Damn, I recarneted As A Judge in Fantasy World

Suddenly, Abel was put in charge of the market in Perias, and to his surprise, there were quite a few positive aspects.

First of all, the number of days he had to go to court was reduced by two. He also grew closer to the officials.

Although some people reacted with bewilderment at the sudden change, most seemed to appreciate it. Abel turned out to be quite good at his job.

"If you have anything to report, please feel free to come and see us. You may also come to the court office."

"Yes, I understand."

"Then let's start by understanding the work. Are these the documents I need to see?"

"No, there are more in the secretary's office."

"Bring them all."

"Yes."

Compared to the complexity of other work, the city hall could not even be compared with the multi-panel group; things here were very run-of-the-mill.

The mayor just took up space, made a fuss, but did not do much. That was the purpose of the position.

'Well, I guess it couldn't be helped. This is the Emperor's city.'

If someone went around trying to make changes without reason, they would end up in trouble and lose their job.

Of course, that didn't apply to Abel. He would credit the Emperor for everything.

'I just need to receive the system rewards; I don't need fame.'

Where could one find a more perfect way to live than this? Abel quickly started to figure out the work.

In fact, since the market originally didn't have much to do, he ended up learning everything about the bureaucrats' work. Then, he realized something important.

"Oh, it's really nothing."

Unlike on Earth, the population wasn't accurately quantified. The only area where administrative power was actively exercised was in tax collection.

Everyone was obsessed with collecting taxes.

Perhaps because of this, unless it was harvest season, officials just barely kept their positions. This was why sewers were constantly clogged, and trash piled up like mountains.

"What does this mean, guys?"

"You have so much dirty work to do?"

"Wow! Senior, that's correct."

As expected, these slackers were only serious about annoying him.

They were usually indifferent, but at times like this, their brains started working really well. Yet, Abel couldn't say anything else, as that was indeed the correct answer.

"I don't even know where to start."

Everything was wrong with the Perias market. Transforming this into a clean, multi-platform group in a day or two would be impossible.

Moreover, Abel wondered if his efforts would even work. He would do it regardless, but would it yield good results?

'People don't burn with passion unless there's a clear reward and future prospect.'

A simple example could explain it.

Are people happier on a Friday night after work, or on a Sunday evening after a full weekend of rest and fun?

Almost everyone would choose the former, Abel thought. People are that future-oriented.

However, expecting such motivation from bureaucrats was likely to lead to disappointment. The positions were already occupied by enough wealthy individuals.

Then what was he to do?

"We have to take away the rice bowl first."

Of course, Abel had no intention of plundering the officials' property. Why on earth would he do something so foolish? But what if that money was obtained through illicit means?

'The old adage that "the first to eat gets the first bite" applies here as well.'

This was similar to what he had heard back on Earth. It's not that the country lacks money; there are just too many thieves. So, what should he do?

"I have to manage it properly."

With a meaningful smile, he took out Hector Punisher. Oh, of course, he didn't mean to literally smash the pot. It had to be handled according to the law.

---

Originally, unpaid employees did not appear in the management window.

The system's functions hadn't improved at that time. Now, all the city officials' information could be checked, like a hologram before his eyes.

====

<Management of City Hall Staff>

Deputy Mayor: Jim LaCroix (watching the game)

Seri Jang: Surprised Ewing (calculating taxes)

…

1st Class Seri: Efrain Doherty (preparing to embezzle)

2nd Class Seri: Chad Finnegan (preparing to embezzle)

…

====

Were there really such brazen thieves? It seemed like they had been unmanaged until now. The budget coming down to city hall was a complete scramble, and they thought that as long as they collected enough taxes, it didn't matter how much they embezzled.

'Instead of doing things like this, they should be praised openly.'

If people who diligently did their jobs received rewards and honor, everyone would be motivated to work properly. It was a message to earn what one deserved confidently, not to steal.

'Of course, punishment comes first.'

A carrot without a whip was never effective. Abel left the mayor's office right away, and the secretaries immediately followed him.

"Okay. Just stay there."

"Ah… yes."

Usually, when someone important moved, attendants would follow him, building his dignity. But Abel had no intention of maintaining appearances that way. Besides, he had to work discreetly at the moment.

He went straight to the collection department, where officials moved around busily. Leaning against the wall, he quietly listened to the conversation.

"Maybe it's because the mayor is new, but they've allocated quite a bit of budget."

"Let's think of an excuse first. What could we use it for?"

"No, there's no time for that. I have to pocket it first. Are you just going to watch?"

"Hey, the chief hasn't even touched it yet. Even cold water has its time."

"He already said I could take it myself this time."

"Really? Oh my! How bold."

This was a conversation between 1st Class Seri Efrain Doherty and 2nd Class Seri Chad Finnegan. When Abel checked earlier, they were the only two listed as preparing to embezzle.

Seri Jang was also often involved in budget evasion, but he seemed to be absent this time.

'How cunning.'

The market had changed, and they were probably trying to gauge what kind of person Abel was.

It may be a bit embarrassing to say directly, but Abel was known for being fair and upright, so it was no surprise they were cautious.

In any case, this unreasonable practice had to disappear. Abel moved just as the Seris took a large amount of gold coins.

Bam!

"...?"

As he opened the door and entered, an awkward silence suddenly fell.

It was truly a dramatic moment. The expressions of the greedy tax collectors holding gold coins were priceless. The silence was broken by a word from Shuguri, who had just snapped out of a deep sleep.

"Huh? He's a thief."

"Oh, no!"

"No, he's just taking gold coins with a sinister smile."

"Is this the budget for viewing?"

"Then it's embezzlement!"

"No, that…"

Efrain Doherty merely twitched his goatee, unable to offer a proper rebuttal. Judging by the way his face turned bright red, he seemed embarrassed.

Abel wasn't sure if it was because of the embezzlement being discovered or the fact that a squirrel had spoken up.

"1st Class Seri Efrain Doherty, 2nd Class Seri Chad Finnegan. Is that correct?"

"Yes?"

"Yes!"

The two answered with slightly bewildered expressions. It seemed they recognized Abel right away.

He glanced absently at the desk, and Baron Doherty looked even more embarrassed.

Abel noticed the open ledger on the desk, clearly a budget ledger. It seemed Doherty planned to pocket the coins first and then cover his tracks.

'No, they even wrote it down?'

For these people, it seemed this was simply routine. The budget was their money to spend as they pleased, with no concern for city administration.

Abel thought it would be the case. Collecting taxes was the hardest part, and beyond that, almost everyone else showed no interest at all.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

With the ledgers in hand, Abel looked at the tax collectors.

"Take that and follow me."

"...yes."

Judging by their feeble responses, it seemed they sensed what awaited them.

Abel moved through the corridors of the city hall with purpose, leading Efrain Doherty and Chad Finnegan toward his office.

They shuffled behind him in tense silence, casting wary glances at each other, knowing the gravity of the situation. Abel's expression was unreadable, but his eyes held a cold resolve that made the two officials uneasy.

As they reached the office, Abel gestured for them to sit, then leaned back in his chair, scrutinizing them. The silence weighed heavily, stretching longer than either man could bear.

"Gentlemen," Abel began, "I'd like to understand your approach to handling Perias's finances. Perhaps you can enlighten me on why city funds intended for public projects have somehow ended up… misallocated."

Doherty cleared his throat, struggling to find his words. "Mayor Abel, it's… it's not as it seems. The budget is complex, and sometimes… adjustments are necessary."

"Adjustments?" Abel's tone was calm, yet his gaze sharpened. "An adjustment involves rebalancing resources, not siphoning them for personal gain."

Finnegan's face reddened, and he avoided Abel's gaze. "There's a lot of pressure on us, sir. The higher-ups expect results, but without sufficient funds—"

"Results?" Abel interrupted, his voice steely. "Results that have led to blocked sewers, uncollected trash, and general neglect of the public welfare. This 'pressure' doesn't justify misappropriating the city's money."

Finnegan stammered, "We were just… trying to keep up with expectations…"

"Expectations?" Abel repeated, letting the word hang in the air. "Whose expectations are these, exactly? Because they clearly aren't aligned with the well-being of the people of Perias."

Doherty shifted uncomfortably. "Look, Mayor Abel, we've been working like this for years. It's… how things are done."

"Then it's time for change." Abel's voice hardened. "From now on, Perias's finances will be managed with transparency. And those who misuse public funds will face consequences."

The two men exchanged nervous glances. Abel's reputation for fairness was well-known, but they hadn't anticipated him to be this thorough, this resolute.