FERH 42

Chapter 42

“Ugh, what should I do? Our team leader is surprisingly obsessed with money.”

Wilbrin whined, and Till said,
“‘Surprisingly’ isn’t the right word, is it?”

“He’s blatantly obsessed…”

“Exactly, that’s it.”

Melman couldn’t keep up with the conversation and scowled.
“Isn’t that missing the point?”

Whether he cares about money or not, the real issue is that he’s changing jobs, isn’t it?

“And the fact that the new position is at the Princess’s Palace is a bit…”

The job Lianel would take there would probably be as a maid or head maid. Even if it’s within the same palace, the roles are completely different.

“But the conditions are just too good.”

“Well… ah, yeah, that’s true.”

Besides, the princess was someone with both the power and the financial means to keep her promises. In any case, inside the princess’s palace, he could reign like a small king.

“But why would the team leader stay just for our department?”

Although she wanted to give Lianel part of her salary, a civil servant’s pay couldn’t be adjusted like that.

“And there are plenty of reasons to leave as well.”

Wilbrin was now almost at the verge of tears.
“Lately, the director has been a bit harsh too.”

None of them had failed to witness the director’s misdeeds. They had watched with wary eyes because the person involved claimed it was fine, but maybe intervening would have been better.

“And besides, he was forced to take on the team leader position.”

“….”

Everyone had nothing to say and just stared off into the distance. Thinking about it, there was really no reason to stay—only mountains of reasons to leave.

They sighed deeply while staring at the sky helplessly.
“Hng, he really shouldn’t leave…”

Meanwhile,

Lianel, under the pretext of asking about the job transfer conditions, took the princess to an open space.

“I would like to ask the real reason Your Highness wants me by your side.”

In truth, she came to hear the princess’s true feelings.

At the same time, Lianel glanced behind her.

Just as she suspected, no other department members had followed. It was surprising that those who had been crying about not being allowed to go along hadn’t tried to spy on or eavesdrop on the two of them.

In a strange way, their respect for the rules and not crossing the line reminded her of Asil.
‘Maybe it’s because they’re Asil’s subordinates?’

Lianel then looked at the princess.

She seemed uncomfortable in the unfamiliar place, staring only at the ground.

“If you came to serve me or whisper kind words to me every day—”

“No!”

The princess suddenly lifted her head and clenched her small fists.
“It’s just… it’s been such a long time since someone spoke to me thinking about me…”

Moisture gathered in her eyes, and longing took form as it streamed down beneath her eyes.
“It’s been so long since someone spoke to me like an older sister would.”

Lianel was puzzled.
‘Why does she have such a huge illusion about what I did?’

She had checked to make sure the former empress had no discomfort in her daily life—quite often, in fact. But that was because the princess was a child with poor problem-solving skills, not because she received special treatment from a supervisor.

‘Someone else would have shown that level of consideration if they had become the empress instead of me.’

“Of course, you weren’t particularly kind or gentle.”

The princess sniffled while smiling.
“But you looked at situations objectively.”

She didn’t criticize unnecessarily or blame others while ignoring the situation. She didn’t get emotionally consumed, so no one else got emotionally drained.

“And you helped solve problems practically.”

She didn’t empathize, but she understood. And then she offered solutions. That had been Lianel’s lifelong approach.

‘Why should I wipe away someone’s tears?’

If you remove the source causing the tears, they stop on their own.

“I wanted to become someone like that too.”

But if that was exactly what the princess wanted, it was a bit troublesome. Lianel couldn’t become the empress again just to comfort a princess crying because she missed her older sister.

Lianel suddenly recalled the princess who came to the taxation office every day, bringing small gifts. She had thought it was just an excuse to see her back then, but now it seemed the gifts themselves were the main purpose.

The revelation of the embezzlement incident in the princess’s palace had been a collective effort of the taxation office staff. The princess’s young mind had just expressed gratitude and a desire to help, even in a small way.

‘Humans really are multi-faceted.’

Where most people become generous when full, a scholar becomes generous when something piques their interest.

Lianel softened a bit.
“What do you truly wish for, Your Highness?”

“I want to be of help to someone too.”

It wasn’t just that she wanted to repay Lianel for a favor.
“I know what people say about me…”

She was one of the empire’s most expensive luxuries, destined to be married off for political gain to benefit the empire.

The princess smiled faintly and lowered her gaze to the ground, pressing the sand lightly with the tip of her shoes, leaving an imprint.

In truth, she had few complaints about her future.
‘I never intended to become emperor anyway.’

She had thought she could just stay quietly and obediently in the palace.
“I don’t want to be ignored.”

Otherwise, she would be used or treated like a naive fool.

“I don’t want to live as a powerless, useless princess…”

When the former empress Ensilen was alive, the princess had shown no curiosity about the outside world. She had grown up comfortably without worrying about it.

But discomfort awakens a person.

Now, after Ensilen’s death, she realized she had been acting foolishly, swayed by others’ words. She understood her position.

“That’s why I came. I want to change.”

Lianel liked the spark of determination in the princess.

She was young, but with the right guidance, her flame could grow into a great fire. Anger that drives change is exactly the fire that can truly change the world.

But what needs to be corrected must be corrected.

“Fulfilling Your Highness’s wishes is not my duty.”

“I-I understand…”

The princess bowed, slightly embarrassed, realizing how impulsively Lianel had approached her.

Since Lianel didn’t dislike her, she decided to leave a small opening.
“But I am a civil servant.”

Civil servants work for the empire’s wages. Therefore,
“If Your Highness wants to improve the empire’s injustices, we can discuss those issues.”

“…!”

“Do you understand?”

After a long look, the princess nodded vigorously.
“Yes!”

Lianel stayed at the place where the princess had disappeared for a while, then turned her gaze when she heard approaching footsteps.

“I thought you’d be coming.”

A familiar face appeared.
“When changing jobs, you need to carefully consider conditions and variables.”

Of course, following higher pay or better benefits is fine, but sustainability is even more important. Otherwise, like a moth drawn to a flame, you risk rushing into disaster for temporary gains.

“Your Highness doesn’t need me.”

She needs a pillar to support and lift her, not just someone to follow her around.

‘But nurturing is not my role.’

“The conditions Your Highness offered are likely temporary.”

So not changing jobs is the right choice.
“Still, thank you for staying.”

Whatever the reason, the decision to remain in the taxation office was hers.

Asil sincerely expressed gratitude.
“You are needed in the Special Taxation Bureau.”

And also by me.

At the same time, Asil handed over a basket.
“This is today’s bribe.”

Inside was a sandwich.

Lianel checked the paper under the sandwich. She thought it would be a receipt as usual, but it was a different sheet today.

Lettuce: 1 silver, beef: 5 silver, butter: 3 silver…

At first glance, it looked like a recipe, but the sheet detailed the purchased ingredients.
“That shop is my own.”

She claimed all the sandwiches so far were made by herself.
“Now you’re openly asking for favors?”

“Because it’s an unreasonable request.”

Some might call it “persuasion.”
“Someone once said, to tame a stray cat, you must give food. To persuade a person, you must use a bribe.”

And the bribe doesn’t have to be money.

“Are you persuaded?”

Surely not.
“The evidence to prove this hypothesis is insufficient, and there is no verification procedure, so it’s difficult to trust.”

Asil stared at Lianel for a while, then suddenly chuckled.
“Of course, you’d say that.”

She pulled Lianel’s hand and put the basket in it.
“This sandwich was made for you, so handle it as you wish.”

Better if you eat it, though.

Today, too, her pupil shook her heart and disappeared.

“….”

Tamed, huh.

Lianel pondered her pupil’s words, looked at the sandwich in the basket, and took a bite.
“Well, it does taste good.”

Familiar flavors felt a little frightening.

And the next day.

“I’ve found a problem in the empire.”

The princess returned to the Special Taxation Bureau.
“There are too many farmers in the empire.”