Scene from the end of vol 10.

Disclaimer: I am not perfectly fluent, so neither is this translation perfect. Read at your own risk.

His expression and manner, everything about him was as cold as winter, hard and incisive. Although he was wearing the informal official wear, at a glance his badge of office showed that his rank was above the Six Departments, the True Upper Third Rank. Carved upon it was the seal of the rising sun and paulownia flower, showing that he was the Chief of the Censorate. Shuurei would know the name of Ki Kouki slightly after. As if to appraise them, he glanced at them coolly. At last, his glance stopped at Shuurei. His pale eyes, without a smidgen of warmth, seemed to pierce right through her.

“… In every way, it looks like you’re foolishly soft. Thoroughly useless.”

Shuurei bit her lips. Right now, she could not raise a single objection.

“However, the quickness of your wits is on par with Seiga’s…”

Although Seiga angrily pressed his lips together, he said nothing. Certainly, if you were to subtract her naivete to the point of foolishness, she was someone worth allying with. Perhaps that was another a reason for his dislike.

“Because of your many connections, it’s not that you’re totally useless. There are not many who can cause the Ran clan to move. So you may have some value.

Before the person in question, he squarely said such things.

“But it’s meaningless to speak of you alone. Shin Suou, if you come with her, I’ll consider it. If you are with her, things will be slightly better. Despite this, she’s still so naive as to be throughly useless. — Shin Suou, you have no merits in particular, but that in itself is a merit. There are few opponents who can get something past Seiga. It may be difficult for Seiga to play the fool, so someone even more of a fool will never be suspected. In that gap, is the excellent sense of intuition which grasped the truth without realizing it, and unconsciously chose the best path. No matter who you speak to, in the end you have the courage to say what you want. If they possess ability, you will be a great aid to them; but if their ability is small, you will be slowly demoted, and in the end just finish idling on the bottom. You are without significant talent on your own, but you are gifted with the talent to develop others. Seeing that, I picked you up, but I have no use for people who do nothing. I had thought to make an example to decrease corruption, which would make you slightly useful. If you are willing to work, you may return. I shall make use of you to the full extent of your talents.

Suou’s cheek twitched.

“I don’t feel like I’ve been praised at all–”

Shuurei’s face changed color hearing these harsh words. Then Kouki’s chilly gaze fell upon her.

“This is politics. Do not think that in the Censorate, softness and fine words are at all permitted. If you are willing to do anything, then you may come. If it is necessary to preserve the secrecy of the investigation, I may order you to let people be killed, take part in corruption, abandon your family, or sleep with men. If you have the resolve to do this silently, then come. Throw away all of the righteousness and idealism you have now. You do not move politics with them. If you want to talk about righteousness, then quit being an official. If you want to accomplish something, then throw away your ideals until you reach an appropriate position. Seiga should be living proof that with money and authority at the center of things, crying out alone about it is meaningless. If you don’t kick down your opponent, you will be the one who falls. If you fall, your existence will be meaningless. It will only be said, that just as expected, female officials are useless. If you want to play at being an official, then find some kids to do it with.”

Having said that, after giving a single order to an official at his side, he returned to the palace without casting a second glance at them.

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