The Legend of the Reclusive Princess Zuicho of the Rikan Empire ~She Escapes From The Palace Everyday and Works as a Capable Government Official.~ - Chapter 20

“…You called for me, Sir?”

“Yeah, not me actually. This gentleman here is looking for you. …You know who he is, right? The ‘Ice Blossom’ from the Ministry of Revenue.”

Saying this, the Deputy Minister of Works gestured toward Saya.

She wasn’t fond of that nickname, but it had stuck for some reason. At this point, she had accepted it.

The man in question at first looked puzzled, but then nodded as if he understood.

“Ah, Deputy Minister from the Ministry of Finance. Yes, I’m aware… but, um, is there…”

His voice asking, “Did I do something wrong?” trailed off into a whisper. Saya almost snapped back, wondering how someone so timid could even function in the central government, but she swallowed the words and instead handed over the signed approval document and the accounting report.

“Are you the person in charge of this case?”

“Eh… ah, yes, um… yes, that’s me… but—”

If the incident were within her own ministry, she would have already cut him off, telling him to be concise.

Saya hated roundabout conversations when it came to work, and she had zero intention of listening to pointless babble. She briefly pointed out the problematic parts of the documents.

“The expenses listed in this financial report far exceed the amount that was officially approved. Who authorized this?”

“Eh… uh, is that so…?”

Mumbling, “That’s strange…” the man nervously compared the documents, clearly flustered.

“Despite such a large discrepancy, you went ahead and submitted this financial report without any supporting documents or an application for additional approval. Quite bold of you.”

“Oh dear, the situation is pretty bad. It makes a mockery of the entire approval process,” the Deputy Minister of Works chimed in lightly, almost amused.

Saya, slightly irritated by his indifferent attitude, continued pointing out the inconsistencies while the flustered man wiped a sweat from his forehead.

“In this province and this province, the labor unit cost differs by a factor of 1.14 and the rates also change before and after this date. The numbers in this financial report show no such changes, but if you check this other document, the number of workers mobilized is clearly different—”

Her level, unwavering tone seemed to overwhelm the man. But Saya didn’t ease up; her cold voice sharpened even further.

“Despite these differences, you’ve reported the surplus here as if there’s extra budget left. Ultimately, the exact amount overspent is not specified. Even if you claim it’s a clerical mistake, it looks highly intentional. …Do you have an explanation?”

She quoted figures as she spoke, leaving no room for argument. The staff member froze in silence, while even the Deputy Minister of Works let out an impressed sigh.

“Wow… to recite those calculations on the spot, no wonder you’re called Deputy Minister Saya. People once gossiped that you were just the Finance Minister’s favorite, but you’ve silenced them with pure skill.”

“…Coming from someone who’s a noble by birth and still passed the civil service exam to enter the Ministry of Works—that’s rich.”

“Well, for me, it was just a way to pass the time.”

“For a pastime, none of the cases you’ve handled have ever had issues.”

Saya shot him a sharp glance that said, If you paid even minimal attention, you’d have spotted this immediately but the Assistant Minister simply smiled, completely unfazed.

“Half-baked work just doesn’t sit well with me. If I’m going to do something, I do it thoroughly…. You should do the same. I expect a proper explanation for this report.”

“Ah, um, I—I’m so sorry… I, I thought I just copied over the report from the provincial office as it was but…”

“Just copying wouldn’t result in a report this perfectly, designed to hide discrepancies, would it?”

Though he maintained a relaxed tone, the Deputy Minister of Works, words carried a clear warning: no sloppy excuses would be accepted.

Saya felt a wave of relief. Her goal had been achieved: the unapproved financial report was now formally rejected, and someone higher up was presently involved. Now it was up to the Ministry of Works to handle the aftermath.

Handing over all the documents to the Deputy Minister, Saya bowed slightly. That small gesture conveyed her unspoken message: I leave the rest in your hands.

She then turned to leave, intending to leave the two men to sort things out. But—

“I’ll walk you out. …You gather all the relevant documents while I’m gone.”

The Deputy Minister unexpectedly stood up and gestured for her to go ahead.

“Eh? Ah… thank you.”

She thought, No need to escort me, but figured refusing would mean more trouble. Saya quietly accepted his offer and left the office with him.