Having a powerful lord as a father figure, what's wrong with just wanting to draw cards?

But what does this have to do with him, Domi, Queen's Special Envoy, the Third Young Master of Broadfield, the Prince Consort Nick?

Domi lifted his foot, gathering his strength...

boom!

He kicked open the door to the intelligence department, the loud noise drowning out all conversation. Everyone froze, staring blankly at the door that slowly collapsed and then banged down again. Then they looked up and saw Domi standing in the doorway.

"Hello everyone," Dominic said slowly as he closed his umbrella, bent down and patted his chest. "Let me introduce myself. From today onwards, the intelligence department is under my jurisdiction. You can call me—Dominic, the Minister of Intelligence."

In the crowd, a middle-aged man with a receding hairline touched his smooth scalp and began to reflect on himself. What had he done wrong... that made the Queen want to send a new minister?

Actually, the whole "minister" thing is nonsense.

The Queen's document merely allowed Domi to freely examine it within the intelligence department, but due to the allure of the words and Domi's commanding presence, almost everyone felt that this was indeed the case.

When you're out and about, you have to choose your own identity.

191. Chapter 188, Section 187: The New Department's Strategic Deception Bureau

The logistics department quickly delivered a brand-new replacement gate, and with the efforts of the accompanying craftsmen, the gate was fundamentally repaired. As for the one that had already collapsed... it could only be sold as scrap.

The new, tightly closed doors kept out the noisy rain, and the palace was eerily quiet inside.

The intelligence department was located in this palace, and the palace itself was very simply constructed.

The largest space is the main hall that you can see as soon as you enter. It is filled with desks, chairs and piles of documents filled with intelligence, where intelligence officers work.

The office lobby, let's call it that for now, is right next to the restrooms, providing employees with the quickest route to the restroom, reducing wasted time and improving work efficiency...

Okay, that's all nonsense. The main thing is that they have to be highly focused and can't afford to be careless.

Moreover, many pieces of information are interconnected, which is why the scene resembled a stock exchange before Domi even entered.

The head of the intelligence department was positioned directly opposite the main entrance, using a desk that resembled the one in the underworld, long and imposing. I couldn't imagine how satisfying it would be to sit behind him and watch a group of people bustling around like ants.

Under the suspicious and confused gazes of everyone, Domi walked through the desks and came to the Mediterranean Minister, who was still shamelessly sitting in his seat, clearly unwilling to give up his place.

Domi tapped the table heavily with his finger: "Former Minister, can you get up now? Can't you stop delaying everyone's work? Overtime is not a good culture."

The minister's face grew increasingly grim, his clenched fists digging his nails into his palms, and he said resentfully:

"I can leave, but before I leave, I only want to know one thing: what exactly did I do wrong? I adhered to the principles of the Minister of Intelligence, didn't get involved in any political struggles, worked diligently every day, didn't deduct employees' wages, didn't drink, didn't patronize prostitutes, and didn't embezzle. Who could be more competent than me?!"

Domi listened attentively, nodding occasionally as if he agreed with what he said. However, the moment he finished speaking, the wolf, who had been waiting patiently, bared its fangs:

"As a public servant, you are indeed good, but as a minister, everything mentioned above is what you should do, isn't it? I don't see anything that is worth being proud of or boasting about, do you think?"

To become the Minister of Intelligence, one must avoid political infighting; this is an ironclad rule. Work diligently; if you don't work, would you dare slack off? Don't withhold wages, don't drink, don't embezzle, and don't solicit prostitutes—there are plenty of people with such excellent virtues, like myself.”

Domi subtly belittled the former minister while simultaneously elevating himself, infuriating the Mediterranean man to the point of stomping his feet. He then angrily retorted:

"Do you think a mere boy like you can replace me? I really don't know what the Empress is thinking. No, I have to go and talk to the Empress in person!"

As he spoke, he was about to walk out of the 'judge's table' and head towards the main entrance.

But would Domi give him that chance? Wouldn't that just expose the mistake?

Then, in a measured and unhurried voice, he proclaimed: "Since ancient times, those with talent and ability have been put in positions of power, and those who have achieved success have been given priority!"

The sudden surge of energy and the sheer force that seemed completely out of place for a child stunned everyone present, including Mediterranean, who was halfway there. He turned around and found that Domi had already taken his seat without a second thought.

"I can do better than you, so why can't I replace you? Tell me why? Is it because you're a few years older than me? Or because you have fewer hairs than me?"

"Pfft~"

Some people couldn't help but burst out laughing, but were glared at fiercely by Mediterranean and quickly suppressed their laughter.

"Furthermore, were you just questioning the Empress's judgment? Oh, so you think you have better judgment than Her Majesty the Empress? That's quite a novel idea. I wonder what intriguing reactions the court officials and even the two above you would have if they knew."

After hearing this, the Mediterranean man's eyes showed fear. Even if he had ten times the courage, he wouldn't dare to confront the Queen again. In the end, he could only turn around and leave without looking back.

Domi finally felt relieved, though only halfway. But at least the first obstacle had been cleared, a perfect start.

He'd already warmed up the chair he was sitting on, and it was time to get into character. He waved his hand and said:

"Go back to work, finish your work early and get off work early."

At this point, some people might ask: "Don't we have to wait until the designated end of the workday?"

"From today onward, what we should pursue is efficient work, not simply wasting time."

In other words, you can leave work whenever you finish your tasks, but in return, you have to ensure the quality of your work is top-notch, understand?

No need to work overtime, and can leave work early, that's a full stack of buffs.

The crowd immediately cheered: "Understood!!"

The noise was so loud that even Mediterranean, who had already walked some distance away, could hear it, making him feel even more like a clown. He gritted his teeth and walked faster and faster...

In the intelligence department, others are responsible for collecting and organizing various types of information from different places, then extracting the essence, condensing it, and handing it over to the minister.

The minister is responsible for approving this intelligence, determining its value, and then passing it on to those who need it.

The second floor of the palace, apart from a few staff dormitories, is mostly used for homing pigeons. These birds, which can fly and are intelligent, have always been loved by people, and intelligence transmission relies on their hard work.

Domi only needs to sit here and patiently wait for his subordinates to bring over the prepared documents.

Soon, three documents arrived in succession, concerning last autumn's agricultural harvest, the fighting on the front lines, and border defense plans.

Agricultural harvests are increasing year by year, but tax revenue remains unchanged.

"It seems farmers are getting richer, that's good!"

After reading it, he put the document in the 'valuable' section so that he could use it as a performance indicator for his superiors to review later.

Although I earned this position myself, if I do a good job, I might have the opportunity to become a real minister in the future, right? I still have to do what I'm supposed to do, and I have to do it wholeheartedly.

Moving on to the next document.

The empire's battle lines have now advanced to the vicinity of the Central Plains. After destroying the last small neighboring country, the Lionheart Empire's new border will be able to connect with the six countries of the Central Plains, making it a super overlord that unifies the southeastern part of the continent.

The main content of this document is actually the commander's report on launching an attack on the final target. Apart from being able to predict the above, it is of no use and should be thrown into the 'worthless' section.

The last document, however, piqued Domi's interest.

As the empire continued to annex other countries, its territory expanded and its borders lengthened, increasing the need for soldiers to guard the borders.

But most of the imperial soldiers are at the front lines, so the border defenses are inevitably weak; now they're just even weaker.

If a rival nation on the verge of destruction wants to turn the tide, its only way out is to unite with other forces and launch a raid on the empire's borders.

Then, they would fight their way through the enemy lines and advance deep into the heartland, forcing the frontline troops to retreat, thus giving the motherland a chance to breathe.

Domi believes that the current border defense plan is completely inadequate, or rather, it is a shoddy work that the border commander has no intention of putting any effort into. However, it is also possible that even a skilled cook cannot cook without rice, and a border defense without soldiers will not be able to defend itself properly.

This doesn't mean there's really no way out; there's always a way if you think about it.

"Hey, someone come here."

The man sitting closest to Domi immediately came over: "What are your orders, Minister?"

Who is in charge of border defense strategy?

"It's Prime Minister Simon Bolivar..."

Domi picked up the document and said to the man, "Take me there."

"As ordered."

Arriving at the Left Hall, the palace to the left of the palace where the throne room is located.

This department, which is equivalent to the cabinet of an ancient dynasty, is not like an intelligence agency. The minister and his subordinates work together, the 'Grand Secretaries' discuss countermeasures in a separate room, and the real leader has his own office.

dong dong dong-

Domi gently knocked on the door. The man who had led the way had been "sent back" by him, and he was exempted from the workload of writing two documents.

"Please come in."

A slightly shrill middle-aged male voice came from inside. Domi pushed the door open and immediately saw the man sitting in the solid wood chair.

He has a long, pointed face, is tall and thin, has slightly curly short hair, sunken eyes, deep-set eyes, and M-shaped bangs, which suggests a risk of balding.

He was Simón Bolívar, the emperor's chief advisor in his 'cabinet,' a contender who could stand shoulder to shoulder with the Beast Chancellor.

He was second only to the emperor, above all others; in this era, in this empire, that's exactly who he was.

"An unfamiliar face, but I feel like I've seen you before. Whose child are you?"

Domi performed a gesture of respect that should only be given to someone of equal standing. Simon raised an eyebrow; he didn't think the child in front of him could be considered equal in status.

"It's normal that the Prime Minister doesn't know me, after all, it's only my first day as the new head of the intelligence department."

Where's Joe?

"The former minister has already stepped down voluntarily."

Why haven't I received the relevant transfer order?

"Because that was a decree issued directly by the Empress. The Empress shouldn't need to go through the Grand Secretary to do things, right? Alright, Grand Secretary, don't underestimate me just because I'm young. My position is undisputed. Let's get down to business first."

Simon nodded for the moment, seemingly not very interested in the young minister, even finding it childish: "So what important business does the new minister have on this trip?"

Domi sat down naturally opposite Simon, took the border defense plan document from his briefcase, and handed it to Simon:

"Does Your Excellency recall this document?"

Simon glanced at it up and down, thought for a moment, and then nodded: "I do have an impression, but I haven't asked too many questions."

"Why? Border affairs could have been handled much better."

"That would waste even more manpower and resources. Currently, most of the supplies are in the hands of the front-line legions. The border troops already have fewer supplies, troops, and food to allocate. If they are redeployed again, wouldn't it be difficult to even guarantee their normal living conditions and combat effectiveness?"

"What if it wasn't a reckless relocation?" Domi's words overturned all the negative consequences Simon had just listed:

"I have a plan, and I wonder if Your Excellency would be willing to hear what this new minister has to say?"

The two stood up and walked together to the huge map of the main continent hanging on the wall. To the west of the empire, the small countries that had been conquered were marked with small yellow flags. The small yellow flags lined the west side densely, with only one small blank patch remaining, representing the last free country.

Domi picked up a small stick and drew a line in the northern part of XJ domain: "If you want to launch a sneak attack, this is the only possibility."

Simon nodded; in fact, it was something everyone knew.

"If everyone thinks that way, then they are very wrong."