Chapter 10

Chapter 9

Academy Entrance – 4

Despite the sad fact that Karl and Erich could engage in mutual mental attacks, the school bell signaling the end of the morning session rang just as they approached the main building, allowing them to avoid the students' gaze. The few students who had been around were now completely gone, and only through the windows could one glimpse the ongoing classes.

While the result of avoiding the students' eyes was as Karl had hoped, the cause of this outcome was far from ideal. If they hadn't turned back, they could have had some time to get a drink in the principal's office.

'Is it catnip instead of capybara?'

Perhaps Louise is a capybara with a pink catnip door. The blond man who had changed his path to avoid me as soon as he noticed me is one of the only three figures of interest in the country, having infiltrated from abroad. The third prince, Ainter Libnoman.

Wow, the third prince appears there. Is there really something that can twist people's fates?

In the vast academy, Ainter happened to be found near Louise at that exact time. It was impossible not to feel a chill at that moment. Ainter himself is a problem, but the fact that he was observed near Louise suggests that the other three could also be involved.

Forced participation in a secret meeting with all the figures of interest on the first day of deployment? I absolutely don't want that. If they force me to do it, they'll have to offer me an open bottle of Welch's.

I imagined myself in a place where four continentally important figures had gathered. The mental energy spent on imagining something that even a foreign minister might not experience left me exhausted, and I sat on a nearby bench, staring blankly into space.

Being here in the academy makes me feel like a student waiting for the university shuttle bus, but there is no such thing as a shuttle bus in the academy, and I am not a student. It's hard to believe that the memories of my college days, which I haven't thought about since before the possession, are surfacing.

I rubbed my aching forehead. The instincts honed during four years of civil service had been warning me since the moment the deployment was decided that the days ahead would be extremely difficult. The problem is that there's no way to avoid it even if I heed the warnings.

It feels like I can see the punch coming but my body won't move, and I just get hit. Both my reason and instinct opposed the deployment, but the power of the authority that forced it upon me made it possible. The most terrifying power in the world is authority...

I clicked my tongue and got up from the bench, retracing my steps. With no students around, it was time to complete the original purpose of understanding the layout.

Given that it is an educational institution for many blue-blooded individuals, I examined the large and ornate buildings. When I occasionally saw students moving to other buildings or taking a break outside, I naturally passed by. During the morning session, the attention was overwhelming, making me feel like an animal in a zoo, but not now. Besides, I don't plan to avoid students for the entire time I stay at the academy.

'I should introduce myself as an inspector by tomorrow.'

It's not practical to greet everyone I meet with, "Hello, I'm an inspector. I'm here on official business."

I roamed around, storing the overall layout of the academy in my mind, then checked my surroundings and took out my communication device. Since I had finished my immediate tasks, I needed to report before I forgot.

I called the deputy director with the communication device I took from my pocket. After a few vibrations, the deputy director's face appeared.

- It's been a while, Director. Did you arrive at the academy safely?

"Yep. I arrived this morning but had to do some other things, so I'm calling now."

- I'm glad to hear that there were no problems.

In fact, problems had immediately started pouring in upon my arrival. The protagonist Louise, Erich who seemed to be on the verge of a "You're a good friend" ending, and Ainter, who was drawn by the pink catnip door. However, there was no need to add such details and worry the deputy director. Honestly, the deputy director wouldn't be much help in this deployment. I quietly kept the names of Louise and the other two in my mind.

"Anyway, I saw something strange on the way here."

- Please tell me.

"There must have been a budget allocated for road maintenance leading to the academy, but the condition is terrible."

Please trace it and clean it up.

The deputy director nodded without any objections, as if I had asked him to buy some groceries. The nameless local official who had been on the top line of the hit list in the carriage was thus decided to be dealt with.

This was the last gift for the special carriage of the Ministry of Finance, with which I had shared a small friendship during a long and arduous journey. The friendship was kept, and the special carriage...

- I will handle it and report back. Is there anything else you need to instruct?

"No. Oh, is everything okay there?"

- Yes, everything is fine.

Fortunately, it seems the directors are quiet. The relief made my expression relax a bit. Although the deputy director hadn't contacted me, it was reassuring to hear that there were no issues.

"Good. Thanks for the hard work. Contact me if anything happens."

- Understood.

With no further business, I ended the call after a final reminder. It was a great relief to know that the deputy director was still in the office. If even he were absent, the antics of the directors in my absence would have piled up without bounds, and the department would have been dismantled by an enraged minister.

'Maybe it's for the best?'

If the department were dismantled by the minister, I would have to take responsibility and retire as the director. Of course, the minister might create a new department and place me in it as a form of punishment.

But imagining the possibility of retirement, even briefly, made me feel a bit better. I put the communication device back and walked with a lighter step.

After confirming that Karl's face had disappeared from the communication device, the deputy director put it away and opened the door behind him. The room was quite chaotic, not a good environment for a call with the director, so he had stepped out for a moment.

When he opened the door and re-entered the chaotic environment, a wild party was in full swing.

"3rd Director's all-out performance! I'll show you something!"

"Hehehehehe."

"Ah, hey! Director, your glass is empty!"

The 2nd Director, the loudest of the three troublemakers, was even looking for the director in his absence. The deputy director's gaze fell on a human-sized doll placed in the director's chair, with Karl's portrait attached to its face. The 2nd Director, slightly unsteady, walked over to the doll, filled the glass in front of it with alcohol, and poured it over the portrait.

"Director, you're drinking well!"

The 2nd Director giggled and refilled the empty glass. The doll, set up to create an atmosphere, was gradually becoming the real director in the 2nd Director's mind.

The cause of this wild scene was surprisingly trivial. The carefully prepared banners and plans for a celebration party for Karl's departure to the academy were torn to shreds by Karl's anger.

However, as directors of the inspection department, they wouldn't give up on their plans due to such a minor setback. The 1st Director's suggestion to hold a party for Karl's arrival at the academy instead of his departure resonated with the 2nd and 3rd Directors.

After adjusting their schedules to free up the morning, the directors personally prepared for the party.

"This size should be about right for the director, right?"

"Wow, the portrait is quite flattering."

Since the real Karl wasn't there, the idea of placing a doll with Karl's portrait in the director's chair was approved. The torn banners, which Karl had shredded, were somehow retrieved and reassembled and hung above the doll.

Unnecessary letters were discarded, and the banners were patched together like rags. For the inspection department officials, reassembling damaged items was a basic skill. A makeshift restoration was no big deal.

The ragged banners, born from the original sin of being torn but not burned by Karl, now stood proudly. The deputy director's gaze then fell downward.

His eyes were drawn to the 3rd Director, who was doing cartwheels in front of the doll as a performance for the director, and the 2nd Director, who was pouring alcohol over the portrait again. The 1st Director, noticing the deputy director entering the room, offered him a glass.

"Deputy Director, have a drink!"

The deputy director, who had already had six glasses with the directors before Karl's call, took the glass without hesitation and drank it in one go.

"Is everything okay there?"

The anxious and worried words Karl had spoken during their earlier conversation. The deputy director confidently replied that everything was fine. While it could be seen as a false report to a superior, ...

'They're not causing any trouble, which is actually worrying.'

Unfortunately, the deputy director was thinking, "They're not causing any trouble," while looking at the wild party. What Karl hadn't anticipated was that the deputy director's standard for "trouble" was extremely lenient. The deputy director didn't care as long as the trouble didn't spill outside. He knew that forcefully suppressing internal issues would only lead to chaos outside.

Until now, the directors had been careful to keep things under control while being mindful of Karl's presence, so this aspect of the deputy director's personality hadn't been evident. Sadly, Karl wasn't here.

As the 1st Director poured more alcohol into the deputy director's glass, the deputy director's gaze met the 5th Director, who was quietly in the corner. They both nodded and drained their glasses. It didn't matter now; they would sober up by the time work started in the afternoon.

Thus, the party for Karl, who was absent, continued merrily.

Author's Note:

This is a glimpse of the inspection department without Karl, who acts as the reins. Karl would be moved by the directors not causing any trouble...

I wrote Chapter 9 in the morning, so I'll try to complete Chapter 10 in the afternoon. It feels like I'm just starting at the starting line on the fourth day of the contest. It would be embarrassing if Chapter 10 is only posted tomorrow.

Anyway, thank you for your continued interest and support for this imperfect novel!