It was the early dawn, still dark with no sign of daylight. It was a bit early to start the day, but given how chaotic things have been in the capital lately, it felt better to be holed up in the office ahead of time.
Staying at the mansion would only attract visitors, and moving out during rush hour would mean a hell of a commute. That would be a hassle.
So, I carefully got up, but I turned to look beside me as I felt a hand on my wrist.
"Leo... Are you leaving already?"
"Lana."
I patted Lana's head with my other hand, and her sleepy eyes closed again.
She looked like a drowsy cat. Of course, it wasn’t polite to compare a person to a cat.
"I wanted to have breakfast together..."
Even with her eyes closed, Lana whined softly. I gently patted her back. Lately, I'd been skipping breakfast and heading straight to work. It must be lonely for Lana to be left alone.
But there was no choice. People would gather if I stayed at the mansion, and Lana would get tired, too. Better to be lonely than exhausted."I'll be back by evening, so don't worry."
"Promise...?"
Lana wriggled a bit and held out her pinky finger.
"Yes, I promise."
After the pinky swear, Lana finally relaxed and fell back asleep.
I should come back early.
I carefully got out of bed, making sure not to wake her.
Thankfully, coming back early wasn't that hard. There wasn’t a lot of work, and starting early meant that I could finish early.
Plus, the 5th Division didn't have as much work compared to other divisions. Compared to the 3rd Division, which was always running around, the 5th Division was almost like an office job.
I hope nothing happens today.
That became my daily morning prayer since becoming the manager of the 5th Division.
Of course, this prayer was rarely answered.
Today's prayer failed too. Not that I was surprised anymore.
Something already happened.
I sensed it the moment I touched the office doorknob. Beyond it would be a chaotic scene.
But I could roughly estimate it after two years. This was a kind of chaos that could be handled even inside the office.
Sure enough, opening the door revealed the 2nd Manager being grabbed by the collar by the 1st Manager.
It’s nothing serious.
I felt relieved. I was worried that my prediction was wrong.
"Ah, 5th Manager."
The 3rd Manager greeted me from the corner as soon as I opened the door. It seemed like he was hiding from the rampage of the 1st Manager.
The 3rd Manager stood out wherever he was because of his size, but to the enraged the 1st Manager, only the 2nd Manager was visible.
"You're early."
"I have to be. Too many people stick around if I come later."
I nodded at the 3rd Manager, who scratched his head in annoyance. The nuisance I dealt with must be the same for the other managers. We all had the same idea of coming early.
"The Executive Manager is scary, but we must be easy targets."
"The curiosity of the nobles often outweighs their fear."
"Yeah, that's true."
We exchanged meaningless words while watching the 1st Manager rage.
I felt a bit sorry when I saw the 2nd Manager flailing like a paper doll in the grip of the 1st Manager. But my sympathy disappeared quickly when I remembered that it was his own doing.
That's what you get for running your mouth.
I sighed, recalling the incident from a few days ago. There were things you should and shouldn't say even under the influence of alcohol.
At a gathering of the Prosecutors’ Office’s managers, the disaster struck.
The 2nd Manager, who kept insisting that he wanted to get drunk, lost control.
"Hey, what are you going to do now?"
"What are you talking about?"
In his drunken state, he barked at the 1st Manager, who had been silently drinking. Of all people, he chose to provoke the one who had been in a foul mood lately.
"The Mage Duchess met her future mother-in-law, but what about you?"
At the 2nd Manager’s snickering remark, the 1st Manager froze.
And it was the same for me, the Senior Manager who was reaching for a snack, and the 3rd Manager who was texting his wife about being late.
Rumors had spread that the Mage Duchess visited the Executive Manager’s territory and had a private conversation with the countess. It was well known that this incident had stirred the capital, signaling her serious intentions towards the Executive Manager.
But linking this to the 1st Manager was unexpected.
I didn't think the 1st Manager would be involved, too.
I shook my head as I watched the 1st Manager slam the 2nd Manager to the floor.
It was obvious if he said that she was connected to the Mage Duchess incident. It meant that the 1st Manager also had feelings for the Executive Manager.
How truly unexpected. I thought that the 2nd Manager was just spouting nonsense in his drunken state, but the 1st Manager’s reaction at the party was enough to turn that ‘ if’ into a reality.
"Shut up!"
Trembling with rage, the 1st Manager smashed her glass over the 2nd Manager’s head. I almost admired the precision of the attack.
Unfortunately, while the 1st Manager won the physical battle against the 2nd Manager, she lost the war against the truth. Her fierce reaction was a clear sign of guilt.
"...Did you hear that?"
Turning away from the now wine-drenched the 2nd Manager, the 1st Manager looked at us.
"Hmm? I was talking to my wife. What did he say?"
The 3rd Manager successfully crafted an alibi, fiddling with his communication crystal.
"I didn’t hear anything."
The Senior Manager’s single statement was enough.
"……."
"……."
Then, I had a tense stare-down with the 1st Manager.
Unable to withstand the silent menace, I pretended to be drunk and crawled on all fours at the party, making it clear that I knew nothing.
So officially, we didn’t know who the 1st Manager was in love with.
"Ah, you’re both here!"
"I just arrived."
Instinctively, I nodded at the 1st Manager who looked at us with relief.
The 1st Manager’s love, the 1st Manager’s rage—I knew nothing about it.
Only the 2nd Manager did.
Good luck.
I silently wished the struggling the 2nd Manager behind the 1st Manager the best.
Of course, it was all his own doing. No matter how peculiar the 1st Manager’s love life might be, boasting about a lady's unrequited love deserved a beating.
He seemed to know it too, judging by how he was taking the blows silently.
He really shouldn’t be one to talk about love.
It was funny when you thought about it. The night the 2nd Manager said that he wanted to get drunk and went on a drunken rampage was all because of a reason we all knew too well.
The Minister’s niece.
I couldn't help but chuckle. Why would anyone touch such a person?
To make matters worse, his relationship was exposed to the minister. Because of that, the 2nd Manager was summoned to the minister's office. That was why he was whining about wanting to get drunk that day.
Or perhaps he decided to expose someone else's love life since his own romance was exposed, too.
What a stubborn refusal to go down alone.
I should never live like that.
He was always a perfect example of what not to do.
***
The Senior Manager arrived late in the morning.
"Ah, Senior Manager!"
"You're here."
"Yes."
The Senior Manager sighed quietly, looking exhausted.
Though he had always looked like that, it seemed that it had gotten worse lately.
Everything's falling on the Senior Manager.
It was a pity. The Executive Manager was away, and the other managers were hiding, leaving only the Senior Manager to handle everything.
He could avoid it if he wanted, but as the acting Executive Manager, he had to manage the department, which meant inevitably meeting the other departments and nobles
"Are you okay? The rumors aren’t dying down; they're getting worse."
The 3rd Manager cautiously asked while looking at the weary Senior Manager.
That was true. Rumors normally faded over time, but this one was only getting hotter, burning through the capital.
It’s not a rumor that would just fade away, anyway.
This rumor was indeed sensational. After all, this was about the marriage of the Mage Duchess, who had been alone for over a hundred years, and the potential break in the lineage of the Catoban family.
However, this was excessive. It felt as if someone was spreading it intentionally.
Hmm.
I immediately stopped that train of thought. I was just about to tread into dangerous territory. Besides, unnecessary curiosity could shorten my life.
"It's okay. I’ll get a break soon."
The Senior Manager sighed again, this time with a hint of relief.
"The Executive Manager has ordered all inquiries from curious nobles to be directed to him."
"Oh."
Even the 2nd Manager, who had been holding his breath, let out a sound of admiration. I couldn't help but nod.
That’s definitive.
It was a short and simple order, but incredibly effective.
Most nobles wouldn’t dare contact the Executive Manager directly, so they were pestering the Senior Manager instead. And those who could ask the Executive Manager directly were already teasing him—like the minister, for example.
"You all should do the same. The Executive Manager has given his permission."
"Understood."
I quickly responded to the welcome news.
"I wanted to have breakfast together..."
Lana's words before I left for work came to mind.
Now, there was no need to avoid people by arriving early. I could have a normal schedule and have breakfast with Lana.
What a relief. A husband should at least share a meal with his wife. Thinking of how happy Lana would be about this small news made me smile.
"Wow, the 5th Manager must have had a rough time too."
"Indeed. It’s been a while since I’ve seen him smile."
And my smile faded just as quickly.
***
I fiddled with the communication crystal and sighed.
It’d be a problem if the Senior Manager collapses.
I was so busy managing my own stress that I hadn't considered the Senior Manager's situation.
His face looked like he might faint if another incident happened. His exhaustion was evident even through the communication crystal.
So, I told him to direct all the troubling matters to me. The way I expressed it might be odd, but the meaning was clear.
— Yes, Executive Manager. Thank you.
I felt guilty after hearing his gratitude.
Those who complain usually don't follow through.
My communication crystal was eerily silent a few hours after telling the Senior Manager to direct any complaints to me.
Those who were noisy before couldn't take the step forward when the opportunity presented itself. I had planned to kindly talk to anyone who contacted me.
However, I wanted this outcome. Who in their right mind would ask the Executive Manager of the Prosecutors’ Office, ‘Are you really going to be the Catoban family's trophy husband?’
What is it now?
Just as I was thinking that, my communication crystal vibrated. It wasn’t a call but a message.
[Are youuuu really going to marry the Mage Duchesssss?]
I closed my eyes as soon as I read it.
I couldn’t bear to open them again since I had a hunch about who had sent the message.
It sounded like it came from someone who had been drinking heavily in broad daylight.
Is this really... the Wise Duchess?
I couldn’t help but feel despair.
She sounded more like a Drunkard Duchess instead of a Wise Duchess.
***
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