I Became a Civil Servant Who Can Use Magic

Me, commuting to the Imperial Inspection Team headquarters.
Who am I? A member of the Emperor’s Direct Imperial Inspection Team.

This was the common mindset of new recruits to the Inspection Team.
According to some survey by the Inspection Team, the majority of new recruits had experienced this kind of sentimental thought.

‘As if…’

Of course, this didn’t apply to Loen.
The excitement of the first day at work…
She had thrown that away long ago in her previous life.

Feeling the absurdity of a 9 AM start for the first time in 20 years, Loen left her house with a fierce expression.

Loen got into the driver’s seat of the car parked in front of her house and skillfully started the engine.

Vroom.

She turned the steering wheel and headed towards the Inspection Team headquarters.

The car left the residential area and entered the city center. A scene of buildings reminiscent of Renaissance-era Europe lined up on both sides of the road unfolded before her eyes.

Loen carefully adjusted the steering wheel, dodging people and carriages.

But in a moment of distraction,
She almost collided with a carriage.

Neigh!

The horses neighed in surprise.
The coachman, also greatly startled, shouted at Loen.

“What on earth are you… ahem.”

The coachman was about to angrily shout but shut his mouth upon seeing Loen’s fierce expression and the uniform she was wearing.

Horses, why couldn’t you have watched where you were going?
You’ve startled the Inspector.

Anyone residing in the imperial capital would recognize that uniform. No, they must recognize it.

A black uniform with gold embroidery on the edges.
Even the golden lion emblem on the chest.
It was unmistakably the Inspection Team uniform.

However, it wasn’t just the horses and the coachman who were surprised.
The count inside the carriage was also surprised.

“How dare someone block my way!”

The count, who was in a particularly bad mood today, jumped out of the carriage thinking this was a good opportunity.

How dare they block a noble’s carriage? I should show them the dignity of a count.

The count’s eyes met Loen’s.
His gaze moved down from Loen’s face to the lion emblem.

The count’s dignity quickly changed direction.

“Coachman! How are you managing the horses? You’ve startled this person!”
“I’m sorry. When we return to the mansion, I’ll give the horses a stern talking to!”

I’m not sure how he plans to scold the horses, but.

The count nodded quickly at the coachman’s words. Then he took off his hat and offered a polite apology to Loen, who was in the car.

“It seems the coachman didn’t manage the horses properly. It’s my oversight. Are you hurt anywhere?”
“Ah, no. I’m fine.”

Loen, the actual culprit who got distracted, wore an embarrassed expression.
Shouldn’t I be the one apologizing?

Just as she was about to apologize with that thought,
The count exclaimed.
As if he had just realized something.

“Oh my!”

He even rubbed his eyes to emphasize that he really had just noticed.

“Now I see you’re wearing the Inspection Team uniform. I didn’t recognize you earlier. If it’s not rude, may I ask your name?”
“Loen Franz.”

The count’s eyes widened.
The Franz family!
No wonder her face looked familiar!

The count’s power circuits started buzzing.

“I didn’t know the Franz family would produce an inspector as well. Soon, your family’s influence might well reach the heavens!”
“Yes…”

Loen was starting to feel anxious.
It’s my first day at work. What am I doing?

But she couldn’t just ignore him and go on her way since she was the one who caused the incident.

If Loen was anxious, the count was desperate.

A noble should know how to turn coincidence into necessity and crisis into opportunity.
Only then can one survive in the ruthless noble society.

The count decided to use this opportunity to become acquainted with Loen, a lady of a ducal family and an inspector.

However, the moment he looked at Loen’s face again,
The count had to hastily abandon that idea.

Because he sensed killing intent from her face!
Of course, Loen had merely frowned slightly.

A noble should know when to strike and when to retreat.
Because excessive greed can lead to a fall in an instant.

“Oh my! I just remembered I have an urgent appointment. I’ll be on my way now. Coachman, start the carriage.”

The count disappeared like the wind in his carriage.

“…”

Loen felt drained even before getting to work.

Scratching her head unnecessarily, Loen started the car again and headed to the Inspection headquarters.

“Hey, have you heard the news?”
“What news?”
“The news that a new recruit is coming in today.”
“So what?”
“I heard it’s a new recruit for the Inspection Department.”
“What? Can’t miss that. Let’s go see right away.”

There are three departments in the Imperial Inspection Team.
They are the Enforcement, Support, and Inspection Departments.

The Enforcement Department is the core force of the Inspection Team and is in charge of law enforcement, arrest and detention, and cracking down on corruption.

The Support Department is in charge of administrative work, personnel support, information gathering, and procurement of supplies.

Then what about the Inspection Department?

People often call the Imperial Inspection Team the Emperor’s hunting dogs.
That’s half right and half wrong.

Because unlike other departments, the Inspection Department is not called hunting dogs, but the Emperor’s sword.

When the Emperor gestures, they cut down anyone. When the Emperor signals with his eyes, they surely bring down anyone.

Because they must use any means necessary in the process,
The Inspection Department doesn’t have any set duties.
But if we had to specify, execution, assassination, purge. Something like that?

Also, the Inspection Department aims for quality over quantity, so new recruits are extremely rare.

But now.
A new recruit is coming to the Inspection Department, where it’s hard to see new faces, for the first time in several years.

“It’s almost 9 o’clock now. We should be able to see their face soon.”
“I heard it’s a lady from a ducal family.”
“Not just a duke’s daughter, but a lady? That means she’s the heir to a ducal family, why would someone like that join the Inspection Team?”
“How should I know?”

All sorts of stories about the new Inspection Department recruit circulated among the Inspection Team members.

In an unusually excited atmosphere, the clock’s second hand pointed to 8:59.

“Still not here?”
“Late on the first day, the Inspection Department’s new recruit is really something else.”

As people were murmuring, at that moment,
Exactly when the clock’s second hand pointed to 9:00:00.

Tap.

She entered the headquarters.
Everyone’s attention focused on her.

Her cold impression and uniquely oppressive atmosphere instantly overwhelmed the crowd. The surroundings became quiet in an instant.

Without anyone saying anything, everyone there instinctively knew that she was the new recruit for the Inspection Department.

As if she didn’t care about the surrounding gazes at all, she crossed the corridor with measured steps, looking only forward.

Thud thud thud.

When she disappeared from people’s sight,
Only then did people breathe out.

“No, I got goosebumps when I saw her enter exactly at 9 o’clock sharp. Her walking was so precise! I guarantee, she probably eats her meals at home right on time too.”
“She looks like she’d sleep in a perfect posture without tossing and turning.”

That day, news that a formidable new recruit had joined spread instantly throughout the Inspection Team headquarters.

Hah.. If it weren’t for that count, I could have arrived comfortably.

Loen parked her car near the headquarters and immediately strode towards the building entrance.

Looking at her watch, it was 8:57.
It’s cutting it close.

Walking almost at a run, she slowed down and took a deep breath as she approached the building entrance.

I’ve done this countless times in my previous life..
Why am I nervous about this?

Tap.

The moment Loen stepped inside the building.
Numerous eyes poured onto her.
Loen’s expression completely froze.

Why, why are they staring?
Is there some event?
Or is it always this crowded?

Loen was a lady with a commoner-like trait of disliking being the center of attention.
To the extent that her routine at banquets or social gatherings was to quickly retreat to a corner seat, drained by people’s excessive attention.

So this kind of situation was extremely burdensome for Loen.

Please stop staring..

Extremely tense, Loen walked looking only forward. Her arms and legs were stiff due to the tension. But she walked anyway. She had to escape this situation.

“Phew…”

Only after walking for a while was Loen finally able to breathe out. Her stiffened body returned to normal. With some composure, Loen looked around, turning her head.

“By the way, where am I?”

It was good that she had escaped people’s gazes, but because she was too tense, Loen had come to a different place than her original destination.

Loen read the letters written on the door in front of her.

[ Director’s Office ]

Huh? Wait, Director’s Office?
Just as Loen was about to quickly turn around, the door swung open.

But the person who opened the door wasn’t visible.
It’s not a ghost, so how did the door open by itself?

As Loen stood there blankly, someone’s voice was heard from inside the room.

“Didn’t you come here because you had business? Come in.”

It was the voice of Inspection Director Muston.
Loen answered inwardly.

No. I don’t have any business at all..
I just took a wrong turn and somehow ended up in front of the Director’s Office.

Contrary to her thoughts, her body inevitably walked into the Director’s Office.
Muston was lying on a sofa inside the Director’s Office.

Loen added a piece of information to her mind.
Inspection Director Muston, slacking off after arriving at work.

“Coming to the Director’s Office on your first day of work. Your spirit is no joke. As expected, my eyes weren’t wrong, hehehe.”

Muston, who was laughing heartily as he sat up, suddenly asked with a serious expression.

“So. What’s the reason you came all the way here? Inspector Loen.”

By the way, ‘Inspector’ refers to the basic position in the Inspection Team. Loen was a new recruit who had just joined, so her position was naturally Inspector.

Loen racked her brain.
I really just got lost and came here by mistake.. What should I say… Ah, I don’t know. Let’s leave it to instinct. It’s not like I’m going to be here for life anyway.

“Just.”
“Just?”

Muston’s eyebrows twitched.
Loen hurriedly added words.

“I just thought I’d come and see your face.”