“I can’t believe how efficient I am!”

Making the declaration in the living room was Cadmus. And the only one, apart from the servants, that was listening to him was me, the hero turned temporary supervisor. 

“Ah yes, the duality of mortals,” I quipped. “Just a few hours ago you were grumbling about talking to Porcius and Sempronius. So did it really go that well with them?”

“Yes,” he answered to my surprise. 

“You got them to agree with us?” I asked, my voice brimming with hope.

“No,” he replied, dragging me back to reality. “I only got them to agree with altering the literary portions. They’re still staunchly against us on the matter of the martial portion, though they were nice enough to not hold me for an hour long argument.”

“Well with that out of the way, I should probably talk to Marcus about the matter,” I added. 

“Already did that,” Cadmus informed me. “I had some extra time and Marcus was close by so I just took care of it. Don’t worry, he’s on our side for every issue, even if he’s a bit grumpy.”

“Thanks,” I said, mildly shocked by the change of events. “You need me to do something in return for that.”

“You can start by marrying my sister,” Cadmus answered, completely serious.

I continued to stare at him for a bit, wondering if he was joking. And as expected, he was not.

“Sorry, that’s not possible. Whether that happens or not rests solely upon the feelings of Minerva, Sekh, and I. I’m not going to allow other factors to convolute the relationship between us.”

Taken aback, Cadmus blinked heavily upon hearing my answer.

“That was an oddly serious answer from you. Well I take it back then. But please give my sister a chance, she’s a good person despite her oddities.”

“I know,” I replied: “Seems to be a norm within your family.”

“So it is,” he remarked. “Sorry for behaving rather desperately. It’s just that I’m unsure if my little sister will muster enough courage for matters of love.”

“I would also agree with that statement,” I added.

“Well putting that matter aside, I really am impressed with how fast I finish things,” Cadmus boasted. 

“You say that yet you have four wives,” I quipped, a wry grin on my face.

“And you have none,” he pointed out.

“For now,” I argued. “But I have a warm and fluffy future ahead. With a particular emphasis on the fluffy part.”

“Sounds nice,” he commented. “You really seem to look forward to it.”

“Absolutely,” I answered. “It’s probably the best aspiration in my life so far.”

“Your dreams must have been pretty shit then,” he responded.

“Not really,” I argued. “I used to dream all about where I would go in life. But I never thought about who would be there with me despite people being inherently social creatures.”

“No need to philosophize,” Cadmus quipped. “Just say that you’re lonely and be done with it.”

I paused for a moment to consider his words.

“You know what, you’re right.” 

“Hey, don't agree so quickly,” Cadmus complained. “You’re making me feel bad for you.”

“Thanks big bro,” I said cheekily, provoking an irked look from Cadmus. 

Although I had the slight desire to harass him a tad more, I decided against it. Mostly because it would be disrespectful to someone who had just cleared a load of work off my shoulders. 

As for what I would have to do now, I just have to supervise my portion of the exam. Fortunately for me, I have the objectively easiest section. While my colleagues would have to debate the nuances of rhetoric and similar subjects I had a fairly non-subjective grading system. For example, if an applicant lifts an average weight boulder then they would pass that part, if the applicant managed to lift a heavy boulder they would get a good grade, and if the applicant lifted a really heavy boulder they would pass with flying colors. Well I also had to grade demonstrations of skill with practice weapons but this was far easier for me than poetry. 

With around five days until the beginning of the exams and all the preparations in order, I mostly occupied myself with training Minerva as well as spending time with Sekh and Zeph. At this point, I would say that Sekh and Zeph had become true best friends, although it must be considered that Zeph doesn’t have many friends. 

As for Minerva and I, our training was actually fairly diverse. While I was the one responsible for teaching Minerva equestrian skills and spearmanship, Minerva’s sword instructor taught both of us at the same time with me serving as her primary sparring partner. And although I would always win in a competition of pure force, I occasionally found myself getting whacked due to my inferior skill. 

“Ah, I’m sorry,” Minerva apologized after hitting my hand so hard that I dropped my sword. 

“It’s fine, it really is,” I consoled her while squeezing my right hand in a rather contrary manner. “Like your teacher said, you need to strike with determination. So don’t worry about it.”

“Good job young hero,” the elderly southern elf overseeing us said. “You might be that good with the sword but you are good at listening.”

“I happen to represent a different weapon unfortunately,” I complained. “Besides, I was mainly taught horseback swordsmanship.”

“Well you make a good partner for her nonetheless,” he said offhandedly. 

Although he very clearly meant sparring partner, the shy maiden couldn’t help but blush profusely at his statement. And based on his expression, he didn’t even try to make an innuendo either.

“Come on, let’s go again,” I said, pulling Minerva out of her stupor. “We need to get you ready for the exam.”

“Right, yes, exactly,” she stammered. 

Well at least I got her back on track. Despite this success, the recent trend clearly indicates that I might have another similar ‘misunderstanding’ or event in the coming days. I’m genuinely starting to consider that there might be a conspiracy among the Considia household and their acquaintances to set up Minerva and I. 

True to my predictions, one event happened before the beginning of the exam. During dinner, Cornelia and Julia were discussing the issue of suitors. Then Minerva got dragged in, which naturally led to her looking straight at me. Instead of teasing her, I masterfully redirected the conversation towards politics in Megara. And by masterfully, I mean almost stumbling and failing. Additionally, Zeph finally figured out Minerva’s feelings towards me, which she promptly announced to Sekh and I while we were in our room. Suffice to say, Sekh and I made fun of her for a while for taking so long to figure it out. 

But all good things have to come to an end. After five days, the annual civil exam in Tyros would be hosted. Taking place within the castle of the city, the exam would last for around two days as test takers plunged through the obstacle course created by generations of government officials. There were two reasons that the exam would require two days. First, it was deemed necessary for there to be sufficient breaks to allow applicants to fully demonstrate their abilities in each area. Secondly, it was not possible to fit hundreds of test takers in the great hall nor did we have enough boulders and absurdly weighted practice weapons for the applicants to use at a large scale. 

On the first day, half the applicants took the actual civil portion of the exam while the other half was sent over to me. There, my assistant and I documented the performance of the applicants for a number of tests. Since this was essentially a watered down version of the military exam, it was much simpler. Applicants would take a short written test on military theory such as logistics and strategy. Afterwards, they had to perform physical tasks such as lifting a heavy boulder, throwing javelins from horseback, as well as demonstrating their skills with practice swords and spears. 

Unsurprisingly, numerous individuals performed poorly on this part of the exam, particularly the lower classes. However, their failings were mostly centered around the physical tests, not the short written test. And personally, I don’t see why an administrator needs to be able to lift a boulder.

Sometime before dinner, my assistant and I were finished with our work, all of us heading home to rest for the next day of work. 

“How are things on your end?” I asked Cadmus as we walked home together. 

“Relatively fine,” he answered. “The poetry is just as painful to read as usual and the mock reports still numb my brain like they used to. But I have to say, I’m glad that the grading criteria is more strict this year. Now I can legitimately fail people.”

“Were you doing it illegitimately before?” I wondered. 

“No, but other graders were,” he told me. “So how about you then? Is there still a surplus of people failing to lift a boulder?”

“Yup,” I answered. “I recommend changing the boulders to a pile of papers or books for later exams. At this rate, I’m convinced that the boulder test is just there due to tradition.”

“More or less,” Cadmus sighed. “But you’d be surprised by the amount of people who swear by its importance. And it’s not only the nobles who support it, but wealthy farmers as well.”

When the two of us arrived home, we found everyone else huddled around the dinner table which was packed with a variety of delicious dishes such as steamed squid, oyster stew, and stuffed pigeons. 

“Isn’t it a little too early to celebrate?” I wondered when I got to the table. 

“Absolutely not,” Cornelia chided while filling my plate with items she knew that I liked. “Now eat up, you’re going to need that strength for tomorrow.”

“Oh, okay,” I replied. “Well I’m really not doing much, but I can understand that some of the other people here are working a lot harder.”

“That’s right,” Cadmus remarked. “Now there are a few too many uneaten pigeons on the table which I’ll be taking care of.”

“So how are things going for you, Minerva?” I asked as we were eating. 

“Good I think,” she answered. “Apart from poetry, I think I did really well on my mock report and modern literature.”

“Are you sure about that?” Cadmus suddenly chimed in. 

“I am,” Minerva asserted, looking as though she wanted to whack her brother on the head. “I know that you’re just trying to mess with me.”

“Are you sure about that?” he repeated mischievously. 

“Yes,” Minerva reaffirmed. “Besides, it’s not as though you’re allowed to look at my submissions since we’re family. And the other examiners aren’t allowed to tell you about my performance either.”

“Sharp as always, little sister,” Cadmus remarked before going back to eating his food, Minerva sighing as he retreated. 

“In that case, I might not be able to look at your results either,” I told Minerva. “Well I’d be able to watch you, but I can’t take part in the grading process because we’re closely affiliated.”

“That’s fine,” she replied. “But can you watch me and tell me how I did? Just giving your opinion is fine, you don’t have to ensure that it matches the actual results.”

“Sure, I was planning to do that anyways,” I informed her. “If you need anything, then let me know before the exam starts, ok?”

“It’s fine, I don’t need anything right now,” she said while smiling. 

After eating dinner, I simply spent my time relaxing before going to bed. And because tomorrow was another day of work, Sekh decided to sleep with me instead of Zeph. 

“So Azel, what type of massage would you like this time?” she purred while smiling seductively. 

“Well I’m not tired today so I’d like a breast massage,” I answered. “I assume that you’ll be using your chest, not mine.”

“Maybe,” Sekh said mischievously. “Now lie down dear, I’ll taking care of you tonight.”

“Mmm,” I hummed happily. 

After laying down fast first on the bed, I felt Sekh pounce on my back, her tail brushing against my leg. 

Suddenly, the firm feeling of Sekh’s tits pressed itself against my back, bliss spreading from that spot on my body. Sekh continued to rub her body back and forth against my back, provoking murmurs of pleasure from me. I don’t know if I could consider this a proper massage, but the feeling of taut yet soft flesh against my back felt marvelous. 

“Hehe, super cute,” she remarked as I continued making satisfied noises. 

“That's a good way of describing how I feel about you,” I commented.

Instead of saying anything, Sekh just pushed herself forward and gave me a wet lick on the ear. Turning around, I could see her smiling cheerfully as she wrapped herself against my body. 

“So Azel, do you wonder what it would be like to have Minerva do this for you?” she asked while poking my cheek. 

“Less fluffy and more booby,” I answered, earning a mirthful laugh from Sekh. 

“Good choice of words,” Sekh chuckled while continuing to rub herself against me.

“On that topic, are you still ok with me making a move on her?” I asked Sekh. “Be absolutely honest with me.”

Getting off my back, Sekh scratched her cheek for a moment to consider. 

“My position has only gotten stronger. Ever since you started working with Cadmus, I’ve noticed that you still try your best to spend time with me despite diverting time towards work and helping Minerva. So I guess you could say that you have my blessings.”

“Thanks,” I replied somewhat awkwardly. “It’s definitely a bit odd getting permission from you to find another partner, something I don’t intend to get accustomed to.”

“Another cute moment,” Sekh cooed. “But in all seriousness, you’re only getting more and more involved in politics. So at this rate, you won’t be able to live obscurely at all. Which means you’re only going to get approached by more and more women, not all of them with good intentions.”

“Sekh, can I have the innocent and adorable you back?” I requested. “I like it when you’re sharp, but let me avoid thinking about the future for a while.”

“Alright,” Sekh said warmly. “But I’d like cuddles in return.”

Turning over on the bed, I pulled Sekh into my arms, nuzzling my cheek against hers. 

“Now let’s go to sleep dear,” Sekh purred in my ear, provoking a very warm feeling from me. 

The following day, I woke up early as usual to prepare for work. Along with Cadmus, the two of us began to make our way to the castle. However before we could go, I was approached by Minerva who had woken up around an hour earlier than expected. 

“Is something wrong?” I asked her.

“No, not at all,” she answered, her voice lacking any evidence of sleepiness. “I just wanted to ask you to wish me goodluck.”

“Is that seriously it?” I wondered. 

Smiling gently, I raised my right hand with the thumb pointed upwards.

“Good luck then, Minerva. I’m sure you’ll do well on the exam.”

Blushing a bit, Minerva began grinning broadly before suddenly hugging me. 

“Thanks, I’ll make sure to not let you down.”

“You’re taking the exam for yourself, you know?” I sighed in my mind, purposely not voicing the thought. 

After breaking off from my hug with Minerva, I could finally start travelling to the castle with Cadmus. 

“She finally did something,” my companion declared happily after we got out of the house. 

“I personally dislike being used as a good luck charm,” I remarked. “It puts way too much pressure on me to not taint someone with my subpar luck.”

“Don’t worry,” he assured me. “Did you see how happy she was? That’s enough encouragement to offset bad fortune.”

“I really am quite impressive,” I boasted. 

"It’s better to say that my sister needs to get in touch with reality,” Cadmus complained. 

“Let’s go with my explanation,” I offered. “It makes the world seem better than it is.”

Once we arrived at the castle, the two of us parted ways to head to our own designated sections. After reviewing equipment once more, my assistants and I were ready to begin examinations. 

Soon after, applicants began flooding into our designated area, all of them having taken the civil portion the previous day. Among the crowd, I could actually make out Minerva, despite her blending in fairly well due to the high number of southern elves among the test takers. 

Despite waving to her, I couldn’t do much more than smile and watch, being restricted from grading her. Of course, this didn’t stop me from watching over as I had promised. 

In terms of performance, Minerva was quite a bit above average. She at least passed the javelin test, actually lifted the average weight boulder, and performed particularly well in regards to horse riding and swordsmanship. And although I was not privy to her written test, I was confident that she did well.

Since I had been working quite efficiently, I managed to arrive home before dinner. As for Cadmus, he told me that he would be working hard for the next few days. 

When I arrived home, I was immediately greeted by the sight of an excited dark elf woman.

“So how did I do?” Minerva asked me. 

“You did really well,” I answered warmly. “Even though it’s just my opinion and I might be a bit biased, I’m certain that the other examiners had similar sentiments.”

“It’s all thanks to the good luck you gave me this morning,” she exclaimed, unusually happy. 

Scratching my head, I couldn’t help but disagree.

“That’s really not how it works. All I did was help you believe in yourself and I’m not even sure that was necessary.”

“Fine, fine,” she sighed. “Anyways, let’s have dinner.”

Similar to the night before, the table was packed with luxurious courses. However, the main difference between today and the day before was a large increase in wine being served. Obviously tonight was meant to be the true celebration.
Strangely enough, the one who was celebrating the most was in fact Minerva. Everyone else, including myself, had been quite reserved when it came to drinking. However, Minerva was essentially holding a drinking contest against the entire table. 

“So this is unusual,” I remarked while we were watching Minerva hiccup. “I’ve never seen this before.”

“Me neither,” Julia told me. “I wonder what’s gotten into her.”

Upon mention of that, both Sekh and Cornelia began to look at me. 

“Maybe I should escort her to her room before something bad happens,” I suggested, to which everyone nodded. Clearly my suspicions of a conspiracy were well founded. 

With Minerva leaning against my shoulder, I ascended the stairs. 

“Hic...thanks Azel,” Minerva muttered as I was pretty much hoisting her to her room. “You really are the best.”

When I got to her room, I gently put Minerva on her bed, sighing as I let her down. 

“Good grief, I can’t believe you’re getting as troublesome as the other two. Well it’s fine this one time.”

“Mmm,” Minerva hummed with closed eyes. “I really do love you Azel.”

Caught off guard by her sudden declaration, I was still blinking when Minerva suddenly grabbed me and kissed me on the cheek. And as much as I would like to explain to her that her feelings weren’t really love but something closer to just a strong affection, she was a bit too drunk to hold a conversation with. 

“C’mon go to sleep you drunk elf,” I cooed while pushing Minerva off myself. “I’m really fond of you too, but let’s discuss when you’re actually functioning correctly, alright?”

“Okay,” Minerva mumbled back happily, her face buried in her pillow. 

“I honestly wonder if you’re even going to remember what happened,” I said to the now sleeping Minerva as I sat down on her bed. “Well at least you took a step forward, even if you had to down two bottles to get there.”

But despite chiding Minerva this whole time, I wasn’t much less of an idiot. Since sitting on the bed, my digestive system had finally caught up to me, the feeling of drowsiness overtaking my mind. Unable to resist, I let myself close my eyes for just a bit. And unfortunately, those three seconds immediately gave way to me falling asleep on Minerva’s bed, the owner snoring right beside me.