***

Hessen Imperial Palace, Ministry of Internal Affairs.

“I gave you three chances. And you call this a report?”

“…I apologize.”

Thwack!

The superior who threw the file folder in the young man’s face shook his head and clicked his tongue in disapproval.

“Maybe flattering professors worked at the Academy, but such shallow tricks don’t work in the august Imperial Palace.”

“…Yes. I’ll rewrite it.”

“What an idiot. This is why giving opportunities to commoners is pointless.”

Hearing the mockery, Franz Khor bowed his head deeply and returned to his desk with hunched shoulders and weak steps.

He had to show such a dejected attitude to avoid further criticism.

‘I submitted the exact same report three times, and once again he didn’t read it.’

He couldn’t help but laugh inwardly at the response that didn’t deviate even slightly from his expectations.

At first, when his work was rejected, he thought there were deficiencies in the report and carefully reviewed and improved it, but now he knew better.

‘He’ll torment me to his heart’s content, then approve it when he feels like it. Without ever having read it properly.’

Franz had graduated at the top of his class from the Academy’s Public Administration Department. His superior, meanwhile, had barely avoided expulsion with his abysmal grades.

Normally, such terrible grades would have disqualified him from becoming an Imperial Palace administrator, but being the youngest son of a Marquis’s family made the impossible possible.

‘Even though I was looked down upon for being a commoner at the Academy, it seems that was relatively equal compared to now.’

From the moment he entered the Imperial Palace, where status was absolute, he faced the territorial behavior and contempt of nobles filled with inferiority complexes. Accompanying this was the unjust overtime work that became his daily routine.

Even when bile rose in his throat, he couldn’t quit when he thought about the villagers who had struggled to support his education at the Academy.

“You sluggish commoner. Instead of dedicating yourself to the Imperial Palace, you’re just looking for ways to slack off? Get up now and submit this to the Ministry of Justice.”

“…I apologize. I’ll go right away.”

Franz had to stand up again just after sitting down.

Arriving at the Ministry of Justice building, he flipped through the cover page of the report bearing his superior’s name.

‘He just changed the cover page again.’

The content inside was exactly what Franz had written. This kind of theft of his work achievements was frequent, but he knew well that complaining would only bring disadvantages to himself.

The fact that nobody raised an issue despite the completely different handwriting was proof enough.

In the future, his superior would continue to claim Franz’s work as his own and receive promotion after promotion.

‘Other departments… must be the same.’

Martin, Franz’s senior by two years, who had graduated top of his class from the Public Administration Department before him and entered the Ministry of Finance as an administrator, said he was in a similar situation.

After submitting the report to the Ministry of Justice, Franz thought once again that he had no hope.

“…What hope?”

Just then.

“Hmm, are you Franz Khor from the Ministry of Internal Affairs?”

The person calling him was a servant responsible for delivering mail addressed to administrators and Imperial Palace employees.

Franz, who remembered receiving letters from his hometown several times before, looked up, and the servant smiled.

“Ah, it is you. Please take this.”

After handing over a large document envelope, the servant left, and Franz’s eyes widened when he saw the name written on the outside.

The sender was the professor he had respected most during his time at the Academy.

Franz quietly went outside and carefully opened the envelope to take out the letter inside.

As he read the main text of the letter, which began with gentle greetings, his eyes grew wider and wider.

[……When I received this proposal from Lord Mikhail Hasloff, I wanted to retire from my professorship and go myself. But it’s right in many ways to yield the opportunity to talented young people. I thought you would be the perfect candidate, so I’ve enclosed a letter of recommendation. If you’re still interested in public administration, take it to Basium. ……]

As far as Franz knew, Mikhail Hasloff was a formidable student who had never once failed to be top of his class from the moment he entered the Academy’s Law Department until he graduated.

‘I heard he was definitely a commoner, though he received support from Duke Rabius. It seems he’s even received a title since then….’

After briefly feeling envious of someone whose abilities were recognized by his superiors, Franz’s hands trembled with excitement as he read the contents of Mikhail’s letter to his professor.

“Soliciting project proposals from territory residents on how to spend the budget….”

He couldn’t believe it even after saying it out loud.

He slapped his cheek hard, wondering if he might be dreaming due to accumulated fatigue, but the stinging sensation told him it was reality.

‘And the salary is even higher than what I’m earning now.’

Even considering that it was a medium-term project, as a public administration major, he could tell.

Such an innovative system had no precedent in imperial history.

Of course, it was valuable enough to be a thesis topic, and perhaps it might even be possible to apply for an associate professor position at the Academy based on this.

After making his decision, Franz took a deep breath, returned to the Ministry of Internal Affairs office, calmly sat down, took out a blank paper, and wrote his resignation letter in one go.

“You good-for-nothing, where have you been slacking off? If I say one word to my uncle, your head will roll, understand?”

“There’s no need for you to go to such trouble.”

Franz rose from his seat, gave a friendly pat on the shoulder of his superior, who reeked of alcohol, and headed straight for the Internal Affairs Director’s office.

“What is it?”

“I’m resigning as of today. Goodbye.”

“Wh-what?! Where would a commoner like you go!”

His superior grabbed him with a suddenly sobered expression, but Franz smiled and firmly shook him off.

‘It’s been filthy working with you, and let’s never meet again.’

With the most refreshed and happiest face since his employment, he left the Imperial Palace, only to encounter a senior colleague with exactly the same expression.

“Senior Martin?”

“……Could it be you too, Franz?”

“You as well, Senior……?”

The two men simultaneously pulled out their letters and showed them to each other, then laughed without either being the first to start.

And so, two talented commoners from the Imperial Palace resigned on the same day and departed for the south.

It was a beginning like the flutter of a butterfly’s wings.

***

After Mikhail and I finished requesting talent recommendations, we went ahead and completed the orientation preparations as well.

As I pondered how to treat the high-quality personnel who would soon arrive, I wasn’t… nervous.

There was a truly heart-pounding event elsewhere.

“Thank you for accepting my invitation, Callia.”

“…Haha. Not at all.”

The day had finally arrived when I was to visit Richard at the Aquilus Ducal Residence!

Richard, who helped me board the carriage in my neat dress, calmly told me that I didn’t need to be so nervous.

“…As I mentioned before, my mother has a prior appointment at a nearby territory this afternoon, so it will be difficult to meet her.”

Actually, when I first heard this, I wondered if Richard’s mother, the Dowager Duchess of Aquilus, might be refusing to meet me because she didn’t like me, but.

“Please tell the Dowager Duchess that I thank her for the gift, and that I would like to meet her if there’s an opportunity in the future.”

“I’ll be sure to tell her. Mother will be pleased.”

Recalling the gift that arrived at the Rabius residence a few days ago in the name of the Duchess, my worry seemed unfounded.

A beautiful bouquet harmoniously composed of geraniums, begonias, and baby’s breath, along with an elegant porcelain tea set engraved with a pattern of Karas flowers.

And above all…

「I send this with a heart that welcomes the Lady’s visit to our residence and with apologies for not being able to greet you in person.」

Remembering the fragrant card written in elegant yet gentle handwriting, it seemed that the claim about having an important prior appointment was true.

…However, that didn’t mean I could completely relax.

“Callia. I’ve given the servants a heads-up, but… you’ll need to be mentally prepared. They’ve served the Aquilus ducal family for a long time, so they tend to be unnecessarily overprotective of me.”

The fact that Richard gave me such a warning was concerning.

Of course, he spoke with a slightly embarrassed smile as if dealing with a minor nuisance, but I couldn’t take it so lightly.

The people at the Aquilus Ducal Residence knew well about Richard’s mysophobia, so they wouldn’t approach him carelessly.

‘But they don’t know about the contract between Richard and me.’

So from their perspective, it might well appear that some ruffian villainess from Rainfeld had seduced their precious Duke.

‘A challenging in-law situation awaits.’

I took another deep breath, firmly steeling my resolve once more.

Just as the high walls surrounding the ducal residence came into view, the main gate entered my sight.

“Is that it?”

“Yes. Soon we’ll get off and…”

Suddenly, Richard’s voice trailed off, and he ran his hand over his face.

“What’s wrong?”

“……”

As Richard’s lips moved silently, the carriage door opened as smoothly as an automatic door after the vehicle came to a gentle stop.

And… faced with the breathtaking sight before me, I was left speechless.