第１３１３堀：総合庁舎の現状 (Part2)

第１３１３堀：総合庁舎の現状 (Part2)

I wondered if there was someone who hadn't been able to find a seat, but seeing the empty spaces available right before us, I realized that wasn't the case.

It meant this person had something to discuss with my husband.

I immediately stepped forward, intending to act as a shield for him, when—

"Yo. Looking good, Prol."

"Yes. It is a relief to see you looking well too, General Steve."

I bowed politely in response to the General’s greeting.

"General Steve, if I may ask, who is she?"

"Hm? You haven't met Fiora-neesan? Well, let me introduce you. This is Prol, the head of the Resident Services Division here at the General Government Building."

"Yes. Allow me to introduce myself properly. I have been working under Eris-sama, and for the past two years, I have served as both the section chief and department head overseeing the Resident Services Division."

" "Oof." "

For some reason, both my husband and General Steve choked on their own breath at that introduction.

"A-are you both alright?"

"Ah, yeah. It’s not about me, really."

"Still, my knees are shaking just thinking about the weight of Prol’s position."

" " " ?" " "

We tilted our heads in confusion, unable to fathom why the two of them were so rattled. Prol herself offered a wry smile.

"For now, I have prepared a conference room for you. Please, this way."

Following her lead, we entered one of the conference rooms in the General Government Building, a place we knew well. The interior was identical to the others, though there were over ten such rooms in the building. They existed because they were used for a myriad of different purposes.

"I will go fetch the documents, so please wait a moment."

No sooner had she guided us in than Prol left the room to retrieve the materials.

"……She is not prepared. Was it not communicated beforehand that we would be arriving today?"

I felt a surge of irritation at Prol for making my husband wait. Such sluggishness would normally be grounds for disciplinary action. I turned to Orelia and the others to confirm if the visit had been scheduled, thinking that perhaps there was an excuse if the notice hadn't been sent.

"Yes. We informed them seven days ago."

"Then this is Prol’s negligence. My husband, I believe this is a grave matter."

Knowing the spouse of the sovereign was visiting and yet failing to prepare is inexcusable. Under normal circumstances, there should have been a grand reception at the front of the building, but since my husband dislikes such displays, I at least expected them to ensure he wouldn't be kept waiting. Just as I was thinking this—

"No, it can't be helped. Truly, it cannot be helped."

"That's right. We can't really ask for the impossible."

For some reason, the two men, who had effectively been insulted, were staring off into the distance.

"Um, Yuki-sama, Steve-sama, you both seemed to react to the titles of 'section chief' and 'department head' earlier. What did that mean?"

Hovis, perhaps catching onto something in the previous exchange, asked the question. My husband and Steve-sama looked troubled.

"Ah, to put it simply, the fact that Prol wasn't ready for our arrival is mostly our fault."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I haven't heard the details myself, but holding both the section chief and department head positions simultaneously is unheard of. In my line of work, it would be like serving as both General and Vice-General at the same time. Fiora-neesan, you understand what that implies, don't you?"

"……Yes."

I was momentarily struck speechless. A General is someone who confers with superiors to set policies and determine the future course of action. A Vice-General, by contrast, is someone who carries out preparations in accordance with the General’s orders. While it is not impossible for a General to handle the procurement of rations or the arrangement of arms, it is far more important for them to focus on communication and coordination. More than that, if they were bogged down in such menial tasks, they would have no time for the actual decision-making.

In other words, Prol was juggling the duties of a Vice-General on top of her own, making her impossibly busy.

"……E-er, I don't really get it?"

Yayui tilted her head. It was my turn to explain it clearly, but how should I phrase it?

Ah, I see. Perhaps I should explain it as being in a state where one is handling my husband’s current support duties, while simultaneously performing my husband’s own work as well?

There is a reason why government offices are slow or why one gets passed around from department to department. That said, it is still frustrating for those left waiting.