The Low-Ranking Civil Servant Wants to Achieve Success - Chapter 16

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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 16
The rather fine manor that Father had arranged for the Baron in exchange for entrusting me to his care receded into the distance behind me.
Since there was nothing in particular to pack, leaving wasn’t difficult at all.
‘Father, I’m sorry.’
I wasn’t abandoning the Loapi Baronial Family.
‘But I’m smart enough to know that this is the best I can do….’
I was letting go of the blind desperation for Father that I’d been clinging to all this time.
The Marquis and his wife, Huan—they could all go to hell.
‘From now on, every paycheck is mine.’
Today was payday, in fact.
As far as I knew, the salary would be deposited in the afternoon.
‘Starting with this paycheck, I absolutely cannot hand it over to the Baron. Not a single coin from this moment forward.’
I headed straight to the Imperial Palace to change my salary account.
All the things I was now allowed to do—the things I’d wanted to do all along—came to mind endlessly.
‘First, I need to find a place to live. Luca lived in a boarding house, didn’t he? Today I’ll stay at an inn and ask Luca if he has a spare room.’
Any strange boarding house would be more comfortable than Baron Loapi’s Residence.
At the very least, they wouldn’t be petty enough to withhold meals.
‘It’ll start getting cold soon—should I buy some clothes? Oh, and my shoe soles have been worn through for ages….’
Of course, there were many things I wanted to buy.
But none of it brought me joy.
Now I could receive my full salary, and I could finally go to restaurants I’d never been to before.
I could sleep comfortably somewhere without anyone watching my every move.
‘Still, I need to save my salary. I can’t give up on finding Father.’
Since I wasn’t certain of Father’s situation, until now I’d only listened to what the Loapi Baron said, afraid something might happen to him.
But negotiations are conducted with people, not with dogs.
‘There will be a way… a way will appear. If I think carefully, there must be another path….’
Despite having such conviction, I worried that I might come to regret the choice I’d just made.
‘Father, I’m not giving up on you. I absolutely won’t. Really.’
As I headed toward the Imperial Palace, tears continued to fall. I wiped them away ceaselessly, muttering to myself.
“Father… Where are you? I miss you….”
* * *
The Ministry of Justice Official had been dead for ten minutes before the Imperial Palace knights arrived.
The enemy, whose form remained invisible, seemed to be provoking Kiaros as if to say, ‘I already know what you’re going to do.’
“That Ministry of Justice Official named Rennan was originally assigned to the Scroll Management Department. Ten years ago, he requested a transfer due to poor adaptation and moved to the Ministry of Justice.”
After hearing the report at the Imperial Palace, Kiaros pondered with a cold expression.
‘So the Scroll Management Department is definitely involved.’
The Scroll Management Department was a loosely organized body, making it ideal for enemies to infiltrate.
That’s why he’d infiltrated that department out of suspicion.
We found several documents partially burned in the fireplace—they appear to be some kind of cipher. We’ll search the entire residence and look for hidden spaces.
Progress on the matter was not unfavorable. If they found something there, it would be thanks to acting so swiftly.
And the reason they were able to respond so swiftly was entirely thanks to Namia.
‘Everyone else was caught off guard, yet that blunt low-ranking civil servant was the only one doing her job properly.’
Blunt? No, that didn’t seem quite right.
He sighed and sent the messenger bird back out the window.
‘First thing tomorrow, I’ll summon Namia Loapi and tell her I’ll grant her any reward she desires.’
It was just as he turned to leave.
A familiar silver-haired figure crossed the Imperial Palace Garden with hurried steps, catching his eye.
‘Hmm? That woman…’
He recognized her immediately. It was Namia.
‘Didn’t she say she was going home?’
Her head hung low as she made her way somewhere.
Kiaros’s eyes widened without his realizing it.
Namia wiped her eyes with a swift motion. She was crying bitterly.
He opened the window wider, and her tearful murmurs reached him faintly.
“Father… Where are you? I miss you so much…”
It was as Kiaros stood frozen, watching her.
A knock sounded, and the Aide entered.
“Your Highness.”
The Aide held a report with a black cover.
“I’ve gathered information on the Loapi Baronial Family.”
Kiaros nodded for him to continue. The Aide consulted the report and relayed what was, in many respects, an ordinary tale.
They were an unremarkable fallen noble house from the Southern Region who had come to the Capital fifteen years ago and had been steadily squandering their wealth ever since, and recently they had even taken out loans for an investment that failed completely.
“However, their movements fifteen years ago are somewhat peculiar.”
It was then that Kiaros’s brow furrowed slightly.
“Just before coming to the Capital, they belatedly registered Namia Loapi in the family records as the twin sister of Huan Loapi.”
It was because the name ‘Namia Loapi’ had appeared.
“The peculiar point is that the Loapi Baron had a younger brother, and both that brother and his daughter went missing that year. The daughter’s name does not appear in the birth records.”
In provincial areas, it was common to file a birth report first and register the name later. The Aide continued.
“Since it concerns the Southern Region, we’ll need more time to investigate, but The Ravens believe that the younger brother’s daughter is likely Namia Loapi.”
“The Southern Region…”
“Yes. It’s already a region where The Ravens have been extensively deployed.”
At those words, Kiaros fell into thought for a moment.
“Do we still have no information about that child in the Southern Region?”
“Ah, yes. There’s so little information that even The Ravens are finding it difficult…”
The Aide answered with a grave expression.
“We don’t know her age or appearance—we only have accounts of a girl who appeared at a library in the Southern Region long ago. Even the Librarian who worked there at the time only remembers her as ‘a quiet child who read books well, then stopped coming at some point.'”
“Hmm.”
“If she possessed that level of skill at such a young age, wouldn’t she have already become a mage and be in the Magic Tower?”
That had long been The Ravens’ conclusion.
“However, the Magic Tower only allows mages to publicize their names and communicate with the outside world after they turn thirty-five, and only with the Tower Master’s permission.”
At the mention of the Magic Tower, the Aide glanced sideways at Kiaros.
“However, since Your Highness has now obtained access to the Scroll Management Department documents… the Tower Master will absolutely refuse to cooperate with you going forward.”
“This is truly absurd. He showed no interest in Imperial Palace affairs before.”
“But regardless, he will perceive it as an intrusion into his domain. After all, isn’t he the type who twists everything to suit his perspective?”
Kiaros let out a slight groan as if troubled.
‘If Namia hadn’t revoked the New Intern’s authority, matters wouldn’t have become this complicated.’
Yet Kiaros decided not to resent Namia.
She had merely been thorough in her duties.
‘Her feelings toward that New Intern were genuinely beautiful.’
I had somehow come to understand her true heart, which I hadn’t known before. My misunderstanding—thinking she was indifferent to the New Intern—was something I truly regretted.
Kiaros cleared his throat once and changed the subject.
“By the way, did we send a report about this matter to the Magic Tower? I recall instructing you to obtain a written opinion directly from the Tower Master.”
“Yes, however…”
The Aide fumbled and produced a letter.
It bore the Magic Tower’s seal, but lacked the Tower Master’s personal stamp. It appeared to have been written by the Tower Master’s Secretary.
Kiaros irritably took the letter and unfolded it.
The Tower Master is currently away on business.
There is no definite date for his return.
Upon his return, I will prioritize informing him that the Crown Prince has requested a written opinion on this matter.
Postscript: However, the report stated that the Scroll Magic Department official activated 172 scrolls.
It appears 17 was written in error—could you please verify?

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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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