The Low-Ranking Civil Servant Wants to Achieve Success - Chapter 104

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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Chapter 104
“But!”
In the midst of it all, the Aide, who had become so emotionally invested that tears streamed down his face, added with a sniffle.
“If there were circumstances that warranted it!”
“Hmm….”
“Well, I suppose I can’t say for certain. Of course, they would have to be truly extraordinary circumstances.”
“…Yes, I doubted you because of that… how about this?”
“Good heavens….”
In the end, the Aide wept openly, tears flowing freely.
“You didn’t trust me? And yet you expect me to believe you care? How can I trust that? I can’t!”
“…I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I apologize. I’ve committed a sin worthy of death.”
Kiaros pressed his forehead with his hand.
“But the time we truly spent together was genuine, and I worked with all my heart and effort for your sake….”
“That makes the betrayal even worse! If you had trusted me that much, I would have relied on you just as much!”
The Aide clutched his chest, his body wracked with sobs.
While he wept, Kiaros unfolded the letter Namia had given him with a darkened expression.
[Please deliver this letter to the Crown Prince on your way back.]
If Namia knew that it was essentially the same as delivering it directly….
My mind grew complicated. I read the letter with even greater anguish.
First, Kibon Altes is indeed your person, Crown Prince, correct?
From Namia’s perspective, it was quite a reasonable deduction.
I myself had said with my own mouth that ‘Kibon can be trusted,’ and had even evaluated him as ‘better than most of the Ravens.’
Kibon Altes is my person… if we’re being precise about affiliations, it was technically true.
‘Well, it’s not a lie….’
At the same time, my guilt grew heavier because of the Aide, who was now sobbing quietly.
Namia was clearly under a complete misunderstanding.
Kiaros sighed once and shifted his attention to the letter Namia had sent.
The trap devised against Victor and Anastasia is as follows:
With the Aide’s anguished cries as background music, Kiaros began to carefully read through the outline of the trap, which had been written in the form of a perfect report.
* * *
I had Kibon do the same task for two days straight: go to the Scroll Department and pressure the Team Leaders.
“Kibon, did you visit the Scroll Department?”
“Yes. They still haven’t found the ….”
Of course not. There was never such a report to begin with.
But both Victor and Anastasia would certainly have memorized the title by now.
“Should I visit again at the same time tomorrow?”
“Ah, yes. But tomorrow I need you to do a different performance.”
Anastasia Kayen, Victor Awin.
Neither name appeared in the original work. That’s why it was all the more confusing.
They didn’t seem to be key figures in the Gaejo Faction, whatever the case.
In any case, that spy—whichever of the two it was—continued working with unshakeable composure even after the Saint Cairo Banquet had concluded successfully.
“What kind of acting are you talking about?”
“The act of unrequited love for me that ended in failure. Obviously, you should look dejected the entire time, right?”
….
Whether from sudden emotional immersion or sheer skill, Kibon’s face transformed into an expression of utter devastation. His performance was so convincing that applause seemed inevitable.
“Don’t start yet. Anyway, then Anastasia will ask why you have that expression, right? Then answer that I’ve finally opened my heart to the Crown Prince.”
….
Perhaps reacting to my warning not to start early, Kibon’s face suddenly brightened.
“Your expression improved immediately? Your acting ability is quite good. Just keep it like that.”
I looked at Kibon and gave him a thumbs up.
“Your next line is: ‘Yesterday, the Minister of Education told the Crown Prince that Yongin without blood or tears is frightening, and the Crown Prince gave me both blood and tears. It seems the two of them have finally come together.’ Can you memorize it?”
“Hmm… yes…. Blood and tears….”
Kibon murmured reluctantly.
“Yes. So you were trying to sell out the Crown Prince like this….”
Indeed, tears from Yongin, who probably hadn’t cried since birth.
The mention of ‘tears’—something I’d invented merely to complete the narrative—seemed more shocking than the crucial trap element of ‘receiving blood.’
In any case, he nodded as if he understood. I continued with a determined expression.
“Then, if anyone asks about the report, answer: ‘I don’t think we need to search for it. Anyway, he says he remembers most of the contents anyway…. Starting tomorrow, he’ll be coming to the Production Workshop to conduct experiments.’ And then let your shoulders droop.”
I was planning to use ‘Kiaros’s blood’ as bait.
In fact, I’d suspected from the beginning that ‘the Gaejo Faction’s experiments might require special blood.’ It was because of what the Tower Master had said.
[One night, he stabbed me with a sword and took my blood, then emptied my wallet and fled outside the house.]
At that time, I couldn’t be certain, of course. But after hearing something different from Kiaros, I thought it might work as bait.
[I still remember that night when we were attacked in the Southern Region. The Emperor swept them all away while sustaining injuries to his legs and wrapping them in bandages. They said he lost a lot of blood.]
If the experiments required special human blood, then at least the hypothesis that modified people didn’t appear in the original work was explained.
Special human blood wasn’t supplied infinitely, after all.
‘If my thinking is correct, Kiaros’s blood would be an incredibly tempting bait for them.’
If it were the core material for experiments, they’d do anything to obtain it.
Especially since blood, when mixed with preservative solution, remains unchanged for long periods and is easy to substitute.
“You can do this, right, Kibon?”
And only those at the Team Leader level could access the Production Workshop.
[And during my vacation, reserve the Production Workshop under my name. Kibon, you probably won’t be able to. Only Team Leader level and above have access authorization.]
It meant the spy themselves had to move inevitably.
As I looked into Kibon’s eyes and asked, he nodded.
“Yes.”
“Good. Also….”
And for three days straight, I was also assigning Kibon other tasks.
“On your way back, stop by the Imperial Palace Temple and take a look around.”
“Understood.”
The Imperial Palace Temple housed several priests, including the High Priest.
So far, all they’d done was pray in the Chapel. They hadn’t even moved to other locations.
On the surface, there was nothing suspicious about it.
Yet I continued to regard everything with a skeptical eye.
‘Even if I reason based on the original story, there’s clearly something there, and more than anything….’
The High Priest’s symptoms matched mine exactly. A slight malaise, then vomiting blood, then complete recovery.
That fact unsettled me deeply.
I could have considered whether the High Priest had also become a target of the Gaejo Faction like me, but my instincts told me otherwise.
While I was lost in thought, Kibon asked.
“Are you perhaps suspicious of the High Priest?”
“Hm? Well….”
He was only supposed to observe and report, yet his perception was far too keen. Since nothing was certain, I deliberately evaded the question.
“And deliver this letter to the Crown Prince.”
The letter I was sending to Kiaros was brief. He likely still didn’t completely trust me.
‘When Jayden Young Prince manifested his special ability, and certainly I’ve shown many suspicious behaviors. Perhaps he doesn’t even fully believe the spy list I handed over.’
So I had to act alongside him and show him the scene myself.
As I mentioned before, all the traps are now complete, and I will soon apprehend the spies. Would it be possible for you to join me?

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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