The Low-Ranking Civil Servant Wants to Achieve Success - Chapter 148

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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 148
The moment our eyes met, my heart trembled unexpectedly.
This naturally beautiful ruler had chased me all the way to the Underground Prison and declared he would abandon everything for me….
“Of course, I understand you need time.”
Kiaros spoke with a gentle smile.
“While waiting for you earlier, I thought perhaps you might flee again….”
“What?”
“Watching those experimental creatures rampage in the Garden, I came to understand your escape even more. If I put myself in your position, having no control over my own body is truly terrifying.”
At the word ‘understand,’ my nose suddenly stung with emotion.
“Ideally, I’d capture the escaped Aran and ensure she never undergoes experimentation again, but that may not be possible. Which is why I hope you’ll keep me by your side all the more.”
Kiaros rested his chin in his hand and gazed at me intently.
“Even if you become uncontrollable, I will protect you.”
“…What?”
“So you cannot harm the world. That’s what you fear most, isn’t it?”
He was right. What terrified me most was becoming a puppet of the Gaejofa Faction, stripped of reason and will.
“Fortunately, I was born a Dragon-kin, so I believe I can protect the world from you…and you from the world.”
“Ah….”
That’s true.
The Dark Period fades with time. In a few more months, Kiaros will become a perfect Dragon-kin.
No matter what monster I become, he will be able to subdue me with ease.
“My birth has never been a blessing before. In any case.”
Kiaros made his proposal once more, with elegant grace.
“So won’t you live by my side?”
“….”
“I don’t mind even if you develop scales.”
“Ah, Your Highness.”
Remembering that I had said earlier I disliked scales, Kiaros spoke like a mischievous boy. As I grew flustered at his teasing tone, he continued with even greater delight.
“You don’t seem to be that extreme, but in any case, it’s certain that I love you far more.”
“From today onward, I shall keep an open mind about scales.”
“Thank you. It’s an honor.”
At my sullen reply, Kiaros laughed softly. He continued in a languid tone, as if amused.
“As I said before, it would be fine for Jayden to succeed the throne.”
It would be fine, certainly. But you would do better….
While I was thinking such thoughts, Kiaros interpreted my silence differently and slowly drew back, speaking.
“Well, I know you still need time. You won’t be as comfortable with me as you are with Kibon.”
In the distance, the sound of a dog barking rang out—”Woof woof!”
Kiaros and I deliberately pretended not to hear.
In any case, with the dog’s barking as a backdrop, Kiaros continued.
“Let’s return to being that comfortable with each other again…and treat me like Kibon, whom Namia cherished…I won’t demand it hastily.”
He gazed into my eyes and spoke tenderly.
“I’ll wait.”
“Ah, yes….”
I took a sip of the tea I’d been holding.
“But….”
I rolled my eyes for a moment before speaking slowly.
“Still, I want to do my best to stand by the Crown Prince’s side with integrity….”
“…Huh?”
Kiaros’s eyes widened slightly. Then he asked in a voice that trembled a little.
“Did you just say you want to be by my side right now?”
“Yes.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
Kiaros asked slowly.
“You want to be by my side?”
“Well… anyway, if Kibon was the Crown Prince….”
Watching Kiaros’s rarely surprised face, I nodded shyly.
“I grew up lonely and in hardship… so I couldn’t help but fall for a man who would give me medicine when I was sick, listen to what I had to say, eat meals with me when I was lonely, and treat me specially. That’s just how I am.”
And I smiled softly while meeting Kiaros’s gaze.
“But those feelings and that person haven’t disappeared, have they?”
The tips of Kiaros’s ears began to flush red. It was exactly the same as Kibon’s.
Kibon too would blush from the ears whenever I looked at him with a smile like that. It was adorable.
“Of course you deceived me, but that’s because you’re such an excellent candidate for a ruler. I think that’s the weight a Crown Prince’s lover must bear.”
The moment the word “lover” left my lips, Kiaros’s ears turned bright crimson.
“But precisely because of that, I don’t want to lose an excellent ruler for the sake of the Empire. And I don’t want my lover to sacrifice anything because of me either….”
“Namia.”
“So I think it’s best to do my utmost to overcome this situation. First, stopping my mother and preventing any further experiments would be the best course. Therefore….”
I handed the report I’d brought from the room directly to Kiaros.
“Please review it.”
“…Right now? Really? This?”
Kiaros accepted my report with a reluctant expression.
Status Report on Remnants of the Faction Leadership and Recommendations for Future Plans
“His Majesty the Emperor granted me a reprieve from execution, deeming me to have utilitarian value. In principle, I must fulfill that utility.”
“Namia. The Imperial Family isn’t so inflexible as to simply execute you as a test subject.”
“I dislike becoming an existence that requires such flexibility. Please review it.”
Kiaros made a weary expression looking at the rather thick report.
“…How could you even write all this so quickly… well, you’re Namia. Yes. I understand well enough.”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
After checking the table of contents, he sighed while pointing to a specific section.
Appendix. Conversation Reconstruction between Bibeurus Awin and Aran Sertiz, Part 1. End.
He murmured to himself as he skimmed through the conversation reconstruction first.
“…It’s not like I memorized this entire conversation and wrote it down…well, that’s how it works, right? Yes, that’s it.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Only then did he carefully read through the report.
After fully grasping the contents of the report, he furrowed his brow slightly.
“In any case.”
“Yes.”
“You’re saying we should use the underground facility we didn’t destroy to lure Aran and Biberus again.”
“Yes.”
“And for that….”
Kiaros narrowed his eyes in clear displeasure.
“…you’re saying you’ll meet with Victor Awin….”
Merely uttering the name Victor Awin seemed to fill him with profound distaste.
He exhaled a long sigh and leaned forward as he asked.
“You’re really going to meet with Victor right now?”
“Yes.”
“That gloomy bastard who spouted nonsense from the start about recognizing your light and all that drivel?”
“Yes.”
“You’re going to meet him yourself—that person who looked at you with such clingy eyes?”
“Yes.”
I nodded calmly and replied.
“This is a race against time, and there’s no one faster than me in reaching the Capital right now.”
“….”
“Even if the Emperor can perform long-distance travel, he wouldn’t be faster than me.”
“….”
“I am the strongest.”
Kiaros’s expression grew even more displeased.
His finger pointed to a specific section of the report.
“This part.”
“Yes.”
“I particularly dislike this part.”
It was the passage that read: ‘To deceive Victor Awin, express intimacy. For this, we can utilize the affection he harbored for Namia Loapi.’
Kiaros furrowed his brow, precisely emphasizing the word ‘intimacy.’ I spoke with composure.
“Of course, since Your Highness cares for me, you naturally could do that. But I believe it’s unavoidable for the greater good.”
“Is that something you should discuss so rationally?”
“I also let it slide when you deceived and betrayed me—someone I cared for—saying it was unavoidable for the greater good.”
“….”
“I’ll be back soon. The travel time won’t take long, and since I only need to persuade Victor Awin and deliver the message, I should be able to return within an hour even if I leave now.”
That was right.
I intended to use Victor to draw out Biberus and my mother.

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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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