The Governor’s reward was issued swiftly.
Loren Green would be commended and promoted to Director of the First Division of the Department of Civil Affairs.
This was an extraordinary appointment, granted because Julia had credited all the merit of the official document to Loren in front of the Governor.
More importantly, her own father had also put in a few good words.
Julia looked at the appointment letter and couldn’t help but give a wry smile.
In the bureaucracy of Landingset, filled with mediocrity, it was truly difficult to find a passionate, earnest, and hardworking talent.
But now, it seemed that something had happened to Loren.
She had always counted on Loren to take up the responsibilities in her stead.
After all, her father had long arranged for her to transfer to the Shipbuilding Bureau as the Chief Administrative Officer.
Once she, as the acting Chief Administrative Officer and actual Deputy Director of the Department of Civil Affairs, left, the department would likely grind to a halt again.
She didn’t want to go to the Shipbuilding Bureau either.
The recent budget proposal postponed the construction of the flagship, which left the Navy very dissatisfied.
It was a hot potato—she pressed her fingertips to her forehead.
Speaking of the budget proposal, the vote would take place in just a few days.
All the big shots in the city were focused on it, her father included.
She couldn’t understand what he was thinking—he even proposed renewing the mercenary contract and managed to convince the Governor to accept it.
Those mercenaries hadn’t needed to do a thing in five years thanks to the peace, yet they still got paid, and now they were getting another extension.
Even the lawyers her family hired didn’t have it so easy.
Knock, knock, knock—the door sounded.
“Come in.”
Julia seemed to know who it was.
A girl entered.
As she turned to close the door, her waist-length hair swayed restlessly behind her.
The girl turned back and walked towards Julia, her pale silver eyes darting nervously, never daring to meet Julia’s gaze.
When she sat down, her head bowed slightly, loose strands of silver hair falling untidily about her face.
She hastily tried to tuck them behind her ear, but the gesture was rather clumsy.
Still, Julia could tell this was Loren—the resemblance was there.
There were many little details, like how he would rub his right earlobe when nervous.
No matter what, seeing it with her own eyes was still a shock.
Tesvelan hadn’t lied.
After two years of working together, she knew this talented subordinate better than anyone.
“So, did you get into the Department of Civil Affairs through your connection with the elves?”
Julia asked expressionlessly, looking at the girl before her.
No, if you already know, what’s the point in me making up excuses?
I was going to say I’m Loren’s sister and that Loren died, so please have mercy and let me take his place—I’ll do anything.
Loren grimaced inwardly.
Loren looked at Julia’s forced smile, holding back for a while before finally saying, “Lady Julia, um, anyway, I really did turn out like this. It’s honestly not my fault.”
I’m done for, as long as you let me come back to work, laugh all you want.
Shrinking into her seat, Loren thought.
“Then let me confirm: are you Mr. Loren now, or Miss Loren?”
Julia pressed straight to the point.
“I’m Mr. Loren,” Loren replied, his gaze drifting awkwardly.
“Really…?”
Julia continued to stare at Loren.
The girl’s cheeks flushed deeply, her lashes drooping as if saying: male, yes, yes… Her eyes seemed to plead with Julia not to mention it anymore.
Julia slumped back in her chair and sighed, saying, “Fine, if you say so, then so be it. I really want to know exactly what happened to you. But for now, I only need to confirm that you’re Loren. But it’s clear you can’t continue as Loren Green anymore.”
“Still, if you’re willing to take a detour, none of this will be a problem. Tesvelan convinced me to let you keep working as a secretary dispatched by the Raguanth Family. Also—uh, congratulations. The Governor’s Office has decided to promote you—Loren Green—to Director of the First Division of the Department of Civil Affairs.”
The girl seemed very excited, and without a care for decorum, she jumped up to snatch the letter of appointment—only to be pushed back down by Julia, landing hard in her seat.
“Wait. Your identity now isn’t Loren Green, Miss Livyat.”
When Julia got to this last name, her forced smile finally became a real one—she even laughed out loud.
That’s right, Tesvelan was the one who picked the name.
She claimed all ancient elven girls liked to use ‘yat’ as a suffix, meaning ‘eternal water’.
But when the name was written out, Loren fell silent.
Who ever heard of a proper name ending with four consecutive t’s?
Wait, what do you mean ‘my identity now isn’t Loren Green’?
Don’t tell me… Loren—no, Livyat—opened her eyes wide.
Everything seemed to be pointing toward the outcome she hated most.
“This position will remain reserved for Loren Green, and I’ll give you the seal directly. But you can only carry out the duties of Director under the guise of a secretary. You understand what I mean—like issuing you a mandate, so you can freely use his seal whenever you need.”
“But Loren Green can never show up…”
“No problem. I’ll set Loren Green’s office as the innermost, locked room in the Department of Civil Affairs. I’ll tell the subordinates he’s a workaholic who now lives in his office—working or sleeping, nothing else. All documents for Loren will be delivered to me and then passed to ‘her’. You figure out how to play your part from here.”
“Aren’t you afraid someone will accuse you of creating a fake position…”
“Who would dare question the Raguanth Family?”
What she didn’t say was that, during her second meeting with Tesvelan, the Princess—daughter of the Queen, whose diplomatic protocol was fully recognized—had earnestly asked her to look after Livyat and find a way to let her stay in the Department of Civil Affairs.
Although she had already been willing to do so after hearing about Loren’s transformation into Livyat, hearing such an earnest plea was not the usual style of the elves.
In the end, Livyat confirmed she could keep working in the Department of Civil Affairs—and even draw two salaries, one as Director and one as secretary.
Her tense features finally relaxed completely, and she laughed softly.
“Thank you, Lady Julia! You’re truly the best boss I could ever ask for!”
Livyat winked at Julia, her long, curled lashes trembling gently.
Julia shivered slightly, quickly lowered her head to take a sip of tea, then shot back, “Just call me Sister Julia from now on. So, Livyat, you’re a girl now, right?”
Just because I became a girl, I can call you ‘Sister’ now?
Wait, that’s not the point.
Why did Julia have to expose me!
Back at home, Livyat lay fuming on her apartment bed.
Yes, yes, she’d only changed last night.
She’d gotten up in the middle of the night to use the restroom.
Still brimming with confidence from several days as a girl in appearance but not in body, she pulled down her pants without a care and aimed at the chamber pot.
Relaxed and at ease, she let go—and then?
Then, instead of the expected arc, she felt a trickle, as if a leaky faucet wouldn’t shut off, splashing on her pants and slippers.
Groggy and confused, Livyat had no idea what was happening.
By rights, a man shouldn’t have to go through something this cruel until at least forty.
In the end, she just sat there, half-dressed, in silence for half the night.
By the time she’d washed her pants and shoes and cleaned up the mess, it was nearly dawn.
Lying on her bed, gazing out the window at the dim red sky and the shadowy buildings beneath its glow, Livyat finally understood the meaning of—if you wish to be Queen, first, you must be a woman.