— Evaluation —
They stood in a semi-organised congregation. The date was 01/05.
First day of the new month.
The Finance ministry only had one room with enough space to give this kind of address, so the Officials had assembled there. The same room used for hearing the people’s financial requests was now filled to the brim with Officials and their helpers.
Oliver had nearly been turned away at the entrance along with the excessive groups other Officials had tried to get into the room, but being Emilia’s only helper, he was eventually let in.
This was a monthly occurrence, a recap of the previous thirty days. An organisation such as this one avoided corruption and inefficiency by keeping the spotlight on everybody. The values of meritocracy ensured those who would otherwise coast along under the radar had to at least get the work done.
Jameson, the Secretary of Finance took the stage, which was already lined with High Officials. “If everybody could be silent?”
He didn’t speak in a particularly loud tone of voice, if you weren’t paying attention you wouldn’t have heard him. But the culture of this place wasn’t like your usual congregation of people – in no time at all, you could hear a pin drop.
The Secretary blinked, not impressed in the slightest. “You’ll all have to settle in for a long day, there is much to go over. The recent inter-city trade regulations introduced and that fiasco with those dead merchants has complicated some of our obligations, but we’ll get to that.”
Oliver twitched, and Emilia looked sidelong at him.
Secretary Jameson continued, “To begin, I’ll go over some shifts in roles. That way you’ll be able to listen to the subsequent discussions with an idea of where you fall into them. Beginning from the top–”
Oliver thought it was a bit strange how the Minister himself wasn’t leading this review, but didn’t dwell on it. These happened every month, not exactly a special occasion.
There were only a couple movements among the High Officials; one retirement and one person ascending from Middle to High as a replacement. Oliver had heard of neither, and didn’t expect he would need to.
Among the middle Officials, there was more going on. A few of them were congratulated on good performance, there were just over a dozen of them in all. Which was why, when three of them were demoted to Lower Officials, there was a minor susurration among the crowd. Three demotions potentially meant three promotions.
The Officials demoted had to make their way to the stage to go swap their two-star peaked caps for single-star ones, not making any fuss but clearly unhappy. Terique was not among them, which Oliver found unfortunate.
Next was the Lower Officials, which made up the majority of the crowd by a significant margin. Oliver saw many people tensing up, not including Emilia herself, who seemed unnaturally calm. Oliver expected she was nervous anyway.
Two Lower Officials were chosen for their contributions, far and away the highest of any of the rest of them. One was a serious looking man, who stood out from the crowd with his stone-faced expression, literally grey in complexion. He got some looks, but no extraordinary reaction. Oliver hadn’t ever seen the like, but kept silent.
His performance had been the more extraordinary of the two, a golden record with no miscalculations, mistakes, or delays. He received approving nods from the High Officials as he collected his new ranking cap.
The second, a man Oliver had seen once before already. Frederick Hazen. He had gotten his position in the round of exams Oliver had participated in, in the same test even – meaning his rise was exceptionally fast through the ranks. It was an unusual thing, as performance usually improved with experience. One needed to either be a genius, or…
Frederick’s toolbelt, stacked with magical items, was prominent around his waist as he ascended the stage. Carrying around one’s tools was not an uncommon feature among Officials, but this man was just excessive. Emilia for example didn’t need nearly as many tools, and the ones she used she kept in her office – but if someone was willing to spend more money on the job than they earned, they could basically make up the difference in skill.
Given the value of his set, no wonder he carried them around. He didn’t get the same nods from the High Officials as the stone-faced guy, but seemed happy nonetheless.
Emilia, having been calm the whole time, sunk visibly as the larger districts the three demoted Middle Officials had presided over were split among the two new Middle Officials.
Oliver couldn’t help but be disappointed too, as–
“I would also like to assign another Official a position more fitting their peculiarities. Emilia Steel, if you would come forward.”
Oliver stayed behind as Emilia made her way to the front, a strange expression on her face. As she squeezed through, Secretary Jameson continued. “As I’m sure you’re aware, our High Officials perform duties outside the direct financial management of areas. Between them, they manage inter-city trade, oversee other Officials, and appease the upper class of the city. It has worked fine so far, or until recently.”
The Secretary shot a look at High Official Curtis. “To ease the burden on our High Officials, I’ll task you with the responsibility of keeping our Lower and Middle Officials accountable. Similar to other specialised roles, you will get special authority in certain areas over your peers, as well as be elevated to Middle Official yourself.”
Emilia was on the stage at this point with raised eyebrows as she confusedly accepted the promotion and swapped her cap.
“Congratulations on your promotion, Finance Official of Accountability.”
A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
About half of the High Officials seemed positive about the promotion, the other half shifty.
Emilia had ascended the steps with a standard position at the Ministry, little protection to weather the political currents of the city.
She descended as a nonidentical Official of Finance, more than she had honestly hoped for. She assumed her particular skillset did make her suitable for the role, but this amount of authority was unusual to be given so simply.
Regardless, a win. While Emilia’s expression was just a simple dignified smile as she made her way back through the crowd, Oliver could imagine a grin bursting at the seams. In fact, was doing just that.
Oliver was invested. Not just because his career had advanced,
This was an EXCELLENT ask questions.
Ask questions of everybody under the authority of all the Middle and Lower Officials in the entire Ministry. Which meant practically everyone in the city
Oliver hadn’t even heard the details, but he assumed the details were for them to decide. New position and all.
On the other hand, that much responsibility sounded like an astronomical amount of work…
Perhaps that was why Emilia had been the one chosen for such a position.
—
The review concluded, and the congregation broke up with more annoyed faces than those happy or chagrined. The attack on the merchant caravan that Oliver had been part of the response operation for, had really disrupted the flow of goods to the city, it was not looking very good.
Not to mention, the Ministry of Defence was sweeping up a bunch of official funds to train and equip new recruits, more than they had lost even. This still left a somewhat substantial treasury in the city, but windfalls for the people of the city were going to be unrealistic. All of this likely meant more tax evasion, more discontent, more complaints, more disputes.
Realistically, the only people leaving the room happy were the four officials with a promotion, and even they knew they would need to earn their pay in sweat.
Oliver followed Emilia through the halls, she was going to report to the Secretary’s office for more details, such as where her new office would be, and more details on what exactly she was going to be allowed to do.
Oliver was practically skipping along behind her. Even he was surprised, he had just had some low lows. But low lows made for high highs, and Oliver wasn’t exactly emotionally regulated.
He sobered a bit before they entered, though they had likely beat the Secretary to his own office. Unexpectedly, sitting in the Secretary’s chair, was the Minister of Finance himself – though Oliver didn’t know that for sure.
Emilia paused in the doorway.
“Come take a seat. Both of you.” He indicated the two chairs in front of the desk.
Her hesitation did not last long, and she did so. Oliver did the same, uncertain, but with an inkling of who this guy might be.
Emilia didn’t have any doubts.
The Minister of Finance looked mainly at Emilia, but did give Oliver a few glances. “I don’t have much time to discuss this, but I want to distill in you the significance of this role you have been given. Suffice it to say I am of course aware of your family and potential obligations to them.”
The Minister raised his chin imperiously, “Par for the course of Accountability is your access to information. You’ll be given a higher level of security clearance than your peers, I expect it not to be exploited irresponsibly. I will know…”
He let that sink in, Emilia just nodded.
He continued, “Aside from official records, you will need to have an idea of the situation on the streets. Certain problems can’t be ascertained through documents alone. How you gather such information I don’t particularly care as long as it is mostly kept within the bounds of the law, but I’m expecting results.”
The Minister, a man who bore much of the city’s burdens, stood and leaned over the desk, exceptionally serious. “I can see it in your faces, you think you’re taking this seriously. I expect you’re trying your best. You both have personal interests that don’t necessarily conflict with those of your position.”
He lowered his voice, eyeing the two with laser focus, and the ambient noise seemed to . “I have high expectations.”
Oliver shivered violently and the colour drained from his face, he resisted the urge to jump out of his seat right that instant.
Mana… in the air?
Well… of course, nothing about his experience in the plane had been explainable by anything but magic in the first place.
Fingers snapped not the time.
Oliver would be talking to Stephen later, as well as Levi and River. He never did think to ask about what it when they were swept to this world.
The Minister of Finance looked at him, cogs turning behind his eyes. “The strike force, the one that got obliterated. Was the magic that significant?”
Oliver realised the Minister thought he had some kind of PTSD. He gave no response, better to have that misunderstanding than come up with some other explanation.
“... Hm. Alright, I’ll be off then.” The Minister patted Oliver on the shoulder firmly as he circled the desk. Emilia looked ready to say something, but the Finance Minister held up a hand. “Jameson will go over the details. I just wanted to impress the importance of your position, I will do the same for the new High Official waiting in my own office.”
Secretary Jameson was already in the room. He must have entered while Emilia and Oliver were distracted. He nodded to the Minister with a strange expression as the Minister left. He then went to sit in his own chair, somewhat less intimidatingly.
“Congratulations on the promotion again, Middle Official Emilia. Here’s some specifics on your position in the short term…”
The Secretary had a sheet of paper listing all the things that Emilia was authorised to do; how to go about it, proper procedure, et cetera.
Oliver listened in to all of it, missing certain aspects merely because of his unfamiliarity with the city and lack of local education. Grasping most of it though.
“I’ll get you a badge or something at some point. But for the time being, if anybody asks for proof of access, show them this document.”
It was signed by the Secretary and had a magical circuit in the top right. Simple enough.
“That aside, you are mostly acting at your own discretion. We are trusting you to work in good faith. Oh, I have this as well.”
Jameson produced a few rectangular patches, blue and inscribed with the Finance Ministry’s insignia in gold. “Some time ago, we used these for Lower Officials. Now, they’re given to helpers who need to act in proxy of Officials. Be warned that actions taken with these will reflect on the Official that hands them out. Consider it basically as a way to lend authority.”
The Secretary handed it to Emilia. “It’s up to your discretion to hand these out to whomever you wish, but with the magnitude of your role, you won’t have much choice. I can assign one or two Lower Officials to you as well, but that might produce too much of a conflict of interest.”
Emilia asked one of the few questions of the whole discussion. Everything was being covered quite succinctly. “Will I need to find more workers?”
Jameson sighed, “To be frank, you were chosen for you and your helper’s efficiency and capacity to overcome challenges. I would recommend you build a small team of such people if at all possible,” A twinkle entered the eyes of the Secretary, “this position is as relevant or effectual as you make it.”
Oliver decided to ask a question now, as it seemed the briefing was wrapping up. “Are we moving offices?”
For some reason, the Secretary chuckled. “Follow me.”
They passed the other two new Middle Officials waiting outside the door, and Jameson led them in a familiar direction. They stopped outside High Official Curtis’ office. Though the nameplate now read ‘Emilia Steel’.
Oliver pursed his lips, Emilia raised her eyebrows. “Where is Curtis working, then?”
The Secretary of Finance smiled. “Somewhere more suitable.”
Sunday.
The reason? It's mostly already written ????
keep happening.
https://discord.gg/rV85Ccv3nr }
Did this subvert expectations in any capacity?
