Chapter 141 – The Business of Assistants and Assessors
As we approached the manor, one of the officials there noticed.
He went to go call the assistant in a hurry.
Almost immediately the assistant ran out and up to us, visibly worried.
「Marquis! What is it today…」
「Well…huff…pant…today…」
Cruz was short of breath, as you’d expect.
When she ran with Femm and Moofy, she was faster than a horse.
「huff…pant…」
「pant…」
Femm and Moofy were also out of breath.
Their running seemed like a competition.
They used all their power to do it, too. Of course they’d end up like this.
「These two ran like crazy.」
「That’s true.」
Vi-Vi and I got off so the beasts could get their strength back.
I started explaining things to the assistant so Cruz could get her breath back too.
「We’ve brought you a magic transfer circle.」
「A transfer circle? Like those that you can use between cities?」
「Yes, we thought it would be helpful for the Marquis.」
He looked at us in disbelief.
Usually, magic circles are in the big cities and run by the kingdom.
It would be hard for even a local ruler to install one.
There’s no problem with installing one legally…the problem is money.
It’s a very expensive magic that only experts can do.
「By the way…you are?」
「He was here before. He’s Alra.」
Cruz introduced me. Seems like she already got her breath back.
Femm and Moofy were recovering quickly too.
She really is a hero.
「Sorry, I had the mask on the other day.」
「No problem, Master Alra. Thank you for coming.」
We all bowed to the agent.
I hadn’t put my mask on this time, so it was the first time he had seen my face.
After that, he took us to the waiting room.
Moofy and Femm followed us in like normal.
「Excuse me, but…」
「What is it?」
「Ah…nothing.」
The assistant looked at the two beasts and was about to say something.
Cows and wolves are usually not allowed in a manor, so I know he’s confused.
However, since Cruz owned the place and didn’t care, he shut up about it.
The workers inside excused themselves, and the assistant and we exchanged introductions again.
「Alra isn’t really my name. I actually normally go by Viscount Alfred Lint.」
「Oh! For a grand person like you to come to this manor! You’re the grand magician that accompanied the Marquis! Why the false name?」
「Well…it isn’t exactly a false name…」
We told the assistant it was a name that was used by the ancient dragon, and that I was in hiding.
The assistant nodded with a serious face.
「So that’s the case. Understood. I will keep this a secret.」
「Thank you very much.」
「ryaa ryaa!」
Shiggy came out of my pouch.
She saw the assistant and flapped her wings.
It wasn’t the first time she saw the assistant, but introductions were still in order.
「This is Sighisoara. She’s the duchess of the ancient dragons. She’ll soon ascend to her throne.」
「Ah…congratulations!」
「ryaa!」
Shiggy nodded happily.
Then Vi-Vi puffed her chest out,
「By the way! My name is Vi-Vi Lindobal.」
「Ah, welcome Miss Lindobal.」
「This cute cow is Moofy and that kind of mean looking wolf is Femm.」
「M…Moofy and Femm, welcome.」
『Thank you.』
『Thnx.』
「Oh!」
The assistant almost fell over from surprise at the spirit speech.
After the introductions were over, Cruz started guzzling down tea.
She ran all the way from Mulg, so she was thirsty.
「Glug glug」
「Momph mph」
Water was poured out to Femm and Moofy, who were also drinking like crazy.
After drinking about a gallon, Cruz took a breath and said,
「Hey, isn’t there like an office in this place?」
「There is one. It’s a small room that hasn’t gotten much use…」
「If it’s not used much, that’s perfect! I’ll put the circle in there!」
The assistant guided us around and we went to the office.
It was a small room with a desk. Even though it wasn’t used, there was not dust.
Seems that it was cleaned regularly.
「It’s big enough to place the circle!」
「Yeah, let’s put it right here.」
Cruz took out the engraved shield from her bag.
Then she activated the circle. It seems that was something even Cruz could do.
「Okay, done!」
「Now I’ll draw a defensive circle around this room.」
「Thanks, Vi-Vi.」
「No problem.」
She began to engrave a defensive circle on the walls, floor, and ceiling.
This reduces the risk of the room being destroyed. It also prevented someone like the assistant disabling the transport circle, just in case.
「Oh, since I’m here, I guess I’ll make a defensive circle for the manor as well.」
「Can you?」
「Sure. I’m not that prepared, so it might be weaker than Al’s place.」
「Still, it would help!」
Vi-Vi then went back to her circle around the manor.
It made the place resistant to disaster and magic attacks.
「Moo mooo!」
Moofy followed Vi-Vi.
Leaving Vi-Vi and Moofy to their work, Cruz now began conversing with the assistant.
「I thought I should discuss with you about the assessor that was replaced…」
「It’s just as you say, Marquis. We have to rush to reassess the tax.」
「It’s normal to choose someone local. Do you have a candidate?」
「There are several candidates but it is a difficult decision. So I will be taking over his duties for the reassessment.」
There certainly was no time to appoint a new one.
Even so, it might be difficult for this guy to do two jobs at once.
I asked him, a bit worried.
「Are you going to be okay?」
「It’s an emergency, and it will only happen this year…I’ll use my officials to do the work for me.」
「I see. That does sound efficient.」
Cruz was listening with a serious look.
She was thinking about something, as she continued to rub Femm’s head.
「Wuff?」
「Hmm…」
Femm was confused, while Cruz was thinking, completely focused.
Then she opened her mouth,
「If that’s the case, then I’ll do the work instead! 」
「Cruz? What?」
「I said, I’ll do the work MYSELF!」
Usually the ruler has an assistant do everything for them.
But she’s talking about doing that work herself.
So I was worried.
「Cruz, are you okay?」
「Yeah! I’ll do my best!」
I kind of felt that doing the assessor’s work would be impossible for Cruz. She had no idea how to assess a field or crops.
And there’s no way she could do the assistant’s work either.
「Cruz, are you okay with doing this guy’s work for him?」
「Yeah! I’ll do my best!」
Cruz seemed really motivated. It’s a good thing.
But even with motivation, that doesn’t make the impossible possible.
Sometimes just working hard isn’t enough.
「This assistant job is a profession. Just hire a former bureaucrat from the capital.」
「Marquis, I also think that’s a good idea.」
「Okay…if you two say so…」
Cruz was convinced.
Since we were in a hurry, we sent off to hire a bureaucrat from the city.