Ascal received a gold naplate.
Looking at the naplate haphazardly placed on the desk of the empty office, an inexplicable sense of doubt crept in.
Maybe I should just close my eyes and run away.
No.
Given the increased attention on him, there was no doubt that if he fled now, hed imdiately be pursued.
The only way out was, as always, to prove his incompetence and get fired.
Alright. Whatever cos my way, Ill ss it up thoroughly.
Yet, a day passed, then two, and still no real tasks ca Ascals way.
A governnt job was always like this: insanely busy at tis, but unbelievably idle at others.
Ascal even went to his boss to inquire.
Do I have any tasks to do?
Oh, sothing will co up soon. Just relax.
And just like that, a whole month passed in this way.
Surprisingly, Ascal had nothing to do the entire ti.
The al today is good.
In the deserted office, he ate a takeaway sandwich, then sat blankly gazing out the window.
With so much idle ti, he recently took up gardening.
Today, the little plant sprouted. The fertilizer seed to have worked well. So today he changed its soil.
Grow strong and tall.
While docunting his plants progress, he suddenly had a mont of deep reflection.
Please, give so work...
If one were to summarize his daily routine, it would be: Eat, use the restroom, sit aimlessly at the desk, water the plant, and then leave when it is ti.
To so, this might seem like a dream life. But feeling as though he was on borrowed ti, Ascal couldnt bear the boredom.
I cant take this anymore. I need to request a departnt transfer.
It was at that mont when he was about to rise from his seat.
Pardon the intrusion, Head Ascal.
The person who had entered the office was an unexpected figure.
Kane.
The head of Evaluation Departnt 1 and a 4th-grade official.
He was essentially the power behind Evaluation Departnt 1, which was pretty much the raison dtre of the entire Evaluation Departnt.
Unlike him, the figurehead of Departnt 3, who was basically a non-entity, Kane was a man deserving of respect.
As Ascal was about to reflexively greet him, he paused.
Right now, he was like a young upstart who had risen too quickly. Despite being only a 7th-grade official, hed snagged the departnt head position.
To Kane, who had earned his Departnt 1 head position purely on rit, Ascal was likely a thorn in his side.
But what if Ascal played the part of the arrogant upstart? In no ti, hed be ostracized and eventually phased out of the Evaluation Departnt. Then, even if he quit, nobody would likely care.
Its not courteous to visit another departnt without prior notice.
Ah, my apologies.
In the future, Id appreciate a prior notice. What brings you here?
Perfect.
With that level of cheek, he could probably win an office insolence contest. Proof of his success was evident in Kanes face, which had stiffened from the pleasant smile hed worn just monts ago.
I have a task Id like to delegate to you sir Ascal. Its a land evaluation, and given your renowned expertise, I believe youre the right person for it. Of course, youre free to decline.
How long had it been since he was offered any work? Holding back a triumphant smile, Ascal replied with as much gravitas as he could muster.
Ill take it on.
Ah, you will? Ill send over the necessary docunts shortly then.
Without even looking at Kane, Ascal pretended to read a report and gave a slight nod. All to seem as rude as possible until the end.
...Has he left?
Once certain Kane had entirely vanished, Ascal slouched in his chair. It had been a pretty successful act on his part. Moreover, he secured the project he had so eagerly wanted.
And if this presumptuous newcor now spectacularly ruins the job?
Resignation wouldnt be far off.
Hehe, Hehe, Hehehehe.
The tasks in the Evaluation Departnt were simple. For the empire, they evaluate everything that can be evaluated. And, of course, this included people.
.
.
.
Did you et with Ascal Debrue?
Yes.
Kane took off his coat, which his secretary naturally took and hung up.
Ive heard rumors that hes just a lucky rookie.
Thats just envy from the incompetent.
Kane always rembered to wear a friendly smile in front of everyone. Most people would relax seeing a slightly portly, good-natured middle-aged man smiling at them. Subconsciously, theyd see him as easygoing.
In doing so, theyd let their guard down. Kane was always ready to assess such people.
He didnt relax in my presence, not even a bit. He even glared at , as if questioning my intentions. An audacious kid in his early twenties, doing that to .
Despite his words, Kane seed neither angry nor offended. The Evaluation Departnt was in shambles, with too few competent individuals.
Incompetent folks just siphoned off the empires resources without offering anything of value. However,
Ascal Debrue is a gem.
Kane had risen from the bottom to the head of Departnt 1 purely based on his skill and performance.
His evaluations were never wrong.
.
.
.
How can I ruin it in a way that I beco infamous?
Ascal opened the report brought from Departnt 1.
In essence, it was about evaluating land. Deciding where to establish a tourist attraction to attract foreign visitors.
Ascal carefully read the report. There were three potential areas:
1. Ancient ruins: Packed with ancient relics, it would attract visitors if a museum were built.
2. Rocky Canyon: Features a massive cliff with a waterfall, offering beautiful natural scenery.
3. Deserted Plain: Barren and devoid of attractions, but its easily accessible, ideal for carriages.
To sum it up briefly:
At a glance, number 3 was obviously a bust. The report conveyed, in its professional language, a nuance suggesting one should choose between 1 and 2.
Might be ti for my first business field trip.
Ascal pondered deeply for several weeks, visiting the potential sites.
The ancient ruins site indeed had relics that would intrigue artists and scholars. Establishing a museum there could yield significant revenue.
Then, the Rocky Canyon. Despite visiting nurous attractions before, he hadnt co across such breathtaking natural beauty in a long ti. The sheer cliffs seed to dwarf any human observer.
Lastly, the barren plains. Literally nothing special, with its only perk being ease of transportation.
Ive made up my mind.
Ascal finalized his decision and submitted the report to his superiors.
The Deserted Plains? Are you certain about this choice?
Yes, Im sure.
Alright. I trust your judgnt, Ascal. Just bear in mind, that the council is keenly observing this project. Any failures could affect your rank.
It was the most reassuring news of Ascal.
The die was cast.
.
.
.
Did you hear? The head of Departnt 3 made a big blunder.
He set up a tourist spot in a place thats utterly barren. What a lunatic.
His lucks finally run out. Tsk. Hes bound for demotion.
Several Months had passed since Ascal submitted his report.
Walking the halls, he overheard the whispers maligning his decision. Indeed, his choice was vindicated: the tourist attraction in the barren plains had almost no visitors. It was running at a loss.
Watching his reputation plumt in real ti, Ascal wore a smile. At this rate, being asked to resign wouldnt be surprising.
As he was preemptively packing his office belongings, expecting to be let go any day, soone burst through the door.
HOT SPRINGS!!!!!!!
...?
The person, whod yelled loud enough to make ones ears ring, was a colleague from when Ascal was in Departnt 4.
Her na was Sushia. She had recently transferred to Departnt 3, thinking it was the place to be.
Breathless, she exclaid,
Sir! A hot spring erupted in the barren plains!! Its now swamped with tourists!! Did you foresee this!!?
?
What are you talking about?
A hot spring erupted in the barren plains?
How?
Why?
.
.
.
.
Hearing the news, Ascal personally went to the barren plains to see for himself.
And what he saw was beyond belief.
From the massive hot spring, with steam billowing out, countless foreigners were enjoying its warmth.
Oh, man. Theres sothing different about these imperial hot springs.
It feels like its healing my soul.
They say if you enjoy the hot spring and then drink so imperial milk, youd taste heaven without actually dying.
Is this really happening?
No.
This? Can this even be real?
Always knew it Ascal, you
Kane, whod also co to the Deserted Plains, spoke with evident admiration.
Youve always had a discernnt that even I couldnt match.
And the next day,
He received the familiar, gold-embossed appointnt letter.
Haa, this familiar letter of appointnt.
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