I Became a Civil Servant Who Can Use Magic

Loen was in danger of being accused as a ruthless witch who committed a massacre.

“I didn’t kill them.”

The inspectors’ gazes turned to the nobles collapsed on the floor.
Even Ria and Gilbert sent meaningful looks.

Even Senior Ria doubts me?
Loen was greatly shocked.

We got along well in our viscount territory.
You know I’m not that kind of person. Senior.

The standoff continued for a while.
The inspectors, including Ria, waited for Loen’s additional explanation.

However, Loen.
She just kept her mouth shut, knowing that babbling on here would clearly look like an excuse.

‘Rather than words, let’s show it through action.’

Loen approached the closest fainted noble and slapped his cheek.

Slap!

The limp noble’s body stirred.
Despite the shock of his body shaking, he still didn’t regain consciousness.
So once more. Slap!

Why isn’t he waking up?
Usually they wake up when you do this.
According to memories from her past life, he should regain consciousness around now?

The branch director watching this scene.
He became certain that the rumors he heard were true.
The rumor that the Inspection Department is a den of lunatics.

‘To think she would even desecrate corpses in front of people watching.’

Just when he was about to think that rumors can’t be trusted after seeing the unexpectedly normal Inspection Department seniors these past few days, he witnessed the truth of the rumors right before his eyes.

‘To think a rookie who joined not long ago is already this crazy..’

The branch director shook his head.
I must never get involved with that person.

Around the time his misunderstanding deepened.

Ead appeared from inside the annex.
While grasping the second son’s hair with one hand.

Whoosh! Boom!

Everyone’s gaze turned to the second son slammed onto the banquet hall floor.

“Demonization?”
“So the rumors were true.”

The second son’s appearance, who opened his hidden power, that is, the power obtained through a contract with a demon, during the recent battle was that of a demon itself.

Abnormal physique, muscles swollen to excess, grayish skin, etc.

Loen, who had never actually seen a demon, just thought he changed like the Hulk, but still.

The second son who was caught while fleeing was barely breathing with his blood-covered body.

Meanwhile, Ead who approached Loen’s side greeted her team members.

“Ria, Gilbert. You came.”
“Team Leader!”
“It’s been a while.”

Ria finally understood what happened.

Mmm, as expected. There’s no way the youngest would do that.
The Team Leader purged the nobles, then told the youngest to keep watch, while she personally went to catch the second son.

Only then did Ria approach Loen and give words of encouragement.

“You worked hard! Youngest!”
“Ah.. Yes.”

Loen’s reaction was lukewarm.
Clearly just earlier you were looking at me with suspicious eyes..

Ria, who felt guilty for no reason, hurriedly put her arm around Loen’s shoulders.

“We were so worried when there was no news for over a month! What were you doing and where all this time? Huh? You have to tell me everything later, okay? Got it? Without missing anything!”
“I got it, so that hand..”
“Ah, sorry. Something touched my hand~”

The joy of reunion was short-lived, as the inspectors present gathered to discuss future plans.

After that day, a temporary inspection headquarters was established in the Grand Duke’s mansion.

Since it was clearly revealed that they allied with demons.
It became an issue that couldn’t be easily overlooked.

Support personnel were dispatched from various imperial agencies,
and comprehensive investigation and inspection was carried out under the leadership of Inspection Department Team Leader Ead.

I heard that normally even for a purge, a temporary headquarters isn’t established.

However, in the case of this incident.
Not only were numerous nobles involved, but Partisan and demonic forces were also intervening, so swift and certain handling of the matter was needed. That’s why they established a headquarters, they say.

And so, a large-scale purge towards the second son and his forces began.
What happened in the banquet hall was just the beginning.

All nobles in the grand duchy stayed tightly shut in their mansions with their mouths closed.
Because the moment anything was caught, their heads could fly off.

The second son, who was the only survivor among Grade 1 purge targets, spilled all information after various tortures.
Right after, he was executed.

The Grade 2 purge targets were in a similar situation.
They too confessed everything after interrogation and eventually disappeared as dew on the execution ground on the same day.

Grade 3 barely saved their lives but were stripped of all titles and essentially fell to slave status.

Not only those who attended the annex banquet that day, but also those directly or indirectly involved with the second son all became targets of the purge.

Thanks to the firstborn son, who had been competing with the second son, actively cooperating with the Inspection Corps, the purge was carried out swiftly.

Thus, the second son’s forces collapsed in an instant.

“Ferdin Goldpiece. Heir to succeed the Grand Duke title. Declare your final oath.”

The Grand Duke succession ceremony was nearing its end.
Once the final oath is over, a new Grand Duke of Goldpiece would be born.

“I, Ferdin Goldpiece, inherit the legacy and responsibility of my predecessors, and swear before His Majesty the Emperor’s name to protect this land and its people, and fulfill the duties of the Grand Duke title.”

Afterwards, the officiant declared the birth of a new Grand Duke.

Clap clap clap clap!
Woooo!

People’s cheers and applause echoed all around.
Especially the faces of nobles who supported the firstborn son bloomed with smiles. They clapped so roughly that their palms might catch fire.

Loen also responded appropriately while observing the surrounding atmosphere.

It’s already been a week since the purge ended.
The firstborn son quickly held the succession ceremony, partly to divert people’s attention, and partly to show that the grand duchy was still strong.

‘Whether on Earth or here, diverting public sentiment with new issues is similar.’

Until now, we were really busy without time to even blink.
The Team Leader was leading the work and I was essentially an assistant, but still, completely finishing off the second son’s forces was no ordinary task.

‘But now it’s really over.’

At that time, Ead, who was watching the succession ceremony from a corner, turned her body.
There was no reason to stay any longer now that the succession ceremony was over.

“Let’s go.”
“Yes.”
“Okay~”

The team members followed Ead.

“At this point, haven’t we basically spoon-fed everything to him, Team Leader~?”
“That’s unknown. As he’s a capable noble in his own right, he might have won the successor dispute even without our intervention.”
“He could have lost too.”

Ead stopped walking and glanced at Ria.
At the Team Leader’s sharp gaze, Ria laughed awkwardly and turned her head.
Ead snorted and started walking again.

After arriving at the Inspection Branch, they dispersed to prepare to pack up and return.

Finally returning!
A bright smile appeared on Loen’s face.
Loen, who quickly packed her belongings, headed to the Inspection Branch’s main entrance.
Actually, there wasn’t much to pack so it was quick.

“That person is the one obsessed with blood..”
“Shh! What if she hears?”

Haah…. Really.

After what happened in the annex.
Despite the fact that it was revealed Loen didn’t carry out a massacre, rumors spread here and there.

So this is why they say to be careful of rumors…

Saying I’m so obsessed with blood that I bathe in it.
That I joined the Inspection Corps because I like killing people.
That I enjoy tormenting nobles by slapping their cheeks.
Such words came and went about me.

But what can I do? It’s unseemly to actively explain. Above all, although the Inspection Branch people fear me,
there’s no particular harm, so I decided to just leave it be.

I’ll never see these people again once I return anyway.

As Loen was walking down the hallway, someone ran urgently to her side.

“Lo-Lo-Loen-nim!”
“Me?”
“Ye-Yes. Um, the Branch Director is calling for you!”

An inspector who looked like a hamster approached me, delivered the message, and then quickly disappeared in the opposite direction.

“…”

Loen turned her steps and headed to the Branch Director’s office.

Clunk.

“Ah, you’ve come. Please sit here.”
“Yes.”

Loen sat across from the Branch Director.

“It’s nothing much, but I called you because there’s something I wanted to ask before you leave.”
“I see. Ask me anything.”
“As the purge incident has been wrapped up, we plan to start investigating other incidents in earnest, but..”

The Branch Director trailed off and briefly looked at Loen’s eyes. Then he quickly lowered his gaze.

As the first impression of Loen standing in the middle of a pile of corpses and pool of blood in the annex remained strongly.

He felt somehow uncomfortable with Loen.
This is why first impressions are important.

He swallowed and continued speaking.

“The 6-star meteor magic fall incident. Do you perhaps know anything about this?”

Meteor magic?
Could he be talking about the magic manifested from the artifact father gave me?

If it’s that, I know it well.

“Yes, I know about it.”

The Branch Director inwardly rejoiced. Until now, there wasn’t enough capacity to investigate the meteor fall incident due to being so busy. But now there’s room.

So when trying to investigate, the timing of the Inspection Department team leader and rookie appearing at the Grand Duke’s mansion…
Coincided exactly with the time the meteor fell.

It must be related in some way.
That’s why he called for Inspection Department rookie Loen.

“Please tell me anything, even if it’s trivial.”
“That.”

The Branch Director’s body leaned forward.
That?

“I used it.”
“…Pardon?”

Though much was omitted, Loen’s words were the truth without a single lie.

The Branch Director fell into panic.
Did I hear wrong?

“Umm, where should I start from.”

Since it would be revealed anyway, Loen answered honestly.

Joining the Partisans, getting along with them and gaining their favor, eventually entering the secret headquarters, stealing documents and escaping from there, using the artifact when a crazy guy chased after, a giant sword appearing in the sky, and so on.

“That’s what happened.”
“…”

The Branch Director was at a loss for words.
Suddenly, memories from the past came to mind.

Before the temporary inspection headquarters was set up, the Branch Director had asked Inspection Department Team Leader Ead.

May I ask where the source of the confidential documents is?

We brought them directly from the Partisan command headquarters.

Ah, I see..

At that time, he thought she was lying because she didn’t want to reveal the source. Because this kind of turf protection or internal strife was common between branches and headquarters, or even internally.

Another memory also came to mind.
It was the memory of conversing with the grand duchy’s knight commander who went to search the meteor fall site.

Are you saying the Partisan command headquarters was discovered? At that exact point where the meteor collided?

That’s correct.

What in the… I understand for now.

The puzzle pieces came together in the Branch Director’s mind.

‘To think they really infiltrated the Partisan command headquarters and escaped with documents from there!’

But no matter how much it’s the Inspection Department, still.
Does it make sense for an individual to possess a 6-star meteor magic artifact..

Ah, that’s right.
The crazy… no, Inspection Department rookie, Loen in front of me.

Before being an inspector, she was the young lady of the Franz ducal family.

The Franz ducal family.
The foremost magician family in the empire.
And the family head Carl Franz. A great magician who reached the highest level even among 6-stars.

If he gave an artifact to protect his daughter, it was fully understandable.

The Branch Director, who finished grasping the circumstances, nodded.

“I see. I understand well. For now… Hmm.”

After understanding the circumstances, his mind became even more complicated. How should I report this to superiors.

He decided to first mention another reason for calling Loen.
This was actually the main point.

“I should have brought this up first. Because I heard such shocking words, I ended up..”

He cleared his throat and said.

“Grand Duke Ferdin Goldpiece, who ascended to the Grand Duke position this time. He expressed his intention to have a meeting with Loen-nim.”
“The Grand Duke wants a private meeting with me?”
“Yes.”

Loen cried out.
Please just leave me alone…

At this point, she even missed the 9 AM clock-in at the Inspection Headquarters.

The Branch Director conveyed words of reassurance to Loen, who had a gloomy expression.

“It’s not to discuss any matter. In my opinion, it’s probably to give a reward for initiating the purge of the second son, that’s probably it.”
“Ah.”

The Branch Director’s words were like this.

Loen and Ead played a crucial role in the second son’s purge, and because of that, the firstborn son, now in the Grand Duke position, who benefited as a result, decided to give a reward.

But why only me?
Such a question flashed through Loen’s mind.

But still.
Since he’s giving a reward, there’s no reason not to go.

Loen, who left the room, conveyed the situation to Ead, then immediately headed to the Grand Duke’s mansion.

After walking for a while, Loen arrived at the mansion’s reception room.

She sat face to face with Grand Duke Ferdin, anticipating what kind of reward it would be.

And the Grand Duke’s following words.

“From now on, the Goldpiece Grand Duchy will always be on your side.”

Loen was greatly flustered by the Grand Duke who blurted out the conclusion without preamble.

“..?”

At this point, Loen felt like she could even go to work at 9 AM with a smile.