Chapter 429: The Sun Still Sets (5)

I felt someone gently stroking my head. Thanks to the loving and careful touch which was full of consideration, my eyes slowly opened.

“Carl, are you awake?”

I then saw Mar’s smiling face.

I blinked blankly at the beautiful sight that greeted me as soon as I opened my eyes. It was a nice view, but why was I in this position? I was sure I was sitting on the sofa, but somehow I was now lying down and looking up at Mar.

As I stared silently, Mar chuckled and spoke.

“You were sleeping, so I laid you down for a bit. It’s better to sleep lying down than sitting up, right?”

Ah.

Only after hearing that was I able to recover my lost memories. Though we had cold winter weather outside, the inside of the academy was incredibly warm. It was a place where students with noble status or outstanding abilities burned with academic passion—it would be strange if the heating wasn’t proper.

Moreover, this was the student council president’s room, where the duke’s youngest daughter stayed. Thanks to the perfect temperature that was neither too cold nor too hot, I must have dozed off.

And as I grasped the situation, belatedly, all my bodily sensations became active.

It’s soft.

I felt supreme happiness as the back of my head rested on Mar’s thigh. After all, I was using the perfect pillow in this world. Though I was always indebted to this pillow, it always felt new every time.

So, I unconsciously turned my body 180 degrees while still looking at Mar, who was still stroking my head.

“C-Carl!?”

I heard Mar’s surprised voice, but I held my position firmly. The warmth and softness were too good to give up just for the back of my head.

“Let me stay like this for a moment.”

Then Mar, who seemed at a loss, finally gave up and started stroking my head again. Of course, I got a bit of scolding after I got up.

But I had no regrets. There’s no happiness without a price, right?

At least that’s what I believe.

After a bit of commotion, Mar soon brewed tea with a smile, saying I should drink something warm since I just woke up.

Such warm consideration almost brought tears to my eyes. I didn’t regret the 180-degree rotation incident, but I did feel sorry for momentarily embarrassing such a kind lover—

Come to think of it, she’s always embarrassed.

Thinking about it, Mar always showed both happiness and embarrassment with a bit of stronger skinship. To free Mar from embarrassment would mean stopping skinship altogether.

That would be even more cruel for Mar, so let’s keep embarrassing her diligently in the future.

“Oh right, Carl.”

“Hm?”

I flinched as Mar spoke just as I was thinking that. Had she read my mind or something?

“The officers will be here soon. I told them to take their time and have lunch before gathering since there’s no rush.”

However, it fortunately was just a normal information delivery, not mind reading.

“Is that so? Then I should start preparing.”

Pushing aside the strange sense of relief, I took out my business card from my pocket.

The officers Mar mentioned were the student council officers. In other words, it was time to see the fresh sprouts who would walk the path of civil servants with my letter of recommendation. Since last year’s officers got jobs with my recommendation, these could be considered the second generation.

Five of them this year.

If there was one slightly disappointing point, it was that this year’s student council had one fewer executive than last year.

Originally, the student council had seven officers: president, vice president, general affairs, accounting, secretary, disciplinary committee head, and public relations head. The vice president was a second-year student, so excluding that, six remained.

This year, Mar was the president. Mar doesn’t need to become a civil servant, so there were only five officers who need my recommendation.

It was a shame that there are fewer sprouts to dedicate themselves to the Imperial Family and the Empire, as well as for my peaceful future, but it was still fine. Having five was better than none at all.

Hmm.

As I tried to think positively while signing the business cards, another thought occurred to me.

Do I have to send them to the administration?

Was there a need to put these precious gems I’d discovered into the administration?

Of course, it’d be easier for me if more people flowed into the Inspection Ministry, but the Inspection Ministry, which was almost like the Retired Emperor’s last imperial order, was a department where various divisions were being merged. Plus, it was being specially invested in manpower and budget by the Emperor. There was no need for me to exert more power there.

If so, then wouldn’t it be better to input talent into places I needed to personally manage, rather than departments that would receive the Emperor’s support anyway?

He probably won’t let me retire even if I gather a hundred people.

When the Emperor was still the Crown Prince, he once made a provocative suggestion that he would consider my retirement if I gathered 100 talented individuals.

Anyone would have heard it as a taunt, but I was desperate enough at the time for retirement to hope in that taunt. I thought it would be great if the Crown Prince allowed my retirement after gathering a hundred people, and even if not, having a hundred enthusiastic new recruits would be good either way—

Retirement can go to hell.

But now, even that desperation had died. I was now the Imperial Heir’s godfather and the first Minister of Inspection, the faction leader of the Northern Faction, and a confidant who had faced the Dragon Lord.

Forget 100 people. Even if I brought a hundred legions, my resignation letter would be torn up right in front of me. I’m certain of it.

…

After pondering for a moment, I took out another business card from my pocket.

Still, I couldn’t forcibly change the future of kids who dreamed of becoming civil servants, so I should give it as one of the options.

I took several deep breaths to calm my pounding heart. My fingers are still trembling slightly, showing that I haven’t completely eliminated the nervousness, but I can’t delay any longer.

The Executive Manager of the Prosecutors’ Office—no, the Minister of Inspection is waiting beyond this door. That’s the person who has shown consideration so that Olivia and I don’t go hungry, and who will now bestow the grace that will change our lives.

So, with a final deep breath, I knocked on the president’s room door.

“Marghetta, it’s me. The other officers are here too.”

I knew the Minister was inside but didn’t mention it. Officially speaking, we’re gathered at the student council president’s call, not the Minister’s.

“Come in.”

However, the voice that responded was the Minister’s, and I felt even the other officers behind me flinch at that voice.

It’s strange. The Minister isn’t a cold or cruel person. Rather, from my experience, he’s closer to being kind, but perhaps because of his title, every word he speaks feels intimidating.

It wouldn’t have been this bad last year.

I unconsciously recalled last year when I first met the Minister. Even then, as the Executive Manager of the Prosecutors’ Office, he was someone no one could ignore.

But in just a year, his position as Executive Manager has become Minister, and he’s acquired several titles. Moreover, he’s now the godfather of Her Highness the Imperial Heir, the future Empress.

Suddenly, I envied last year’s seniors. They must have seen the Minister when he was still a Executive Manager, not this incredibly evolved version.

No, even the Minister from the first semester this year would have been fine.

“W-We’re coming in!”

Barely suppressing these thoughts, I carefully opened the door.

…I should have gone for accounting instead of general affairs.

And as soon as I suppressed one thought, another crept in.

General affairs, which could be considered the leader among the officers excluding the president and vice president—I’ve never resented this position as much as today. If I were another officer, I would have entered the president’s room as just one of the group, not the representative.

As soon as we sat down, the young lady of the ducal family herself served us tea. Within the academy, we call her Marghetta as fellow students, but once we graduate, she’ll be someone we wouldn’t dare to look at directly. Yet here she is, giving us this honorable treatment.

That alone makes me feel like I could die of a heart attack, but the Minister’s following words attacked my heart in various ways.

“Having watched you closely, I know your abilities well. It’s a shame to limit you to just one future.”

With those words, the Minister handed out business cards with his signature to the officers.

Two cards each, no less.

“One is a recommendation letter I wrote as the Minister of Inspection designate. If you take that to the administration or other agencies, they’ll give you a suitable position. I’d prefer if you came to the Inspection Ministry, but that’s your choice, so go where you want.”

I know that well. Last year, when the seniors received these cards from the Minister during his time as Executive Manager of the Prosecutors’ Office, they turned the student council room into a ballroom with their wild dancing. They even showed off their recommendation letters to us juniors.

I hadn’t particularly wanted to see it, but the dance party was so long that I ended up seeing it anyway.

“And the other one is more of a suggestion letter than a recommendation letter, written as a great lord.”

At the mention of a suggestion letter, I glanced down at the card. It was signed not as Carl Krasius of Tailglehen, Minister of Inspection, but as Carl Krasius of Tailglehen, Count of Tailglehen.

“I am both a civil servant in the administration and a great lord. As a civil servant, I have a duty to dedicate myself to the Imperial Family and the Empire, but as a great lord, I also have a duty to care for His Majesty’s subjects.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the officers stared intently at the cards in both hands. They’re all quite perceptive and intelligent, so they seem to have caught on to what the Minister was saying.

Of course, I did too. It would be stranger not to grasp the Minister’s true intentions after hearing those words.

“While the County of Tailglehen lacks nothing after 300 years of Krasius history, Wiridia has just changed from a direct territory to a county and has many shortcomings.”

Nevertheless, the Minister explained it himself.

If we choose to follow him as a great lord, we would be heading to Wiridia in the north, not the metropolitan County of Tailglehen.

We would be working in a somewhat barren frontier and not the bustling capital area.

However, because it’s a newly established territory with many shortcomings, it’s a land of golden opportunities.

Wiridia.

I unconsciously swallowed. Rumors about Wiridia had spread widely among both commoners like me and noble students.

More precisely, rumors about Viscount of Kisele, the head butler of Wiridia County.

A land of opportunity.

A place that appointed the chief local official, who had an ambiguous status as a noble despite having a surname, as a viscount overnight. A place where countless positions and titles are still vacant.

I, I too…

My hands trembled again. But this time, it was a different kind of trembling.

Greed arose. I wouldn’t even dream of it if it were something I couldn’t dare to aim for, but this is something I can aim for. The Minister has shown hope even to someone like me.

If, if I could catch the Minister’s eye, if I could satisfy his expectations…

Could I, could my siblings…

Could we live as nobles…?

Could we live with full stomachs and warmth?

Three out of five chose Wiridia instead of the Ministry of Inspection.

Considering that the disciplinary committee head among the officers was more suited for the military than administrative civil service, essentially only one chose the administration. Even that one friend chose it because his family is based near the capital.

It was satisfying. Except for those who clearly needed to choose a different path, everyone came to Wiridia.

I can breathe a little easier now.

After sending off the officers who kept bowing deeply, and in extreme cases, even cried tears of gratitude, I let out a sigh.

Although we’d secured a top-tier talent in the steward, Wiridia was still screaming from a lack of manpower. In this situation, to have three young talents with administrative experience, even if on a small scale, injected into the system? It should have a somewhat positive impact on the head butler’s lifespan.

“Congratulations, Carl. Your territory will develop even more.”

Mar seemed to have the same thought as she offered congratulations with a gentle smile.

“Of course it should develop. It’s the territory my children will inherit.”

I replied with a smirk towards Mar, and she smiled even more deeply.

My future son, or daughter, are you watching? Your father is working this hard for you.

So please, become a peaceful unemployed person.

Please.