CH 2.2

CHAPTER 2: SPRING COMES TO EVERYONE (II)

Part 019

Didn’t he pile up the documents that were rejected because there was a problem? She replied, wondering why he was doing this.

“These documents are all wrong. It seems that the final amount is 1 million gold, and everything else is nonsense. But are military boots really that expensive?”

“Currently supplied boots are 3 gold each, new boots are 7 gold according to the report.”

“Looks like they’re switching to very good boots. But this is really completely wrong. If there are a total of 2,200 police officers in the capital, it would be roughly 15,000 gold, but it’s very different from the amount written here.”

After hearing her answer, the aide crumpled his seal. She quickly did one more mental arithmetic. Wasn’t she right? 15,400 gold, so about 15,000 gold?

“For every 8,000 infantry, we requested one more pair as a reserve. So what will be the total amount?”

“A total of 16,000 more pairs are needed, so that’s 112,000 gold.”

The dark-haired aide finally opened his mouth and started glaring at her. She did mental math again. No, that’s right. What the hell!

“Cale, is the amount right?”

“Yes, lord. Ethan arranged it and it is as it is.”

“Is this an unexpected savior?”

“You are an amazing person.”

What was it? Why were they smiling so much while looking at her? The Duke asked again in a soft voice, making people anxious.

“Lady Damian, 2,500 spearmen, 5,000 cavalry, and 3,000 archers are also issued with the same boots. What is their total amount?”

“Do you add an extra pair?”

“Only add spearmen and archers.”

“In addition to 5,500 spearmen and archers, 11,000 plus 5,000 cavalrymen, a total of 16,000 pairs. It’s 112,000 this time.”

“150 knights are paid two pairs of boots worth 25 gold each. What about these?”

“Because I need 300 pieces worth 25 gold, um, 7,500 gold.”

“What is the total amount so far?”

“15,400 gold plus 112,000 gold, then 112,000 gold plus 7,500 gold all together, hmm. It’s 246,900 gold.”

Duke Bigor smiled at her answer. Then it became a very terrifying face. The corners of his mouth were up and it looks like he’s going to shoot a dart out of his eye.

“How can money that is less than 500,000 gold become 1 million gold, young lady?” 

“Well, I don’t know. The unit is too different to be considered a mistake in the calculation…” 

The Duke turned around and picked up some papers from among the pile of papers lying on the desk. She held it up and glared at it with a sullen face. Then he said, putting down the papers he was holding on my desk.

“These are the claims made this time by the Supply Department. The total amount is over 5 million gold, including replacement of boots, repair of parade grounds and lodgings, purchase of capes, food for regular troops, and mobilization of reserve forces.”

“I strongly doubt that is all.”

As soon as she agreed with the momentum, his eyes became even more bleak. He looked at her with those bleak eyes and smiled. He was even more frightened because he laughed with a face that looked like he was about to shoot a gun.

“Last year, the Ministry of Supply received a total of 7 million gold. Do you think there were no ‘mistakes’ like this year last year?”

Listening to the words of Duke Bigor, who seems to be suppressing his anger, she knew that the situation was serious.

So, the person who wrote and uploaded this document was the main culprit of the super-large defense industry corruption. But that’s right, they were exaggerating a 250,000 gold bill into 1 million gold? How many times was it? Wow, that was really a different scale. But that’s right, trying to gulp 750,000 gold with such poor fake documents wasn’t this a matter of time before someone discovered it? Anyway, she didn’t know what happened, but she could pay for the meal. Just staring at that beautiful figure all day would make anyone full, but she was not there to play for 25 days, right?

“Looks like I can help you with something.”

“I’m sorry, young lady. It’s not something you have to do, but I can’t help but ask.”

They looked at each other, grinned, then went back to their respective seats to face the pile of papers. And she multiplied the influx of numbers fiercely. Alas, she really missed Excel. She was dying because of writing that down one by one. Actually the documents received were not as simple as the Duke had suggested with his questions. From the designation of the corps, transportation and labor costs were included, and the spearmen and cavalry units were provided with different types of boots and accessories, so she wrestled with the documents with multiplication and addition throughout the day. She had done all the calculations, but the number of people was wrong, and when she did it again, the number of accessories overlapped.

The black-haired, trustworthy man opened his mouth and watched her figure out the calculations. She never thought she would receive such compliments with the 4 basic arithmetic operations that even elementary school students in Korea could do. Somehow proud and excited, she completed the paperwork, including a table that could be seen at a glance for each item, right before lunchtime. The total cost of replacing boots, including other expenses, was 493,200 gold. The Duke, who received the papers, made a thrilled face. 

That was something to be proud of.

The Duke gave her a storm of compliments and with the momentum even stroked her hair, guided her directly to the dining room, invited her to the commander’s room, and removed her chair with a bright smile. It seemed like she was being treated too much for a trainee, but she just enjoyed it because it wasn’t something someone ordered her to do.

It was said that the food at the restaurant at the military headquarters was famous for being tasteless, but it was worth eating, perhaps because it was a special meal for commanders.

She was embarrassed to see a steak of a size she had never seen before in her life as a lady on the plate, and the commander immediately took it and dismantled it. Speaking of Duke Bigor, he was said to be the best swordsman in the military who received a knighthood as soon as he became an adult. Was that knife different from this sword? Craftsmen say they didn’t choose tools but that a big knife would be better.

After lunch, they also went for a walk. She was not wearing a dress today, so he didn’t have to escort her like that. It was a little embarrassing to receive an escort at the same level as one on a royal banquet, wearing a brown skirt that fell about an inch below the knee, a light beige blouse, and comfortable leather boots, in line with the administrative officer’s code of conduct, but he said he wanted to do it.

After lunch, her classmates gathered in the garden and widened their eyes when they found her walking in the garden escorted by the commander. In particular, the expression of Mario, the second son of the Marquis, who had been pulling out all morning, was worth seeing. She was a little embarrassed when the Duke lowered his chin and giggled while looking at her.

When they returned to the commander’s office after the walk, there was a vase full of fresh flowers on her desk, and a soft cushion on her undershirt. Also, on one side of the wall where a movable tray was added, there were various types of cookies and various teas in baskets. Looking at the bewildered Duke, she smiled with a kind face. No, she meant it, was that person a person who laughs so well? Behind him, the aide, Cale, looked out the window and pursed his lips.

“Thank you, Commander, for your excessive consideration. I don’t know what to say.”

He took a moment to decide what to say and then answered.

“It wasn’t too much.”

It was not a long-winded pun often used in social circles to hide the original intention, nor was it the tone used by a distant superior to a low-level administrative officer. She felt good about the sincerity that was conveyed plainly without superfluity.

“Well then, what should I look for in the afternoon? Which one is the most urgent?”

“You have done enough for today, young lady. Don’t overdo it and spend the rest of the time acclimatizing.”

“What? No. Aren’t I still fresh? You look busy, but I can’t rest alone.”

“I know what apprentice administrators do. The young lady has done more than that. I’m saying this to alleviate a little bit of apologetic feelings that I have to ask for again tomorrow, so please spend the rest of your time in peace.” 

“No, that’s…”

Not knowing what to do, she glanced at Cale standing behind the Duke. Cale put on a stern face and nodded deeply. Unexpectedly, she was seated in front of the tea and cookies that the Duke had prepared himself, and for a while she cracked open the cookies and watched the Duke’s still beautiful face. Then she got bored and went through the military organization chart. As she was rummaging through something, the Duke came over to see what she was looking at and made a disgruntled face, but he did not dissuade her.

Instead, he refilled her cup of hot tea. When he asked if she would like more cookies, she shook her head. Then, smiling brightly, he returned to his seat and buried himself in the pile of documents again.

At five o’clock, the Duke opened the door again and escorted her to the gate of the ministry. With impeccable courtesy, he put her in a pre-ordered public carriage.

Even the carriage fare had already been calculated. It was the first day of external training, so she didn’t know what the normal treatment was, that’s why she received his consideration, but seeing the commander open the wagon door himself at the wagon waiting area and seeing everyone around him drop their jaws, it seemed that he was treating her with some unconventional care.

Could it be that the Duke was interested in her?

* * *

Back at home, at the dinner table where the whole family gathered, Rootvan asked with a concerned look on how the day was. After explaining the details, his worried face widened, then he asked his father again with a puzzled face.

“Did Ethart have a separate acquaintance with the Bigor family?”

Her father also made a bewildered face, but shook his head at Rootvan’s question. There was no friendship between the current Duke of Bigor or the former Duke of Bigor and her family.

“He appeared at Demi’s coming-of-age ceremony last time, so isn’t today’s treatment a bit unconventional?”

“Come to think of it, he danced with Demi at the last New Year’s banquet. Demi, did the Duke say anything else?”

“No? He didn’t say anything else?”

“That’s what I mean…”

Suddenly, her father, who was thinking about something with a serious face, exchanged glances with Rootvan for a moment. At the same time, with a serious face, Rootvan lowered his voice and leaned his upper body toward his father.

“The Duke isn’t interested in our Demi, is it?”

That brother of hers. He was too drastic. The Duke and she had only seen each other for the third time, was it? Since he was a Duke, was he showing how to deal with a lady? It must be a question of manners.

“Since the Duke is unmarried… What is the Duke’s age this year?”

“I hear he’s twenty-four.”

“Hmm. I’m reluctant, but what do you think?”

“I’m not particularly fond of it either.”

“No, father? Brother? I didn’t go to a ball today, I went to work. The commander was just being a little kind.”

As she spoke, both of them looked at her at the same time. Weren’t they reluctant to talk about the person who was a Duke and commander? Because he was a little kind, was he meant to be talked about?

She shook her head with a firm expression on her face, and both of them relaxed and nodded. She couldn’t help but laugh as she watched the two of them finally shake off their worries and focus on eating again.