Chapter 4

Communicating with My Underlings Is a Pain There was a huge sign that said MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE, and I stood before the building where it hung. “So this is my workplace…” I looked up at it and recoiled. “I am suddenly working at the main office, and as the minister herself, no less…” I’d been told that working in the ministry building was much harder than working at the related organizations, and I had been planning on consistently working not here but at the Agricultural Policy Organization. It was once my path to victory… “I can no longer go back… I cannot quit after two or three days; I have no choice but to work as the minister of agriculture…” Bureaucratic officials busily came and went around me like ants hard at work. It was now a new era with a new demon king, and that probably brought with it plenty of paperwork. I watched it all for a while. I had changed my image from a plain-glasses character to a high-ranking demon, and not only that, but no one recognized me as the minister because I barely knew anyone. That made it easy. But on the other hand, when I entered the building, people stared at me, wondering who I was. “…I should have come through the back door…” I went up the floors by a staircase that wasn’t being used. The minister’s office was a big room on the top floor. Whew, I managed to get this far in secret. Then, when I slipped into the office— I found a whole line of officials. Everyone was gathered already! I saw all sorts of different horns, as demons had. I even saw a minotaur and a Cyclops among them. They all turned to face me at once, noticing my arrival. This was bad for my heart. They were wondering why such a low-ranking worker was promoted to minister and thinking of how incompetent I was, I was sure… Then a woman with unique horns took a step forward. “Pardon me. I don’t recognize you, so you must be Minister Beelzebub, yes?” “I-indeed… It is I, Beelzebub…” “Then I ask that you make a few remarks as you assume your post now. Oh, pardon me—I am Fatla the leviathan, secretary here at the Department of Agriculture,” she said, unsmiling. Leviathans were high-ranking demons in their own right. At the moment, she resembled a human, but I’d heard that a leviathan’s original form was like an airborne battleship that could carry hundreds of people. So she must be a career civil servant… I knew what she was thinking: What a terrible joke, making a small fry like this into a minister. My stomach started hurting. My body wouldn’t be absorbing anything I ate now. “Some initial remarks, you say. Very well. I don’t want to cause you any trouble, so I’ll finish it quick…er, I shall finish this promptly, so stay there.” It was hard to play my supercilious character before officials who were actually important. But it would be awful if I made a fool of myself at first contact. I stood before the officials. Walking just those few steps to reach my spot was spiritually exhausting, like walking through a deadly poisonous bog. “Erm… I am Beelzebub, and I am the minister of agriculture as of today… In all honesty, I am powerless and unable to do much of importance, but I believe that together, we may overcome this…so…” Was that okay? But I was calling myself powerless; was I just making a fool of myself? Wouldn’t that just tempt them to underestimate me? I thought I heard someone snickering. It was probably just paranoia, but I definitely thought I heard someone! I have no choice but to toot my own horn now! I spread out my wings in a snap. “’Twas but a joke! I have been chosen to take this place by the omniscient and omnipotent demon king! As such, I possess a great power that will guide you! So, so…er… Should there be anything you do not know or any problem you may have, you come to me!! I shall brilliantly solve all your problems as your superior!” “““Yeah!!!””” The officers raised their voices in admiration. That was the right answer. I got through it without acting servile. I heard whispers: “She looks like she has it together.” “Maybe she really is from a high-ranking family.” My first impression wasn’t bad. “Perhaps she really is a policy expert.” “Maybe she was, like, a right-hand man for the previous demon king.” “You can keep an eye on a lot if you stay down at the lower levels.” “She must be the reason all the high-ranking officials’ scandals were exposed at the same time!” Mmm… Now I suspect they are overestimating me! “I was wondering what we’d do with a shabby entry-level worker, but that isn’t the case at all.” “She’s a secret bigwig.” “With her, we could even win our disputes with the finance ministry.” “She must have the next hundred, two hundred years planned out for the demon race.” “Long live the new minister!” Their hopeful looks hurt more this time… I’m not a policy expert, not even in a worst-case scenario… I was just someone from a tiny, distant corner of the agricultural ministry. I was only ever confident in my abilities to do miscellaneous chores… I wasn’t even thinking about what was going to happen in a month. The most I ever thought about was whether I was going to drink at home or at a bar on the weekends. I thought I had to start showing results fit for a minister right away, otherwise things would be bad… “Then you are dismissed… Get to it now…” The officials poured out of the minister’s office. Phew, that was stressful. I was finally free… But there were still two left in the room. One was the earlier leviathan, Fatla. The other was another leviathan who looked a lot like her. “Well done, Lady Beelzebub. Allow me to introduce myself again. I am Fatla, the secretary. It is my job to assist the minister of agriculture. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Right, she did say she was a secretary earlier, too. Oh man, I already had someone so square and straitlaced attached to me. I wouldn’t be able to relax like this…