I Became a Civil Servant Who Can Use Magic

Fortress cafeteria.

After finishing the execution ceremony, Loen’s group sat around a table in the cafeteria to wrap up and take a break.
Soon, an ordinary dinner was served.

“Thank you for the meal.”

Loen started eating right away.
Perhaps because she had given a long speech after a while, she was quite hungry.
Soon, the sound of one person’s utensils clinking began to echo in the cafeteria.

As Loen was chewing and planning for the future,
She suddenly raised her head at the piercing gaze she felt on her crown.

“..?”

And she flinched.
It was because everyone in the group was staring at her.

“Aren’t you all going to eat?”

How can we eat now?
Everyone in the group inwardly answered Loen’s words.
Of course, outwardly they just stared blankly at Loen.

“….”

Under the persistent gazes, Loen quietly put down her utensils.
Taking advantage of this gap, the magic-armored knight captain opened his mouth.

Perhaps deeply impressed by Loen’s execution ceremony,
His eyes were shining brightly, unlike usual.

“In my entire life, I’ve never seen anyone with such deep loyalty to the empire other than Inspector Loen.”
“Ah…. Is that so.”
“I too, as the leader of the magic-armored knights, have prided myself on having loyalty second to none, but before the inspector, I’m just ashamed.”

After catching his breath for a moment, he continued speaking.

“Watching your speech at the execution ground, I realized. Why His Majesty bestowed special discretionary power. His Majesty had already seen through the inspector’s capacity and loyalty!”
“..”

Loen didn’t know what to do as he spoke with flying saliva, excited unlike his usual self.
What’s wrong with this uncle again..

Meanwhile, the knight captain, unable to contain his rising emotions, stood up abruptly and shouted.
His right arm pounded over his heart.

“Death to the enemies of the empire!”

At his cry, the magic-armored knight members eating at the next table also stood up in unison and shouted the same.
……Death!

“Wow, cool!”

Psyche wagged her tail, clapped, and exclaimed in admiration.
On the other hand, a thin sigh escaped from Loen’s mouth.

There’s no way I have loyalty when I wouldn’t hesitate to insult the Emperor if necessary.
It’s just that in this case, thorough internal discipline was needed, so I showed such an appearance.
Because we had to prevent more traitors from appearing.

“Loen, I have a question.”
“What is it?”

At the sight of Psyche’s sparkling eyes, uneasiness crept up Loen’s back.
What are you going to say now.

“That famous line you said during the execution. ‘Imperial soldiers must ~ be loyal!’ Did you prepare it in advance the night before?”

How could that be.
Loen silently shook her head.

“Eh? Then you’re saying that came out on the spot?!”

At that moment, the knight captain interjected with a deeply impressed expression.

“For someone with loyalty to the empire deeply ingrained in their bones, wouldn’t such words naturally flow out?”
“I see~ As expected..!”

Psyche and the knight captain continued to praise Loen.
It was what’s commonly called fawning.

Noticing Loen’s expression gradually hardening, Seraphine stepped in to calm things down.

“Why don’t we focus on the meal instead of continuing this talk? Inspector Loen’s complexion doesn’t look good, and continuing like this is rude behavior.”
“Okay!”
“Ahem. I got a bit excited.”

Thanks to this, the meal resumed.

It’s fortunate that at least Seraphine is normal.
Loen secretly sent a grateful glance towards her.

Oh, it’s nothing~
Seraphine, who received the glance, raised the corners of her mouth and shrugged.
Then with an elegant hand, she speared the meat on her plate with a fork and popped it into her mouth.

“…Urp!”

Seraphine’s brows furrowed deeply.
Although it was the commander’s exclusive cafeteria, the food quality fell far short of her standards.
This is… food?

Unable to bear it any longer, Seraphine asked.

“Inspector Loen, does the meal suit your taste?”
“It’s passable enough to eat.”

But with Loen continuing her meal without any issue, Seraphine couldn’t make a fuss about not being able to eat alone, so she just steadfastly continued her meal.

Late at night.

Loen raided Seraphine’s room.
Seraphine, who had been rolling around on the bed in her pajamas, got up with a start.

“I-Inspector Loen?”

After hesitating for a moment, Loen finally opened her mouth.

“I have an urgent matter to discuss about our families.”

At the word ‘family’, Seraphine’s gaze turned sharp. She smoothed out her disheveled clothes and got off the bed to sit at the table by the window.

And she gestured towards Loen.

At her gaze as if telling her to say more, Loen sat in the opposite chair and continued speaking.

“The moment the first goal of the holy war is completed….”

The eradication of traitors under the name of the Great Holy War targets the entire empire.
The first target among these was the southwestern region of the empire.

Seraphine picked up Loen’s words.
She too had been feeling something all along.

“A huge power vacuum will be created centered on the southwest. Wealth and influence without masters will scatter in all directions.”

Seraphine, who finished speaking, hardened her expression completely.
It was because she sensed that the conversation from now on would be a dialogue between family and family.

Realizing from Seraphine’s sudden change in attitude that there was no need to beat around the bush, Loen went straight to the point.

“I want to propose a secret agreement between the two families.”
“A secret agreement?”

Seraphine, who frowned slightly, said.

“Are you talking about an alliance?”
“Yes.”

At Loen’s answer, Seraphine tilted her head.

“Which marriage alliance do you have in mind? Is it between Inspector Loen and my brother? Or between Johann Franz and me?”
“…?”

Loen was about to ask back with a look that said ‘what nonsense is this’ when she belatedly recalled a certain fact.
The implicit meaning that the word alliance carries in noble society.

“……It’s neither.”
“Then?”

Loen explained.

“I’m talking about a strategic alliance based on political and economic interests, not an alliance forged by blood.”
“Ah.”

Seraphine also realized she had misunderstood and muttered awkwardly.
You should have said so earlier..

Seraphine returned to the stance of a cool-headed negotiator and asked.

“If that’s the case, then of course there must be definite practical benefits or advantages guaranteed for Bastard as well.”

At that, Loen poured out words as if she had been waiting.

“We will share some of the businesses that the Donnelly family had monopolized.”

Seraphine’s eyebrows twitched.
The Donnelly family’s business?

“Let me tell you in advance, the Franz family has already finished preparations. I declare, Franz will absorb the rights and interests of the southwestern region, including the Donnelly family’s business, faster than anyone else.”
“Hmm.”

Loen’s words weren’t simply bluster.
Seraphine knows this too.

As long as the Inspection Corps, who received the Emperor’s decree, is thrusting swords in all directions, everyone has no choice but to be cautious.
But the Franz family is in a different position.

Isn’t Loen Franz, who is solidifying her position within the Inspection Corps and even received special discretionary power from the Emperor, standing firmly behind them?

There was no reason at all to fear the Inspection Corps’ blade.

Therefore, while the Franz family devours the enormous rights and interests of the southwest, other families would at best silently watch or try to check them. Or if not that, gather courage to take just a handful of the rights and interests.

“If the two families join forces to share the rights and interests that will arise during the reorganization of the southwest, we will build an unshakable influence that no one can covet. This will naturally lead to the strengthening of central power as well.”

Meeting Loen’s eyes, Seraphine began to weigh the pros and cons at a rapid pace.

In a way, it was a proposal with great losses from Franz’s standpoint.

Despite this, what was the reason Loen proposed this?

Seraphine already knew the answer.

‘It’s to disperse the gazes of those around.’

If they devour everything alone, they will receive concentrated envy and jealousy from those around them.
This would clearly be a burden for Franz as well. It might even draw the attention of the imperial family.

‘But if they do it together with Bastard, they’ll lessen that burden by that much.’

In short, it was a proposal meaning to share the beating in exchange for sharing the food.

Nevertheless.

From the Bastard family’s standpoint, there was no reason not to accept.
Because the benefits compared to the risks are incomparably large.

Above all, Seraphine, who has been watching Loen up close, knows very well.

Loen was a person who would never stop here.
She would surely rise to even higher places.

In that sense, accepting the secret agreement proposal was like an investment in the future.

Seraphine, who made her decision, stretched out her hand.

“I’ll send a letter to Father as soon as day breaks.”

Loen smiled with satisfaction and grasped her hand in return.

“It will be a choice you won’t regret.”
“However, please keep in mind that it’s not confirmed until Father’s final decision.”

Although she said this, Seraphine was certain.

Her father, the Duke of Bastard, would unconditionally accept Loen’s secret agreement proposal.

As the secret agreement talk came to an end,
Seraphine, with a much relaxed expression, moved on to the next topic.

“By the way, Inspector Loen. Who is the next eradication target?”
“The Southern Merchant Association.”

The Southern Merchant Association.
Abbreviated as the Southern Alliance.

Grand Duke White imprisoned in jail, Duke Donnelly who met his death at Loen’s hands.
The enormous noble faction in the southern empire centered around them.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the Southern Alliance practically controls the economy of the southern empire at will.
That’s how huge the faction was.

Originally, after finishing the eradication of Duke Donnelly, who was the first target.
She was planning to help Franz absorb the Donnelly family’s business.

The eradication of the Southern Alliance was supposed to come after that.

But soon her thoughts changed.

“The Southern Alliance…. Indeed, I too was quite surprised when I first heard the news. No wonder there were so many traitors in the Southern Alliance, to think there was a demon behind it.”

Through Duke Donnelly’s secret documents and interrogation of his close associates, evidence was secured that demons were deeply involved in the Southern Alliance.

The conclusion was that demons were there.

Therefore, the top priority was demon hunting.

At that moment, Seraphine’s voice came with concern.

“Even though they’ve lost their core figures of the duke and grand duke, their influence still spans the entire south. Maybe they might launch a fierce counterattack under the control of those behind them… will it be okay?”

Loen’s answer was without hesitation.

“Of course.”

After a moment of silence, Seraphine asked.

“When do you plan to strike?”

As soon as Loen eradicated Duke Donnelly, she immediately sent letters to the Inspection Headquarters and the imperial court.

The letters stated that a command vacancy had occurred in the Southern Corps, so a successor corps commander should be appointed as soon as possible.

Quite some time has passed, so it should be about time for the successor corps commander to arrive.
As it’s the corps in charge of the entire southern region, the imperial court would also quickly assign a successor.

Then.

“Let’s depart as soon as the new corps commander arrives.”

Two days later.

News spread that a carriage sent by the imperial court had arrived at the fortress.

“I wonder what kind of person the new corps commander will be.”
“I hope it’s a decent person.”
“Yeah.”

Everyone who heard the news gathered in the fortress courtyard.
It was to welcome the new Southern Corps Commander.

Eventually, a golden carriage that passed through the fortress gate stopped in the center of the courtyard.

Rattle.
The carriage door opened and soon an imperial messenger delivering the Emperor’s orders got out of the carriage.
And the door closed. Clack.

“Where’s the new corps commander?”
“Hmm?”

The surroundings began to stir at the sight different from expectations.

“Everyone be quiet! I will now deliver His Majesty the Emperor’s orders.”

At the imperial messenger’s shout, the surroundings instantly fell silent.
Everyone’s gaze turned to his mouth.

“As of this moment, Loen Franz is appointed as the corps commander in overall command of the Southern Corps.”

At the imperial messenger’s unexpected bombshell declaration, question marks floated above everyone’s heads.
Not just one, but at least two or three.

This was the same for Loen.
Me…?

Thud, thud.

The imperial messenger, who crossed through the storm of shock, stood in front of Loen.
And he handed over a letter.

Rustle.
Loen unfolded the letter.

===
As of this moment, Loen Franz is appointed as the corps commander in overall command of the Southern Corps.

This appointment is valid only during the period of the imperial decree’s implementation, and its effectiveness will be reviewed upon completion of the decree.

At the end of the letter was,
The Emperor’s seal clearly stamped, which no one would dare even think of forging.

Loen’s eyes couldn’t leave that spot for a long time.
What is this….

“So Loen has officially become the corps commander now?”
“It seems so. After all, His Majesty must have recognized the inspector’s loyalty….”

While Psyche and the knight captain were whispering, Seraphine’s eyes flashed.

There is a huge difference between temporarily taking on the position of corps commander for cleanup after eradication,
And receiving official recognition through the Emperor’s imperial messenger.

Meanwhile, Loen’s expression was complex and subtle.

‘Me, without any military experience…. What on earth is he trusting?’

Rather than joy, questions about the Emperor’s intentions filled her mind.
Past events intertwined with the present to paint a picture.

It started right after the secret imperial decree came down.

The Emperor bestowed special discretionary power on me, and thanks to that, independent operations unbound by rank became possible.

Then when I targeted Duke Donnelly for eradication, the strong card of the magic-armored knight squad was placed in my hand.

And now as I aim for the Southern Alliance and the demons behind them, the authority to command the entire Southern Corps has been given.

Somehow….
It seemed like she could vaguely read what the Emperor’s intentions were.
That’s why it was more burdensome.

Anyway,
One thing is for certain.

The Southern Corps has fallen into my hands.

Although quite a lot of knight forces were lost in the process of eradicating Duke Donnelly, still a considerable number of forces remained.

The corps was still a corps.

At some point, the surroundings had fallen dead silent.

Suddenly raising her head, Loen realized that all the gazes around were focused on her.
Seraphine, Psyche, the magic-armored knights, and even the corps staff who would now be under her command.

Everyone was holding their breath, waiting only for her mouth to open with eyes mixed with expectation, anxiety, and curiosity.

“….”

She even had the illusion of cold sweat flowing down her back from the weight of the pouring gazes.

In that suffocating silence and pressure, the new corps commander finally opened her mouth.