Charlot Mecklenburg quietly hid in a corner, listening to the people in the room engage in lofty discussions. Almost everyone there was subtly flaunting their status, so it didn’t take long for Charlot to realize that everyone in the room ranked higher than him in the bureaucratic hierarchy.
In just two or three years since graduating, Charlot had managed to rise to the position of a 29th-level first-grade Chief Clerk, an impressive accomplishment for a young talent. Yet, in this room, that rank still placed him firmly at the bottom.
Charlot silently listened to the braggadocio, the boastful chatter, and the constant preening of his colleagues...
He wasn’t sure if anyone had informed High Priest Auguslatin of his arrival, but Charlot had patience. After all, in this world, many things were beyond human control. As a mere mortal, he understood when to worry and when to let things go.
The schemes of High Priest Auguslatin were far beyond his station. All Charlot needed to do was follow the current obediently and refrain from meddling.
Charlot quietly circulated Blood Glory. Perhaps it was the particular ambiance of the Foreign Minister’s residence, but he found his cultivation unexpectedly effective, progressing two or three percent faster than usual.
Just as Charlot had reached the midpoint of circulating his seven Blood Vortices, a loud voice called out:
“Chief Overseer of the Lukavaro District City Patrol Guard, Commander of the West Wind Knight Order, Director of the Lukavaro District Administrative Bureau, Charlot Mecklenburg, please come with me.”
Under the gaze of the room’s occupants, Charlot stepped out of the waiting room and followed an attendant through a maze of hallways to a tranquil reception room.
Inside, Charlot saw a young official, perhaps around twenty-eight or twenty-nine, impeccably dressed. The man held a cup of coffee, looking as though he was stealing a moment of leisure amidst a busy day. Judging by his age alone, Charlot guessed the man wasn’t the Foreign Minister but still held a significant post. He quickly and politely introduced himself.
The young official nodded and said, “I have other matters to attend to, so I’ll be brief. Charlot Mecklenburg, are you willing to serve as an envoy to the Ingrima Empire?”
Charlot replied, “I am willing.”
The young official nodded again, retrieved a document, and was about to sign it when Charlot, quick with his hands, presented a wallet and said, “You dropped something.”
The official slowly opened the wallet, glanced at the Old Flor notes inside, and suddenly smiled. He set aside the document he was about to sign, retrieved another one, and said, “I heard you had a skirmish with Lady Nancella at Mostar Castle?”
Charlot replied humbly, “A minor matter, all for the Empire and the Emperor.”
The young official smiled faintly, signed the new document, stamped it with a seal, and handed it to Charlot. “Take this to the Central Government Office and then return home to await further instructions.”
Though Charlot felt the official wasn’t particularly busy—the leisurely way he sipped his coffee suggested otherwise—he wisely refrained from commenting. Instead, he took his leave promptly.
The young official pocketed the wallet and resumed drinking his coffee unhurriedly. This was his daily routine. Charlot, showing more tact than most, had earned himself a revised document, sparing him several years of "toil."
Charlot left the Foreign Minister’s residence and made his way, familiar with the route, to the Central Government Office. After running through several departments, his new identity was officially established:
Chief Overseer of the Lukavaro District City Patrol Guard, Commander of the West Wind Knight Order, Director of the Lukavaro District Administrative Bureau, Special Envoy for War Affairs of the Fars Empire to the Ingrima Empire, 28th-level second-grade Chief Clerk, Charlot Mecklenburg.
The document Charlot received at the Foreign Minister’s residence differed from the one he was originally supposed to get in one crucial detail: his rank had been elevated.
The bribe Charlot had offered the young official saved him several years of waiting for a promotion. Moreover, this change had no bearing on his military honors; it was a routine bureaucratic promotion unrelated to his battlefield contributions.
Having secured his new identity, Charlot was about to leave the Central Government Office when he encountered several former colleagues. They were chatting animatedly, and one of them, looking particularly pleased, stood at the center of the group.
Someone noticed Charlot and called out, “Charlot! Back again?”
Charlot smiled and replied, “Just here for a position transfer.”
The beaming colleague said, “I heard from Edgar that you were here last time. Why haven’t you reached out to your old colleagues since your stint at the prison? You should have looked for us when you came back!”
“I just got promoted to a second-grade Chief Clerk. Though I’m a bit behind Edgar, at least I’ve caught up. I was just about to invite everyone out to celebrate—how about joining us?”
“Oh, wait, you said you’re here for a position transfer? Need any help?”
Charlot replied with a smile, “It’s already done.”
A female colleague with a few freckles, not unattractive, couldn’t resist asking, “Charlot, are you finally leaving the prison? Which route did you take? Back to Val-de-Vas, or are you still in the Outer Fifteen Districts?”
Charlot vaguely remembered this colleague. Back when he worked at the Central Government Office, he had treated her to a meal, though their relationship had remained entirely platonic.
Graduating from Sheffield University with a distinguished air and striking looks, Charlot had always been popular with the ladies. Despite the setbacks in his career, his return to Val-de-Vas would still make him a potential match in her eyes.
Charlot smiled. “No, further away.”
The female colleague immediately lost interest, and the others, too, were noticeably less enthusiastic.
This wasn’t a modern Earth filled with instant communication. Though Charlot had earned some accolades in battles against the Behemoth Principality, the Principality wasn’t the Empire’s main battlefield, and such achievements rarely made the news. None of his colleagues knew how much he had changed.
After some brief pleasantries, Charlot left without any desire to show off. The trivial boasts of his former colleagues didn’t merit any display of grandeur.
Declining their invitation to dine together, Charlot left the Central Government Office. Outside, Lady Nancy arrived in her carriage to meet him.
While Charlot preferred to keep a low profile, he didn’t go so far as to feign unfamiliarity with Lady Nancy. With composure, he stepped into the carriage and waved goodbye to his former colleagues.
The sight of Charlot boarding a private carriage surprised his former colleagues. The freckled woman couldn’t help but remark, “Charlot bought a carriage?”
The newly promoted colleague said sourly, “Miss Ruth, you can tell that’s an old, second-hand carriage—not new. Even the horse is one of the most economical breeds.”
The woman pondered briefly and then smiled. “Let’s not talk about him anymore. Today, we’re celebrating your promotion.” She decided to put Charlot out of her mind—without a return to Val-de-Vas, he was no longer worth the effort.