The Low-Ranking Civil Servant Wants to Achieve Success - Chapter 14

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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 14
“Please, send our Namia to the Academy in the Capital.”
Father brought me before his older brother, Loapi Baron.
“You’re a clever child. I promise you—I’ll see she receives an education. With this money, we should be able to relocate to the Capital.”
Father handed an envelope to the Baron, who immediately examined it and broke into a bright smile.
“Of course, don’t worry about that.”
“…Brother was rotten to the core from childhood—absolute garbage—so I’m concerned. I can only hope he’s become human by now.”
Looking back, Father’s judgment was remarkably accurate.
“Then add Namia to your Family Registry. Since she’s the same age as Huan, we can register them as twins. Once we’re in the Capital, no one will know you anyway. Who cares if they’re actually twins or not?”
It was a reasonably sound plan.
When registering Huan at the Academy, they would inevitably ask, “You have a twin—where is the other one?”
This way, I could register naturally alongside him.
“I will return, without fail. And I will come back for Namia.”
Father spoke these words to the Baron.
“Until then, please take good care of our Namia. She carries your blood, after all—I trust you won’t treat her carelessly.”
At that moment, I could only stare anxiously at the envelope Father held out.
Father was already struggling just to pay the interest on our debts. Where could such a large sum have come from?
‘Where on earth did that money come from…?’
I was consumed with questions.
But Father’s expression looked so sorrowful that I couldn’t bring myself to ask further.
Pretending not to understand an adult’s circumstances was the virtue of a child who had grown up too quickly.
Father pulled me into a tight embrace and whispered.
“My daughter, wait just a little longer. You know Father loves you, don’t you?”
I wanted to grab him and beg him not to go. I wanted to cling to him and stay by his side forever.
But as I did every morning, I smiled composedly and answered.
“Yes, Father…. I’ll wait bravely and patiently. I’m quite intelligent, after all. So don’t worry about me. Just take care of yourself.”
That was our last conversation.
“Brother, don’t forget. You must send Namia to the Academy.”
“Of course. Don’t worry. Think back to our childhood and trust me! I won’t be harsh or unreasonable.”
“…Thinking back to our childhood makes that impossible. Let’s draw up the most ruthlessly binding contract in existence.”
Before leaving, Father drafted a legally binding contract with the Baron.
If the Baron failed to send me to the Academy, Father would return and demand double compensation.
But there was one more surprising development.
The next day, the Loan Sharks came to me and handed over a document.
It was a certificate proving that all debts in my name had been paid in full.
‘This can’t be real…. That wasn’t money that could be paid off so easily.’
Though I had been freed from the debt that had bound me since birth, I could only stare in bewilderment.
Meanwhile, the Baron used the money Father had given him to relocate to the Capital. Afterward, he honored the contract and sent me to the Academy alongside Huan.
But when I achieved first place in the Academy entrance examination.
For the first time, the Baron struck me across the face.
“You’re the top student? You, Huan’s twin, are the top student? What is this doing to our Huan! He’ll be constantly compared at the Academy!”
The Baroness chimed in as well, her eyes gleaming with indignation.
“And you have the audacity to show no consideration, living off our charity!”
After that, I deliberately performed poorly on the Academy exams. I half-heartedly completed my assignments as well.
I wanted to continue attending the Academy, but I was terrified the Baron might void the contract.
‘What if he demands compensation and forbids me from attending the Academy?’
Thus, year after year passed.
Father never returned.
The worse things became, the more the Baron’s treatment of me deteriorated.
By completing Huan’s assignments, I could at least manage to eat.
Of course, the Baron only sent me to the Academy—everything else was handled abominably.
“Where did your father go? Hmm. He told me before he left, naturally.”
Yet I could not resist the Baron in any way.
“Well… you’ll know when the time comes. You’re still too young. There’s no need for you to know now. I made a promise with your father. I won’t tell you until you come of age.”
I couldn’t respond to those words because I had my own vague suspicions about what had happened.
The debt that had accumulated in my name was truly astronomical.
If someone could pay off that entire debt at once and even purchase the Baron’s title…
‘Father was honest and kind, but he wasn’t a particularly talented man.’
He must have sold himself. For that kind of money, it certainly wasn’t anything legitimate.
So I waited until I came of age and could earn money. Wherever Father was, I wanted to go rescue him.
But after I came of age and entered the Imperial Palace, the Baron changed his tune.
“Just until you become a Viscount. Only until then, please? Namia.”
The Baron and Baroness wanted to attain a Viscount’s rank.
There were quite a few ways to purchase a Viscount’s title if one had enough money.
But since they were short on funds, they asked if I could give them my salary.
Now that they’d come to the Capital, their greed had only grown.
“Once we become Viscounts… and Huan establishes himself confidently as the Viscount heir… then I’ll tell you. All right?”
“Until then, we’re also afraid, you see. We don’t know what kind of trouble your father caused. We have things we need to accomplish. You understand, don’t you?”
I see.
I was so afraid that Father might have been involved in some grave crime that I was even terrified to visit the Information Guild and ask about it.
‘I want to learn about Father as safely as possible, from the Baron himself.’
So I understood the Baron’s desire to keep a low profile until he could purchase his Viscount rank.
But I had no intention of compromising indefinitely.
“If I give you money from now on, you must tell me later where Father is. You understand, don’t you?”
“Of course, of course! Let’s write up a contract! A cold, strict one, just like your father made!”
“Five years.”
“What?”
“I’m saying I’ll give you my salary for exactly five years. I can’t give more than that.”
“Five years isn’t enough! Ten years, let’s make it ten!”
In the end, our contract specified a period of seven years.
He said he’d tell me where Father went if I just gave him my salary for seven years.
[Our daughter, just wait a little longer. You know Father loves you, right?]
Father had devoted his entire life to protecting me.
My childhood spent with Father was the most radiant time of my life.
Sometimes when I had nowhere to leave me and the Library closed, Father would take me with him to his Workplace.
[It’s not hard at all with just Father! Seeing our daughter’s face gives me so much strength!]
With me nearby, Father would work tirelessly, yet between tasks he’d flash me a bright smile and wave his hand.
And on the way home as evening fell, Father would pat my back the entire journey, holding me as I slept in his arms.
‘Father….’
Now that I’m an adult, I will definitely find Father.
No matter where Father is trapped, I wanted to rescue him.
‘To rescue Father, I’ll probably need a lot of money, so I’ve been quietly saving up overtime pay and vacation compensation without the Marquis and his wife knowing. I’m even skimping on the evening meal allowance from working late….’
In any case, the only person who holds a clue to Father’s whereabouts is the Baron.
Not listening to the Baron felt like abandoning Father.
So I’ve lived this way all this time.
[I don’t know all your circumstances, but just cut ties and live your own life.]
This was my situation.
Others might say it’s nothing, but for me it was truly urgent.
With Father having devoted his entire life to me, enduring seven years of giving him my salary was something I could bear.
‘But if he demands anything more than this, I won’t stay silent….’
I quickened my pace toward the Baron’s residence.

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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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