Inside the office, a man and a woman leaned over the desk, silently reviewing documents.
Their eyes moved swiftly over the papers bathed in light, and the only sound breaking the quiet atmosphere was the soft rustling of pages being turned.
“Hmm…”
Suddenly, Yohan stroked his chin, his eyebrows drawing together. He was carefully examining the personal details of applicants hoping to join the elite force.
“Is something wrong?”
At the low hum he let out, Elena, who had been organizing documents beside him, quietly asked. As always, she maintained a cold, emotionless expression.
“Forming an elite force isn’t easy.”
Yohan was pouring his energy into creating a new elite unit for the purification corps. Since the strength of the elite force directly impacted the survival rate of the officers, thorough preparation was essential.
“There are many positions to fill, but not enough suitable candidates. Even if I pick only first-class knights and mages, it’s a problem if they lack experience.”
Was it too soon to establish an elite unit? There simply weren’t enough qualified officers.
“But do we really need to form an elite force right now? We have you, Minister. Last time, the damage wasn’t even that severe…”
Elena questioned, a hint of curiosity in her tone.
Her point was valid. With Yohan, who had reached the pinnacle of power, why bother forming an elite force? If he used magic, even top-tier monsters would be obliterated instantly.
Of course, there was a reason.
“I focus on sealing the monster lairs. And last time, the damage was minimal only because we had reinforcements from the Holy Kingdom.”
Yohan set the documents aside for a moment and continued.
“Their numbers weren’t large, but compared to our officers, they were just as strong—if not stronger. Take Saintess Arbella, for example. She alone possessed power beyond the highest rank.”
The Holy Knights and priests alone had been formidable, but Saintess Arbella was on another level. With her small, delicate fists, she could unleash overwhelming destruction.
“Ah… I see.”
Elena nodded in understanding.
“I never realized because there weren’t any major issues when you sealed the monster lairs, but it must have been thanks to the Holy Kingdom’s reinforcements. Even when a top-tier monster appeared, the Saintess handled it immediately.”
She had witnessed it firsthand. The moment an alert was raised about a top-tier monster, Saintess Arbella would rush in at incredible speed and resolve the situation.
“I didn’t think that through.”
“It’s not really a mistake.”
Yohan smiled lightly, leaning back in his chair.
“We’ve never gone into battle without the Holy Kingdom’s support before. It’s only natural to think that way.”
A person’s thoughts and perspectives were shaped by experience. It wasn’t that Elena had been careless.
Yohan straightened his posture.
“Anyway, that’s why I want to form a unit specialized in dealing with top-tier monsters.”
They couldn’t reach the level of the Holy Kingdom’s reinforcements, but an elite force would undoubtedly reduce casualties, a unit dedicated to handling top-tier monsters.
“By the way, how are the other officers doing? This is their first mission, so I imagine they’re struggling.”
“Oh, about that…”
Elena rummaged through the documents on her desk before handing a few to Yohan.
“A mid-mission report just came in.”
“Let’s take a look.”
Yohan scanned the report. It contained information on the locations of monster lairs spread throughout the empire, along with their danger levels.
The other officers had been tasked with investigating the lairs scattered across the empire.
Based on the investigation results, they would determine which region to attack first.
Elena added an explanation.
“The monster lairs are ranked by danger level, with ‘Special-Class’ being the most dangerous, followed by Grades 1 through 5.”
“Hmm…”
Officially, the Second Public Office, the empire’s designated monster lair management institution, could handle up to Grade 2 lairs without issue.
Anything beyond that required the support of the First Public Office because from Grade 1 and higher, Special-Class monsters would start pouring out.
“I didn’t expect there to be so many Special-Class lairs in the empire.”
“Well, it is a vast land.”
The empire held the largest territory on the continent. Naturally, the number of monster lairs was high.
“They’re doing well.”
Yohan nodded in approval.
“But I still can’t get a clear estimate. It’s best to put this on hold until the investigation results are complete.”
“I agree.”
He handed the officers’ reports back to Elena and rubbed his face with his hand.
Seeing the reports gave him a lot to think about.
“There’s the investigation, the formation of the elite unit, and then the upcoming expedition… There’s just too much work.”
“The Purification Corps was only recently established, after all.”
They lacked personnel to handle the workload. Since it was still in its early stages, establishing a solid structure was essential.
Even though the Second Public Office provided support, that only applied to expeditions.
Routine administrative work was another matter entirely.
“This is a bureaucratic nightmare…”
“Well, if we endure for now, things should get easier.”
Elena offered him a small smile of encouragement. She wasn’t fond of the overwhelming workload either, but she carried it out with responsibility, duty, and pride.
Because the Purification Corps was an institution that saved the continent.
“Let’s at least eat first.”
“As you wish.”
Yohan rose from his seat and put on his coat. Though they were indoors, the air was chilly.
“What about Aide Rudbeckia?”
“She’s receiving a tour of the building.”
It was still early noon.
If she was getting a tour now, she would likely be arriving soon.
Her work assignment had already been settled that morning.
“Let’s head to the cafeteria.”
“Ah, I’ll finish this first and join you.”
“Take your time.”
Yohan gave a light smile before leaving the office.
As he walked down the corridor toward the cafeteria, he spotted Rudbeckia approaching from the opposite direction.
She was gazing out the window, a small smile on her lips.
“Aide Rudbeckia.”
“Oh, Joha— I mean, hello, Minister.”
At his call, Rudbeckia gave him a slightly awkward smile.
Her green eyes trembled faintly, as if betraying emotions buried deep within her.
“….”
That gaze strangely dug into his chest.
Yohan suddenly felt as if he couldn’t breathe.
Something surged within him, he didn’t know why.
But looking at her filled him with an overwhelming sense of suffocation.
Something was on the verge of surfacing in his mind, yet he couldn’t quite grasp it.
Why did he feel such an unfamiliar emotion whenever he saw Rudbeckia?
Unable to find the right words to say, Yohan’s lips parted slightly, hesitating. In that moment, Rudbeckia looked up at him.
“Are you on your way to the dining hall?”
“Yes, I am… Would you like to join me?”
“It would be an honor.”
Rudbeckia tilted her head slightly, her lips curling into a soft smile.
Swish
Her deep golden hair cascaded over her shoulder.
The two walked down the hallway together.
Sunlight streamed in through the windows.
Though the lingering chill of late winter still clung to the air, the sunlight remained warm.
Yohan asked, “It’s your first day. How do you find it so far?”
“I’m not sure yet. I’ve only just been given a tour of the building.”
“I see.”
Yohan cleared his throat unnecessarily, adjusting his collar despite feeling no discomfort. There was something about her presence that stirred complicated emotions within him, making the atmosphere between them strangely awkward.
“I hope you come to like your duties at the Purification Office.”
“Hehe, I already do.”
Rudbeckia chuckled softly and turned to him with a smile, her eyes curving into gentle arcs.
“Just being able to accompany you is an honor in itself.”
“…Is that so?”
“Yes. Even just walking together like this makes me happy.”
It could have sounded like mere flattery, but she was sincere. She was simply overjoyed to see Yohan again and felt blessed just to be by his side.
And the thought of rebuilding their once-misaligned relationship from the very beginning was satisfying.
“Well… I suppose that’s good to hear.”
“It is, indeed.”
Rudbeckia smiled brightly.
Feeling oddly self-conscious, Yohan fixed his gaze straight ahead. It was the kind of polite conversation newcomers usually had, yet her words carried an underlying meaning he couldn’t quite decipher.
As they walked in this slightly awkward atmosphere, they soon arrived at the dining hall on the first floor of the Purification Office.
The menu was determined by the ingredients available that day, and after making their requests, the staff would bring the food to them.
Before the meal arrived, silence once again settled between them.
Rudbeckia, glancing around the dining hall, pressed her fingertips together and smiled.
“The menu includes salmon meunière your favorite dish, Minister.”
“…?”
Yohan blinked slowly.
Had he ever mentioned that he frequently ate salmon? He was sure he hadn’t.
This was their first time dining together.
They hadn’t spoken much before.
How did she know?
Of course, those who had shared meals with him often his lover, Elena the secretary, and Eris were aware.
But Rudbeckia had only started working today and hadn’t even met Eris yet.
Did Elena tell her?
Yohan called her name softly.
“Assistant Rudbeckia?”
“Yes?”
“…How did you know that I like salmon?”
“Ah.”
Rudbeckia’s face froze. Her gaze shifted subtly to the side.
“W-Well, I heard it from Assistant Elena…!”
“I see…?”
Yohan stared at her blankly. Something felt off.
It seemed less like she’d heard it from someone else and more like she’d spoken naturally, as if she knew him well.
Almost as if she were familiar with him.
‘…Am I overthinking it?’
Though the sense of unease lingered, Yohan shook his head, trying to brush away his thoughts.
In the awkward and heavy atmosphere, they quietly waited for the food to arrive.
* * *
The tense meal finally came to an end.
Back in her office, Rudbeckia let out a quiet sigh.
‘I almost slipped up because it felt too natural…’
Because she loved Yohan, she had instinctively come to know his preferences.
He liked fish. Among them, he especially enjoyed salmon for its soft and clean flavor. Rudbeckia knew this far too well, having spent so much time with him.
Yohan had always had access to the freshest seafood, thanks to Fritsche’s thriving fishing industry. Because of that, even Rudbeckia, who typically preferred salads, had ended up eating fish frequently.
Maybe that’s why?
The moment she saw the salmon meunière, the words had slipped out of her mouth before she could stop herself.
‘…I need to be careful.’
There was nothing to gain from making him suspicious if anything, it would only put him further on guard.
Unlike before the regression, she had to approach him slowly if she wanted to be loved.
‘Step by step, like climbing a staircase.’
There was no need to be anxious. No reason to rush.
This time, Yohan wouldn’t disappear somewhere far away.
Clenching her hand into a fist, Rudbeckia’s eyes burned with determination.
She would truly win his love this time.
She had been given another chance.
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