The Low-Ranking Civil Servant Wants to Achieve Success - Chapter 17

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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 17
After finishing the letter, Kiaros curled his lips into a wry smile.
“Ha. The Scroll Magic Department? This secretary doesn’t even know the correct name of his own department.”
“The Tower Master wouldn’t concern himself with such details either, so expecting the secretary to know is unreasonable.”
“And the Tower Master himself—an indefinite absence? How can the head of an organization be so irresponsible?”
“I understand, sir.”
The Aide spoke gently.
“It seems he’s been struggling greatly with his daughter’s situation. The Tower Master has always been difficult, but he was never quite like this before.”
The Aide glanced cautiously at Kiaros before continuing.
“With so many pressing matters demanding attention right now, perhaps the Scroll Management Department issue could be postponed for a while?”
“Hmm.”
“I understand your suspicion of the Scroll Management Department, but the Empress herself—”
The moment the Aide mentioned the Empress, Kiaros cut him off with absolute firmness.
“We’ll discuss the Empress later. There isn’t sufficient evidence yet.”
“However, it is true that many are already suspicious.”
“I’m aware. Ensure rumors don’t spread carelessly—manage this with particular care.”
With that, Kiaros ended the topic and walked slowly to sit before his desk.
Already piled on the desk were all documents related to the Scroll Management Department from the past ten years, summoned by his authority.
Now that the Emperor had secretly gone to the Western Region for recuperation, his workload was truly immense.
“First, send a letter to the Magic Tower confirming that the 172 scrolls were indeed written correctly.”
Kiaros spoke slowly. The Magic Tower’s letter had irritated him from the start.
It was an official Imperial letter, yet they had the audacity to insist it contained errors—he found their attitude presumptuous.
Still, the Magic Tower was the only place he could consult.
“Also add that Namia Loapi produced 166 scrolls in a single night.”
Previously uncertain, he hadn’t included it, but now that he’d verified it directly, it was information that needed to be added.
After giving his instructions, he slowly placed his hand on the Scroll Management Department files.
Yet from the first page, his thoughts drifted elsewhere.
‘She was crying so pitifully.’
That kind woman who had shown compassion even to a New Intern who quit after a single day of work…
“But.”
After a brief pause, Kiaros opened his mouth toward his Aide.
“Something does seem odd.”
“…Yes? The Empress?”
“No. Namia Loapi.”
The Aide’s expression showed slight confusion.
He tilted his head and replied.
“No, sir? She’s a true talent of this age and an exemplary civil servant who has aided the Crown Prince twice.”
Kiaros furrowed his brow and crossed his arms.
“She seems clever, yet her presence in that department is suspicious.”
“Well, perhaps she’s the type who struggles with examinations. Such people are surprisingly common. There’s something rather endearing about it.”
“Her eyes keep shifting rapidly—can a person really do that? It’s highly suspicious.”
“My eyes change at quitting time too. Isn’t that normal? A true office worker who uses their soul efficiently.”
“And her family background isn’t ordinary either. Extremely suspicious.”
“It’s common to be taken in as an adopted daughter by relatives. She grew up well despite difficult circumstances.”
“Moreover, can a human really cry so sorrowfully? It’s nothing but suspicious.”
“Everyone’s tears are sorrowful. She’s an adult who knows how to express her emotions healthily.”
“….”
His Aide was competent, but he lacked a certain perceptiveness.
Kiaros stared intently at his Aide.
“…O-of course!”
Fortunately, his Aide had the advantage of catching on once given a moment to think.
“That’s my assessment, but Your Highness’s insight may differ. If you sense something suspicious about Namia Loapi, then naturally you should investigate more thoroughly.”
Only then did Kiaros nod with satisfaction.
“Right. Then find out what happened to that missing Baron—the presumed biological father of Namia Loapi’s brother. Locate him by any means necessary.”
“Yes, understood.”
“This is purely because it’s so suspicious that I’m looking into it.”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“It’s not because something keeps bothering me or weighing on my mind.”
“Yes, of course not.”
“It’s absolutely a matter of public investigation, not personal interest.”
“Yes, naturally.”
Kiaros’s Aide nodded continuously at his words.
And with genuine loyalty, he spoke with eager enthusiasm.
“I’ll inform the Southern Ravens, who are already busy searching for a girl for fifteen years, to immediately investigate the disappearance of her presumed biological father.”
The Southern Ravens.
Kiaros’s heart wasn’t at ease about assigning them additional work while they were already occupied with other missions.
But Namia Loapi was far too suspicious—he had no choice but to investigate further.
‘Wait, hold on.’
As he tried to return his attention to the documents, he furrowed his brow.
‘That girl should be around Namia Loapi’s age by now, shouldn’t she?’
He began urgently recalling the past.
It was when he was ten years old, during his first Dark Period.
2. Kiaros Polariud’s Circumstances
The summer when Kiaros turned ten years old.
He set out on a southern inspection with the Emperor, just the two of them.
Back then, the Emperor was in excellent health.
He would even manifest directly as a dragon and annihilate entire swarms of monsters raging throughout the Southern Region in a single stroke.
“I wish I could become twenty-five years old soon, Your Majesty.”
The young Kiaros spoke with anticipation upon witnessing such an Emperor. The Emperor smiled warmly while stroking his head.
“You must first overcome the Dark Period, Kiaros. A Dark Period will come to you as well, someday.”
“Still, if we can just endure that much, we’ll be fine.”
Kiaros, who had been superior to others since birth, did not take the dark period seriously.
In his eyes, humans were absurdly weak.
Kiaros had been born with particularly thick dragon-kin blood even among the imperial family, which made him feel this way all the more.
“I don’t know when the dark period will come, but I hope it passes quickly. They say you can’t use aura then and your body becomes very weak. It’s literally just wasted time.”
“Well, Kiaros. You’re still arrogant and immature, so you don’t understand—but that’s not merely wasted time.”
The Emperor spoke gently to his son, who still knew nothing of humility or want.
“You’ll learn something as you endure the dark period. The experience of becoming weak is still an experience. In fact, a cocky brat like you might grow far more. However, even so….”
Even as he said this, he did not forget to add quietly.
“Kiaros, you must endure the dark period well. And you must never let the outside world know that you’ve become far weaker than you think. If you collapse, the Empire collapses.”
“Yes, I will keep that in mind.”
Kiaros answered lightly. He had heard since childhood that he was the future of the Empire—so often the words had become worn grooves in his ears.
“By the way, Your Majesty, there’s supposedly an enormous library nearby. Would it be alright if I went there tomorrow? I’d like to see some Southern Region swordsmanship manuals.”
The Emperor had been invited to the Lord’s Castle in the Southern Region. Kiaros preferred to read the fascinating collections of the South rather than show his face in such a tediously dull place.
“Very well. Since we don’t know when the dark period will arrive, go with your guards.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
For years now, he had heard the same story, yet the dark period showed no sign of arriving—his vigilance had long since faded.
‘It’s just a library anyway. I hate moving around so cumbersome.’
To conceal his identity as Crown Prince, he wore simple clothes and covered his blonde hair with a hood.
Changing his appearance was a special ability he kept hidden even from his family, so he did not consider using it.
After reading several swordsmanship books in the library, his body began to itch for movement again.
‘Should I stretch a bit.’
As he returned a swordsmanship book to its place, his gaze drifted casually toward a young girl sitting by the window.
‘What is she drawing so intently? She looks quite young too.’
A wide-brimmed hat was pulled down so far that half her face was not visible.
Her hair was also carefully pinned up, so he could not determine its color.
She wore only a long skirt that reached her ankles and worn shoes with ribbons.
From this, he could infer that she was a girl.
‘She hasn’t moved an inch since earlier.’
The girl was intently drawing something on scrap paper left in the library with a cheap quill pen. Squinting, he could see stacks of books related to scrolls piled beside her.
‘Is she interested in magic?’
Kiaros, being dragon-kin, had no interest in scrolls or magic.
He merely thought the child had remarkable concentration.
‘Her hands and feet are so small, like a cotton doll—it’s curious watching her fidget and write something like that.’
After sparing only that much attention, he walked out to the Library Courtyard.
It was just as he was about to swing his sword in the new Southern Region style he had confirmed in the library.
‘Huh?’

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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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