Chapter Text
The Black Pigeon is, to put simply, a busy warzone.
More hectic than the last company Seiichirou’s been a part of, despite the less number of people bustling to and fro.
Outside, numerous pigeons are perched on the windowsills, flying in and out in irregular intervals. Messengers and workers alike collect notes tied on the pigeons’ legs, and at the same time fasten new letters to be sent away.
Seiichirou remembers, from one of the ‘crash’ lessons Leewon gave him: The Black Pigeon is the ‘core’ of the Orr Empire, where administration, diplomacy, and internal affairs are handled. The Empire’s ministers and legal scholars work here together, with most of the higher-ups being nobles from various families.
Looking at the pigeons coming and going…Seiichirou guesses this might be where the name comes from. Although he’s yet to see an actual black pigeon.
“It’s just another regular Tuesday morning for us here,” Leewon says apologetically at a bewildered Seiichirou. “It took me quite a while to get used to the chaotic rhythm, but it’s helpful that everyone does their best to work together.”
Leewon has now begun talking to Seiichirou in Imperial language, albeit in a slower pace. Leewon suggested it to improve Seiichirou’s hearing and speaking skills, although he acknowledges that it would take a while for the latter to keep up with the pace.
“May I ask,” Seiichirou wonders aloud in the same language, “when I’ll start…work?”
“That will be depending on Minister Halverd, actually,” Leewon answers as they walk briskly on the hallways. “It’s part of the protocol, really—no matter whether you are a noble or a commoner, you have to prove your skills first before they assign you anything. The Black Pigeon is the machinery of the Empire, after all.
“Then again,” a wry smile lifts a corner of Leewon’s lips up, “not everyone enters here through the protocol, I guess.”
Just as Seiichirou is about to ask what the other meant, Leewon pauses by a large wooden door. A relief of an emblem is sculpted on the smooth surface—perhaps someone important uses this office?
Leewon knocks thrice on the door. “Minister Halverd? It’s me.”
The words are barely out of the man’s mouth when the door hurriedly opens, with a middle-aged man catching his breath on the other side of the door. His silver-streaked auburn hair is swept back, his mustache trimmed well. His clothing speaks of his power and wealth, the golden brooch the most eye-catching of them all.
“Your Grace!” the man greets too enthusiastically, eyes bright as he looks up at Leewon. “Her Excellency has let me know of your visit—please, come in, come in!”
With a murmured thanks and a nod, Leewon steps inside the room, Seiichirou close behind him. The office is a fairly large room, spacious enough to accommodate several guests, with a large table that serves as a work desk. Seiichirou notes the tall stacks of paper on the work desk, as well as the open journals on the side.
“I apologize, Your Grace,” the middle-aged man awkwardly scratches his nape, seemingly unable to meet Leewon’s eyes. “I hope you don’t mind the mess—it’s been so busy, lately—”
“There is nothing to apologize for, Minister Halverd,” Leewon calmly reassures him with a smile. “If anything, it is I who should apologize for the short notice.”
The middle-aged man—Minister Halverd—looks up at Leewon in surprise. “P-please, do not apologize!” he stammers, flush spreading to the tips of his ears. “Say, would you like some tea?”
“Please.”
With the help of a servant, tea and cookies are served on a small table (the only available table, Seiichirou notes), with Minister Halverd fussing to make sure Leewon and Seiichirou are comfortable despite the mess in his office. Only then when Leewon has sipped his tea did he begin his introductions.
“Kondou-san,” Leewon introduces, gesturing to the Minister before them, “this is Minister Myron Halverd, the Head of the Accounting Department. He manages all the financial matters related to the Empire, closely working with Her Excellency. Minister Halverd, this is Kondou Seiichirou, the man I’ve talked to you about in my letters. As I’ve mentioned, he is excellent in mathematics—I believe he will be of immense help to you.”
“It is an honor to meet you, Kondo,” Minister Halverd reaches to shake Seiichirou’s hand. “His Grace has told me many things, including your skills and your desire to have a job in the Empire.”
“It—it is an honor to meet you too, Minister Halverd,” Seiichirou says, doing his best to speak clearly in the Imperial language. “Thank you for your time.”
“He is still learning the Imperial language,” Leewon explains, seeing the bemused look on Minister Halverd’s face. “Do you remember when I struggled learning it, nearly a year ago?”
“Oh!” Minister Halverd’s eyes glow with understanding, seeing the meaningful look in Leewon’s gaze. “I see, I see. But Your Grace has learned so quickly; a month or so later, you are now assisting in revising Imperial Laws and even arguing with the legal scholars!”
“Such exaggeration,” Leewon chuckles, shaking his head. “I still haven’t forgotten the lengthy scolding I got from you, Minister Halverd.”
“Ah, spare me, Your Grace…”
Leewon laughs lightly once more, finishing his tea. “Well, going back, I am here to formally introduce you to Kondou-san, and vice versa. I get that he is not yet to start on his job, yes?”
“Indeed,” Minister Halverd nods, seriousness settling in his eyes. “We must know first of all his capabilities, especially with Mathematics. Am I to assume Your Grace is teaching him?”
“More like refreshing what he already knows,” Leewon amends. “The number system of the Orr Empire doesn’t differ much from ours.”
And it is, Seiichirou mentally agrees.
Mathematics is a concept, and as long as Seiichirou understood the foundations, everything else would soon follow. This is the same logic Leewon applied to almost all the lessons he gave, which made it easier for Seiichirou to understand.
The concept of time, as well as the number system, were pretty similar to their old world. Same goes with arithmetic, although the manner of explaining the processes were worded a bit differently from the ones he was used to.
With regards to that, Leewon owns several abacuses himself. The abacuses are tools he commissioned from a craftsman, he shared, which made it easier for him to do calculations.
The Imperial language, however, was a different story.
While Seiichirou found it easy to memorize the terms used for almost every item, familiarizing himself with the sentence syntax and proper speech etiquette was a struggle. It was very much different from the Japanese language, almost similar to the English language’s syntax.
Fortunately, Leewon was a patient teacher, much to Seiichirou’s deep gratitude. Leewon willingly spent hours teaching Seiichirou the Imperial language, both written and verbal, even cutting off a bit of his work hours just to help Seiichirou for the past week.
“You need to understand the language, Kondou-san,” Leewon has emphasized, his onyx eyes stern. “You may not be able to wield a sword, but your words are just as good as weapons when situations arise.”
Briefly, Seiichirou wondered who taught Leewon the Imperial language when he first went here, considering his own origins.
“That’s good to hear, then!” Minister Halverd claps his hands, a wide smile on his face. Turning to Seiichirou he says, “Kondo, yes?”
Seiichirou doesn’t bother to correct his pronunciation, only nods at him. “What is it, Minister Halverd?”
“Do you mind if I test you, right now?”
Seiichirou pauses for a short moment, wondering if accepting the request would be alright. Turning to Leewon, Seiichirou sees no hint of surprise in Leewon’s face—he’d obviously predicted this would happen.
Sensing his stare, Leewon smiles and nods at him, encouraging him to do whatever Seiichirou wants.
“It’s okay,” Seiichirou agrees, turning back to Minister Halverd. “I shall do my best.”
“Wonderful!” Minister Halverd immediately rises from his seat, briskly walking towards his work desk. “Let’s see…which ones should I let you analyze…”
“The accounts of this Empire are pretty much the same ones you’d probably read back in our world,” Leewon mutters under his breath in Japanese. “I can’t guarantee those reports will be impressive—I’ve read some myself before.”
“Is there something I should watch out for?” Seiichirou whispers in the same language.
“You’ll see it for yourself.”
Curiosity now piqued from Leewon’s words, Seiichirou nearly grabs the parchment Minister Halverd gave to him. With quick eyes, he scans through the whole document, reading and rereading them all over again.
The reports are easy to understand, the format clear and concise. Each item is classified according to purpose, with the sums correctly added.
Budget for the construction of warehouses to store wheat flour and oil…road repairs…housing projects…there’s nothing suspicious in them…?
“Hmm,” Leewon takes a peek of the reports Seiichirou is reading. “I recognize this budget—is this sent from one of the members of House Durmand?”
“Yes, Your Grace,” Minister Halverd nods. “They’d sent them a week ago, and it is still in the process of being approved.”
“Oh? How strange. Considering House Durmand’s connection to House Diarca, surely it would only take less than a week for it to be approved.”
Seiichirou catches the frost seeping beneath Leewon’s calm words, as well as names of unfamiliar Houses he is yet to know.
“W-well,” Minister Halverd sweats, “it was agreed upon during the last meeting that His Majesty be made aware of these proposals first before we approve them…”
“Is that so.”
Minister Halverd gulps rather audibly, it slightly distracts Seiichirou for a short second. Wondering what Leewon could’ve meant with his odd responses, he reads on another document. It’s the same budget proposal he’d read earlier, except this one was from the previous year.
Only then did Seiichirou have an inkling of understanding behind Leewon’s cryptic words, when he caught the large discrepancies in the proposed amounts between last year’s and this year’s.
“Minister Halverd,” Seiichirou says, his eyes not leaving the documents, “may I ask for the expenditure reports submitted by House Durmand last year?”
“You heard him, Minister Halverd,” Leewon echoes when Minister Halverd barely moves from his seat. “Or do I get it myself?”
“Yes, yes, I’ll be getting them,” Minister Halverd hurriedly retrieves a bunch of parchment from one of the shelves. Seiichirou isn’t sure, but the minister’s hand seems to tremble as he gives the documents to him.
This time, it is Seiichirou’s hands that tremble as he reads the reports. Not out of nervousness, not out of fear, but—
“What…is this…?!”
The actual expenditures are a thousand gold coins or so higher than the budget. Upon closer inspection, the discrepancy is because of several items added that were not originally part of the approved budget—items that are, suspiciously, more expensive than the rest of the listed items.
Moreover, these items aren’t even those that would be considered vital to the projects—miscellaneous expenses that, by standard, should cost less than the materials directly needed to the project. Consultation fees, travel expenses, representation expenses—what the hell are these?!
Seiichirou goes back to this year’s current budget proposal, and finds none of those miscellaneous items on the budget. On top of that, the amounts presented on each item are twice from last year’s, even if the number of units remained the same!
Unless inflation also exists in this world…wait, it wouldn’t make sense for a 100% price increase in just a year, would it?
“Well,” Leewon prompts after a long moment, “what have you found so far?”
Seiichirou quickly relays what he found, stumbling with his Imperial language in the middle. However, both Leewon and Minister Halverd seem to have understood him, asking questions every now and then.
After the brief interrogation, Leewon and Minister Halverd share a look. Seiichirou waits silently, patient yet nervous at the same time.
Could I have found something…I perhaps shouldn’t have?
“Kondo.” It is Minister Halverd who asks this time.
“Y-yes?”
“If you were asked by His Majesty what they should do,” Minister Halverd says slowly, “what would you say?”
His…Majesty?
“I would suggest that a review of all past budgets submitted by House Durmand be done, prior to approval,” Seiichirou answers, despite being a little unsure himself. “The discrepancies between the budgets are glaringly alarming, especially if we are to consider the actual expenditures. Further, House Durmand should send a representative to explain their submitted reports, as well as provide solid, trustworthy proof that the money has been utilized well.”
“And if they fail?”
Seiichirou’s gaze and words are firm. “Corresponding action must take place.”
Seiichirou is still yet to fully understand the actual political climate within the Empire, of the dynamics and power imbalances. He is yet to know the real state of the Empire, something either Leewon has to inform him of or Seiichirou himself has to learn.
Yet Seiichirou knows better than to let this go on, as this would eventually cause a terrible problem with the Empire’s financial state in the near future.
Another moment of silence passes among them. Seiichirou feels like his heart is about to leap from his throat; he can’t tell what Leewon or Minister Halverd is thinking. A light chuckle from beside Seiichirou shatters the silence.
“Oh, dear,” Leewon smiles, looking self-satisfied. “Truly the Orr Empire blesses those who aid our glorious Emperor. Kondou-san truly is the man we need, don’t you agree?”
Seiichirou’s head whips towards him, stunned. At the same time, he feels a chill snake down through his spine. He can’t tell if it’s out of apprehension of the coming workload that will most probably be assigned to him, or Leewon’s deceptively calm disposition despite it all.
“He is, he is!” Minister Halverd agrees, delight and excitement glowing in his face. “Oh, may the Sun God bless you, Your Grace. You’ve found someone who will help us in reviving the Empire!”
“Do not thank me, Minister Halverd,” Leewon shakes his head. “I’m simply fulfilling Kondou-san’s request that he be given a job in the Empire, is all.”
“...eh?”
“Well, what do you think, Kondou-san?” Leewon gazes at a rather bemused Seiichirou, a smile twinkling on his lovely, silver-black eyes. “This won’t be the last time you’ll encounter suspicious reports like this, and you might end up earning enemies as the days pass by. Even so, would you like to work with us?”
Perhaps it’s the thrill of a challenge. Or a dangerous curiosity that’s best left ignored for his own safety. Or maybe just his salaryman spirit deeply embedded in him for all those years he’d worked back in his world.
And so, Seiichirou says the words that pretty much seals his fate in the Orr Empire: “I’d like to.”