9th Grade Civil Servant In Another World Chapter 66 - Another World Con Artist (3)

The new year of 1902 dawned.

The Supreme Leader delivered his customary hopeful speech, and the people praised him, grateful for another year that had passed safely.

Clang-clang-clang-clang-clang!

The day at the 2nd Airship Assembly Factory began with the sharp sound of the bell.

Today was the day for announcing promotion candidates.

Who would escape from being an ordinary worker and rise to the supervisor position that wielded considerable power?

The workers gathered in the desolate open field where airship experiments were conducted, forming neat rows and columns.

The biting wind that blew made their cracked hands sting, but everyone’s faces were bright. Their eyes sparkled with a glimmer of hope.

The factory manager, who appeared rather late, picked up the microphone.

“Gentlemen, thanks to your hard work over the past year, our 2nd Airship Assembly Factory has been able to prosper. But we still have a long way to go. The new airship has succeeded in takeoff and landing tests, but there are still many unstable aspects. Everyone must work harder…”

The predictable speech passed by.

“Ahem! Now then, let me announce the new supervisor. According to the internal personnel evaluation results, the worker who received the highest score is… Oscar Fisher!”

“Yes!”

All eyes turned to the middle of the worker formation. A young man with a smooth face and striking red hair was grinning broadly.

The workers who confirmed it was him all let out sighs.

“I knew it would be him.”

“This was bound to happen anyway.”

Clap clap clap clap clap!

Only after grumbling complaints erupted here and there did half-hearted applause follow.

Regardless, Oscar walked up to the platform with a spring in his step.

“Eh, this worker has contributed greatly to the company through his sincere work attitude and has served as an example to his fellow workers, so the supervisor position is hereby bestowed upon him.”

The factory manager fastened the supervisor armband to his left arm.

“Thank you! I will work with my life dedicated to the company!”

“Hehe, yes. Work hard.”

The factory manager patted his shoulder perfunctorily.

Clang-clang-clang-clang-clang!

The bell rang again and the workers streamed into the factory like sheep following a shepherd.

“Congratulations, Fisher!”

“You owe us a treat!”

Oscar mingled with the supervisors who led the groups, linking arms with them.

“Of course! Where should we go? My usual bar burned down, hahaha!”

He responded cheerfully while ignoring the muttering he could hear from behind.

‘You all knew it anyway, didn’t you?’

That the selection of new supervisors depended entirely on the existing supervisors.

The company used this system to make workers absolutely obedient to the supervisors.

Workers hoping for promotion used all sorts of bizarre methods to curry favor with the supervisors.

Rumors constantly circulated about who had offered bribes, who had brown-nosed their way into someone’s bed.

But in the end, it was Oscar who claimed that position.

***

Oscar knew.

That he shone like the sun.

A comfortable life completely isolated from the harsh world.

Born as the youngest son of a wealthy family, he grew up receiving abundant love.

With his naturally outstanding appearance plus his lively and charming personality, he was perfectly suited to be adored.

Since he never had the opportunity to experience anything bad, he maintained an untainted innocence, and people gathered around him because of that…

In such a virtuous cycle, he could have anything he wanted.

Whether it was a snow-white pony, toys so expensive they were decorated with jewels that would make your eyes pop out, or a villa overlooking the sea—literally anything.

His father, who favored the third son over his troublemaker eldest and taciturn second son, would grant whatever Oscar asked for.

It would have been truly miraculous if he hadn’t grown up to be an arrogant tyrant.

Instead, he became a bright young man overflowing with sociability.

Oscar, having grown up loved, displayed the untroubled personality of someone raised with affection, the leisure characteristic of a wealthy young master, and the boldness of someone who had never once experienced ‘failure.’

Yes.

All of his challenges had succeeded.

Except for one.

“Why?! Maximilian, you don’t even like Sonya! You treat her like nothing more than a living toy!”

“Oscar! I’m your older brother! The eldest son of the Fisher family! The person who will soon become the family head!”

“And someone unqualified to handle a creature as sensitive as a dragon!”

“How long has it been since we held father’s funeral and you’re making such a scene! Think of the family’s honor! If you’re presumptuously eyeing the family head position…”

“Ha, what? Honor? You mean the honor bought with money? I don’t need something like the family head position! You can have it!”

“You crazy bastard! Get out now!”

Every night he dreamed of flying through the sky.

He remembered the day he rode on Sonya’s back together in his father’s arms.

The cool breeze brushing his cheeks, the scenery of the land looking small below.

Captivated by that once-in-a-lifetime experience, Oscar eventually fought with his older brother and ran away from home.

That night, feeling sorry for Sonya who would be abused at his foolish brother’s hands, he tried to secretly set her free.

However, Sonya already had a runic collar around her neck that only the owner could remove, so he had no choice but to leave in tears.

That day, Oscar’s childhood ended.

“It’s okay. I can do anything.”

Oscar muttered as he changed into supervisor attire.

To obtain this lowly position, he had wallowed in the mud every day with stupid and vulgar people.

Thanks to that, he had gotten a bit closer to the factory’s materials.

He intended to extract information that would help the White Raven Order.

And for Sonya too.

***

Heavily drunk, Oscar staggered down the alley.

As soon as he entered the boarding house lacking human warmth and closed the front door, his knees buckled.

“Ugh, my stomach’s churning…”

He crawled on his hands and knees to the kitchen to find water and drink it.

Then he looked around the interior of the house that hadn’t changed much from a few months ago, but where only he remained.

Mrs. Schmidt was dead.

The matter of her death was roughly covered up through Ossel’s—no, Major Johann Werner’s power.

Johann retrieved Mrs. Schmidt’s body from the gallows.

Of course, it wasn’t out of compassion, but merely a measure considering his own safety.

A simple funeral was held, and she was buried in a sunny spot in the communal cemetery she had purchased while alive. Next to her husband.

When Oscar learned that Mrs. Schmidt had left a will, he went to find the lawyer who had handled the commission.

The lawyer, knowing she had been hanged, was frightened and refused Oscar’s visit, but through Ossel’s power, they somehow managed to hold a will reading ceremony. Though Oscar was the only attendant anyway.

Oscar felt heavy-hearted and cried a little upon hearing the will.

“In the event of my misfortune, I bequeath all my property including the house to be divided among my boarders: Lucas Redan, Daniel Hartmann, and Oscar Fisher.”

Mrs. Schmidt had hoped they would remain as boarders until her death came.

It was fulfilled in the worst possible way.

Since Lucas and Daniel were officially missing, Mrs. Schmidt’s property came under Oscar’s management.

That’s how he was able to continue staying in this ‘boarding house.’

Oscar initially tried to call Georg to live together, but Georg refused.

“Brother, I have to take care of my younger siblings.”

Reading the pride in his eyes, Oscar decided to respect Georg’s wishes.

As for Richard, he naturally had to continue his doctor’s life, so Oscar didn’t even ask.

He was a good guy, but living together would probably feel a bit suffocating.

Since the bar had burned down, their secret meeting place was gone.

They minimized contact as previously discussed and did their best to live ordinary lives as if nothing had happened.

But Oscar sometimes felt a corner of his heart grow empty when he passed by District 13’s main street on the night tram and saw traces of the burned commercial district.

Because Lucas was such a tremendously famous person, enormous rumors followed the incident of the bar burning down and his disappearance.

The bar arson case was concluded to be the work of the White Raven Order, and rumors circulated that Lucas, Daniel, and Erika had been dragged away by them. Or that they were wandering the streets mad. Of course, it was all Johann’s doing.

“There’s no way that person would do such a thing.”

One day, Oscar met Ameli in front of the bar ruins.

She was staring at the skeletal remains of the building with slightly tearful eyes.

“He’s definitely living well somewhere. Shamelessly.”

“He told me to tell you he’s sorry. That he’ll definitely compensate for the losses, so please wait.”

“I don’t need such things, and I’d like him to stop appearing in my life. Please tell him that.”

Ameli snapped and walked away. Oscar could detect sticky lingering feelings in her voice.

After the fire scene was cleared, he secretly visited the bar in the middle of the night and entered the underground hideout that hadn’t burned.

As Erika had said she’d removed the important items, indeed no evidence remained that they had been the White Raven Order.

“It’s a bit boring. I wonder if things are going well over there, Lucas.”

Lying on the empty boarding house sofa with his eyes closed, Oscar muttered.

***

A new attraction appeared in Le Chapen.

A mansion where revels of alcohol and music unfolded every night.

Originally, it was the home of a young lady who had little interest in social circles and a faint presence.

But one day the young lady left on a trip, and Lucas Redan moved in as a tenant, completely changing the atmosphere.

He, claiming to be a descendant of the Schufaben royal family, threw a party from his first day of moving in, gathering people to eat, drink, chatter, and dance for three straight days.

Even while doing this all night, Lucas Redan maintained a smiling face until the end, entertaining his guests.

“Please visit anytime. Ah, you needn’t feel burdened. I don’t know much about Rubellia’s circumstances, do I? I’d be delighted if you came and told me stories.”

He really seemed to enjoy socializing with people, turning the mansion into something like a salon.

A host who warmly welcomed guests day or night.

Tea and sweets, alcohol and delicacies always generously prepared whenever you visited.

Conversations by the warm fireplace, eating the constantly served refreshments, were so enjoyable.

Just listening to Lucas Redan’s boastful adventure tales made time fly by, and smoking cigars while playing cards often led to staying up all night.

The two people who appeared with Lucas were also extremely interesting.

Erika Brightner, a lady of cold charm who looked exactly like a hostess but drew the line saying she was just a friend and business partner.

Daniel Hartmann, a modest and cultured young man who wrote while traveling around the world.

They quickly rose to become the darlings of Le Chapen’s social circles.

“Just how much money do they have to throw parties without missing a single day?”

“He’s a royal descendant, isn’t he? It must be beyond our imagination.”

“By the way, you’ll all invest in that business, right? For people of true refinement only…”

***

“Ah, that was exhausting.”

After seeing off the last guest, I collapsed onto the bed.

The fraudulent scheme to swindle the nobles was flowing successfully. Too much so, excessively so.

It hadn’t even been a month since the auction, but already a trend had emerged where people not invited to my salon were looked down upon.

The nobles of Le Chapen are crazy about this ‘little prince Lucas.’

“Even if he’s fallen, royalty is still royalty, I suppose. Look at how much dignity he exudes!”

“He’s quite something. Nobility flows through his entire being.”

Such embarrassing praise even reached my ears, though of course it was their mistake.

Lucas Redan, far from being elegant, is a bastard who crawled through the mud at rock bottom living like a dog.

His current ‘refined’ appearance is merely the result of me, dwelling in this body, performing skillful acting.

People see only what they want to see.

No matter how much I act, it would surely fall short compared to noble blue blood, but the brilliance emanating from the royal descendant title blinded their eyes.

It showed how much the nobles yearned for the old royal family.

“Really, rich people are the same everywhere.”

Funds were rapidly running out, but I wasn’t worried.

No, honestly speaking, just collecting and selling the wallets, fans, shoes, and accessories that drunk guests lost and left behind would more than make up for it.

These wealthy people who were once nobles and were still essentially nobles seemed to think that caring about such trivial belongings was petty.

“Whose is this one?”

Even a small vial giving off a dangerous smell was rolling around on the floor.

I covered my nose and threw the bottle in the trash. I should tell the servants to be careful.

“It seems like it’s about time to start collecting money…”

Should I start tomorrow?

That’s what I thought as I fell asleep, but the next morning, business and everything else flew out of my head.

“I am Dunois, chamberlain of the White Palace. I have come to deliver an invitation from Her Majesty the Queen to Mr. Lucas Redan, so please receive it according to protocol.”

One of my knees automatically hit the ground. While bowing politely and receiving the letter with both hands, a single phrase echoed in my head.

‘What the hell is this?’

Even the Queen had begun to take interest in me.