Chapter 27-A Few Days At The Bureau
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I woke up earlier than usual. Outside my window, the sun had yet to make its daily ascent. On my bed was a peacefully snoring Sekh, who was greedily tugging at the blankets in her sleep. I couldn’t help but form a smile when I gazed at Sekh’s incredibly cute sleeping face. Throwing caution to the wind, I bent down and placed a soft kiss on Sekh’s forehead before leaving my room.

When I peered into Minerva’s room, the dark elf was comfortably tucked in her sheets. Originally I planned to just go out to the sparring field for my typical morning workout. But as I thought about what to do, I began to consider how my schedule had changed. Before, I was living a near nomadic life on the road. But now my life has developed into something more stable. Instead of just a light workout, I could probably get away with a more serious session. 

Thus, I ended up going back to my room to retrieve my equipment. I came out of the room again, this time with my bow and spear. When I arrived at the training field, faint peaks of sunlight could be felt emanating from the horizon. Although I lacked a partner to spar with, I could still practice form and movements. But before that, I planned to do some warmups and full body exercises.

Like any good soldier, I did my exercises in full armor. For a while, I followed my routine of stretches, sprints, and other activities. Once I had a nice sheen of sweat on my body, I continued for a bit longer before I moved onto weapon practice. 

As I stood clad in sweat and armor, I began to take practice shots at the archery butts. Now that I think about it, I should probably get some practice arrows instead of using full on broadheads and bodkins. During my practice, I alternated between carefully aimed shots and quick barrages, my arms slowly feeling the strain of the repetition. Fortunately I had brought my waterskin with me so I wasn’t in risk of dehydration. Once I was satisfied, I retrieved my arrows and put my bow back into its case. For the last segment of practice, I decided to practice with my spear. 

By the time I had moved onto polearm practice, there were already a number of occupants dotting the field. Because of how early it was, nearly all the people on the field looked to be experienced fighters. 

Thus I began my search for my partner for the day. After mustering my courage and hardening my heart, I started to approach the various practitioners on the field. Before long, I had convinced a pair of sellswords to practice with me. Because I had changed my weapon to a blunted form beforehand, I was able to have a proper match against the two. Things went as well as they could, though I am disappointed that I can’t go all out. Had I done so, people would probably suspect that there was something unusual. I wouldn’t blame them, it’s just not right to see a young man take on a pair of veterans without dying of exhaustion. Though the pride of the mercenaries was partially preserved when I told them that I was a former royal guard candidate. 

In all honesty, my victories hardly felt worthwhile. It was not as though my opponents weren’t skilled, I was actually put on the defensive here and there. But there is just a simple gap between me and most people. Even a genetic anomaly would have to put in their utmost effort to reach the physical level that I was at. And that was not even considering my proficiency with the spear. What others would have to dedicate their life to, I received a two year long crash course, albeit with holes of knowledge here and there. 

Yet a hero had never been some sort of unstoppable warmachine. Thousands of years of history say otherwise. In a fair fight, nearly no mortal stood a chance against a divine enforcer. But fights are almost never fair by nature. Even the mightiest hero can be killed by a shepherd with a sling or a peasant with a pitchfork. There was even a renowned warrior in the past that had dedicated his life to hunting former heroes. But the heroes of this era have yet to become infamous tyrants or prized prey. I personally think that being a stay at home father is much more appealing than being a regional warlord. 

After I had finished sparring, I did my short cooldown routine. Once I finished gathering my belongings, I strolled back to the Bureau building. The door was already open when I arrived and I saw a few clerks preparing for the day. Minerva loomed over them, occasionally offering advice, but mostly just observing. 

“Oh you’re back,” Minerva said when she saw me enter through the door. “There’s breakfast in your room if you’re hungry. Just wake up Sekh before you start eating.”

“You didn’t wake her up yet?” I asked. 

“I’d feel bad about it,” Minerva apologized. “She’s just too cute.”

“If you ever want to see something cuter, then I recommend that you try waking her up,” I advised. “Nine out of ten times, you’ll receive the most adorable yawn. You’ll still get a cute pout if you’re unlucky.”

I climbed the five stories worth of stairs in my full panoply. Compared to my previous workouts while on the road, I’m fairly certain that I’d be feeling sore the next day. I wonder if I’ve gotten out of shape compared to before.

Once I arrived back in my room, I saw Sekh still slumbering. From the looks of it, Minerva hadn’t even made an effort to wake her up. Though she did at least deliver us food, each of the work tables bearing an individual breakfast platter. It was a fairly standard meal, toasted bread with eggs, bacon, and milk. 

“Come on, wake up already,” I said as I gently shook the sleeping Sekh. 

“Nyaah, it’s morning right?” Sekh yawned.

“I’m not sure why you always ask that question,” I replied as I began to strip out of my armor. “Wouldn’t it be smarter to ask if it’s noon?”

“It’s fine, I’m sure that you’ll always remember to wake me up in time,” Sekh remarked as she began crawling out of bed. 

Once I had finished changing into more comfortable clothes, I started to dig into my breakfast. Even if the food was no longer hot, it still tasted quite good. Sekh started eating immediately after she got up, not even bothering to fix her messy hair. After the two of us had finished eating, we went downstairs to wash off and do laundry. Due to the city’s large amount of waterworks and the existing infrastructure, the Labor Bureau was actually equipped with basic sanitary facilities. 

When we were finished washing up and brushing our teeth, the two of us began our workday. Today we started by cleaning the kitchen. While Sekh dusted and organized the room, I was busy washing and scrubbing the small army of cookware. My job was actually fairly simple considering how much water was available for use in this city. Though I was informed that there were laws against using soap in certain canals. 

“Alright we’ll take a short break for now,” I announced to Sekh when the time was around noon. “Let’s go for a walk to buy some groceries for lunch. Unless you don’t want to.”

Sekh stood still for a moment as she pondered her decision. “Alright let’s go then.”

Even though half of the kitchen’s facilities were still too dirty to be properly used, I would be able to use a few of the stovetops along with the fireplace. So Sekh and I set off in search of ingredients that were conducive to the available facilities.

“It feels like we’re already married,” Sekh remarked as we strolled through the streets.

“Are you saying you don’t want a ring?” I teased. 

“That’s part of the experience,” Sekh replied. “I’m not even getting a third of the experience yet. So I’ll be expecting more in the future.” 

“Likewise,” I added.

In the end, I ended up purchasing two chickens, plenty of fresh vegetables, and a loaf of bread. The price totaled 3 nummi, the majority of which was the chicken. With these ingredients, I made a roast chicken salad, grilled wings and drumsticks, and toasted bread. While I was cooking, Sekh sat beside me as a taste tester. Well she did continue to do some cleaning, but it seemed more like signaling than work. 

“Oh you’re already able to cook?” Minerva commented when she came to check up on us.

“We should be finished with the kitchen by today,” I informed her. “So you want to try a bite?”

Minerva walked over and bit a chunk of chicken that I was offering. As she chewed, Minerva made a pleasant face.

“It’s good,” Minerva told me with a thumbs up. 

“You can have more when lunch is ready,” I said while carving a chicken. “I’ll let you know when I’m done.”

I ended up lying to Minerva in a sense, since Sekh was the one that grabbed her. The three of us ate our lunch in the kitchen, primarily because of how convenient it was. The rest of the staff normally just ate at their desks or went to a nearby shop. Considering the size of the staff present, I have no intentions of cooking for all of them. Not only would I be saddled with an enormous workload, but I shouldn’t do anything that would further encourage the female clerks to hit on me. Sekh already disapproves of all the potential candidates so far, though her reasoning was something along the lines of ‘I just don’t like them.’ 

By the end of the day, Sekh and I had finally completed our renovation of the kitchen. I spent the time after dinner oiling my armor and waxing my bowstring. Though I was glad that Sekh was helping by cleaning our gambesons. Before I went to sleep, I visited Minerva’s room to check on her. Because I’m not some sort of dumbass, I made sure to knock before entering. Still, I wouldn’t be opposed to some “accidents” if our relationship progresses to such a point. 

“Do you need something?” Minerva asked as she peaked out the door. 

“Just making sure you’re not overworking yourself,” I told her. “So what are your plans for the clerk training?”

Minerva was dumbstruck for a moment as she processed what I had said. Once the information had sunk in, a strong blush appeared on her face. 

“Oh...about that, I was planning to ask you for feedback when I finish a draft,” Minerva mumbled. “I’ll let you know when I’m done.”

“Where did your confident appearance go?” I teased. “I almost feel cheated.”

“I’m not always like this,” Minerva protested, her attitude reverting back to the confident one. “Anyways, I’d like to use our next break day to discuss things with you, if you’re available.”

I believe what I observed could be called “the gap.” Perhaps fortune is finally smiling on me. I’ve been able to witness flashes of Sekh’s shy and awkward side, which contrast so sharply with her regular cheery attitude. Now I got to see the majestic Minerva blush like a maiden. Though I believe I’m also at risk. I can only wonder how Minerva would react if she saw my innocent blushing face. 

The following four days flew by quickly. I continued my morning workouts, cooking, and pursued small tasks at the Bureau. During that time, Sekh and I took another short ratman request. I received 14 nummi from the job. Although the ratman tribe we hunted was smaller than the one in Jericho, I noticed that the overall number of ratmen was much greater. 

Apart from that one job, Sekh and I also frequently went out to go fishing and hunting. Additionally, the two of us had a large shopping haul for basic necessities. This mostly included cooking supplies such as spices, grain, and oil. Though Sekh and I also purchased a stock of contraceptives. The initial cost of all those goods amounted to 10 denarii, although Minerva chipped in with 2 denarii for food.  

The four days were particularly strenuous for Minerva, since she was devoting significant effort to devise a training regimen for her clerks. Even though I could only offer paltry advice at that stage, I made sure to supply her with plenty of snacks and drinks when she appeared tired. 

 It was only when our weekly break day came that Minerva revealed her work to me. It’s important to note that the Labor Bureau operates six days a week, with one rest day for employees. Fortunately I remembered to tell Sekh beforehand about my plans for the weekend. I’m not entirely sure what would have happened if I forgot to tell her, but I’m glad that I didn’t take the risk. After I finished my typical morning routine, Minerva and I went to the lounge on the third floor to discuss her strategy.

“Everything seems fine from what I can tell,” I commented once Minerva had finished her pitch. “I think you have a solid grasp of what needs to be taught. The only issue is how to communicate it to your underlings.”

“That’s always been the problem,” Minerva sighed. “I feel like everything I say just slips right out of their ears.”

“Then how about you try teaching me?” I suggested. 

“You might not be able to tell, but you’re actually quite a bit smarter than the majority of my employees,” Minerva pointed out. “But I guess it’s worth a shot.”

And that was how I inadvertently ended up learning the responsibilities of a Labor Bureau clerk. Most of the work centered around recording information as fast and efficiently as possible. There was also a fair amount of focus put on negotiating with clients and assessing the abilities of people applying as workers. 

“I think I understand the gist of it,” I told Minerva after our practice tutoring session had finished. “Do you think the problem with your workers is that they’re dumb or is it that they don’t care to learn?”

“Depends on the clerk, but I would say it’s a mix of both,” Minerva complained. 

“In that case, I recommend you try teaching Sekh,” I replied. “She can be pretty sharp, but convincing her to work is the real challenge.”

Once Minerva agreed to my test, I went to find Sekh. Said cat was lounging on our bed while reading a book. 

“Hey can I borrow you for something?” I asked Sekh. 

“Define ‘something,’” Sekh requested as she looked up at me. 

“I’d like you to be a test subject for Minerva’s teaching methods,” I informed her.

The moment she heard my request, Sekh began to frown in disappointment. For a while, the leopard girl just pouted in my direction. 

“Fine, but you have to pay me back later,” Sekh spoke up after she was done non-verbally complaining. 

“I’ll go buy some river fish for dinner then,” I offered. 

“I like the sound of that,” Sekh said cheerily. “Oh and I’d like you to spoil me tonight.”

“I was going to do that anyways,” I replied.  

Sekh popped up from the bed and pulled me into a kiss. Most likely she wanted some sort of good luck charm. Once the two of us had separated, Sekh made the perilous journey towards the third floor. 

What occurred when the two girls met could best be described as a convoluted torture session. By the end of it, Minerva was exhausted and Sekh’s brain had shut off. Although I sat through the entire session to analyze Minerva’s shortcomings, when the session ended I immediately went to get some sugar for the two of them. 

Once I got them the necessary nutrition, I rushed out the building again. My primary objective was to buy plenty of food to make dinner for the night. But I was also intent on escaping the complaints that would be sent my way. Fortunately, I stumbled upon a merchant selling a large river pike. Along with an assortment of vegetables, my purchase cost me 18 nummi. 

Both Sekh and Minerva immediately forgave me when they smelled the aroma emanating from the kitchen. Though I believe that I was undeserving of their resentment in the first place. Minerva needed a test subject and Sekh had already signed away her soul for a reward. But I’d never argue my case against them. Even a hero can’t win every battle. 

“You have a moment, Minerva?” I asked the dark elf after dinner. “I’d like to give you feedback on your teaching methods.”

“Sure,” Minerva answered. “Sorry about what happened this afternoon, I was being ungrateful.”

“It’s fine,” I replied. “Sekh somehow managed to frustrate me as well, but I think she did her job excellently. Anyways, I realized that the way you explain things is unsuitable for people with Sekh’s temperament. The length of your explanations are too long and your vocabulary is sometimes unnecessarily sophisticated.”

“I see,” Minerva remarked as she looked down at her feet. “I’ll definitely try to change things up. But I’d like it if you can help me out with that.”

“Sure, sure,” I responded. “We'll start tomorrow in that case.”

“I’ll hold you to your promise then,” Minerva said with an eager smile. 

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