The one-meter-high document mountain was filled with three desks, and the house was unbearably hot. The little girl and her two assistants were busy back and forth between the desks.
The high mountain of documents made the room only hear shouts, footsteps, and the collision of the pen tip and the paper, and no human figures could be seen.
On the side of the wall, small toys such as bamboo swords, bamboo dragonflies, and backgammon were scattered on the ground, and they were also covered with a thick layer of ash. It seemed that boy Adam had not returned to this room for a long time.
To be honest, he can turn the city lord's office into a game room, and he is also a must among the dungeon lords.
Annie was 1.7 meters tall, which was considered tall among human women, but at this time, she was like a dwarf elementary school student who was stuck in front of the desk. When viewed from the side, only books and documents could be seen, but no one could be seen.
The little girl has heavy dark circles around her eyes, she is busy fighting with the sea of documents, and I didn't even notice when I came in.
Walking over, I motioned to stop the assistant who was about to call Annie, took out a few documents and looked at them.
"Renovation plan for municipal facilities damaged in the riots from Seventh Avenue to Ninth Avenue", "Three-point suggestions for completing drainage ditches before the rainy season", "Tentative draft for the residential area of the new four ethnic groups in the city."
"Lord Sleepless, this is what Lord Margaret meant. All documents above Grade B in the Executive Yuan must be read by Miss Anne and signed, and then Lord Margaret will sign her opinion, and finally return to Miss Anne for review. Decide."
That is to say, before each document was completed, Anne had to deal with it once, and then Margaret attached her own opinion on how to deal with it, and finally let Anne decide, back and forth at least twice.
This is hands-on teaching. I sighed silently. It seemed that Margaret really planned to quit her job, so she used cramming-style teaching to make Anne quickly grow up to be able to handle administrative affairs independently.
"Your Executive Yuan, that's how you handle clerical affairs. Margaret personally sees and signs all documents in the end? One person handles all the government affairs?"
I got the answer of course from the other party. Looking at this incredible mountain of documents, I couldn't help but smack my tongue. The total population of Sulphur Mountain City is nearly three million. Just thinking about it, I know that it is an astronomical government affair. I can understand why Margaret has been reclusive, and it is fortunate that Margaret is a racial immortal who basically does not need dormancy, but...
"This way of dealing with government affairs is too primitive. Like ancient kings, who only make judgments based on wisdom and knowledge, the immortal who never sleeps and is always rational may be able to do it. Human beings..."
With so many documents, it might only take a day or two. If all of them are handed over to the city owner in the future, I am afraid that she basically has no free time.
My mission is to train a qualified lord, not a madman overwhelmed by government affairs, so I coughed and notified the trainee city lord of my arrival.
"Annie, do you know what the essence of administration is?"
…
What is the essence of administration? Let everyone live and work in peace? Make the so-called utopian idea a reality? Let all races coexist peacefully
No, no, it's not that complicated, administration can only operate within a given framework, and ideals cannot be achieved by administrative means alone.
But administration is not so simple. The lack of a city's administrative organs will directly paralyze the entire city. Too low administrative efficiency will lead to extreme dissatisfaction among citizens. He is indeed an indispensable presence in any town.
"As the city owner, I... I will try my best to make everyone have a good life."
"Don't think so much about the little head. I just asked you what the essence of administration is. Forget it, I'll tell you directly. Just in time, you also need to rest."
Pulling the little girl to the side, he motioned to the assistant for a cup of tea.
The little girl's face was a little lethargic, her fiery red hair had lost some luster, her whole person seemed to be lacking in energy, and her eyes were a little dodged when she saw me, as if she was worried that I would blame her.
Shaking my head, I have already guessed what happened. Margaret is an impatient and perfectionist, and she always assigns tasks to the following according to her ability.
"I can do it why you can't", "Don't give me reasons, if and assumptions are meaningless" are her mantras, but in fact she is known as the sage of the active library, Or an immortal who is always full of energy, how can ordinary people keep up with her progress...
To be accepted by Adam as a disciple, Annie's martial arts talent and physical condition are very good, but in terms of intelligence... For pure warriors, intelligence is the most useless attribute, Adam's intelligence is only 9 points (here intelligence is the master of mages) Attributes are related to comprehension ability and thinking speed. The average person is 10 points, and the basic attributes of this book are difficult to improve.) I haven't had a very happy life. In my system, Anne's intelligence is 11 points, which is much stronger than her stupid adoptive father, but if Margaret's intelligence standard of 26 points is used to formulate teaching tasks... let alone 26 points , the learning requirements for half-skimming and 13 points of intelligence will force her to death.
Inexplicably, I seem to know why the Executive Yuan finally became her one-person agency. Maybe she couldn't stand those "intellectually retarded" and "sluggish" subordinates. She did all the work by herself, and finally got used to it. Just don't let other people interfere.
This kind of person is the so-called Xian Wang in ancient times, but as soon as they hang up, the next successor will be very uncomfortable. After all, you can't expect Xian Wang's son and grandson to be sleepless and amazingly wise. Xian Wang Bar.
"Oh, as expected of an immortal, she didn't even tire her out like this. Anne, Margaret must have trained you, don't worry, her teaching methods are too unreliable. Kale was almost killed by her, and they are also mages."
Hearing this, the girl began to whimper, and instead shook her head vigorously.
"Sister Margaret didn't train me, she was just disappointed, Annie is useless, Annie is so useless. Annie has no confidence to be a good city lord."
The girl's tears fell tick by tick, and it seemed that Margaret's icy cold eyes after her disappointment, then shook her head and left silently, hurt her severely.
This kind of silent abandonment, this kind of disappointment from the bottom of my heart, makes the other party more uncomfortable than any sharp irony, and makes the other party doubt their own ability and intelligence...
Why do I know so well? When the study progress was not ideal, Eliza was not so depressed, she secretly vented her grievances against me... Although it was indeed me who first used this trick to hurt Margaret. Hmph, who told her to be so bad at chess and so rigid in her thinking that she couldn't pull it off.
Well, the bell has to be tied, and I know why Margaret must have me come to see Anne today. She must have subconsciously used this trick to make Anne cry, but she doesn't know how to end it.
"Ha, don't cry, come, let Uncle Bones teach you. In fact, Margaret's own practices are all wrong. It's normal if you can't learn it. If you learn it, it's really troublesome."
Annie's eyes widened, her eyes full of puzzlement.
"Administration is actually not that mysterious. Its essence is to solve problems. Yes, administration is just a means to solve troubles and problems."
Yes, administration is just the act of solving problems, and the Executive Yuan is an institution dedicated to solving problems.
"This work does not belong to our scope of functions, please transfer it to the higher authority for handling." = "Brother, this is a big trouble, we can't handle it, you can talk to our boss"
"This plan should indeed be implemented, but the cost involved is too high, the existing conditions cannot be completed, and the implementation is postponed." = "Brother, I'm sorry, you said it well, we want to do it too. But the financial treasury is out of money, Let it go."
"We can understand your difficulties, but this work involves personal privacy. Our department is not suitable to intervene, please make your own decision." = "Stupid, don't waste our manpower, such a small thing, do it yourself."
What is so complicated and sacred? The goal of administration is to solve the problems and troubles that inevitably arise in life and development, so that most people's lives can be stable and normal... The Art of Speech, which I compiled by hand, teaches you how to deal with complaints, Resolving Conflicts (also known as the Official, Dialogue Manual) has been well received, and it has indeed greatly improved the administrative capabilities of our judicial organs. The visiting citizens even said, "Although I don't understand it, it sounds very powerful. I seem to be respected", but the sequelae is that many people look at me strangely, and some people even turn over the manual I compiled while listening to me...
"Actually, you all underestimated Adam's idiot with nine intelligences. In fact, in my eyes, he is a very good city lord."
Hearing this, Annie raised her head in astonishment, her face full of disbelief. These days, she has heard countless complaints about her adoptive father.
"But... everyone said that with the help of Sister Margaret, he can be a good city lord. If he can take more responsibility, everyone will be a little easier and life will be more... "
"Then Sulphur Mountain City is not far from the end. Yes, he relies on Margaret to handle most of the government affairs, but even if Margaret is not there, he can also get others to do it, although the efficiency may be Low point. His biggest advantage is that he knows people and makes good use of them, then trusts them, and just leaves things to them, and never makes trouble.”
"You are the city owner, not the president of the Executive Yuan. All you need is to find someone who can solve the problem, and then throw all the trouble to him instead of carrying it all yourself."
Annie was about to say something, but I interrupted.
"Look, he handed over the judiciary to me, the Executive Yuan to Margaret, and the cumbersome livelihood issues to the parliament, no matter what, at least this city is now the fastest growing in the entire underground world. , and the winner does not need to be blamed. Moreover, the city owner also has the responsibility of the city owner, which is much more important than these boring government affairs. "
"The city lord's responsibility?"
"Yeah. Why do you think Adam is very busy every day, but the citizens still respect him very much, because he has fulfilled his most important duty as the city lord."
"The duty of the city lord?" After savoring the word carefully, thinking of what his adoptive father did on a daily basis, suddenly, sparks gleamed in his pupils, and the girl regained her brilliance.
"Protect everyone? Will everyone be able to live in peace in this chaotic underground world?"
I nodded and smiled.
"Yes, it is the duty of the city lord to protect everyone, guide everyone in the future, and let everyone have good expectations for the future. As for those trivial things, find a few guys with good brains and throw them to them. When they screw up they fire and replace, there will always be a fit.”
"And in this chaotic dungeon world, force is a must. In this regard, you should be very talented. Brimstone Mountain City, no, I'm afraid it is the youngest quasi-legend in the entire dungeon world."
Hearing that, it seemed that she had finally found her strengths. Annie nodded vigorously. In my eyes, she was like a cute puppy who finally found her strengths and was content.
"My adoptive father said that I am one step away from being a legend. As long as I accept the Phoenix Heart of the last inheritance, I can directly enter the middle-level legend, and then enter the sanctuary within 30 years."
"My dear. This speed is outrageous." Even me, I was frightened by this amazing speed. The average age of a normal legend is over a hundred years old, and Annie is less than 20 years old. At that time, he was over a hundred years old. "However, with such a cheerful smile, I'm afraid she still doesn't know what the Phoenix Heart is."
I shook my head, this is their family business, I don't have much to say, and I shouldn't say it. Now, my goal is to complete the main quest and train Annie to be an excellent city lord...
"Well, in two days, you and I will go to the underground covenant. Along the way, I will teach you another part of the city lord's responsibility 'how to use both soft and hard in diplomacy to gain more benefits for oneself', but since it is a dungeon , I'm afraid, I can only teach you how to be hard."
"Anyway, this time is for a strong demonstration. Along the way, you have many opportunities to take action, and strive to enter the legend directly in the battle. This time Xiaohong will also go together, and I will also bring the city's most troublesome, Bea. Brother, Storm Eagle, and the few living treasures under my command, you will be responsible for the strong demonstrations on the bright side, and let me do the rest, and together we will turn the dungeon covenant upside down and play it big."
"Adam's soul emblem is an immortal phoenix, and he is best at protracted battles. As long as he can't be destroyed in one breath, he will absorb damage, continue to nirvana and become stronger, and finally explode in one breath. But although it is the same inheritance, I feel that You may not be suitable for his way, I think you should be very suitable for the fighting style of comprehensive suppression, which requires practical training, you should try to find a fight on the underground covenant."
Sure enough, she still has the temperament of a little girl. Facing the annoying government affairs, she can only cry and do it. When talking about what she likes, she immediately jumps up and down and is elated...
"Government affairs? It's simple, isn't it just solving problems? Find a few small businessmen who can manage finances and let them manage the accounts. Well, let's be a newly established department of the Executive Yuan... Let's call it the Finance Department."
"Municipal construction should look for masonry and construction merchants, but they must first divest their own interests. By the way, let's call the construction department."
"Don't follow Margaret's way, it's too tiring. You put up the air and choose the right person. If you can't do it well, just replace the person. In order to protect the city in the future, you can put most of your energy into practice. Among them, hehe, I really want to hear the legendary deeds of the new generation of red lotus warriors.”
"Don't worry, you are much stronger than that idiot. Adam back then was much more useless than you. He is so stupid. It was the first time he dealt with other people's housework disputes, and he actually..."
Slowly, Annie, whose mood changed repeatedly and hadn't slept for two nights, was so tired that she actually listened and fell asleep directly against me.
Looking at the girl who fell into a deep sleep with a whisper on her knees, I couldn't help but think of the past.
"Humans, what a miraculous life. Yesterday, he was a bear child with a clear nose. Today, in a blink of an eye, he is an adult."
At that time, when Adam brought Annie back, she was only a little young, but now, not to mention that she is about to become an adult, she also intends to take on the heavy responsibility left by her elders.
Looking at the dark circles under Anne's eyes, I couldn't help but feel resentment towards Margaret.
"Really, you are so laissez-faire to the fool Adam, and so strict to Annie. Adam is also so, the heart of the phoenix, the heart of the phoenix, such a heavy burden, after you are sure she knows the truth, can you accept it?"
"Uncle Bones, Sister Margaret, Father..." Suddenly, the sleeping girl shed tears silently, but called out our names.
"...Don't go!! Don't leave Annie! Annie will be nice."
With a crying dream, the hand I stretched out to wipe my tears stopped...
I never said that I was going to leave, and Margaret and Adam would not publicize the news of the city lord's death... But it seems that we all underestimated this carefree and informal girl.
Half-paid, I continued, carefully wiping away her tears with my sleeve, and stroking her hair.
It was an apologetic whisper that I couldn't hear myself.
"Sorry, little Annie, adults are very selfish... We are all selfish bastards."
…
But I didn't know that in the City Lord's Mansion, there were two people who said the same thing as me.
"I knew that letting Roland come would solve the problem. Don't blame yourself, Margaret, little Annie is actually much stronger than you and I thought."
"… "
"... Stop crying, Margaret, it's not like you, you can still stay if you don't want to."
Yes, at this moment, the girl who whimpered silently in the corner accidentally hurt Annie, but asked me to help, and then she was too worried, and she used methods to eavesdrop against the principle, the sage Margaret, the sage who is always calm as ice...
Hearing the sarcastic words of this heartless man, Margaret, who had tears in the corners of her eyes, was instantly full of anger.
"It's not like you can't die! Then it's all over! You selfish bastard!" If vision could kill, Adam would have been pierced by a thousand arrows.
"...Yes, who said we were all selfish adults. I'm sorry for Little Annie, and... Hehe, don't worry too early."
"Are you laughing? Are you… "
"Don't worry, I'm Annie's father anyway, how can I not know what she wants and needs most, hehe, don't worry, I've made arrangements, and in the end, it's definitely a comedy ending, a big comedy. ."
"I believe you again, one last time!! You selfish bastard!" This is the roar of the gnashing sage who lost his image.