646 – Move the Desk – 1

Today too, my lovely wife, Christina, went to work at Gamchal Castle, receiving a send-off from her cute and adorable son, Julian.

In fact, instead of feeling energized when she is sent off, her motivation her plummets. It’s not that she doesn’t like the support of her wife and son, it’s that she just wants to stay in the mansion with her family. Anyway, there is a merchant run by the family, so why not retire?

‘It doesn’t work out, so I’m going to stay like this.’

She sighed harshly and opened the door to the Deputy Director of Intelligence’s office.

After all, she went to fucking work today too. Work hours began to be so tiring and tiresome that they could not even be compared to the days when I was head of department 2.

“Are you here, conductor?”

“Oh, I’m here.”

As I opened the door and entered, the intelligence officers who had been working in the deputy director’s office stood up and greeted me.

Fortunately, I can survive because of these guys. In the past, when the Ministry of Inspector General was the Department of Inspection, the deputy director also assigned several members to the deputy director’s office and did their work. I think I can still serve as Deputy Director of Intelligence because I was able to spy on and pick up various things back then.

“Nothing happened, right?”

As I sat down in the conductor’s seat, I checked for any unusual details out of courtesy. Even if these guys had come to work before me, there would have been a difference of about 20 or 30 minutes, so there is little chance of something happening in that time.

“There is nothing else than each department posting a performance report for the first half of the year.”

“Ah. Is it that time already?”

I let out a short sigh when I heard the assistant member handing me a pile of documents.

Now that I think about it, it’s already early June. Starting in January, the time has come to understand the work performed by each department under the Ministry of Information and to praise its achievements.

‘It’s annoying.’

It has been about a year and six months since the Ministry of Supervision was officially launched. In the meantime, I compiled the semi-annual performance report twice, and both times I felt desperately annoyed and bored.

I didn’t know this when I was a manager, but now that I’m a deputy manager, it’s driving me crazy. Managers who can easily observe the field can immediately see what contributions their subordinates have made and what tasks they have performed. But the conductor doesn’t know that.

Managers can determine the level of work concentration and passion of each member in addition to their performance. But the conductor doesn’t know.

Thanks to this, my head hurts every time I consider personal punishment and select people for promotions or rewards. There is a disconnect between the performance simply seen in reports and the performance felt in the field.

‘I guess I’ll have to wander around again.’

I sighed again.

The current Intelligence Department includes not only Divisions 1 and 2 from the time of the Inspection Department, but also a significant number of personnel from the Intelligence Department under the Ministry of Special Affairs. So, if you handle things by relying on past memories or just follow the report, words will come out.

If you do the former, you are saying that since the deputy director came from the inspection department, you are defending someone from the same inspection department. If you do the latter, you are said to be too ruthless even though you are from the same inspection department.

‘It’s damned this way, it’s damned that way.’

Suddenly, anger rises. Honestly, even if I compile the performance of each department, I ultimately have to present it to the head of the Information Department. It means that I am not ultimately in charge.

If you are not promoted, it is the decision of the head of the intelligence department. If the compensation is somewhat disappointing, it is because of the head of the information department. As the deputy director, I have no responsibility or authority.

But the guys below don’t know that. There are no such damn guys.

‘During the days of the inspection department, the deputy director was the decision maker.’

Of course, that was thanks to the manager at the time giving authority to the deputy manager.

“…Hmm?”

While I was reading the report, nostalgic for the past, something unusual caught my eye.

Department 1 where the manager is absent due to the department head’s newlywed or pregnancy leave. A report that that department boasts overwhelming performance among all departments of the Ministry of Information.

‘How did they do it?’

It’s amazing. No matter how capable the subordinates are, if the leader is absent, noise is bound to occur. Even though the head of Department 1 was not a leader whose presence was a burden, he reigned as an indispensable pillar of Department 1 even though his behavior was eccentric.

In other words, Department 1’s capable leader has been absent for half a year. But, rather than being pushed back against other departments, such a department is ahead of them?

‘There was a huge second-in-command.’

I understood it because it was a strange yet familiar situation. I’ve been in this situation for 3 years.

The deputy director who led the inspection department while the director was dispatched to the academy. If the second-in-command who fills the vacuum of the first-in-command is competent and possesses significant authority, this bizarre situation unfolds.

Division 1 is probably in the same situation as the Inspection Department in the past,

‘As expected.’

In fact, the performance of the senior team leader of Division 1 was particularly spectacular.

This guy is Deputy Manager Minnie of Division 1. She is the female leader who steadfastly led Unit 1 without any exaggeration.

“It’s Angelica Winnen.”

A nearby member hurriedly raised his head at my muttering.

“Car, Deputy Chief. Did Chief Angelica have an accident again?”

“Huh?”

My head naturally tilted at those words.

What an accident. Instead of causing an accident, are you leading Department 1 by the collar? If this is considered an accident, then it is a positive accident…

‘Wait a minute.’

When I think about it, the tone is unusual. Again. It’s as if this senior team leader, Angelica Winnen, had already caused several accidents without my knowledge.

“…I haven’t heard much about Chief Team Leader Angelica. What kind of person is she?”

At those words, Buwon’s eyes suddenly trembled.

Like a person thinking of words he cannot bear to say.

“That thing…”

“He is a talented person worthy of succeeding Director 1.”

Another member opened his mouth on behalf of the member who hesitated to answer.

“The current executive director even said that he felt like he was watching a small section 1 when he was the head of Division 3 of the Inspection Department.”

“Ah.”

After listening to the kind explanation, information from beyond my memory came to mind.

There certainly was such a being. When the manager, who was suffering from Manager 1’s antics, asked Manager 1 to meet a subordinate like you, he had to hear a sad retort that he already had a subordinate like Manager 1.

The main character was this Angelica Winnen. She is a talented person who can succeed Chief 1. She is a monster who should be called Manager Mini 1, not Deputy Manager Mini.

‘It’s incredible.’

A cold sweat broke out without me knowing.

Since the original monster was on vacation, the little monster was coming into prominence. By the time the original monster returned, the smaller monster would have eaten Department 1.

‘…Eat it?’

Suddenly a good idea occurred to me.

After compiling the performance report, she quickly rushed to the Director of Intelligence’s office.

“What’s going on?”

And when I entered the intelligence director’s office, I was greeted by the intelligence director, who was tired as always.

“This is the performance report for the first half of the year.”

“It’s already happened like that. Time goes by so fast.”

The head of the intelligence department, weighing down his temples at my words, received the report with a bitter face.

Eventually, the head of the information department’s brow furrowed sharply as he checked the contents written on the very front page of the report.

“Deputy director.”

“Yes, manager.”

“There’s a strange name written on the promotion candidate.”

“It is correct to write it down correctly.”

Then the head of the intelligence department looked at me silently and then checked the report again.

“We are promoting Angelina Winnen, the senior team leader of the Intelligence Department’s Division 1, to Division 1. Is this the deputy director’s opinion?”

“Yes.”

The intelligence chief’s brow furrowed even more at the firm answer.

I understand. The current position of Chief of Department 1 is not vacant even though he is absent. She is enjoying her vacation, so the owner will return when the time comes.

However, if you put someone else in that position, it will be embarrassing for both of you when Manager 1’s vacation ends. Those who returned, those who took their positions, and those who decided on personnel orders.

“Did you have a discussion with the Minister without my knowledge?”

“No. Of course, the Director is there, so how can I discuss the affairs of the Intelligence Department with the Minister?”

The furrowed brows make her relax a little. At least it doesn’t mean I ignored the reporting system.

“Then it’s even more difficult to understand. It’s not like we don’t know whose wife the head of Department 1 is.”

It was only a little.

Of course, the Director of Information’s doubts are completely natural. It’s easy to get criticized for pushing out an ordinary person, but pushing out the wife of the minister who is in charge of the department? It is obvious that the entire department will be turned upside down.

But fortunately, our minister is far from ordinary.

“I haven’t confirmed it yet, but I think the Minister will be satisfied with this personnel decision.”

“Explain it in an understandable way. If you don’t convince me, I’ll ask you to bring it back together.”

I flinched for a moment at the intelligence chief’s threat, but gathered my wits and continued speaking.

“I once had a private conversation with the Minister, and he was regretting that only one of the executives from the old inspection department was not promoted to the head of the first department. He was even wondering if he should move to another department.”

“So?”

“Perhaps, even if the Minister wanted to move the head of Division 1 to another department, he could not do so for fear of straining the relationship between the couple. So, how about we reward a talented person with a promotion and relieve him of his position?”

It really is a perfect plan. We have blood on our hands on behalf of the husband who cannot bear to move his wife to another place. What a loyal and perfect plan this is.

Honestly, if Division 1 is my subordinate, I think my lifespan will be drastically shortened. The senior team leader, who is the next head of Division 1, is also the head of Mini Division 1, but at least he and I have never been on the same level. Even if an accident occurs, I can control it with my authority.

Crucially, does it make sense to have the boss’s wife as a subordinate? It’s obvious that they’ll often make fun of me or make fun of me.

‘I’m going to clean it up right now.’

Honeymoon vacation? Pregnancy leave? Parental leave?

That doesn’t mean anything. If you leave the room, delete it immediately. I’m pushing it away so it won’t show up in front of me again.

Perhaps the 1st department head will be happy too. Because it turns a bureaucrat with money and no time into an unemployed person with a lot of money and time. If it were me, I would bow down and say thank you.

The head of the intelligence department kicked me out, telling me to stop talking nonsense and go back.

In the end, the collected report had to be reorganized from scratch.

‘Why…!’

The plan would have been perfect!

***

I received a direct call from the head of the Information Department, not the minister’s secretary.

This is an unexpected contact. The head of the intelligence department is a seasoned and capable person, so he rarely had to contact me, even when I was on vacation.

– The Deputy Director of Information suggested that it would be a good idea to elevate the senior team leader from Division 1 to the position of Division 1 head.

However, after hearing the words of the head of the intelligence department, I realized the reason for contacting him.

Before I knew it, my wife almost became unemployed.

…

‘Why does he do good things for others?’

An uncontrollable feeling of envy welled up. I also wish someone would kick me out of my seat.

‘It’s a promotion.’

At the same time, I stroked my chin while reflecting on the Vice Minister of Information’s suggestion.

If it is a suggestion from a subordinate rather than my order, it seems okay to let Eri fly away for a while.

Ultimately, it is the emperor who decides on the retirement of civil servants, but if it is within my authority, it is possible to leave them without a position…

‘What should I do?’

I’m worried about this.