The Tyrant Empress is Obsessed with Me

Chapter 19

19 – Oh My Homi

Ascal felt a sense of dissonance.

Sitting in his office with his chin resting, he felt as if he had forgotten something. It wasn’t crucial, but it wasn’t insignificant either—a perfectly balanced dilemma.

“I’ve come for your approval, Division Chief Ascal.”

At that moment, someone entered the office.

It was Devan.

Seeing the perfect report he brought, Ascal immediately stamped it.

As expected, he was a man worthy of his own acknowledgement.

However, there was something that bothered him.

After successfully bargaining with the Count of Luderon, Devon seemed strangely distant to himself. It would be more natural if his pride grew instead.

‘Indeed, ripe rice bows its head first, is that it?’

There must have been some sort of realization during that time.

Ascal was convinced and raised his evaluation of Devon.

But Ascal didn’t know.

‘That pensive look… what sort of plan is he concocting now, Chief Ascal? I’m very afraid of you.’

That Devon’s evaluation of Ascal was also endlessly rising.

In the afternoon.

The item Ascal had lost had unexpectedly returned in a different form.

“Someone, that man named Ascal!”

“Hey! You can’t just barge in here like that!”

A dwarf with a red-flushed nose, that is to say, a dwarf, was causing a ruckus in the government office. A weapon was in his hand.

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He was so strong that the guards who rushed in were broken through in an instant. It was like the play of a successful baseball player earning about a hundred million a year.

Ascal silently admired the dwarf’s ability to break through.

“Ascal, Ascal Devereux, come out right now!”

But this dwarf.

He was calling out his own name.

As if calling for an enemy, vehemently.

“Chief Ascal, please run away. I’ll take care of this place. Please survive and make the Evaluation Bureau great.”

A Section 4 employee blocked in front of Ascal.

It was a resolute determination.

“Wait, get out of my way.”

“Ah, Chief Ascal?”

With an incredulous look, Ascal stared at the Section 4 employee who repeatedly called out his name.

‘Does he want to let me know that I’m here?’

Regardless, the reason Ascal came forward was that the weapon in the dwarf’s hand had a familiar shape.

The shape, which seemed to be full of rural warmth and familiarity, was curved like a stroke.

It was a hoe.

Not long ago, at the estate of Yorik’s own creation, something was lost.

Finally, Ascal discovered what was lost, and his mood became invigorated. It felt as if a piece of meat that was stuck in his molars for a day had been coolly removed.

“Come out, Ascal!”

The dwarf continued to yell.

His voice was like that of a appellant who narrowly missed passing the subsidy review.

Ascal carefully looked at the dwarf.

According to the story written in the Imperial Encyclopedia, the dwarf race is very stubborn. It’s an undeniable fact. It’s certainly not racial discrimination.

In other words, this commotion wouldn’t end until Ascal was found. The alternative would be swarms of Empire guards arriving.

“I am Ascal.”

Ascal confidently stepped forward.

“Manager?”

The employees who were desperately blocking the dwarf were shocked.

However, Ascal didn’t find the dwarf particularly dangerous.

Sometimes, the dwarf contently looked at the hoe he was holding.

“Oh!!!! I finally get to see you!!!!!”

The dwarf

took big strides

toward Ascal.

And just as he was about to say something, Ascal cut him off.

“We don’t sell hoes.”

“Why?????”

The dwarf instantly became crestfallen.

There was a slight misunderstanding, but he was an esteemed guest from afar.

Ascal guided the dwarf to a guest seat in the office.

“We have coffee and tea. What would you like?”

“Obviously, hot coffee. Without sugar, just give it to me as is.”

The dwarf poured the steaming, rich coffee straight into his stomach. Grimacing his face. Did he have a throat of steel?

“Ah, this is the taste. It clears my head.”

The dwarf, satisfied after drinking his coffee, introduced himself.

“I come from Stonehead in the north. You can call me Dogrim.”

“I am the head of the Imperial Assessment Department, Ascal Devere. Nice to meet you, Dugrim.”

“Hmm.”

As Dugrim rummaged through his backpack like a mountaineer, he laid a dagger wrapped in a sheath on the desk.

“Take a look.”

“Well, it’s difficult to accept bribes right from the first encounter…”

Dugrim said it as if he couldn’t believe it.

“It’s a custom amongst dwarves to show each other their possessions on their first meeting. It’s not a bribe.”

“I apologize.”

Ascal felt remorseful.

Lately, dealing with so many unusual people had made him feel as if his common sense had changed.

“Take a look.”

Ascal examined the dagger that Dugrim had offered. It seemed like a regular dagger, but he couldn’t be sure.

“Uh… It’s a dagger.”

“So, does it not catch your eye to this extent? You’ve met the Hojeoksu (a registry elder). Now show me your stuff.”

However, he had no masterpiece to show.

There was really nothing to show.

The hoe was being held by someone else.

After some thought, Ascal took a sword hanging on the office wall. It was a famous sword given to him by the Emperor.

Upon seeing the sword, Dugrim’s eyes changed.

“May I take a look?”

“Please, feel free to do so.”

Holding the sword, Dugrim first measured its weight and balance like a true craftsman. Then, he examined the blade.

“It’s made of a very high-grade steel. It would be difficult to use such a high-quality item unless it’s from the Imperial Palace, right?”

He was sharp enough to recognize that it was a sword from the palace in just one glance, which was indeed typical of a dwarf.

“The hilt is also very well crafted. The carvings and the leather are of excellent quality. The craftsmanship is impressive. I can see why you would look down on my dagger.”

The dwarf handed the sword back to Ascal.

“You’ve got great taste. Being this skilled at a young age is indeed frightening. I’m almost jealous.”

“Well… there has been a misunderstanding from the beginning.”

“A misunderstanding?”

“It’s not a sword that I made.”

“sh*thead.”

For the first time in his life, Ascal saw a dwarf cursing.

Managing to calm the dwarf whose face turned as red as a volcano, Ascal was able to resume the conversation only after thirty minutes.

“I admit there might have been some room for misunderstanding in what I said.”

“It’s fortunate that the misunderstanding has been resolved. But how did you come across the hoe?”

In a straightforward manner typical of dwarves, Dugrim answered right away.

“I was visiting the domain of my long-time friend, Count Yorick, and helped with some farming while I was there, and I found this lying in the field. It looked like it was used for digging the soil, so I gave it a try, and to my surprise. I felt a definite sense of innovation.”

Ascal felt proud, seeing Dugrim admiring the hoe like a home shopping salesperson. It was the same emotion he felt when a foreigner praised bibimbap.

“So, I’m asking again. Are you not going to sell the hoe to me? Of course, I’m not asking for it for free.”

Dugrim turned his backpack, which was as big as his upper body, upside down and poured numerous metal products onto the desk.

“These were all handmade by me. I’m confident that each and every one of them has quite a bit of value. How about exchanging the hoe for all of these?”

“Hmm…”

To anyone’s eye, it wasn’t a loss.

Just exchanging one hoe for the metal products made by the dwarf himself.

But for some reason, Ascal felt uneasy.

‘Why is it? It feels like someone trying to pour out all their cards to exchange for one rare card…’

At that moment, someone appeared from behind him.

Ascal barely managed to contain his surprise.

“May I speak for a moment?”

It was Lia.

Before he knew it, she had finished running errands and entered his office.

“Who is this lady?”

“She is my aide, Lia. From now on, you should talk to my aide.”

From now on, you should talk to my lawyer.

The reason Ascal easily gave up his seat was because he completely trusted Lia’s ability.

Since becoming a formal aide, Lia had become a bit more proactive.

“I’m asking this for confirmation. What Dugrim wants to buy is not exactly the ‘hoe,’ but the ‘exclusive copyright to develop this hoe and the hoe itself,’ is that correct?”

‘…!’

Ascal was surprised.

He never thought that there would be such an ulterior motive in this deal.

In fact, it wasn’t that difficult to notice.

To make a little excuse, I didn’t expect a dwarf known for being impulsive but honest and warm-hearted to stab me in the back like this.

“You’ve got a wise assistant. That’s right. What I want to buy is not just the hoe but the exclusive copyright to the hoe.”

Dugrim hid the contract he had secretly brought with him.

“And do you, Dugrim, highly value this hoe?”

“I cannot deny it.”

Dwarves cannot lie. To be precise, they dislike lying. Therefore, they may hide the story, but if asked directly, they will not lie.

Leah took full advantage of this.

“Chief, you seem reluctant to sell the hoe, may I ask why?”

Ascal hesitated.

In fact, the reason was not clear.

If I had to put it into words, perhaps it was the anxiety of not being able to predict the snowball effect that would occur when the hoe, an item from another world, was released to the public.

“Leah, do you think selling this hoe would benefit us?”

“That is my belief.”

“Then I entrust this deal to you.”

Ascal left the office after those words.

‘Hmm, was I just a little cool?’

In fact, the plan was to sell the hoe at some point. Originally, the plan was after he stopped managing it, but it’s not bad that the timing has been moved up a bit.

Moreover, it’s a gain to give off the nuance that he trusts Leah.

After going outside for a little smoke from his pipe, the negotiation had somehow ended.

Leah’s face was expressionless, while Dugrim’s face was hardened as if he had been defeated by Leah as he stamped the contract.

“Really… you’ve got a terrifying assistant there.”

Skimming over the contract, it was practically an unfair deal.

What on earth did you do, Leah?

“Chief! I heard that hoes are trending among youngsters these days!”

“…Why?”

“Something about an eco-friendly green lifestyle, I even bought one myself! Can you sign my hoe?”

Sushi extended a hoe she had directly purchased from Ascal.

The handle was pink.

Since it wasn’t much trouble, he signed it.