9th Grade Civil Servant In Another World Chapter 119 - Corpse Flower (1)

「November 17th, 1901.

Someone came from Ossel. He investigated various aspects of the factory situation and asked if I had any mind to volunteer for experiments. He said if things went well, we could increase production by more than three times without hiring more people. Hard to believe.」

「November 23rd, 1901.

The researchers arrived. They will disguise themselves as factory management staff and first assess the workers’ conditions.」

「December 1st, 1901.

Full-scale experiments began. Starting today, we decided to provide meals at the factory. The workers were pleased and their morale was boosted, which is good. The researchers showed me the vegetables to put in the meals. Root vegetables with a very peculiar appearance.」

「December 4th, 1901.

The workers have been complaining for several days that the meals are terrible. When I went to inspect the factory today, the supervisors cautiously approached and asked if we couldn’t change the cook. They said truly disgusting food was being served. But isn’t there an easier way than that? When I told them I’d cut the supervisors’ wages if the workers kept causing a commotion, they all became docile soon enough.」

「January 7th, 1902.

The experiment seems to be proceeding smoothly. The researchers don’t tell me anything, but production has definitely increased. The workers who used to constantly complain about hunger became quiet at some point. According to the supervisors, it tastes bad but even eating just a little makes them forget their hunger. Everyone finds it remarkable. The workers wanted to take the food home with them, but I strictly forbade taking anything out.」

「January 23rd, 1902.

Side effects appeared for the first time. Workers complained of severe itching right after meals. Some laughed like mad or ran around. When I heard the news and went to the factory, Ossels had already deployed and knocked them all unconscious. Those who woke up a few hours later didn’t remember the incident properly. For now, I covered it up by saying it was a phenomenon caused by deteriorated materials used in the dyeing process, so be careful.」

「February 13th, 1902.

After meal distribution stopped, the workers’ efficiency dropped again. They seem to feel hunger and fatigue more easily than before. Today the researchers showed me a bottle containing liquid. They said it was extracted from plants.」

「February 15th, 1902.

Yesterday at lunch, I tricked them into saying it was nutritional supplements and gave injections. Today the workers look somewhat intoxicated, but they worked much harder than usual. Even when I eliminated break time, no one complained. However, from the afternoon the drug’s effect seemed to wear off and efficiency dropped sharply. I thought today would achieve the highest production ever, but it’s regrettable.」

「March 1st, 1902.

Several workers were caught trying to steal the nutritional supplements. The Ossel handled it, I was told.」

「July 8th, 1902.

From observation, when the drug is injected with the small syringe the researchers use, the effects appear about 10 hours later and seem to last at least 2 to 4 hours. The problem is the effects appear too late and disappear too quickly. The researchers recommended it to me too, but I refused because it looked highly addictive. The workers say they come to the factory to get their nutritional shots. Still, when I threatened that I wouldn’t give nutritional shots if they spread rumors unnecessarily, they’re watching their words themselves.」

「September 15th, 1902.

While rumors among workers can be blocked, rumors among businessmen are hard to prevent. Since several companies’ production has increased tremendously, everyone seems to be guessing while keeping quiet.」

「November 1st, 1902.

Several businessmen attending a meeting were found dead. I’m increasingly feeling fearful.」

「February 3rd, 1903.

The experiment ended. After the researchers withdrew, Ossels searched the factory and mansion. They ordered that if there were any related materials, dispose of all of them and even erase memories. I had entrusted the journal to my wife, and fortunately it wasn’t discovered. They couldn’t search even inside a woman’s skirts.

The political situation is not normal. Rumors are widespread that war will break out soon. I plan to carefully preserve this journal in preparation for any possible crisis. But I hope my worries end as groundless fears.」

***

The quiet, cool room where only the whirring sound of the electric fan could be heard.

Johann, who had been handling paperwork, fell into boredom and looked out the window at the view full of nothing but trash.

The state of the country now is just like that.

People who had risen up everywhere were crying out for war. They listened to the Supreme Leader’s speeches and praised him loudly.

Everyone was gripped by fear that an economic panic might strike, and they went mad over the Supreme Leader’s claim that the only way to overcome this crisis was to seize land and resources through war.

Even though things weren’t actually that difficult.

Originally poor people weren’t any different, and those who hadn’t been poor might have lost their property and homes, but there was still no hindrance to their daily survival. At least not yet.

It wasn’t as if corpses of those who had starved to death were scattered in the streets, nor were people driven to such a corner that even after working themselves to the bone, they’d ultimately abandon their own children or parents.

Nor were entire neighborhoods combing through nearby mountains like searching for lice, trying to boil and eat fruits, beasts, even poisonous plants or insects.

Weak creatures.

‘I had pointless thoughts.’

Johann let his lips droop as he muttered irritably to himself.

Whether the citizens of Schufaben suffered over small crises or not, was it his concern?

What mattered now was…

He carefully read through the ‘Lieutenant General Leon Kaiser Activity Report’ placed on his desk.

It felt like he was about to grasp a clue, yet couldn’t quite grasp it.

Lieutenant General Kaiser was certainly a much more thorough and meticulous man than that torture-obsessed idiot Colonel Eric Klein.

What on earth was he doing holed up in Ossel headquarters’ top floor?

Just then, someone suddenly knocked from outside.

“Enter.”

And surprisingly.

“First Lieutenant Decker?”

Philip appeared through the door and gave a vigorous salute.

“Long live the Great Supreme Leader! First Lieutenant Philip Decker, mission completed and returned safely!”

“Long live the Supreme Leader. First Lieutenant Decker, next time make sure to properly check the orders.”

Johann, who had briefly returned the salute, spoke with an ominous expression.

Actually, the moment he saw his face, he couldn’t help but realize how things had been going.

‘Ha, what games…’

Philip, who had been reading the expression of his superior whose anger was showing, instantly turned pale.

“Yes? Huh? Ah, ahhh! I, I’m sorry! I thought it was the lieutenant colonel’s handwriting!”

“Handwriting can be easily imitated. Enough. I was planning to call you back soon anyway.”

Right, there was no problem.

It was just unpleasant.

March 2nd, 1904.

Johann received a summons from the Supreme Leader and headed to the aerial fortress.

Following his orders, he had dispatched a total of seven people including Philip and his subordinate Ossels to Cortana’s border city Hetzen.

They confirmed the mine’s condition, eliminated those who knew the truth about the mana stone depletion, monitored Lucas Redan, and kept Ferint in check.

Of course, without informing Lieutenant General Kaiser.

Surely the Supreme Leader had summoned the lieutenant general without Johann’s knowledge and assigned him some task, just as he had summoned Johann without the lieutenant general knowing.

He had carefully tried to investigate, but still hadn’t found out.

Yet the lieutenant general had not only grasped Philip’s mission but had even forged orders to call him back.

Cortana’s vacant position would now be filled with the lieutenant general’s Ossels.

‘I got played.’

The Supreme Leader made him and the lieutenant general fight each other like this, accelerating Ossel’s internal division while simultaneously draining the power to oppose him.

Discord tactics.

It was petty but effective. Even knowing the Supreme Leader’s aim, they had no choice but to tear at each other.

And when one died?

‘He’ll create another opponent to fight.’

He had no particular complaints. Because he was used to it—situations where you kill or be killed.

So instead of venting his irritation on the adjutant before him, Johann stood up from his seat.

“Let’s go outside.”

“Yes!”

Johann and Philip left Ossel headquarters and trudged along the deserted—no, completely empty streets.

“Report.”

“Yes.”

Philip quietly laid out the facts he had omitted from the report to the Supreme Leader.

That Lucas Redan had exchanged letters with Queen Rubellia.

That he had contact with Ferint.

That he had subdued the boy king. That he had reached some agreement with him.

And other minor details.

Johann, who had carefully committed everything to memory, nodded.

“Lieutenant Colonel. The fact that Lieutenant General Kaiser forged the orders means our mission has…”

“All been exposed.”

“I apologize! It was my oversight!”

Philip bowed his head, but Johann simply asked quietly.

“Your subordinate Ossels?”

“All six are loyal men who have never shown any suspicious behavior even once.”

Johann knew this well too. He was the one who had summoned each one individually before sending them to Cortana, verified them, and assembled the personnel.

But that made it even more problematic.

In a situation where he didn’t know how far Lieutenant General Kaiser’s reach extended, the work of removing his influence would be several times more troublesome than dealing with one or two traitors.

‘Damn, checkmate.’

How should he interpret Lieutenant General Kaiser’s games?

He knew Johann well. He must have been confident that this level of poking and prodding wouldn’t lead to a real life-or-death struggle.

Was he testing the waters as simple amusement?

If it wasn’t that…

‘If he had to chase First Lieutenant Decker out of Cortana while pretending it was amusement, what could that business be?’

And timed precisely when Lucas Redan was summoned by the Supreme Leader and entered Schufaben.

His mood was very unpleasant.

***

The upscale residential area of District 13 was as peaceful now as it had been ten years ago, as if it had dodged the world’s storms.

Under the cloud-covered moonlight, Johann walked steadily past houses that had become empty.

Peace and tranquility were only superficial impressions—the panic had already reached even here.

Those who had been called the wealthy in the shabby District 13 were gradually disappearing over the past few months, either going bankrupt, committing suicide, or both.

However, Johann felt no emotion.

The only reason he lived in District 13 while commuting all the way to distant District 1 was because it was the easiest place to avoid Lieutenant General Kaiser’s eyes. It wasn’t out of any affection.

The District 13 Ossels were the personnel he could trust most.

‘Is it still too early, or not. Difficult.’

Johann thought as he inserted the key into the gate.

Should he seek out that man who turned people’s insides upside down and collect the debt owed him all this time? Or should he wait alone until an opportunity came to face Lieutenant General Kaiser?

A newspaper thrown by a newsboy lay in front of the entrance.

When he picked it up and unfolded it, there was small pen writing in a corner of the newspaper.

’22:00, Redan Company building.’

***

Erika’s personal office.

I lay diagonally on the sofa with my feet propped up on the table, swaying them. Watching Erika, who looked like she wanted to say something, I grinned wickedly.

Daniel, Oscar, Richard, and Georg were also waiting nearby, each in comfortable positions.

“Isn’t he coming?”

Oscar, who had been looking at his pocket watch, grumbled as soon as the clock hands pointed to 22:00, but at the same moment the door burst open without a knock.

Lieutenant Colonel Johann Werner strode in and sat across from me, asking bluntly.

“What’s the matter?”

It was an utterly dry first greeting for seeing each other after several months.

“Haha, not even happy to see me? I’ve returned alive from mortal danger.”

“Just the business, briefly.”

Among the many consistent people around me, Johann is the most consistent of all. Thanks to that, the tension that had built up dissipated.

“That’s right, brother.”

Georg chimed in from the side.

“Alright, alright. I’ll keep it brief.”

I opened the small wooden box I had placed on the table.

“Have you seen this before?”

Johann glanced down at the ginseng-shaped plant and answered shortly.

“Never.”

“I found it in the Colt Mountains. Researchers from some unknown organization were cultivating large quantities of them.”

“So?”

“Ha, you know President Brightner passed away, right?”

“That’s my father.”

Erika added, looking at Johann with her arms firmly crossed.

It had been several years since she’d joined hands with Ossel, but Erika had never opened her heart to him. Her wariness remained unchanged.

“Indeed.”

“There was something like this among his belongings.”

I held out a bundle of papers. Not the original journal, but something typed up.

Johann spent quite a while looking through it. Very fine wrinkles appeared on his characteristically expressionless face.

“How about it? Do you understand something now?”

“…The lieutenant general.”

He muttered with a rotten smile, then suddenly looked straight into my eyes and asked.

“Do you remember our previous agreement?”

“What?”

“That you would kill Lieutenant General Leon Kaiser for me.”

“Ah, of course.”

“Now’s the time. I’ll gladly set the stage for you.”

Why did the conversation flow that way again?