Unmarried girls are only to be touched by men with a forehead against their fingertips; for married ladies, gentlemen must lightly kiss the back of the hand.
Charles had heard that this school sister had been engaged, but the engagement was called off for some well-known reason, and she was still single; he touched her fingertips with his forehead, maintaining the decorum of a gentleman.
Menilman whispered, "Transfer my subordinates here."
Revealing a hint of defiance, Charles whispered back, "A demotion through transfer?"
His voice was full of resentment, but it was merely a strategy of advancing by seeming to retreat.
Under normal circumstances, low-level government employees like clerks expect a promotion every three years, but if they are transferred to a new position, the time toward promotion restarts from the beginning.
Within the Empire's government, it has always been said that "a transfer without a promotion is equivalent to a demotion."
Menilman snorted coldly and asked, "When is your next promotion?"
Without hesitation, Charles answered, "In a month and a half, I should be promoted to a third-tier clerk."
Indeed, Charles graduated from Sheffield University and with that degree, entered the Central Government Office as a clerk, enjoying a high salary. However, coming from a family of merchants with no connections in the bureaucratic circle, he had not received any additional promotion opportunities in the two years since joining the Central Government Office and had to wait his turn for promotion, following the due course.
As a transmigrator, Charles's daring far surpassed that of the natives of this world. He slightly elevated his position and indicated that he would soon be promoted again—such audacity was nothing short of breathtaking.
Menilman rang the bell in the room, and shortly after, a middle-aged military officer entered. She pointed to Charles and said, "Transfer this man to Kilmainham Prison; his position will be the Clerk Chief of my office."
Having merged with the original host's memories, Charles too was shocked by the corruption of the Empire's officialdom and the darkness of the workplace. But when that corruption fell upon his own head, making him a beneficiary of the shadowy workplace machinations, he feigned shock on the surface, while inside he was thrilled beyond measure, without the slightest intention of resistance.
Charles initially thought that this school sister's offer of a second-tier clerk's treatment, with promises of future promotions, was already a great deal. If he were to be directly given the position of a third-tier clerk, it would be a leapfrog promotion. Yet, Menilman had promised him the position of Clerk Chief.
The Empire's bureaucratic system was exceedingly complex, divided into fifty-three ranks.
As the most numerous employees in the government, clerks ranged from the lowest forty-first rank at first-tier clerk to the highest-ranking thirty-seventh rank at fifth-tier clerk, marking the end of their position's progression—only through a change of profession could one continue to ascend in rank. Clerk Chief was the most common career change for clerks.
A first-tier Clerk Chief and a fifth-tier clerk were both of the thirty-seventh rank, but their prospects for promotion were vastly different—the former had bright prospects, while the latter's were dim.
He had ascended from a forty-first rank first-tier clerk to a thirty-seventh rank first-tier Clerk Chief; it seemed like just a four-tier promotion, but in reality, it was a five-tier jump, incorporating a career climb across classes.
By the way, it should be mentioned that Madam Aldergund, who held supreme authority over an office, took a lengthy twenty-one years to rise from a forty-fifth rank assistant to a thirty-seventh rank fifth-tier clerk. Due to her inability to change professions, Aldergund was likely to stay in that position until retirement.
Charles really wanted to say, "I am willing to die for my school sister," or perhaps utter, "Greetings to you, my lord school sister." He also considered the classic, "Having been adrift for half a lifetime, having traveled across two realms, never having found a true master, if school sister would not forsake me, I wish to be your sworn son." But considering the cultural differences between the two worlds, he reluctantly abandoned these thoughts and replied with a gentlemanly smile, "In the future, I hope for more guidance from school sister Menilman."
Menilman nodded slightly and said, "You must be exhausted today. Go home and rest; move to the prison tomorrow. We'll be working overtime in the coming days, so remember to bring enough living essentials."
Charles was not concerned.
Just overtime?
As if he hadn't done it in his previous life.
While a high school mathematics teacher might not have worked the 996 schedule, staying up late to grade homework was routine, and the workload was comparable to any other.
Seeing that Menilman had no other instructions, Charles left the office and hastily departed Kilmainham Prison.
There were no cabs to hail on demand in the Menier District.
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Charles could only walk to another district before he encountered a public carriage. He waved it down and headed back to his residence in the Alexander District.
Although the Alexander District was far from comparing with the Val de Vaz District, it was still one of the top seven districts in the Empire's capital, Strasbourg, primarily inhabited by affluent merchants. The community was quite bustling, with several large malls and markets.
Charles rented an apartment in the Alexander District.
This apartment was built by the Savings Union and named the Savings Union Apartment. It was specifically provided for single young people with a certain amount of savings. The living environment was very high-quality, and the services provided were also comprehensive.
It was "the first time" Charles visited the Savings Union Apartment; the last time he came, he was someone else.
Charles seemed to know his way around but was actually very anxious as he entered the apartment building.
The doorman of the apartment smiled kindly at him without interrogating him.
Charles sighed with relief, went up to the second floor. The lower floors that faced the street were relatively noisy, so the rent was slightly cheaper.
He used his key to open the door, pushed open his room, and couldn't help shaking his head.
The room was quite messy; the previous occupant was not a neat person.
In addition to the men's clothing scattered all over, there were also various women's garments in disarray.
According to the memory prompts, these clothes belonged to different women, whose faces and names had long since blurred.
Charles casually tidied up, separating the men's from the ladies' clothes. He planned to take all the clothes that "belonged to him" to be washed the next morning, and throw away all that didn't belong to "him."
Collapsing into a wicker chair in the room, Charles suddenly felt an emotional breakdown. He didn't want to say anything, didn't want to do anything, he just wanted to sit quietly for a while.
He had inexplicably transmigrated here, switched to another identity, and arrived in a completely unfamiliar world.
This was a world where there were gods.
He was decidedly a heretic.
Charles Mecklen worried almost every minute that some stranger might suddenly jump out on the streets, proclaiming to punish him on behalf of the gods, place him on a pyre, pour over the fire oil, and ignite it.
Ah, there was also the Evil God!
His predecessor died because of summoning the Evil God.
Every single one of Them in this world was "dangerous."
Perhaps a slight mishandling could contaminate his spirituality, turn him into a monster, or even result in his annihilation.
The sense of burden he carried was simply indescribable in words.
Today was the first day Charles returned from vacation, and it was also the first day he tried to start a new life.
He chose to integrate into this world, rather than to resist it.
This day had an exceptionally perfect beginning.
This beginning even exceeded Charles's own expectations.
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