I Became a Civil Servant Who Can Use Magic

The more urgent, the slower you should go.
This is one of the sayings from her previous life.
But Loen thinks differently.

“Count. Let’s talk for a moment.”

If we can go, as fast as possible.
This war is the same.

The slower we advance, the more time we give the enemy to prepare countermeasures. That’s why we devised a strategy to advance as quickly as possible and defeat the enemies one by one.

The strategy worked properly.

The enemies had to be hit directly by large-scale area-of-effect magic in an unguarded state. Followed by the charge of the cavalry unit. The power exchange ratio was overwhelming.

With each victory in battle, the enemy’s strength was chipped away while our forces grew.

However, where there are advantages, there are also disadvantages.

As we rapidly increased our numbers, internal cohesion loosened accordingly.
It’s understandable.

After all, the supreme commander leading the army was an unheard-of woman.

While the soldiers were busy looking up to her as the Goddess of Victory, the nobles were not.

From their perspective, although Loen was a 4-star mage with immense power and inspector status, she was still an outsider who came from outside the Barrier.

Some nobles couldn’t help but find it irritating.

“There are a few things I’d like to ask.”

Crunch, crunch.
Loen, who had been advancing while treading on the grass, stopped walking. The surroundings were silent without a trace of human presence.

Loen turned around while asking a question.
Her red pupils stared intently at the Count.
The Count flinched at this.

“Inspector? Your eye color..”
“This is my original eye color. I’ve been hiding it using an artifact until now.”
“Ah, I see.”

Loen’s atmosphere was quite different from usual.
With her fierce impression and sharp aura added, the Count unknowingly stiffened.

After a brief pause, Loen opened her mouth.

“Why did you choose the Reformist Faction?”

Loen had been curious all along.
The reason he turned to the Reformist Faction, risking the opposition of the nobles, when he was practically the ruler of the Barrier.

Why on earth?
As he’s also part of the top privileged class (by Barrier standards), change wouldn’t be entirely welcome, would it?

“Well…”

The Count pondered for a moment and then spoke in a resolute voice.

“Because I thought it was right. How long must we remain in the past, saying we’re a frontier, an isolated land? While the world is changing rapidly?”

The Count looked up at the sky.

“I still remember vividly. The sight when I visited the imperial capital with my father.”

The feeling at that time was, to express it…
Shock.
Yes, it was shock itself.

Trains running along railways, carriages – no, cars running without horses, and buildings that were like works of art spread out along wide roads.

“I wondered if it was really the same empire.”

The Count’s eyes sparkled.

“I wanted to make this isolated land, the Barrier, like that too. So I inherited my father’s will and called for reform and development. But it wasn’t as easy as I thought. Although there might be geographical reasons for the Barrier becoming like this…”

“Because the nobles refused change?”
“Yes, that’s right.”

It’s an obvious story.
Those who refuse change to protect their power.

Rather, Count Lidyte should be seen as an unusual case.

Of course, there are still Reformist nobles who follow him now.

But most of them didn’t join because they sincerely wanted reform, but because they judged it would be advantageous for protecting their own power.

‘He was more enlightened than I thought?’

Loen was inwardly surprised.
And the Count’s words continued.

“When you think about it, isn’t it because of the commoners supporting them that the nobles can enjoy luxurious lives?”

“If the Barrier’s productivity improves through development, the nobles will also be able to gain more wealth. In the long run, it’s beneficial for everyone. Anyway, I think there’s no reason to insist on the current state when there’s a way for everyone to live well.”

Loen felt much more at ease.
Because Count Lidyte’s ideology was better than expected.

She thought there would be no problem putting him back as the ruler of the Barrier.

Then now, it was time to get to the main point.

“You said you’ve been to the imperial capital?”
“Yes.”
“Have you ever seen inspectors?”
“Of course I have.”

He had seen the Imperial Inspection Corps, who form one axis of imperial power along with the Imperial Guard, even if only from afar.

The black uniform embroidered with golden thread was eye-catching and intimidating enough for anyone to recognize at a glance.

“But why suddenly about inspectors?”

Loen took out a small badge from her bosom and said,

“I’m calling a general meeting right now. Tell all the nobles to gather in the strategy meeting room without exception.”
“…!!”

Inside the spacious strategy meeting room.

The seat of honor at the far end was empty, and Count Lidyte was sitting silently next to it with his eyes closed.

Nobles entered one by one into the room. Soon, the meeting room was filled with nobles.

The nobles showed two reactions to the sudden meeting call. They were questions and complaints respectively.

“What on earth is this about..”
“It seems suspicious movements have been observed from the Traditionalist side.”

Questions from the group supporting Loen and the Count.

“I was resting comfortably while chatting, tsk.”
“How dare they summon nobles so carelessly!”

Complaints erupted from the group in opposition.

But that was only for a moment.

Seeing the Count still with his eyes closed, the nobles gradually calmed down and sat in their respective seats.

A little later.
Even though the meeting start time had come, the seat of honor was still empty.

Just as some nobles who couldn’t stand it anymore were about to protest asking what was going on,

Thud, thud.
Loen and Psyche walked into the meeting room.

“Sorry we’re late~”

Contrary to her words, Psyche appeared with a bright smile and naturally stood behind the seat of honor.

Loen sat in the seat of honor with an extremely cold expression, crossing her legs.

Although her posture wasn’t visible due to the gray robe covering it, judging by the protrusion at her knees, she must have crossed her legs.

At this somewhat arrogant posture, discomfort began to settle on the faces of some nobles.

The person who called the meeting is late to attend…
And sits with legs crossed without a word of apology?
Is she out of her mind?

Unable to hold back any longer, someone made a strong protest.

“What on earth are you doing! If you called a meeting, shouldn’t you keep to the time commitment!”

Thinking he had caught a point, his momentum was quite fierce. Soon other nobles also stood up and started protesting.

Their intention was to bite and tear at Loen in this opportunity and greatly reduce her influence.

“Everyone. It’s too noisy, could you please be quiet for a moment?”

Rather than Psyche’s words, the protests intensified.

“For the person who called the meeting to show up 30 minutes late! Isn’t this completely disregarding us?”
“That’s right!”

Some nobles nodded as if agreeing with this.

Loen, who had been quietly observing the situation, finally opened her mouth.

“Quiet.”

A short single word.

In an instant, the noise inside the meeting room subsided sharply. The nobles’ mouths closed tightly at the aura she unconsciously emitted.

Of course, not everyone was like that.
There’s always at least one brave and oblivious person anywhere.

“How dare you! A bitch who’s nothing but 4-star, gak.”

Slap!
Thud!

Everyone’s gaze turned to the corner of the meeting room.
There, the brave and oblivious one was unconscious, his body slammed against the wall.

Psyche stood behind Loen again with a satisfied smile.

“??”
“…?”

Questions arose on the nobles’ faces.
What on earth is this situation?

Swish.
In the silence that fell over the meeting room, Loen quietly stood up from her seat. Then she slowly began to unbutton her robe one by one.

Eventually, as the robe slid off her shoulders, the outfit hidden underneath was revealed.

Black background with golden embroidery and a golden lion emblem.
It was the Inspection Corps uniform.

The nobles’ faces gradually turned to shock.
How could they not recognize that outfit?

“Gasp.”
“Inspector…”

In an instant, a suffocating silence fell over the meeting room.
Some bowed their heads hastily with pale faces.

Among them, a certain noble who had been leading the anti-Loen faction turned not just into bowing his head but into a caterpillar.

‘F-Fucked.’

The word his second son, the rascal, always had on his lips.
Every time he heard that word, he would shout ‘How dare you! For a noble’s son to use such a vulgar word!’ but at this moment, no other expression came to mind except that word.

Loen pointed at the caterpillar.

“Count Dolce.”
“Yes?”

The caterpillar became human again and looked up at Loen with the kindest eyes in the world.

But soon he fell into despair.

Loen’s fierce impression, cold eyes, expression devoid of emotion.

There seemed to be no room for compromise.

“Embezzlement of military funds, misappropriation of central government subsidies, illegal operation of slave markets, and so on. When I investigated, there were quite a few illegal activities.”

Loen’s tone became stiff.
She intentionally changed her manner of speaking to establish dominance.

In fact, it was rare for nobles not to commit such illegal acts. There were only differences in degree.

Strictly speaking, it’s illegal, but in reality, it’s something everyone does a little.

So.
It was like a ‘custom’ that had continued for a long time.

At this point, we can understand why nobles fear inspectors.

It’s safe to say there’s no noble without flaws.
Everyone has at least one weakness that can be used against them.

Loen’s words continued.

“…Lastly, the crime of instigating internal division during a war against anti-imperial forces colluding with a dark mage.”

At this, some nobles’ faces turned deathly pale.

Anti-imperial forces!?

The nobles finally realized the truth.
That all of this had been planned from the beginning.

Through Loen’s words, it was revealed that she had identified Bamos as a dark mage and infiltrated while hiding her identity as an inspector to punish him.

They had just been played on a predetermined board.

Of course,
That’s not true at all.

Loen had just come to investigate tax fraud.
That’s all there was to getting involved in the war.

The talk about anti-imperial forces was just using what she had learned from Team Leader.

‘He’s definitely a dark mage based on the circumstances, right? Then the Traditionalist forces he leads can be considered essentially anti-imperial forces.’

That’s the thought behind her words.
Anyway.

Looking down at Count Dolce, who now looked like he was about to cry, Loen thought.

You should have been more moderate.

‘The war isn’t even over yet, and you’re playing politics on the eve of the decisive battle with the enemy?’

At first, she thought about just giving a warning since they were allies, but that wouldn’t do.

Loen decided to set an example and firmly strengthen internal cohesion.

“By the authority of an inspector. I will summarily execute you here and now. Any objections?”

The meeting room froze for a moment.
No one dared to open their mouth.

“P-Please spare me just…”

Just as Count Dolce was about to plead for mercy with desperate eyes.

Swish-

The mana blade fired from Loen’s hand blew off his neck.

Thud.

The nobles could only stare blankly at his face rolling on the floor.