Chapter 59
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Chapter 59
Kibon remained perfectly composed. Even his gestures were elegant.
Of course, I had instructed him on every detail beforehand.
"Sigh...."
The Finance Minister's expression had grown almost tearful.
'Of course. The numbers are flawless.'
I had already calculated exactly how much budget the Treasury Department could allocate to us.
The maximum amount the Finance Minister had privately decided upon would be precisely that figure.
It was similar to the additional funds needed when audits had to be renewed.
'Since we'll need new budget allocations anyway, I should secure a substantial amount from the start.'
I smiled gently and regarded the Finance Minister.
He breathed heavily before speaking quietly.
"Since this is the initial budget, the Scroll Department's allocation from next year will be based on this amount. I'll triple it. Let's go with that."
"...."
"Fine. I'll even go up to five times. Isn't that generous?"
"...."
Dragging out the negotiation was pointless—the numbers were already decided.
Finally, the Finance Minister stamped his foot and cried out.
"If you'd demanded ten times, I'd have just gotten angry and refused outright! But asking for such an awkwardly specific amount!"
"...."
"Damn it, seven times. Seven times!"
"Ah, yes."
That was when it happened.
Blood suddenly gushed from Kibon's nose beside me.
"Oh, what do I do! Kibon? Are you alright?"
I quickly tilted his head back in alarm.
His already pale complexion contrasted starkly with the crimson blood streaming down.
Kibon himself seemed startled.
"Excuse me for a moment."
He pressed a tissue to his nose and hurriedly left the Minister's Office.
The Finance Minister also exclaimed in shock.
"...Isn't that the Intern who couldn't speak the Empire's language well back then? How hard have you been working him?"
"Well, I'm not entirely sure."
I was equally flustered.
To be honest, he'd been working late every night since that first day.
But it couldn't be helped.
Securing the initial budget from the Finance Minister was crucial. I had to prepare thoroughly.
"Just... enough to write all of this? And I drafted all the preliminary versions myself."
I gestured toward the mountain of reports stacked before us.
The Finance Minister's jaw dropped in astonishment.
"...You're telling me you wrote all of this during that time? How is that even possible?"
"That's why I kept working late nights."
To be honest, it was grueling for me too. But there was no other choice.
'I don't want to live as just another Minister dropped in by the Tower Master's patronage. And I want our department members to at least eat their meals in peace at the Dining Hall!'
Preventing war was important, but with no urgent matters at hand, I decided to take care of my own life a bit too.
'It's been a dream of mine ever since I first came to this department....'
So I poured my passion into it. But it seemed to have been an enormous strain on Kibon.
I stammered in bewilderment.
"But I never pulled an all-nighter. I left at 10 PM every single time...."
"Is that so?"
The Finance Minister tilted his head and replied.
"Then that young man must have poor stamina. I mean, it's not like he pulled all-nighters continuously—he's nosebleeding over this? His physique looks perfectly fine...."
He really was a capable person. It seemed a few nights of overtime didn't even count as overtime in his book.
I do count overtime as overtime, but if I'd known it would cause a nosebleed, I would have been more careful.
"He ate his meals properly on schedule, never engaged in idle chat, and went home separately—I thought that would be fine...."
"Hmm, then wouldn't half the fatigue from overtime be reduced? He's quite frail."
"Exactly. I made sure we never ate snacks together and provided them separately."
"That matters too. So that fellow is just weak-constitutioned—you didn't do anything wrong."
The Finance Minister and I were both taken aback by how well our conversation was flowing.
What is this! We're getting along so well!
"Ah... yes."
The atmosphere wasn't bad at all.
When Kibon had the nosebleed, something strange—a sense of kinship—formed between us two.
I rolled my eyes and chuckled.
"I'm truly grateful for the budget."
And I stroked the report as I spoke.
"I understand it's a gamble to allocate the first budget this way. But I promise I won't waste a single coin and will show you results."
The Finance Minister looked at me with his arms crossed.
Then he let out a soft laugh and replied.
"I approved it because I have faith in you. Your planning report looked solid too."
"Then why did you cut it by 1.2 times from the start...."
"That's just how I do my job. You know how it is."
The Finance Minister gestured to his Secretary, who was waiting outside the Minister's Office.
The Secretary's eyes widened as he looked at the reports Kibon and I had written.
"I'll have copies of these summoned to the Treasury Department, so clear my desk."
Despite saying he believed in me, he clearly intended to review everything from scratch on his own.
Such thoroughness. I loved it.
It was something I'd never seen from my former superiors since joining....
"A large budget is a double-edged sword. Do well with it."
"Truly, I'm sincerely grateful. I will never forget this moment, and I will never disappoint you."
"Don't speak so carelessly about this."
"I will do my absolute best, stake everything this department has, and prepare with utmost sincerity and dedication."
"I said don't speak so lightly about it."
"I'll prove my worth."
"Yes! That's exactly it! You need to have that kind of resolve."
The Finance Minister gave my shoulder a firm pat.
By the time I realized this was his way of encouraging me, he suddenly stood up.
"Goodness. I'm really being squeezed dry here."
He seemed to be in remarkably good spirits for someone being "squeezed dry."
"Absolutely wrung out! Tch!"
Then, glancing at me in passing, he spoke casually.
"Victor's doing well, isn't he?"
"Yes, sir."
"You know he's my adopted son, right? He's such a meddlesome fellow—I imagine you two were close at the Academy."
During my time at the Academy, it was difficult to find anyone who wasn't close to Victor.
He was the one person who got along familiarly with that enormous number of students.
[...Unless it's Victor.]
There was a reason Luca Class had said that.
Even I, who wasn't close to many people, had managed to get along with Victor alone.
"Did the two of you get along well in the Scroll Management Department? Well, there's no way he wouldn't have. Originally, I was planning to pull him up to the Treasury Department as soon as he returned, but...."
The Finance Minister spoke with a thoughtful gaze.
"For now, having him work under you seems acceptable."
"Yes, sir."
"Don't you usually ask why?"
The Finance Minister laughed as if amused, then turned to leave.
Then he threw out a remark abruptly.
"If the two of you ever decide to marry, I approve."
"Yes, sir."
"Don't you usually ask why I'm suddenly saying such a thing?"
Without even looking back, he let out a hollow laugh and truly left.
Kibon never returned, even after the Finance Minister disappeared from sight.
And so I was left alone in the Minister's Office.
'Phew....'
In any case, I had secured the initial budget satisfactorily.
All those late nights of work had paid off. At last, the tension began to ease.
'Now I've put out the immediate fire....'
The Finance Minister seemed to have taken a liking to me.
I had a feeling the atmosphere at the next ministerial meeting would be much better.
And if I could deliver results, the atmosphere would improve even further.
'First, I should give Kibon some time off. It seems those several nights of overtime were quite taxing on him.'
Nosebleeds, no less—the kid was frailer than I'd anticipated. At this rate, the instinct to flee might overtake the passion to learn the trade.
'I can't afford to lose someone this competent.'
Once Kibon returned from the Restroom, I'd mandate a forced leave without question.
I'd have to reassure him that future work wouldn't continue at this grueling pace.
'This isn't the time for hesitation. I need to keep him before he submits his resignation.'
He had a history of writing resignation letters and leaving once before.
I needed to demonstrate that his superior cared about his wellbeing. I bolted from the Minister's Office immediately.
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