Chapter 1:

Chapter 1:

The commute for a 9th rank imperial official is tough.

Rainy days are muggy and tough, foggy days are challenging as you cant see ahead. When the weather is good, its so pleasant that its tough.

I wish I could commute by carriage.

Just now, as Ascal watched a carriage overtaking him, mocking his pedestrian status, he felt a deep pang of envy. The carriages, powered by magic, are symbols of wealth or power here.

Usually, wealthy merchants, nobles, or officers of rank 5 and above ride them, supported by the nation. Anyway, since Ascal didnt fit any of those categories, he diligently moved his legs again today.

Stopping by the bakery he always visited on his way to work, Ascal grabbed freshly baked bread and fresh milk. He then took a bite of the bread.

The crispy bread with its rich buttery aroma tasted much better than any bread from his previous life.

The bread there was just expensive and seriously tasteless.

After moistening his slightly dry throat with milk, he walked while lost in various thoughts, and before he knew it, he had arrived at his workplace.

Barba Empire - Government Office.

The majestic and grand building truly lived up to its name. Even to the untrained eye, it looked lavish, as if money had been plastered all over it. Honestly, it was a bit ostentatious.

What time is it now... 9:10?

Looking at the large clock that hung decoratively atop the office, reportedly made on special order by the Magic Tower, Ascal flinched instinctively.

Office hours start at 9:00.

But he had no intention of entering immediately. He had to delay his entrance as much as possible.

To waste as much time as possible, he wandered around the office, and then checked the clock again. It was 9:17.

This should be good enough.

It wasnt.

Entering Division 4 of the Evaluation Department again today, Ascal felt hopeless.

Oh, youre the first to come in again today! Ascal! You are truly the most diligent official in our Evaluation Department!

How can I get fired from here...?

It wasnt easy.

It wasnt until late afternoon that the atmosphere in the Evaluation Department shifted to something resembling work.

But as for the work, in Division 4, which wasnt the main one like Division 1, their main tasks were just affixing tags to antiques for categorization, or laughing at and rejecting the business proposals of young and seemingly clueless entrepreneurs seeking state subsidies.

Wow. This guy plans to teach trolls to speak and use them on construction sites? He must be out of his mind.

At least its more constructive than that person who wanted to farm using goblin feces.

Ascal simply joined in the laughter initiated by his superior.

From Ascals observations over a long period, it wasnt so much about how realistic or plausible the business proposals were. What mattered to the superior was more about who was behind the proposal.

Think about it. If the person has a robust background, wont they have useful connections even if they run a business? It means a higher success rate. And if I approve it, wont some crumbs fall on me? Theres always a logical reason. Ah, this proposal is from the heir of the Berg family. Approved.

Regardless, after procrastinating as much as he could, the superior, faced with a mountain of proposals, finally sighed and said,

Please take care of the rest.

The superior used his privilege to leave early.

Truth be told, even if he took the liberty, a lower-level official like Ascal didnt have the authority to take responsibility. What if he approved a wrong proposal and wasted the nations money? He could end up bearing the blame and getting fired.

...Fired?

A sudden inspiration flashed in Ascals mind.

Title: Improvements in Magic Stone Production Using New Materials

<The current production of magic stones in the empire is extremely inefficient. The present method requires significant costs and has much room for improvement. By utilizing new materials and alchemy, we can greatly enhance efficiency and increase the production of magic stones. Although there will be high costs initially, the empire will reap perpetual benefits far exceeding that expenditure. Hence, I propose the following method...>

The subsequent proposal, spanning dozens of pages, was laden with technical terms and incomprehensible concepts. It was practically indecipherable unless you were an expert in the field.

Yet, Ascal believed this business proposal was fraudulent. Specifically, because it was too intricate. It reeked of a scam.

Moreover, if the author truly had the expertise, wouldnt they have sent their proposal to Division 1 instead of Division 4, which was a cesspool of corruption and incompetence?

Furthermore, the proposer was an unknown alchemist.

A rejection was obviously in order.

To even claim they need a significant amount? Such a scam-like proposal should definitely be...

Title: Improvements in Magic Stone Production Using New Materials

<Status: Approved>

By Ascal Debrue

Ascal nervously looked around. Predictably, no one was paying attention to him.

He then sneaked into the office of the division chief, who had left to enjoy horse riding, and discreetly inserted the Magic Stone Improvement Proposal, which demanded a hefty amount of funding, among the approved ones.

With this, the scammer would walk away with the nations money, and Ascal would be labeled as an incompetent official who couldnt identify such a fraud.

If Im lucky, Ill be fired. If not, my reputation will plummet.

He might be given a cold shoulder for a while, but at least hed be a step closer to getting fired.

Please scammer, help me with this.

.

.

.

Empire Newspaper, Front Page

<Great Innovation! Success in Magic Stone Improvement! Court alchemists predict at least a 300% increase in the efficiency of magic stones. The alchemist Tey, who led this revolution, expresses his ineffable gratitude to the Evaluation Department for approving his audacious plan...>

F*ck!