I Became a Civil Servant Who Can Use Magic

To think I’d end up joining the organization I had just thoroughly criticized as foolish dogs and whatnot during the interview.

Loen turned around as she walked out.

The ‘Imperial Inspection Team’ lettering on the front of the building was painted in gold.

Just seeing it painted in a color symbolizing the Emperor, you could tell that the Imperial Inspection Team was no ordinary institution.

Among the numerous institutions of the empire, only two are directly related to the Emperor or the imperial family.

The Imperial Guard.
The Imperial Inspection Team.

Naturally, both are institutions at the core of imperial power.

To accidentally pass for such a place?
Is this really right..

Loen, who has lived as the lady of a ducal family for 20 years.
But her essence still remains in her previous life.
On the outside, she’s a cold noble lady, but inside, she’s still closer to a shy commoner.

So rather than being happy about passing, she only felt a heavy burden.

“My lady. I’ve been waiting. Shall we go?”

The butler who had been waiting outside approached and said.

“Yes, let’s go.”

Loen got into the back seat of the car.
Soon, the car started with a loud noise.

You might wonder why suddenly a car, but this wasn’t the modern design car you’d see in her previous life. It was closer to an extremely early model with no roof and the frame exposed.

Right now is a transitional period from medieval to modern times,
With the addition of magic, you could say that cars were invented much earlier than on Earth.

Of course, it’s extremely expensive.
But who is Loen?
Isn’t she the lady of the Franz duchy?

Getting a car is nothing…

Isn’t there something like stocks here?
If there were, I’d invest in car companies right away.

However, unfortunately, this was a world where even the concept of stocks didn’t exist. Not yet.

Vroom.
Clank.

The car came to a stop in front of the ducal mansion with a loud noise.

Loen got out of the car and made her way to the reception room. When she arrived and opened the door, her parents were already seated.

“Did the interview go well?”
“How was the result?”

The Duke and Duchess asked simultaneously with faint smiles on their faces.

Loen flinched.
What’s with this reaction..?

In that moment, Loen realized the truth.

Ah.. I’ve been completely set up!
No wonder, when I declared I’d wander the outside world talking about adventures and whatnot, their reaction was oddly lukewarm.

But it was already too late.
She had already become a member of the Inspection Team.
Unless she ran back to the Inspection Team headquarters right now, panting, and threw a tantrum saying, “Please, cancel my acceptance!”

Loen inwardly resolved.
I’ll just work half-heartedly and be a salary thief.
If I do that, won’t I be branded as useless and told to leave by the higher-ups?

It was nonsense, but to Loen, it seemed like a pretty good plan.
Loen decided to kneel down for now and gather momentum.

“It went well. They notified me of my acceptance right at the interview.”
“Hmm.”
“Oh my! Is that true?”

Carl Franz narrowed his eyes, deep in thought.

It’s generally customary to notify of interview results the next day. They gave immediate acceptance? That old man Muston Heimer must have really liked Loen.

Carl laughed inwardly.

Well, whose daughter is she after all.
Despite everything, isn’t she the bloodline of the Franz duchy, positioned at the very top among the empire’s ten great noble houses?

She’s still immature, spouting nonsense about adventures and whatnot, but working at the Inspection Team will make her realize the world isn’t so easy, and she’ll change her mind.

Karin Franz also opened her fan wide and smiled contentedly.

Even though I knew it wouldn’t happen, I was worried she might fail. This is really fortunate.

After all, they were the ones who would mercilessly tear apart even a ducal family if the Emperor’s order came down…

The fact alone that Loen had become a member of the Inspection Team would surely be of great help to the Franz family’s future.

Karin felt like her blocked chest was clearing up.

Now I can proudly attend the noble ladies’ gatherings. I’ve been so uncomfortable because of that woman who kept asking about Loen despite knowing our family situation.

Grind.

Oh my, what an undignified thing to do.
Karin stopped grinding her teeth and put on her duchess smile again.

“…”

Loen was simply dumbfounded.
Both of you are pretending not to be, but you’re showing how happy you are so obviously. How can I pretend not to notice? Are you that pleased?

Hmm..
Come to think of it, I have been playing the role of a burning filial daughter all this time.

Even so, they’ve fed and sheltered me for 20 years. Am I being too much? Such thoughts started to cross her mind.
Of course, it was actually the maids who did all the feeding and sheltering.

Traditionally, repaying kindness with enmity is something only beasts would do. But if I’ve been living like that, doesn’t that make me no better than a beast?

In a corner of her heart, guilt towards her parents flickered like a candle.

Loen decided to change.

Yes. Let’s change my mind from now on.
Forget about adventures and work diligently at the Inspection Team for life.
For life.
For life?
Do I have to work like a dog for life even in my second chance at life?
Loen changed her mind again.
Come to think of it, I’ve been living well like a beast until now, so why not continue living like a beast?

Whoo! Whoo!
She quickly blew out the flame of guilt with her breath.

Loen decided to stick to her original intentions.

‘Anything in excess is not good.’

Since my younger sibling is playing the role of a filial child so well, isn’t it right for me to play the role of an unfilial daughter?

And so, the harmonious family gathering came to an end.

Dinner followed afterwards, and after the meal, everyone dispersed to their own rooms.

Someone called out to Loen as she was heading to her room.

“Sister. Let’s talk for a moment.”
“What’s this? You’re speaking to me first?”

It was her proud younger brother, Johann.
Johann made a gesture.

It meant he had something to say, so follow him.

They crossed the corridor and headed to the second-floor balcony.
Johann placed both hands on the balcony railing, looked beyond the horizon, and opened his mouth.

“Is it true that you gave up the heir position?”
“Yeah. It’s true.”
“… Is it because of me?”
“No.”

Liar!!
That word rose to the tip of Johann’s throat.

‘You deliberately gave it up because you didn’t want to compete with me for the heir position..!’

The nonsense about adventures.
Acting like you’re not interested in the ducal title.

I know all of it is an act to give up the heir position to your younger brother.
Others might not know, but I, Johann, know my sister’s true heart.

Even now, when I close my eyes, memories with my sister come back vividly.

I think it was when I was about 6 years old.
Sister would have been 9 at the time.

-Sis! The nanny says that if you become the duchess, I’ll have to leave the mansion. Is that true?
-Well, I guess so?
-Then can’t you not be the duchess?
-That’s a bit…

‘Even until then, sister was clearly interested in the ducal title.’

By the way, this was before Loen started formal heir training. In other words, it was a time when she thought the life of a noble wasn’t bad.

Going back further in memory.

It was around the time Johann began to understand noble society to some extent. It was also around the time when an early puberty hit.

-Sister. Why do you keep coming to see me?
-I was curious about something, so I came to check.
-We’ll have to compete for the heir position anyway, so stop pretending to be close.
-??

‘I still remember sister’s shocked face. Her tender heart must have been deeply wounded by her brother’s sudden change in attitude.’

It must have been around this time.

When sister started deliberately avoiding me and expressing with her whole body that she wasn’t interested in the heir position.

Of course, from Loen’s perspective, with her second life experience, she immediately understood her brother’s puberty and deliberately kept her distance for the sake of her sensitive younger brother.

Expressing no interest in the heir position was just a kind of build-up to get out into the world.
As a result, misunderstandings piled up and up,
And before he knew it, in Johann’s mind.

Loen Franz, the eldest daughter of the Franz duchy, despite having sufficient intelligence and ability to become a duchess.

She became a tragic woman who deliberately gave up the ducal title for the sake of her only brother.

‘I’m sorry, sister. Please forgive this greedy brother who still breathes a sigh of relief in one corner of his heart..’

Various emotions like guilt, remorse, and relief mixed together, distorting Johann’s face.

Ugh.

His two hands gripping the balcony railing tightened.

Grip.

Loen was just bewildered.
Why is he suddenly acting like this after calling me out?

Her brother threw out a random question and then fell into thought while staring into the distance, and at some point his expression crumpled.

Is he sick somewhere?
That wouldn’t be good.

The decisive reason Loen could give up the heir position was because she had a younger sibling to replace her.

But if her brother’s condition became strange and there was no one left to inherit the ducal title except Loen?

Then she would have no choice but to become the duchess.

Loen hurriedly patted her brother’s back and blurted out whatever came to mind.

“Johann, it’s okay. Don’t feel burdened and do your best. You’re the future of the ducal family now.”

Johann bit his lip hard.
Sister, until the end..!

Suddenly, childhood memories flashed through Johann’s mind one by one.

Memories of running around the mansion together.
Memories of showing off magic proudly.
Memories of deliberately saying harsh words.
Memories of ignoring sister even when she tried to talk.

All of these mixed together and stimulated Johann’s tear ducts.

In the end, Johann burst into tears.

“Sniff.. hic.”
“…?”

Surprised by her brother’s crying, Loen bent down to look at his face.

Is he really crying?
… Should I say something?

“I’m leaving in a week.”

Suddenly, her brother’s crying got even louder.
Um, is this not it?

I have to move near the Inspection Team headquarters. So don’t mind me anymore and confidently take your heir lessons.
These words swirled around in Loen’s mouth before slipping back down her throat.

Pat pat.

Loen had to pat her brother’s back for a long time without knowing why.

Time flew by quickly and the day to start work arrived.

Loen opened her eyes in bed in the personal house provided to commemorate her joining.

Looking at the clock on the wall, it was 7 AM.
She had to arrive at the Inspection Team headquarters by 9, so she needed to start preparing for work right away.

As Loen put on her uniform and coat with a disheveled appearance, she suddenly felt very down.
A person who has to commute to work even in a fantasy world.
That was me.

“I feel like quitting…”

Is it quitting or retiring?

Anyway.