The Low-Ranking Civil Servant Wants to Achieve Success - Chapter 131

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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 131
“Typically, test subjects don’t last long. But according to my investigation, there’s been an adult male test subject who survived for fifteen years. I don’t know the details, but I heard he had silver hair and blue eyes.”
Silver hair and blue eyes—that was unmistakably my father, and fifteen years matched the timeline perfectly.
“So I’ve been thinking that test subject must be Cedric Loapi. Usually, if someone survives the experiments, they rise to become a Gaejofa Faction executive, but he’s still being called a test subject.”
“Inflexible, and once he decides something is wrong, it stays wrong forever… That’s definitely my father.”
I was certain immediately.
I had always been my father’s only exception.
Because of me, he might have joined the Gaejofa Faction, but he would never become an executive or anything like that.
“Where could he be?”
“Probably in the Western Underground Prison.”
The Tower Master pointed to the map as he spoke.
“Naturally, it would be quite deep down. That was actually where I originally planned to infiltrate secretly, but….”
I gazed quietly at the map. It was remarkably detailed, probably from extensive investigation.
“My dear child, why do you act as though you have no tomorrow….”
The Tower Master squeezed my hand tightly and spoke again.
“Are you worried that the Dragon-kin might kill you because your father is a test subject? I’ll hide you deep within the Magic Tower where they can never find you. All right?”
The Tower Master’s eyes were filled with concern.
“But if the Dragon-kin comes and destroys this place, Father will die too.”
“I’ll save him before that happens.”
“But I’m stronger than you, Grandfather. And….”
I bit my lower lip as I continued.
“If Mother escapes and joins forces with the remnants of the Gaejofa Faction again to undergo experiments, I’ll be helpless against it.”
The Gaejofa Faction wasn’t only in the Grand Temple.
Once the Dragon-kin destroyed the Grand Temple, the scattered Gaejofa members would simply go into hiding everywhere.
If Mother survived, it was obvious she would join hands with those remnants again.
But I couldn’t bring myself to say I wished Mother were dead. I simply couldn’t.
“What meaning is there in living like this?”
Throughout my growth, I’d believed I had no control over my own life, but I’d never felt this powerless before.
“There, there. Our dear child is upset. Then let’s do this.”
After hearing my words, the Tower Master gripped my hand even tighter.
“Let me change the plan. I’ll make absolutely certain to capture Aran. I’ll seize her by any means necessary, imprison her in the Magic Tower, and ensure she never meets with the Gaejofa Faction again. Then you won’t have to worry, will you?”
I objected seriously.
“But according to Imperial Family Special Law, Article 11, Section 20, the Magic Tower must absolutely obey the Imperial Family. We cannot defy their demands. They’ll probably order you to kill all three of us.”
“Then you hide in the Magic Tower too. I’ll tell the Dragon-kin that all three of you are dead. Well, I’ll take in your father as well. He’s a test subject anyway.”
In the end, it was an ending where our family of three would be imprisoned in the Magic Tower.
“How about that? Isn’t it absurd? You can live like a princess in a corner room, cut off from the world inside. That’s all you need to do.”
The Tower Master grinned widely, his eyes gleaming. Somehow, it didn’t feel like a happy ending at all.
“You’ll be truly happy, won’t you? Yes? What do you think, my dear?”
“Well, I….”
“Why does your expression look like that? Yes?”
“The thought of staying in the Magic Tower indefinitely makes me worry about the Scroll Department…. Truthfully, without me, that department is in a precarious state….”
Even in this situation, I found myself grateful that I was currently on medical leave.
‘It’s not an unauthorized absence. There’s no operational gap.’
Anastasia was also on medical leave, but she had never been particularly competent at her duties anyway.
In any case, Victor was attending work normally while under surveillance by the Ravens.
If the department only handled tasks at the level of the old Scroll Management Department, Victor alone was more than capable of maintaining the status quo.
Knowing this fact, the Tower Master spoke cynically.
“Heh, that’s only because you’re trying to accomplish something. What grand work did the old Scroll Magic Department ever do? It’s not even a particularly necessary department in the Imperial Palace. I’m just running it at this scale because I threw a tantrum about it.”
As a former junior member of the Scroll Management Department, I couldn’t deny it—and that sadness was unavoidable.
“…It was the Scroll Management Department, not the Scroll Magic Department….”
“I see. Well, in any case, let’s do it this way.”
The Tower Master clapped his hands once and pointed at the map.
“You go rescue your father. I’ll head back this way….”
The Tower Master was pointing to the Eastern Annex.
“I’ll strike here. According to my investigation, this is where the executive meetings are held. While I’m not quite your equal, I’m still capable of destroying something or two. They’ll probably send all their main forces here.”
In essence, he was going to make it look like he was the one who had infiltrated.
At the same time, it meant we would now act separately from each other.
“While I draw their attention, you break through the Western Side Gate and descend underground. Riding this dog, you’ll move quickly.”
“Woof, woof, woof!”
Kibon, who had been lying obediently while the Tower Master and I debated, barked as if to say he understood.
“Now, let’s not think about worst-case scenarios.”
I nodded.
Honestly, whether it was the Tower Master or me, we were both essentially throwing ourselves in relying solely on our individual abilities.
“The cleanup will be handled by the Dragon-kin anyway. That’s the weight of a ruler, isn’t it? Let’s just try to save two people.”
Still, since the objective wasn’t grandiose, it seemed quite doable.
“And you—don’t spend your life trapped in the Magic Tower, unable to move, forced to think only of a future of artificial happiness. Understood?”
“…Yes.”
Our eyes met.
The Tower Master lifted me up once and placed me on Kibon’s back.
“Be careful. Did you gather all the scrolls?”
“Yes.”
I nodded.
I had carefully brought along even the scroll the Tower Master had given me before, the one he said to use if there was a man confessing his feelings.
Since there was no chance I’d meet Kibon anyway, I’d have no use for it….
Still, having received nothing from my family during my teenage years, each item was precious to me.
“My dearest little one in this world, take this too. I don’t think I’ll need it anymore. There are only two left, but….”
The Tower Master rummaged around and placed something else in my hand.
“It’s a concealment scroll. With your magical power, you should be able to sustain it for quite a while. The Underground Prison is located very deep, so use it wisely.”
“What? A concealment scroll?”
It was a scroll I’d never seen before. Startled, I stared at it, and the Tower Master stepped back.
“Well then, I’ll be on my way. Let’s scatter before the Gaejo Faction arrives.”
The Tower Master gazed up at me astride Kibon, as if committing my appearance to memory.
“Fortune favor you, child. If anything goes wrong—and I mean anything—abandon family, abandon everything, and flee immediately with a teleportation scroll. Understood?”
“…Yes.”
My throat suddenly tightened.
“Grandfather, please… take care of yourself.”
The Tower Master nodded. Then, grasping the staff he’d left on the ground, he began racing eastward like the wind itself.
His retreating figure was acutely aware of being watched—a silhouette striving to appear magnificent.
‘So that’s it…’
Watching him disappear, I clutched the concealment scroll tightly.
The mystery of why the Tower Master had suddenly appeared prostrate finally seemed to unravel.
‘He was frightened of us, so he used this scroll and hid himself away, curled up…’
I nodded once and stroked the nape of Kibon’s neck.
“Ready?”
I had already committed the map I’d seen earlier to memory.
“Shall we go, Kibon?”
Kibon barked cheerfully and began galloping with spirited energy.
* * *
“Huff, huff, huff…”
The Emperor genuinely thought he might die like this.
It normally took three days to fly to the Southern Region, even at considerable speed.
Yet he had flown there without a single rest, pushing forward at full sprint the entire way…
“Huff, huff, huff…”
Including the three hours of sleep he’d gotten at a small safe house early this morning, he had descended to the Southern Region in less than two full days.
“Thank you, Your Majesty. You’ve endured so much. But please continue toward Parens.”
“Krrrgh? (What now?)”
Parens was practically within sight now, so it wasn’t an unreasonable request.
Kiaros continued in a low voice.
“And please drop me above the Grand Temple.”
It seemed he intended to make his entrance immediately.
Soon the silhouette of the Grand Temple began to appear in his field of vision.

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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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