Volume 8 Chapter 16 Administrative Demon Of Capital City
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Lord Sobe is totally hopeless with numbers. He’s always relied on me to draft the proposals, so I guess he just stamped the papers without thinking. The fact that a guy like Sobe is even in a staff officer position is ridiculous.”
Quelnera chuckled softly, the amusement bubbling up inside him once more.
”Then you take responsibility and sort it out! For someone like you, wiping out a mistake like this should be a piece of cake, right?”
”Listen, old man. I’ve left the military. I’ve got no interest in being a soldier again. I’ve saved up a bit, and I was actually talking with my pals about starting a merchant guild. So, sorry, but you’ll have to go.”
Lord Sobe, hearing Quelnera’s words, shamelessly clung to him.
”Quelnera! I’ve taken care of you since you joined the military, and now you’re just going to abandon me?!”
”Lord Sobe, I remember you using me, but I don’t recall you ever taking care of me.”
Seeing that Quelnera had no lingering attachments to the military, Sobe almost gave up for a moment. But securing a competent staff officer was an urgent task, so he decided to resort to desperate measures.
”You’re still on reserve duty, right? Sorry, but I’m giving you a direct order as the Kingdom’s Chief Sergeant: it’s time for you to be recalled. You’re going back into active service. Report to headquarters immediately. If you don’t show up, I’ll have you court-martialed along with Lord Sobe.”
”What the hell, old man! Who do you think you are, deciding this on your own?! I said I’m quitting the military! You want me to go back to active duty?! I’m done with all those late nights spent on reports and proposals just to have some high-ranking official toss them away on a whim! I’ve had it!!!”
With a furious shout, Quelnera downed a glass of alcohol from the table, as if drowning his frustration.
”Hey! You kid! If that’s the case, then you can be in charge of the military’s administrative division. In reality, I’ll be your only superior. I’ll give you most of the authority over the paperwork too. I’m on the verge of collapsing from overwork with this reorganization as it is. Feel free to demote any useless noble in the admin. I’ll have a talk with Aldo Chancellor about it. It seems he doesn’t like useless nobles either. I’m planning to snag you a nice, cushy position.”
Hearing my words, Quelnera dropped the bottle of liquor.
”Are you out of your mind?! If the nobles hear about this, it’ll spark a rebellion! And I’m supposed to be the head of the administration?! I’m just a lowly commoner officer! It’s not like I’m from your South District army!”
”That’s why I’m giving you the daughter of House Sobe. With this, you’ll be a noble too. Lucky you!”
Quenelra raked his long, messy hair back, slamming his hand down on the table like a kid throwing a tantrum.
”I told you, I’m not going back!! Are you senile or something?! Why on earth should I become a noble and serve in the military?! They abandoned me!”
”I see… Lord Sobe. Unfortunately, your daughter will be sent to a brōtḥel. And you? You’ll be going to military prison, and your family will be extinguished. It’s tough to have a heartless subordinate, isn’t it?”
The members of Quenelra’s crew in the private room began to murmur amongst themselves.
Lord Sobe’s daughter seemed much more intelligent than her father, and she was pleading with the others to encourage Quenelra to return to the military.
”Quenel! I don’t care if Lord Sobe gets sent to military prison, but I can’t bear the thought of Lady Elza becoming a prostitute! Please, Quenel, save her. We can manage on our own!”
”You guys…”
For a moment, Quenelra was deep in thought, but then he swept his hair back, revealing eyes that glinted with determination as he locked his gaze on me.
…Those are some fierce eyes.
Fristoph was a good second-in-command, but this kid might surpass him…
”Old man, if you’re going to intimidate me into taking the top position, then let’s go down together! If I take charge, more than half of the nobles currently in administration will be ousted. You okay with that? If you want to bail, now’s your chance!”
”You young punk, don’t underestimate me. I’ve fought monsters in the South District for over ten years. I could crush any of those spineless nobles in Capital City with one hand!”
”Old man, don’t you dare underestimate me. I can finish this level of paperwork without even using half of my ability. Don’t take me lightly!”
Whether he was just putting on a brave face or genuinely possessed that much ability was still a mystery. But the fact that Quelnera had climbed the ranks so far, a promotion that didn’t match his superior Lord Sorb’s own skills, spoke volumes about his exceptional administrative prowess.
”This is a celebration of my appointment as head of administration! Drink up, everyone! Because starting today, you’re not gonna get any sleep!”
Quelnera poured drinks for his subordinates.
”Kuu-san? What do you mean, ‘no sleep’?”
”Huh!? I’m back in the army, and I’m the head of administration! It’ll be a piece of cake to re-recruit you guys, my former subordinates. You can all survive for about ten days without sleep, right?”
”Waaaaaah! Quelnera, the Demon of Administration, is back! Are we going back to those hellish days?!”
The men under his command froze, their faces a mixture of fear and dread at the news of his return.
”Don’t worry, you’ll all be swimming in riches and glory! We’re stuck in this backwater tavern, but I’ll squeeze the budget from the old man over there. You can count on it! I’ll book out a high-class restaurant in the third layer of Capital City!”
”””Eeeeh?! Seriously?!”””
The men’s eyes lit up.
”Old man, you’ll let me do that much, right?”
”It depends on your performance. If you show me a job that impresses me, then I’ll give you permission.”
”Got it. Can I make the order effective immediately? I’ll get right to work at military headquarters.”
I signed the order and handed it to Quelnera.
He took the order, straightened his rumpled uniform, and left the private room with his subordinates.
”Lord Sorb, you’ve dodged a bullet. You should be grateful to your clever daughter.”
”…Yes, I will retire. I realized through this incident that I am not suited for military service… Quelnera will take care of the Sorb family, so I will devote myself to gardening.”
Lord Sorb seems to be planning to retire after witnessing the wedding of Quelnera and his daughter, Elsa.
Since he seems to be aware of his lack of ability, it seems like a safe choice.
”Indeed. From now on, even nobles without ability will be driven out of this world.”
And so, Quelnera, having risen to the top of the Kingdom’s military logistics as its chief, did exactly as she said she would──she carried out a massive purge, expelling nearly half of the officers and rearranging their posts, and in their stead, she promoted her trusted, commoner officers one after another into the upper echelons previously monopolized by the noble officers. Thanks to this, the Kingdom’s military significantly improved its ability to deliver “the necessary goods,” “at the necessary times,” “in the necessary quantities,” and “to the necessary locations.”
Moreover, the military’s construction teams began to build and repair roads, waterways, and bridges across various towns and streets, leading to a dramatic improvement in domestic transportation.
Quelnera also shifted the procurement of non-urgent military supplies to a competitive bidding process, reducing the exorbitant prices charged by the favored traders, and used the surplus funds to give soldiers and lower-ranking officers a pay raise they hadn’t seen in decades.
While this move won her more supporters within the military, it also earned her the title of ‘upstart’ among the noble officers, who ridiculed her behind her back.
Ever since Quelnera took the top seat, however, the piles of documents on my desk have vanished, and the number of pending documents requiring my decision has been reduced to just 2 or 3 per day.
Chancellor Aldo has taken notice of Quelnera’s abilities and has approached her with an offer to pull her up higher, but she has declined gracefully.
It’s also said that Conrad, the representative of the South District Margrave’s national army stationed in the Capital City, has taken a liking to Quelnera and has formed a close friendship with her.
On the flip side, though engaged to the daughter of the Sobu family, it’s rumored that he often goes out drinking with his subordinates after wrapping up big projects and then shows up for work the next day as if nothing happened. I’ve even heard him bellowing from his office, “If this is the life I’m living, I’d rather be dishonorably discharged!”
~New Character~
Lord Sobu
- Clan: Asura
- Race: Varuna
- Age: 50s (Male)
Lord Sobu, a noble from the Capital City, has served as an administrative officer for many years despite being weak with numbers. His rise to power was purely through social maneuvering. Now, he plans to retire from the military and live in seclusion after arranging his daughter Elza’s marriage to his former subordinate, Quelnera.
—
Elza Sobu
- Clan: Majin
- Age: Early 20s (Female)
Elza, the daughter of Lord Sobu, is a highly intelligent and fair woman respected by those around her. She treats everyone equally, earning trust with her composed demeanor. Though her father arranged her marriage to Quelnera, she isn’t particularly surprised and proceeds with the wedding preparations calmly.
—
Quelnera Sobu
- Clan: Majin
- Age: 32 (Male)
Quelnera, a military clerk, joined the army due to financial hardship but lacked combat ability and motivation, leading to a mediocre career. His lazy attitude nearly got him discharged, yet he unexpectedly excelled in administration behind the scenes of major kingdom events. His efficiency in handling superiors’ orders and subordinates’ requests earned him promotions. However, during the Travers Incident, he was scapegoated for his superior’s mistakes and relegated to the reserves. Disillusioned, he turned to frequenting taverns. Despite his carefree nature, he remains skilled at paperwork, often lamenting, “I wish I’d been dishonorably discharged instead!” His current goal is to earn enough money to retire comfortably. He has a sweet tooth, loves alcohol, and is the only person in the Kingdom army who dares to call the Arbalest “old man.”
—
~New Job~
Middle Management
Master multiple administrative, management, and command jobs to smoothly oversee an organization.
Job Bonus:
- Increased work efficiency and reduced fatigue for subordinates (Small).
- Prevention of mental fatigue (Medium).
—
Skill Progression
Acquired LV1 – [Treat]
Suppress morale decline with treats and encourage colleagues.
- Morale of subordinates +20%
- Gained: 10 Skill Points (Combat Skills)
Acquired LV5 – [Desk Command]
Command colleagues engaged in the endless war… paperwork.
- All stats of subordinates +5%
- Gained: 10 Skill Points (Modifier Skills)
Acquired LV10 – [Decoy]
Take responsibility for superiors’ and colleagues’ mistakes to ensure smooth workflow.
- Friendship with Decoy target greatly increased
- Gained: 10 Skill Points (Combat Skills)
Acquired LV15 – [Keen]
You never miss a colleague sneaking in a break. Now able to sense their stress levels.
- Gained: 10 Skill Points (General Skills)
Reached LV20 – [Ironman]
Forcefully activates spirit and body through an all-nighter, increasing stamina.
- No sweet dreams until the end…
- Gained: 10 Skill Points (Combat Skills)
Reached LV30 – [Dual Wielder]
Handle multiple documents with a pen in each hand. A clerical worker’s envy-inducing skill.
- Clerical efficiency +200%
- Gained: 10 Skill Points (Modifier Skills)
Reached LV50 – [Encourage]
Brutally revives a colleague who collapsed from overwork, increasing their stamina.
- Gained: 20 Skill Points (Combat Skills)
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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