The Three Pouches of the Golden囊妙計
Askal sat in the chair of his office, staring up at the ceiling, and muttered quietly to himself.
Today, my world has collapsed.
“I’ve prepared peppermint tea today, to help refresh your mood.”
Ria brought out the tea. It was the first time he’d seen her face in ten days. He could hardly believe it, but he even felt a little glad.
Askal sipped the peppermint tea, which had been warmed to just the right temperature, and frowned. It tasted like toothpaste. Was this an assassination attempt? In a different sense, it certainly woke him right up.
“Did you put toothpaste in this?”
“It seems it didn’t suit your taste. I’ll brew something else right away.”
While Ria went to prepare another drink, Askal checked the backlog of work. Surprisingly, there was almost nothing piled up from the ten days he’d been gone.
There were two reasons for this.
First, Section Chief Kane of Department 1 had always handled the majority of the actual work. The department head’s role had essentially been to enjoy hobbies with important people outside and stamp documents whenever necessary.
Second, the administrators of the Evaluation Department were still in full workaholic mode. Some of them had such dark circles under their eyes that they looked like zombies wandering around. Late-blooming diligence was truly terrifying.
So in the end, the only task I have to handle myself is this one.
Negotiations with Count Luderon.
To summarize briefly, the state needed to use some land, but it overlapped slightly with the Count’s territory.
Count Luderon had declared that as long as there was still dirt in his eyes, not a single grain of his land could be used. In other words, it meant ‘give me a generous amount of compensation.’
In this era without advanced surveying technology, such disputes happened often, and they were usually resolved with money or force.
However, since Count Luderon was not part of the pro-emperor faction, the empire had decided to keep its coffers closed. Instead, they tossed the matter to the Evaluation Department with a ‘you people are good at your jobs, so handle this mess.’ That was the gist of the situation.
And to negotiate with someone of a Count’s stature, at minimum a department head was required.
But why do I hate the idea of doing this so much…
Askal stared blankly out the window. Even before considering success or failure, he simply didn’t want to do the work at all. People really were creatures of habit. The vacation he’d taken had turned him into a complete slacker.
“I’ve brought a new drink.”
“Thank you.”
With his eyes closed in boredom, Askal took a sip of the tea Ria had prepared. It was sweet and thick, and incredibly delicious. It had been a long time since something suited his taste this well. She should have made this from the start.
“What kind of tea is this?”
“It’s children’s cocoa.”
“……”
No wonder it was sickeningly sweet.
The back alley behind the government office was in a geographically exquisite location.
Hidden between buildings, it was barely visible at first glance. Once you stepped inside, the cozy atmosphere made it the perfect spot to take a puff on a pipe while staring at the sky.
In short, it was a prime spot for slacking off.
Askal headed to the alley with his pipe again today. But this time, there was already a guest.
“Devan. Do you still think poorly of Department Head Askal?”
“Of course I do.”
And in alleys like this, gossip was a frequent occurrence. The usual victims were bosses, colleagues, and subordinates.
There was one rule of etiquette that absolutely had to be followed in a gossip spot: the person being gossiped about must never suddenly appear.
“He’s nothing but a lucky upstart who succeeded by sheer coincidence. In time, his true colors will show.”
“I respect your opinion. It’s certainly not that I’m only pretending to agree because you’re from a Count’s family.”
“Hmph. In time, you’ll see that I was right all along.”
Askal, who had been faithfully following proper gossip etiquette, was startled when he heard Devan’s words.
Inside Askal’s mind, Devan’s image had been rather vague. He was simply the former chief of Department 2 and came from a noble family.
But the moment he overheard this gossip, Askal’s evaluation of Devan changed dramatically.
Lucky. That’s true.
A sudden upstart who succeeded repeatedly. Fact.
In time, his true colors will show. I really hope they do.
What a talent—someone with such keen discernment, deep understanding of logic, and the ability to see through to the truth.
Askal thought that such a talented individual must be cherished and protected.
“You want me to negotiate with Count Luderon?”
“You’re the perfect man for the job. Negotiating with a difficult character like Count Luderon requires noble blood. Someone exactly like you.”
“That’s not wrong… Hmm.”
Summoned to the department head’s office, Devan listened to Askal’s words stiffly. The difference in their ranks was enormous, but Devan had the backing of a Count’s family.
Just as Pokémon sometimes ignored commands without a trainer badge, dealing with someone from a Count’s house required a position at the vice-minister level or higher.
Still, nominally Askal was Devan’s superior, so he listened quietly.
Watching Devan waver, Askal decided this was the moment to play his trump card.
“This is a task that only someone as capable as you can handle.”
Askal used flattery! The effect was outstanding! The probability that Devan would follow Askal’s orders for the next five minutes had risen sharply!
“If you put it that way, I suppose I’ll take on this task.”
Having successfully passed the buck, Askal looked at Devan with satisfaction.
Then he took out three leather pouches.
“I prepared these in my own way. If the negotiations with the Count become difficult, take them out one by one.”
“Hmph. I doubt I’ll have any need to use these. Still, out of courtesy, I’ll accept them.”
Devan left the department head’s office with great dignity. Askal watched his departing figure with a warm gaze.
He had wanted to try out this brilliant plan for a long time. It was the strategy from the old Romance of the Three Kingdoms, where Zhuge Liang gave Zhao Yun three pouches to open in times of trouble.
The only difference was that instead of written notes, these contained actual objects.
Somehow, leaving written words felt like it would cause a huge disaster…
Incidentally, the pouches contained random junk with absolutely no connection to negotiations.
After all, talented people had to be trained the hard way.
At the Luderon Count’s residence.
The moment Devan met Count Luderon, he realized something was off.
From their very first meeting, the Count had one leg propped up on the reception room table.
“I’ll give you three minutes. Speak.”
There wasn’t a shred of dignity in his posture.
The Luderon family had risen through commerce. Their background was completely different from Devan, who had been born with noble blood.
“I’ve come to negotiate.”
“Negotiate? Negotiaaate? Listen here, young man.”
Count Luderon inhaled from his pipe, then spat phlegm into a bowl.
“Negotiation is only possible between equals. What could you possibly offer me in exchange for my precious land? What you’re doing isn’t negotiation. It’s begging.”
Devan wiped the sweat that had already formed on his forehead. From the start, Count Luderon had no intention of listening to him. He was being overwhelmed. The life experience between this man and himself was on completely different levels.
The pouches Department Head Askal gave me…
At that moment, the pouches Askal had given him flashed through Devan’s mind. Honestly, when he first received them, he had scoffed. He had believed he could easily succeed in the negotiations without them.
Devan took out the first pouch.
What came out was a strainer filled with peppermint leaves. The kind used for brewing tea. What on earth was he supposed to do with this? Devan fell into a panic.
Count Luderon, who had been about to scold Devan for losing focus during negotiations, suddenly froze.
The reception room fell silent.
“…Is that peppermint? Bring it here.”
It was Count Luderon who broke the silence. In a half-panic, Devan handed over the peppermint.
When the Count personally brewed the tea, a deep peppermint aroma filled the reception room.
“This is top-grade peppermint. Some people despise this scent, but in my view, they’re all ignorant fools. They don’t know how refreshing this aroma can be.”
Count Luderon savored the peppermint tea. His expression softened considerably.
“I see. You’re a fellow with some sincerity after all. I’ll listen to what you have to say. Go on.”
For some reason, Count Luderon’s attitude had completely changed. Before the Count could change his mind again, Devan quickly recited the negotiation proposal he had prepared.
“We plan to build a watchtower next to Your Lordship’s land. Your territory is a strategic military point bordering the territory of the nomads. If a watchtower is built, it will not only help monitor the nomads but also make Your Lordship’s domain safer.”
Bang!
Count Luderon slammed his fist on the desk.
“My domain is safe without any such watchtower. Do we look so weak that we would rely on a mere watchtower?”
The negotiation proposal Devan had carefully prepared led to the worst possible outcome. The now-furious Count even looked ready to leave his seat.
The… the second pouch.
Devan hurriedly opened the second pouch Askal had given him. Inside was a toy doll.
What the… what the hell is this?
He was so agitated that his old hometown dialect, which he had thoroughly erased after moving to the capital, slipped out.
“Isn’t that a limited-edition doll from the Devon Workshop? And it’s even one missing from my collection. How did you know I collect these?”
Greed flickered in Count Luderon’s eyes. Devan was stunned. He had never imagined it would be one of the dolls the Count collected. Even more shocking was that Department Head Askal had anticipated the Count’s hobby in advance.
Once again, sweat trickled down Devan’s forehead.
He couldn’t tell whether the sweat was caused by Count Luderon or by Department Head Askal.
“How could I possibly come to meet Your Lordship empty-handed?”
“Oh-ho. You’re a young man who understands etiquette. Did you deliberately calculate the right moment to present the gift? You seem to know how to negotiate after all.”
Having received the limited-edition doll, Count Luderon nodded in satisfaction.
“However, it is still difficult. Building a watchtower next to my domain is no different from saying my territory will be under surveillance, is it not? I’ll be honest with you. This negotiation was impossible from the start. The real purpose of building the watchtower is to monitor my domain. Isn’t that right?”
“Uh… well…”
“You’ve done nothing wrong. It’s the fault of those filthy, treacherous snakes. You were merely used as a mouthpiece.”
Devan couldn’t even respond properly to this information he was hearing for the first time.
“You should go back now. I’ll put in a good word for you. Tell them you nearly succeeded in the negotiations but fell short by a hair’s breadth. That way, your reputation won’t be damaged, will it?”
The fatherly kindness in his tone nearly made Devan nod unconsciously.
No. I can’t let it end like this.
But the result would still be failure. Devan opened the final pouch.
Inside was a single worn coin. It was far too little to be considered a bribe.
Department Head Askal! What in the world am I supposed to do with a coin like this!
Devan screamed internally.
“That coin!”
But Count Luderon showed interest in the coin. He even snatched it from Devan’s hand to examine it closely.
“It’s a commemorative coin from the founding of the empire, isn’t it?”
“Y-yes, that’s correct.”
Honestly, he had no idea. But he couldn’t say no here. Count Luderon stared at the worn coin, then gazed into the distance. It was like an old man lost in memories.
“Back then, I was neither a noble nor anything else. I was a useless wretch who couldn’t even get a single loaf of bread. Whenever I passed by a bakery and smelled the bread, I swore that one day I would become the owner of a bakery. Back then, that hope alone was enough.”
“I see.”
Devan knew from experience that the best response in such moments was to simply nod and show empathy.
“And after working like a madman, I reached this position. But if it hadn’t been for the help of the previous emperor, I wouldn’t be here today.”
Count Luderon’s eyes grew red.
“It was truly… an incredibly difficult time, but it was also a happy one…”
Why is this man acting like this?
Devan couldn’t follow the flow of the conversation at all.
Count Luderon gave a faint smile.
“You cunning fellow. To show me something like this. You’re telling me to remember my original aspirations, aren’t you?”
Ah, whatever. I have no idea. Devan decided to just go along with it.
“You’ve seen right through me.”
“To be honest, I don’t like the current empire very much. But the previous emperor would have wanted a watchtower built here. He was always someone who worried deeply about the nation.”
Devan nodded. It was a reflexive biological response.
“Very well. Devan, son of Hrun-del. You have succeeded in persuading this stubborn old man. I will grant you the permit.”
Count Luderon took out a piece of parchment and stamped it with his seal. It was official permission to use his land.
“Thank you, Your Lordship.”
“No need to thank me. Rather, I should be the one thanking you.”
Honestly, Devan still had no idea how things had turned out this way.
There was only one person he could think of.
Just how far… from where to where… did you calculate all of this, Askal Debre? I’m truly terrified of you.
Congratulations! Devan has been promoted to Section Chief of Department 3!
Askal received the news that Devan had successfully completed the negotiations.
As expected of a man with such sharp insight. He’s truly talented. Someone like him should have been the department head instead of me.
But it wasn’t too late.
Let’s ride the train together. The express train to promotion… Heh heh heh.
The destination was hell.