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Chapter 41
“I asked purely out of academic curiosity.”
“I’m not sure if it’s appropriate for me to say this…”
Asil paused for a moment, studying Lianel carefully before speaking.
“I would consider it unusual for someone to take a question merely because they have doubts as a research topic—it’s far removed from ordinary ways of thinking.”
“….”
Lianel had nothing to say.
After a moment of silence, Lianel looked at Asil.
This conversation had begun because he had approached first.
“By the way, Director, what brings you here?”
Asil unwrapped his hands from behind his back and placed something on the desk.
“A sandwich.”
A simple composition: lettuce, cured meat, and cheese between slices of bread.
It was the same kind of sandwich Lianel often ate while writing papers or preparing lectures.
“…?”
“I thought you might need a snack.”
“You usually don’t eat much in the morning, do you?”
Before Lianel could respond, Asil quickly presented a receipt.
“As you can see, it’s under ten gold, so you can consume it without concern.”
“….”
“I figured you might not believe me without proof.”
After all, your name is ‘scholar,’ someone who wants everything verified.
Lianel silently took a bite of the sandwich.
But Asil’s unusual kindness did not end there.
The next day:
“A tonic for fatigue.”
And the day after that:
“Tea brewed in the break room. There’s too much for just one person.”
Day after day, he would come with something.
The reason was obvious.
“I am not your teacher.”
“Are you?”
“You don’t seem to believe me.”
“Look me in the eye and say it again.”
“I truly am not.”
‘Master…’
Asil wanted to press his palm to his forehead.
“Just breathe… I won’t ask…”
“….”
That was a mischievous man.
The words ‘I won’t ask’ were more irritating than comforting.
It sounded as if he were completely certain.
‘Guess I have no choice.’
Still, Lianel stayed in the Special Taxation Bureau because there was no guarantee of finding a job that offered such stable income.
Moreover, Asil occasionally kept appropriate boundaries, giving small gaps to escape when Lianel was too troubled.
‘Cunning fellow.’
And then, one day:
“A fountain pen.”
Claiming it as a gift, he presented something Lianel had used in their professor days.
“I already have one I use.”
“It might be more comfortable to use something familiar to your hand.”
“That seems to be over ten gold.”
“That’s fine. It’s secondhand, so depreciation applies. Its remaining value will converge toward zero.”
“Then let’s dispose of it.”
Still, throwing away something someone else used felt like calling it trash.
Lianel pouted in irritation, and Asil suddenly burst out laughing.
“Ha ha ha ha!”
He said it was fine.
“Alright. I’ll take it back then.”
Asil tucked the fountain pen into the pocket of his jacket.
Seeing his neat fingers handle the pen naturally left Lianel with a subtle feeling—he had apparently carried it even after leaving.
Anyway, the man who normally spent more than half the week on external duties, leaving the bureau empty, now lingered around Lianel almost daily, and others began to notice.
Especially since Asil maintained strict boundaries with other employees.
Yet, because he was the Director, the Taxation Bureau staff only whispered behind his back.
“Director seems to be coming by too often lately, don’t you think?”
“Exactly.”
“Is this the so-called workplace harassment?”
“No, the atmosphere seems… odd, doesn’t it?”
It was too clear that Lianel was fine to call it harassment.
Watching Asil hover around and fuss over Lianel looked, to anyone, like a person desperate to earn another’s favor.
“….”
But even everything has its limits.
Eventually, Lianel spoke.
“Director…”
‘So you noticed too!’
Wilbrin waited anxiously for Lianel to continue.
“He seems to be trying to prevent me from leaving.”
Wilbrin almost dropped his folder at the next words.
“Isn’t that usually considered an expression of affection?”
Or maybe romantic interest.
“I judge it to be an obsession intended to retain a competent employee.”
“You’ve really thought about that?”
Lianel was firm.
“I’m not naive enough to mistake pressure from hierarchy for love.”
‘…I see.’
Wilbrin, and even others in the Taxation Bureau, tilted their heads in confusion for a moment.
Indeed, someone had been coming to the Special Taxation Bureau almost daily recently, trying to lure Lianel away.
“Hello! I came again today.”
As usual, Princess Tyren entered the office brightly.
“Busy again today?”
She had come so often that a chair beside Lianel had become her designated seat.
Lianel glanced up briefly from paperwork.
“Yes.”
It wasn’t an empty courtesy.
Year-end was hell for civil servants: routine reports, budget closures, final accounts, audit preparation—all had to be completed before the new year.
There was no luxury of ‘year-end atmosphere.’
“Hmm. The princess’s office isn’t busy at all.”
“Is that so?”
“You can hire anyone you want there. They all got fired recently, so there’s nobody.”
“Must be inconvenient with no system at all.”
“Ugh.”
The princess pouted.
After the embezzlement incident in her office, she had decisively severed ties with the maid supervisor she had been friendly with.
Even when the maid begged to see her just once, she never granted an audience.
Instead, she sought out Lianel, and the frequency was increasing.
Even though Lianel acted as such.
“It’s inappropriate for a royal to seek me out in my official capacity.”
“Haah.”
The princess interpreted that differently.
“Are you worried about me now?”
“I’m telling you to stop coming.”
She pointed to one side of Lianel’s desk, where a pile of sweet snacks had accumulated over time.
“Then why leave these here?”
She didn’t even eat them herself.
“You’re the one seeking them.”
True to Lianel’s efficiency-driven nature, the snacks were left there to avoid running after the princess every time she came.
“I know what this is. Interest and affection!”
“Efficiency.”
“Then why catch the embezzler?”
“It was part of my duties to ensure proper use of tax revenue.”
“But I think it was care… You even made me stew yourself, worried I might starve.”
“That was meddling.”
The princess remained unyielding.
“No! It was worry. My sister-in-law did the same.”
Looking down at the floor, a trace of bitterness and loneliness showed in her eyes, and Lianel could not refute it.
In any case, the princess visited daily with trivial chatter, but few disliked her.
“I won’t disturb you anymore since you’re busy. Here, I made this health juice myself—only good things in it.”
“Thank you, Your Highness!”
“I’ll treasure it as a family heirloom!”
“Oh, it’s not that serious.”
Because she spent little time in the office and brought small gifts each visit.
“But this color is a bit…”
“Ugh.”
Though today’s gift was a dud,
“Hey, if you throw that up, it counts as insulting royalty.”
Yet even kindness can become burdensome.
This time, Asil stepped in.
“It may appear as favoritism if Your Highness visits a specific department, and it could invite envy from other departments. It also burdens this bureau greatly, so please refrain from visiting for non-work purposes.”
Or reduce visits to once every two weeks.
“Hmm… I see. I guess it’s cumbersome if I keep coming. Then why not have the lady transfer her affiliation to my palace?”
A very simple conclusion.
“…Why are you saying that?!”
Asil was aghast.
The princess was immature and young, but still royal. The blood of ruling over generations of empire citizens does not disappear.
“Why would the team leader go to the princess’s palace? How long have you been promoted?”
Mel objected, but the princess responded naturally.
“But if the conditions are good, wouldn’t you come? If you move to my palace, I guarantee you’ll leave on time. I can provide a private carriage and personal office. Rooms are available. You’ll also get performance bonuses and triple your current salary.”
“….”
“She might go over.”
Wilbrin, almost tempted for a moment, slammed his desk.
“No! Our team leader isn’t that easy!”
Trying to buy someone with money?
And Lianel:
“Can I transfer?”
“Not if you go already!”
She spectacularly defied their expectations.
