「Halfren-sama!」
「Now what is it?」
A rough-looking, bearded general burst into the room.
I had only just finished dealing with the previous complaint when this happened.
With an inner 「Haaa～」, I let out a deep sigh and set aside the urgent documents piled on my desk for now.
Why won’t this stack of papers that’s been sitting here forever disappear?
While my mind wandered to such out-of-place thoughts, Halfren looked at the general standing in front of his desk.
「I urgently request that Argusta-sama correct the documents as soon as possible!」
「……So you’re trying to use your own mistake to your advantage and pretend it never happened because it would benefit you otherwise?」
「!」
The general’s eyes widened at the blunt words.
He had recently come to understand that his younger brother, the “tyrant”, had been going overboard lately with his antics while handling documents from the royal guard and parts of the kingdom army.
But still,
「Weren’t you the ones who submitted the incorrect documents in the first place?」
「That is true, but it is the duty of the clerical staff to spot and correct such errors. Accepting them as-is is nothing short of negligence!」
「……」
The bearded fool puffed out his chest and spouted such nonsense.
Sadly, fools like this had been lining up to complain recently.
Halfren gathered what little remaining patience he had and endured.
According to them, 「Documents are bound to contain mistakes, so when you find one, report it immediately and demand a correction.」
While he had been quietly dealing with the Republic’s witch, his little brother had been carrying out some truly outrageous promises behind the scenes.
Documents that disadvantaged the other side were approved as-is, while those that disadvantaged his own side were sent back for correction.
As a result, the military was now in an uproar over budget allocations and the like.
「That is why we need it done as soon as possible.」
「……Regarding this matter, orders have come from His Excellency the Prime Minister and His Majesty the King.」
「……」
「『Clean up your own messes』, they said.」
He coldly dismissed the man.
Halfren had never possessed any kindness to spare for fools who neglected their duties.
「In that case…!」
「Give up. You are the one at fault for looking down on clerical work in the first place. Above all, there is a rule that the person responsible must review submitted documents and confirm there are no errors. If that rule had been followed properly, no mistakes would have occurred. Am I wrong?」
I know that, but I can’t hold back.
Halfren barely contained the anger threatening to spill over and glared at the general.
「The one guilty of negligence is you. If you understand, consider this a painful lesson and cover the cost yourself. Do not push it onto your subordinates. Is that clear?」
「……!」
The general gave a slight bow and left the office without another word.
Halfren shrugged wearily and scratched his head.
This room was never meant to be Argusta’s personal complaint desk.
It was the office of the second prince, commander of the royal guard.
For a moment he considered putting up a sign that read 『Take your complaints directly to the person involved』, but then he remembered his brother’s wife was always by his side these days.
If she swung a fist, it would cause a catastrophe and a major incident… so he had no choice but to endure.
Lately he had been hearing a lot about how terrible his brother’s reputation had become.
But that bad reputation was limited to the military officers.
Among the civil officials, merchants, and women, his evaluation was shockingly positive.
The ally of bureaucrats, merchants, and women….that was his brother’s current standing.
「Honestly… I think he’s just lazy and hates hassle.」
「It’s not entirely untrue, but Argusta-sama is fully aware of that. That’s why he says it so clearly: 『Let’s work hard today so tomorrow can be easy～』.」
Halfren had been grumbling to the maid who had quietly appeared.
The fact that she could respond to his complaints proved she had been listening to the entire conversation.
「If you follow that logic, doesn’t it mean he’ll have to keep working hard forever?」
「Yes. Thanks to that, most of his department finishes the day’s work in half a day.」
While they spoke, the tall maid finished preparing tea and placed a cup in front of Halfren.
「So who’s been trying to take direct action against that idiot?」
「Aside from my lord, there are two individuals showing suspicious movements.」
「I see. I have no desire to become the ally of those two fools. If they make any overly blatant moves, give them a light warning. If they persist after that… you understand, right?」
「Yes.」
It would simply be a case of the fools suddenly succumbing to an unexpected illness and vanishing from this world.
「You look busy, my lord.」
「Yeah. I’m in the middle of vetting personnel for aniki’s cabinet formation. If Argusta is moving with that in mind, wouldn’t it be fine for aniki’s successor to be him?」
「I have no opinion on the matter. Only…」
「Only?」
The tall maid gave a soft chuckle, a smile touching her lips.
「My lord is also quite the slacker, that much I understand.」
「Don’t say it. I’m just one more person who wants to live an easy life.」
Halfren took a sip of the richly brewed black tea and turned his attention back to the mountain of documents.
-0-
「Muu～. Muuu～.」
「……」
「I’m angry, you know～. Really, really, really angry～.」
「……」
Noie, wrapped in the arms of the self-proclaimed angry girl, looked over at me with a troubled expression, her ahoge swaying gently.
The one troubling the continent’s foremost dragon slayer, now seated on the sofa, was the still-young next queen-to-be.
After attending Frea-san’s study session, she had charged straight here.
I was not participating today.
I’m not so free that I would sit through a lesson I’ve already heard once.
I actually wanted to join, though.
「Inel-kun. Is this part correct over here?」
「It’s fine.」
「Then please handle it.」
「Yes.」
I handed over the document and reached for the next one.
Time was running dangerously short… this was a real pinch.
「Onii-chan, come over here and listen to me too～」
「Got it. Once I finish this and we change locations, I’ll listen. Just wait a little longer.」
「……What are you doing～?」
She was acting spoiled toward Noie… hey now, little girl.
The only one allowed to rub cheeks against that chest is me, you know?
「The rainy season’s about to end, right? Once it does, Noie and the others will go back to outdoor duties. So today, let’s all get together, drink, and make some noise.」
A barbecue party was waiting for us.
I left the shopping to Krea and Lutte.
I told them today it’s meat, not cake.
But I also asked for some long-lasting luxury sweets as souvenirs for Inel-kun, who’s heading home tomorrow.
See? I’m a boss who takes care of his subordinates’ families too.
Then I noticed the next queen-to-be staring at me with sparkling eyes, drool practically dripping.
「Want to come along?」
「Yes! Absolutely～」
The Noie squad supervisors will be there as escorts, so it should be fine, right?
I hope onii-chan doesn’t get mad at me later.
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