Chapter 119: What a Long Vacation (5)

༺ What a Long Vacation (5) ༻

Reuniting with the Minister was the worst.

“Come in.”

“Please, no.”

The scene I had witnessed a few months ago replayed before my eyes. Where else would you find a Minister who would be exercising during work hours?

I hesitated to enter even after opening the door. The Minister’s office was hotter than the already warm summer day due to his exercise, and it felt more like a sauna than an office. The Finance Ministry’s building was a mess.

When I stayed by the door, the Minister jerked his chin at me with a look that said, ‘What are you doing?’ Yeah, shit, I’m going in.

“If you’re switching to the military, please take me with you.”T/his chapter is updated by nov(ê(l)biin.co/m

“Did you get heatstroke? What are you talking about?”

I spoke up because his appearance was more fitting for an Imperial Commander than a Finance Minister, but I was scolded immediately.

Right, it was too late to switch to the military now. I knew it, but I still tried my luck. Sometimes you just have to try even when you know it’s not possible.

The Minister frowned at my comment and threw the dumbbells towards a noticeably dented area of the floor. Those weren’t there last time. How much had he been throwing them?

‘Is the floor below just a storage area?’

Luckily, it seemed like no one suffered from the noise the Minister made. Well, who would complain when the perpetrator was the Minister himself?

As I stared blankly at the dumbbells, the Minister finally spoke, holding his shirt.

“What happened?”

“There’s nothing special. It was business as usual.”

I replied casually to his abrupt question. He would understand the meaning, anyway.

He nodded at my response, and then his expression turned stern again.

“The retirement of a man younger than me...”

The escapade of the previous Count Horfeld seemed to have struck a chord with many civil servants.

Well, it made sense. Count Horfeld was only in his 40s, and it must have been infuriating for the Minister, who was still rolling around in his 50s.

“I do envy him. Retiring at that age isn’t easy.”

Retiring in my 40s? That would be impossible. I’d be lucky if I could retire before I died.

The more I thought about it, the more curious I became. How did he manage to retire, especially since he wasn’t just a sideline but a significant figure? Did he have something on the Emperor?

‘Such good things should be shared.’

It would be selfish of him if he was planning to keep it to himself.

“I should retire soon, too. Then, I can make you the Minister.”

“Don’t even joke about such terrible things.”

I cursed reflexively at his sudden provocation. Who would want to ruin their life by becoming the Minister?

The job of an Executive Manager was already hard enough, but I would really die if I became the Minister of Finance. I was never cut out for administrative work to begin with.

However, the Minister just laughed at my reaction.

‘What a jerk.’

If only his personality was half as good as his abilities.

The report quickly ended. The incident, despite its importance, ended too quietly.

Then, the Minister changed the subject.

“By the way, I heard you visited your territory.”

“Yes. I just returned today.”

“What did Count Tailglehen say?”

“He doesn’t really care about other people, so he didn’t say much.”

Despite another Count’s retirement, his response was surprisingly unremarkable. I had expected him to call on me at least once since I was at the mansion, but there was really no reaction.

“Anything else?”

Oh, wasn’t that the question?

That was why I said nothing when he refused the lady’s proposal a year ago. It pained me that he hadn’t gotten over Hecate yet, but his actions weren’t wrong.

But now? His words suggested a postponement rather than a firm refusal. It was an indecisive situation in which he neither accepted nor rejected her love. That was even worse.

“Did you explain to the lady why you can’t marry someone else? Did you tell her about your reasons?”

If he had told the lady about Hecate, it would have been understandable. If she still chose to wait, no one else had the right to be upset.

Of course, I doubted he had told the lady, considering how he had bottled up these feelings for two years. Still, I asked just in case.

“How can I tell her that?”

I knew it, this punk.

He quietly avoided my gaze, making me sigh again.

“You’re still a child despite your age.”

Maybe that was to be expected. He joined the war at seventeen and faced that incident at nineteen years old. What could change in just two years?

He was the youngest back then and still was. I treated him too much like an adult, but he’s indeed still a child.

Damn it, I thought he could handle himself.

“If you can’t accept her, then don’t give her any hope. From the lady’s perspective, it’s just false hope.”

Realizing that he was just a kid, my tone softened slightly. It was partly my fault for leaving him alone.

“Yes, the lady is only eighteen, and she’s not in a hurry to marry. But what about later?”

“...”

“In a few years, will you still push her away? Can you take responsibility if she misses her prime while waiting for you?”

He fell silent at those words. He probably wasn’t sure himself.

The lady might be heartbroken for a while if he refused outright, but at least she would have the chance to find someone else. But what was the point in giving her hope and wasting her time?

I understand why he’s behaving this way. He must be scared. He was afraid of getting closer only to have her leave like Hecate, or pushing her away and losing her forever.

That was exactly the kind of worry a child would have.

I continued speaking, but I wasn’t sure if it had any effect. It was just an impromptu lecture, so I just said whatever came to mind.

‘Damn him.’

It was an unplanned sermon. I never expected things to be this bad.

Holding my throbbing head, I sighed for the hundredth time. If he had shown any progress in moving on from the past, I would have continued to trust him, but how could I remain silent after seeing no change at all?

Of course, it was none of my business. A subordinate’s well-being and a lady I barely knew getting hurt? Strictly speaking, it was none of my concern.

But how could I ignore it? The subordinate in question was that bastard, and I couldn’t let him go astray and end up joining those people.

‘They were young and foolish.’

Every year, I went to the graves of the brats I treated as my children, the brats who dared to die before me. The despair I felt with six was already overwhelming, and now there was going to be one more? The mere thought was unbearable.

After much contemplation, I reached for the communication crystal. The situation had worsened after two years of neglect, and I couldn’t delay any further.

‘I didn’t want to resort to this method.’

But its effectiveness was certain.

With that resolve, I contacted someone I knew would do the trick.

— Minister of Finance?

Fortunately, the connection was successful.

— It’s been a while. It’s a shame that we couldn’t see each other even when we were both in the capital.

“I’m sorry. I haven’t even been able to say hello.”

— I understand that the Ministry of Finance is busy, so don’t worry too much about it.

I hesitated for a moment at his light laughter. It was the first time I contacted him after a long while, and the reason wasn’t particularly pleasant.

But it had to be done. He was the only one I could trust.

“Deputy Commander, I have something to discuss with you.”

Let’s see if you can withstand what he has to say.

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