บท 95: [Chapter 95] Workaholics Group
Perhaps due to its office nature, the structure of the East Wing was not overly complex. The lower floors consisted of typical meeting rooms and offices, while the upper floors were equipped with facilities for those who needed to stay in the castle.
Since there was no need to know every nook and cranny, Neris checked a few key locations and then headed to her assigned office.
The office was beautifully decorated, with sunlight streaming in and a view of the South and the Main Wing. It had two small rooms attached. Already, two people had entered and were waiting for her.
"Advisor."
"Advisor."
The two men who had greeted her as she entered the large office were familiar faces. Neris nodded in acknowledgment to them, recalling their greetings from the earlier meeting.
"Lord Sidney, Lord Hugh."
"It's an honor that you remember our names."
Carl Sidney spoke with a wide smile and a friendly tone. Hugh, on the other hand, gave a nonchalant glance as if there was nothing special.
"What's going on here?"
"Yes, Advisor. Since you need to be aware of even the minor tasks in the castle and considering the heavy workload you must have, we have been assigned as assistant tasks."
"Who assigned you these tasks?"
"Lord Bronson. He also mentioned that if you prefer someone else, it can be arranged at any time."
If it was Bronson, he was the elderly man who had sat closest to the head seat earlier. Rex Bronson. He was the head of the castle's management until Neris arrived.
The old man had kept his distance from Neris from the beginning. He probably chose a lower-ranking manager who could be spared from work to send to her.
It was annoying to send someone without explaining directly, but it wasn't incomprehensible. Change, even if positive, could feel bothersome in a busy place. Neris smiled slyly.
"Got it. So, what are the tasks I need to look into? Is that what you're holding? Show me."
Carl and Hugh both had quite thick stacks of paper. Carl's stack was about half an inch thick when combined, while Hugh's was about an inch and a half thick.
If the superiors had specified what documents to bring, they would have roughly divided the tasks and brought them, so it seemed like the tasks that needed to be shown to her had been sorted by the two men themselves.
Carl mentioned feeling embarrassed by the workload on the first day, but Hugh immediately placed the documents on the desk. It was a rude attitude of 'I wondered when that would come.'
Dora seemed annoyed with Hugh's behavior, but she couldn't act first while Neris remained silent. After observing the attitudes of the two men, Neris sat down at the desk.
A moment later, the tension in the room eased slightly.
Quickly and efficiently, Neris sorted through the documents as if picking up snacks, and Hugh, who had been rudely about to say something, closed his mouth after glancing through the documents she had sorted. Dora almost scolded him without realizing it. How dare he!
Seeing Hugh's reaction, Carl smirked. Since the documents Neris was sorting through were the ones he had given her, Carl could tell just by a glance.
"Let's go, Dora. I need to explore where I'll be working in the future."
She was meticulously sorting the documents according to the order and importance she needed to read them.
Everyone had their own way of handling documents, making it difficult to determine what was right or wrong.
She appeared ruthlessly efficient, accustomed to handling a workload that would be overwhelming for one person. The new advisor.
The gazes of the two men lingered on her hands as she worked. The speed at which the documents piled up increased. It seemed that the documents Hugh had brought were already sorted in a similar manner to hers, so there were not many changes in the order.
Before the time for a cup of tea had passed, Neris had finished sorting the documents and pointed to the thinnest stack in the pile, stating decisively,
"Shall we go over the details related to these? Each of us can explain what we brought."
East Wing Dining Hall.
In Mainland, the day ended as usual when the sun set, just like in other parts of the Empire. Lunch was expensive, and there were tasks to be done at home in the evening, so when the sun went down, farmers put down their scythes, and miners put down their pickaxes.
However, the same principle did not apply to the meticulous managers of the White Swan Castle. As they were carefully selected, the individual burden was high, and as the administrative power strengthened, the workload increased once again.
One could say that the lower-ranking managers in the castle were always short of manpower.
As valuable resources, they were provided with treatment not seen in other jobs. They received high wages, and not only did they not have to worry about anything other than work, but the castle also provided many things in their daily lives.
If they were managers, they could enjoy a quality meal for free at the restaurant, one of the perks. Of course, the fact that they couldn't go home before dinner was a problem in itself, but not providing meals at the castle didn't mean they could leave work early either.
Rumors had it that half of those who quit due to exhaustion and fatigue from working in the castle couldn't forget the meals here and returned. Both commoners and nobles could always find a variety of dishes prepared that they wouldn't often have the chance to eat.
Among the lower-ranking managers gathered in the dining hall today, the most popular topic was undoubtedly the new advisor. The events of the meeting had spread like wildfire, and the managers, as well as the villagers below the castle, were discussing how the 'Southern-born' advisor was not to be underestimated.
When Hugh and Carl, who had been assigned to her, entered the dining hall, the room fell momentarily silent. The two men looked visibly tired, but there was no hint of dissatisfaction in their eyes. As they sat down after receiving their meals, people quickly gathered around them.
"How's it going? Have you been working until now?"
"You seemed fine?"
Since Hugh had a reputation for being sharp, the questions were directed at Carl. Carl smiled, showing signs of fatigue.
"Yes. I've been working until now. I still have to go back in after dinner."
Ah. Half of the managers sighed, wishing they could leave after finishing their meal.
"Is the new advisor someone to be wary of?"
"Are you meddling in more than your abilities?"
"Lord Sidney is known for handling tasks quickly, but to keep him here from the first day."
There was no shortage of subordinates who liked to work overtime. The moment the resentment towards the advisor spread silently among the managers.
Hugh set down his glass with a grumble and said,
"She managed to skim through the tasks that would take a while to grasp in just one day. It seems like she's in a hurry, but there's a limit to it. You should also prepare yourselves as the workload will increase. The Odville Bridge construction project, the Parurent Dam repair project, the Yukend-Dolrian agreement project, you've all seen them, and we need to delve into them in more detail."
The eyes of the sighing individuals widened.
The tasks Hugh pointed out were ones that each responsible person wanted to resolve quickly, but in the grand scheme of Mainland, they were tasks of ambiguous importance that were being pushed back.
Unless someone from above takes the initiative to resolve them, the related people will suffer for a long time, but it was a fluctuating and miscellaneous task that wouldn't be prioritized as a top priority, even with major accidents occurring daily.
Hugh warned that it would be tough, but if it was going to be tough anyway, it was better to make progress where things were moving forward rather than where they weren't. Moreover, she had understood all of that today.
"Um, are you just looking at each task without knowing which one is more important?"
In response to the puzzled question from a manager, Carl nodded.
"We've been looking at urgent matters first, and we've been working until now to organize the necessary data for your discussion with Lord Bronson tomorrow. You seem very proactive."
The managers looked at each other.
When starting work in a completely new place, everyone needed an adjustment period. People everywhere had their own ways of doing things. Moreover, wasn't the new advisor a recent graduate from the academy?
So, no matter how 'unassuming' she seemed, it was thought that she would need at least a few weeks to properly get into the work.
"Uh, we were going to have a drink later. Can we postpone it? It might be better to do a bit more work before leaving."
A lower-ranking manager, who was rolling his eyes, said to another manager he was close with. The other manager also nodded.
"Exactly."
Others were exchanging similar words with each other.
Vitality.
The enthusiasm that arose from wanting to quickly pass through one's assigned tasks when possible, thus making things easier for the people and wanting to provide comfort.
Seeing the positive energy spreading like waves around, Carl smiled wryly. Hugh let out a slight chuckle.
...In the White Swan Castle, where there was always a shortage of manpower, the remaining managers, whether many or few, were all workaholics.
***
"Wow!"
After finishing a meeting that had lasted from morning until sunset for several days, Rex Bronson couldn't hide his admiration.
"What a great approach. I've learned a thing or two from this."
"It's too much praise. I'm just doing my job as a veteran."
While receiving lavish praise from the head of Mainland's management, Neris remained unfazed. She believed that he was exaggerating as she had expected.
However, Rex's expression was not an exaggeration at all. Unlike a few days ago when they first met, he was genuinely expressing his admiration towards her.
"No, I was truly impressed by your efficiency. Where did you learn to work like this?"
Neris had indeed learned to work. In her previous life. And not just from anyone, but from the veteran leaders who had ruled the vast territories of the Vista Empire for decades. Even amidst the hyenas who would tear her apart at the slightest mistake.
But she couldn't say that. So, she confidently insisted."
"I learned. You all know that I came up right after graduating from the academy, don't you?"
"You're precise in dividing tasks and very quick in grasping the essence of matters. When presenting solutions, you think ahead about potential mistakes and prepare for them. This usually requires years of experience. It's innate."
"I still have a lot to learn about Mainland's ways and sentiments, so there will be many shortcomings. Thank you for pointing them out, and please let me know if there are any mistakes."
"Oh, there shouldn't be any issues, but if you mention them, I'll let you know if there are any omissions."
The ambiguous attitude from the first day's meeting had completely disappeared. He was skilled and somewhat arrogant, but he also had a pure side, and Neris could clearly see that fact.
It wasn't just Rex who felt satisfied with the new advisor. Tasks that had been unresolved due to a lack of manpower were quickly resolved, and the method was so rational and refreshing that the atmosphere among the castle's managers immediately improved.
As the head of the managers, Rex knew this fact better than anyone. Now, if anyone dared to question, 'How can we trust a new advisor from the South? Wouldn't it be better not to give her work for a while?' the managers would rush to defend her.
'Indeed, our Lord is always right.'
No matter where they brought people from, such a well-thought-out selection. Her background had probably been thoroughly investigated.
While Rex looked pleased, the lower-ranking managers who had entered the meeting began organizing documents. Just as someone was about to suggest, 'Let's go for a meal or something.'
Knock, knock.
"Lord Bronson! Lord Bronson? Advisor?"
Someone knocked urgently, calling out to the higher-ranking individuals. When Neris gestured slightly, Hugh, who was near the door, opened it.
The manager who rushed in had a pale face. He seemed out of breath as if he had run all the way.
"What's the matter?"
There was no doubt that Neris was the highest person in the room. No one interrupted until she spoke, proving this point.
The manager closed his eyes and shouted.
"Urgent! A messenger has come from Pechernon! There's a lion attack in the Buigang area, half of the territory is flooded, and administrative functions have ceased! They're requesting immediate assistance!"
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