the agency.

 

Thanks to this, they had shed the stigma of being ‘salary thieves,’ but it created a burdensome background for taking on the team leader position.

 

‘Moreover, it’s the only middle management position in the Agency Bureau.’

 

When the Former Empress established the agency, this place wasn’t such a small scale.

 

There was not only a director but also a deputy director, and there were as many as three team leaders.

 

But the deputy director position had been vacant since being dismissed for corruption, and as staff members left one by one, the number of team leaders was reduced to one.

 

“…Still, anyone who wants to do it?”

 

Asil said he would leave the team leader position to the staff’s autonomy and went back into the director’s office.

 

The silence in that state lasted only briefly.

 

At Til’s words, everyone began to gauge each other’s reactions.

 

The desperate struggle of those expressing ‘as long as it’s not me’ with their whole bodies began.

 

“But isn’t this kind of thing usually done by seniority?”

 

“I think such antiquated organizational culture is a bad practice that should be abolished.”

 

Til immediately countered.

 

“Rather, aren’t sociability and affability more important factors? Team leaders have to make a lot of rounds here and there. In that regard, I think Wilbrin, who’s good with words, should do it.”

 

Wilbrin, who had been quietly sitting, suddenly got caught in the crossfire and jumped up.

 

“What are you talking about? This kind of thing should obviously be done by ability. In that regard, I think it would be good for the rookie to become team leader.”

 

“Is that so? Well, it is time to make ability-based appointments.”

 

“Of course, I think someone with low experience like me should be excluded.”

 

“How about Mel? I’m decent enough without any rough edges, not bad at all.”

 

“I’ve only just completed one year, seniors. Such a position would be burdensome.”

 

They recommended each other in order not to die.

 

Naturally, no conclusion could be reached, and they finally reached a final agreement.

 

“Let’s go with anonymous voting.”

 

“Good.”

 

Thus a temporary polling station was set up, and everyone voted according to the principle of one person, one vote.

 

30 minutes later.

 

“Wooooah!”

 

“Applause! Quick, applause!”

 

“Then we’ll have some words from our new team leader!”

 

Rianel, who was elected as the new team leader amid everyone’s cheers and applause, said.

 

“This is a fraudulent vote.”

 

* * *

 

“But it was decided by majority rule.”

 

“Majority rule cannot be considered a rational decision-making method since it fails to represent everyone’s opinions.”

 

Wilbrin rummaged through the ballot box and held out the result paper.

 

“We counted all votes except one, didn’t we?”

 

Til asked.

 

“Who wrote my name in the midst of all this?”

 

“That was me.”

 

“Wow, so we all wrote the newbie’s name?”

 

“Who else would do it?”

 

Til shrugged, and everyone agreed.

 

Honestly, that’s true!

 

“I object. Since the principle of secret ballot was just violated, I believe it’s appropriate to conduct a revote for procedural fairness.”

 

“The result would be the same anyway, so why waste paper?”

 

Since Rianel was the person elected by majority rule, she lightly dismissed Mel’s minority opinion.

 

“Before the revote, I have something to say. If you don’t elect me, I guarantee you a civil service life without overtime.”

 

“Isn’t this vote buying?”

 

“Hey, Team Leader, explain yourself!”

 

“I’m not Team Leader yet.”

 

“Still, explain yourself!”

 

When the Special Tax Bureau became noisy, the Bureau Director’s office door opened and Asil came out again.

 

“Has it been decided?”

 

“Yes!”

 

“Not yet.”

 

Though their answers differed, Asil decided to respect the majority opinion.

 

“We need to hand over the documents and discuss the future work schedule, so please come inside.”

 

Asil looked directly at Rianel.

 

Without any expectation or surprise, like someone who had anticipated this would happen.

 

“Did you know I would be elected?”

 

Asil gave a brief answer.

 

“Who else would it be?”

 

An answer without a moment’s hesitation.

 

Rianel trembled slightly from the sense of betrayal and shock.

 

‘If I had known this would happen, I should have opposed the vote…!’

 

Of course, it was already too late.

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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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