Chapter 18: Brilliant scheme*
“Is... vacation... really over?”
Sitting in his office chair and looking up at the ceiling, Ascal muttered to himself.
Today, his world crumbled.
“Today, I prepared peppermint tea to help you change your mood.”
Lia served the tea.
It had been ten days since Ascal had seen her.
It was hard to believe, but he was somewhat glad to see her.
Ascal sipped the just-warm-enough peppermint tea and squinted his eyes.
It tasted like toothpaste.
Was this an attempt to poison him? On another note, it did snap him back to reality.
“Did you mix in toothpaste?”
“Seems it wasn’t to your taste. I’ll prepare something else.”
As Lia went to make another drink, Ascal checked on the piled-up work.
Surprisingly, there was hardly any work accumulated over the past ten days.
There were two reasons for this.
Firstly, Kane, the head of department 1, practically handled most of the tasks.
The director’s job was mostly to enjoy his hobbies and casually interact with the higher-ups, then just stamp approvals when necessary.
Secondly, the staff of the ‘Evaluation Department’ were still in workaholic mode.
Some even had deep dark circles under their eyes, roaming around like zombies. The late nights weren’t scary for no reason.
‘So, this is the only task I need to handle?’
Negotiations with Count Luderun.
In a nutshell, the state needed to use some land that slightly overlaped with Count Luderun’s territory.
Count Luderun stated that unless dirt gets in his eyes, not even a speck of his land could be used.
To interpret this, it basically means ‘Pay me a generous compensation.’
In an era without professional surveying technology, such disputes were common, and most of them could be resolved with money or power.
However, since Count Luderun was not a pro-emperor faction, the empire decided to keep its purse strings tight.
Instead, they said, ‘You guys do a good job, so handle this smoothly,’ and tossed the matter to the Evaluation Department.
And to negotiate with someone of a Count’s stature, one must be at least of the director’s rank.
‘But why do I feel so reluctant to handle this job…?’
Ascal stared blankly out the window.
Before succeeding or failing at a task, he simply didn’t want to work at all.
Humans are, after all, creatures of habit.
The recent vacation had transformed Ascal into a complete slacker.
“I’ve brought you something else to drink.”
“Thanks.”
With a sense of emptiness, Ascal closed his eyes and took a sip of the tea Lia had prepared.
It was pleasantly sweet and slightly thick – incredibly delightful.
It had been a while since he tasted something this suited to his palate.
She should have made this from the start.
“What tea is this?”
“It’s cocoa for toddlers.”
“......”
No wonder it was so sweet.
***
The alleyway behind the government office was geographically in a very unique spot.
Hidden between buildings and barely visible at a glance, there was a certain coziness to the alley that made it the perfect place to take a puff from a pipe and gaze up at the sky.
In other words, a place to loaf around.
Today, as always, Ascal sought out the alley with his pipe in hand. But today, there were already some early visitors.
“Devon, still holding a grudge against Director Ascal?”
“Isn’t it obvious?”
In alleys like this, gossip was a frequent occurrence. The usual victims were superiors, colleagues, and juniors.
And there was an unspoken rule in these gossip spots: the subject of the gossip should never suddenly appear.
“He’s just a lucky upstart who happened to succeed in quick succession. Over time, his true colors will show.”
“I respect your opinion. It’s not like I’m just humoring you because you’re the child of a count.”
“Hmph. Time will reveal I’m right.”
Adhering faithfully to the etiquette of gossip, Ascal was taken aback by Devon’s words.
Within Ascal’s mind, the image of Devon had always been vague. He was just the former manager of Department 2 and came from a noble lineage.
However, upon hearing this gossip, Ascal’s perception of Devon drastically shifted.
'Lucky.'
'That’s true.'
A rapid riser who achieved success after success.
It was a Fact.
'Over time, one’s true colors will show.'
‘I truly hope they do.’
‘Such a discerning and insightful individual exists, one who can penetrate the truth?’
Ascal thought.
Such talent must be cherished.
***
“Negotiate with Count Luderun, you say?”
“You’re the perfect candidate. To negotiate with someone as demanding as Count Luderun, one needs noble blood. Just like you.”
“You’re not wrong... Hmm.”
Devon, called into the director’s office, rigidly listened to Ascal’s proposal.
Despite the significant rank difference between the two, Devon had the backing of a count’s lineage.
Just as a Pokémon occasionally ignores commands without a trainer badge, one needed a position higher than a vice-minister when one belonged to a count’s family.
However, nominally, Ascal was Devon’s superior, so he quietly listened.
Seeing a hesitant Devon, Ascal judged that now was the right time to throw his ace.
“It’s a task that requires someone as competent as you.”
Ascal used Flattery!
It was highly effective!
For the next 5 minutes, the probability of Devon obeying Ascal’s command increased!
“If you put it that way, I’ll take on the task.”
Successfully wooing him, Ascal looked at Devon with satisfaction.
And then, he pulled out three leather pouches.
“I’ve prepared these just in case. If the negotiation with the Count becomes challenging, take one out.”
“Hmph. I doubt I’ll need to use these. Still, I appreciate the gesture.”
Devon confidently left the director’s office.
Ascal watched his retreating figure with satisfaction.
He had always wanted to try this strategy, reminiscent of the tactic with three pouches given to Zhao Yun in the old Romance of the Three Kingdoms, to be used in times of difficulty.
The difference was, instead of written words, these pouches contained items.
‘I have a feeling if I wrote something down, it would lead to a big mess...’
For the record, the pouches contained trinkets that had nothing to do with negotiation.
After all, it was a rule to nurture talent strictly.
***
Count Luderun’s Mansion:
Upon meeting Count Luderun, Devon immediately sensed something was off.
From their very first encounter, Count Luderun casually draped one leg over the table in the reception room.
“You have 3 minutes. Speak.”
Such a demeanor lacked any semblance of dignity.
The Luderun family rose to prominence through commerce. Their background was distinct from Devon, who was born of noble blood.
“I am here to negotiate.”
“Negotiate? Negotiate-whatever? Listen, young man.”
Count Luderun took a puff from his pipe and spat phlegm into a bowl.
“Negotiation is for equals. What do you have to offer for my precious land? What you’re proposing isn’t negotiation. It’s begging.”
Devon unwittingly wiped the sweat that had formed on his forehead.
From the start, Count Luderun had no intention of listening to him. He felt overwhelmed. The lives and experiences they had led were entirely different.
‘The pouches that Director Ascal gave me...’
The thought of the pouch given by Ascal flashed across Devon’s mind.
To be honest, he had scoffed when he received the pouch. He believed he could successfully negotiate without such gimmicks.
Devon pulled out the first pouch.
Inside was a net filled with peppermint, the kind used for brewing tea.
Where was he supposed to use something like this? Panic began to set in for Devon.
Just as Count Luderun, who had been distracted during their discussion, was about to berate Devon, he paused.
The room suddenly fell silent.
“…Peppermint, is it? Bring it here.”
Breaking the stillness was Count Luderun. In a semi-panic, Devon handed over the peppermint.
And as it was brewed into tea, the deep scent of peppermint began to fill the room.
“Top-grade peppermint. Some detest the smell of peppermint, but to me, they’re all ignorant fools. They don’t realize how refreshing this scent is.”
Count Luderun savored the peppermint tea.
His expression softened considerably.
“Alright. You’ve shown some sincerity. I’ll listen. Speak up.”
Somehow, Count Luderun’s demeanor had changed. Before the unpredictable Count could change his mind, Devon quickly presented his prepared negotiation proposal.
“We plan to build a watchtower adjacent to your land, my lord. Your territory is a strategic military location, bordering the territory of the immigrants. If a watchtower is erected, it will not only monitor the immigrants but will also ensure the safety of your lands.”
Bang!
Count Luderun slammed his desk.
“My territory is safe even without such a watchtower. Did we seem so weak to you that we’d rely on something as trivial as that?”
Devon’s meticulously prepared proposal had brought about the worst possible outcome. The agitated Count Luderun was on the brink of storming out.
‘The… the second pouch.’
Hastily, Devon opened the second pouch given by Ascal.
Inside was a toy doll.
‘Wha... What the hell is this?’
So worked up, even the dialect of his old hometown that he’d meticulously suppressed after moving to the capital slipped out.
“Isn’t that a limited-edition doll from the Devon Workshop? It’s even a part of the collection I don’t have. How did you know I collect these?”
Greed glinted in Count Luderun’s eyes.
Devon was taken aback. He hadn’t imagined the Count collected dolls, let alone this one.
Even more astonishing was the foresight of Director Ascal, who had anticipated the Count’s tastes.
Once again, sweat trickled down Devon’s forehead.
He wasn’t sure if the sweat was because of Count Luderun or because of Director Ascal.
“When meeting the Count, it’s only proper I don’t come empty-handed, isn’t it?”
“Hmm. A polite young man you are. Did you time the gift presentation on purpose? You do seem to know how to negotiate.”
Holding the limited-edition doll, Count Luderun nodded in satisfaction.
“However, it’s still problematic. Erecting a watchtower next to my territory essentially means surveilling our land, doesn’t it? Let me be blunt. From the outset, this negotiation was a stretch. The real intention behind the watchtower is to keep an eye on our territory, isn’t it?”
“Uh... Well...”
“It’s not your fault. It’s just those trashy spies. You’ve just been used as a pawn.”
Devon couldn’t respond properly to this previously unknown fact.
“Return and deliver my message. Say you almost succeeded in the negotiation, but narrowly missed out. This way, your reputation won’t be tarnished, right?”
The Count’s tone was so paternal, it almost made Devon inadvertently nod in agreement.
‘No, I can’t just give up here.’
Yet the outcome was still failure. Devon reached for his last pocket.
Inside was a worn-out coin, woefully inadequate as a bribe.
‘Director Ascal! What on earth am I supposed to do with this coin?’
Devon internally screamed.
“That coin is!”
However, Count Luderun showed interest in the coin.
He even snatched it from Devon’s hand to inspect it closely.
“This is a commemorative coin from the empire’s founding, isn’t it?”
“Yes... that’s right.”
To be honest, he didn’t know. But he couldn’t deny it at this point.
Count Luderun gazed into the distance, holding the worn coin, as if lost in old memories, like an elder reminiscing about the past.
“Back then, I was nobody. A helpless fellow who couldn’t even afford bread. Whenever I was near a bakery, intoxicated by the smell, I’d vow that one day I’d own one. Just that hope was enough for me back then.”
“I see.”
Devon knew from experience that nodding and empathizing was the best course of action in such moments.
“I struggled like mad to get to where I am today. But without the help of the previous emperor, I wouldn’t be here.”
Tears welled up in Count Luderun’s eyes.
“It was really... unimaginably tough, but those were happy times...”
‘What’s gotten into this guy?’
Devon couldn’t grasp the unfolding situation.
Count Luderun wore a faint smile.
“You cunning devil. Handing this to me. You’re reminding me of my early days, aren’t you?”
‘Damn it, I can’t read him.’
Devon decided to play along.
“You’ve seen right through me.”
“To be honest, I’m not too fond of the current empire. But the previous emperor probably would’ve wanted a watchtower here. He always cared deeply for this land.”
Devon nodded, a reflexive reaction.
“Very well. Devon of Hrundel, you’ve managed to persuade this stubborn old man. Here’s your permit.”
Count Luderun pulled out a parchment and stamped it with his seal. It was a permit granting the use of the land.
“Thank you, Lord Count.”
“Don’t thank me, I should be the one expressing gratitude.”
Honestly, Devon still couldn’t figure out how things had played out.
He could only think of one person.
‘Just how much... and from where... did you plan this... Ascal Debrue? You genuinely terrify me.’
****
Ascal had heard the news of Devon’s successful negotiation.
‘Just as sharp-eyed as ever, an invaluable talent. He should’ve been in a director position instead of me.’
But it was not too late now.
<Congratulations! Devon has been promoted to the head of department 3!>
‘Let’s board the train together. The express train to promotion... Tsk Tsk Tsk.’
Which final destination was Hell.
– – – The End of The Chapter – – –
[TN: Brilliant scheme: The original chapter’s title was ‘금낭묘계’ (geum-nang-myo-gye) which actually is an old Chinese idiom, originated from Luo Guanzhong’s novel ‘Romance of the Three Kingdoms’.
Here the author actually takes reference from the original story which goes like this:
In the Kingdom of Wu, the renowned general Zhou Yu defeated Cao Cao’s mighty army at the Battle of Red Cliffs, thanks to the ingenious strategy of Zhuge Liang. However, Zhou Yu felt threatened by Liu Bei’s ambition and Zhuge Liang’s brilliance. As a result, he tried to eliminate them on several occasions but failed each time. Finally, he deceived Liu Bei by promising to marry him to the younger sister of the King of Wu, Sun Quan, luring him to Wu and then taking him hostage in an attempt to reclaim the territory of Jingzhou.
Zhuge Liang, who saw through Zhou Yu’s intentions, entrusted the protection of Liu Bei on his journey to Wu to Zhao Yun. He gave Zhao Yun three silk pouches filled with strategies, saying, “Unfold and execute one whenever you face a crisis.” During emergencies, Zhao Yun took out the strategies one by one from the pouches to overcome challenges. Thanks to the strategy in the “Golden Lock Plan,” Liu Bei genuinely married Sun Quan’s younger sister, escaped the pursuit of Wu’s army, and safely returned to Jingzhou.
You can support the translation and read 5 chapters ahead of the release here on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/OracleTls
