The Low-Ranking Civil Servant Wants to Achieve Success - Chapter 171
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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 171 (Complete)
Epilogue
The betrothal ceremony was drawing near. I was overseeing the entire event, so I found myself extraordinarily busy.
‘This is wonderful.’
Truly, each day brimmed with excitement and joy.
Following proper procedure, I had selected a Jewelry Shop to procure the betrothal gifts, and crowds of onlookers gathered to witness the selection. Though I could have summoned the jeweler to the Imperial Palace, I chose to visit in person to ensure transparent budget execution.
Whenever I made such official public appearances, newspaper journalists inevitably followed.
“Which gemstones appeal to your taste? Diamonds are lovely, of course, but for imperial betrothal gifts, colored stones are typically preferred. We have rubies, emeralds, and sapphires available in various grades.”
The jeweler, visibly nervous, posed the question. I answered with candid honesty.
“Please show me whichever gemstone would experience the smallest price fluctuation—one where supply remains sufficient even if demand temporarily surges due to its use in an imperial betrothal ceremony.”
At this, Kiaros released a low groan.
“If nothing here suits your preference, allow me to purchase the most expensive and precious item from my personal funds instead——”
“That won’t do, Your Highness. The more something relates to budgetary matters, the more transparently it must be documented for future reference. It may serve as a precedent, so we must execute everything within the predetermined budget.”
“But——”
“Moreover, the entire Empire watches us. If we inadvertently establish a custom of equating love with monetary value, it would be catastrophic.”
Kiaros muttered something about marrying the wealthiest man in the Empire while refusing to spend money, but I simply dismissed it.
“Besides, this genuinely reflects my preferences.”
“What does?”
“Every time I make such a rational choice, everyone acknowledges and praises me as ‘the true Crown Princess for the Empire’s sake.’ I find myself drawn to the attention and acclaim lavished upon my every action far more than to expensive gemstones.”
“….”
Yet Kiaros still wore a dissatisfied expression, so I smiled brightly and whispered to him.
“Don’t express your opinions about someone else’s preferences—just obey quietly. Simply keep your mouth shut and wear a contented smile. Understood?”
“….”
“What’s wrong?”
“…I’m excited. Should we finish up and leave?”
“No, no. We still need to select a brooch.”
Given his current state, there was no way I could behave naturally in front of others.
In any case, my Aide exhaled softly behind us.
Lately, whenever I cancelled something, my Aide grew visibly anxious—apparently, there was pressure regarding a proposal.
‘Right. Those under powerful figures always suffer when a proposal is being planned.’
Even if one event is prepared, the superior merely delivers impressive lines while subordinates handle all the planning.
Having belonged to the ranks of ‘subordinates’ for so long, I had already eliminated every possibility of such a proposal.
‘If a proposal were planned to coincide with today’s external schedule… there’s an appointment at dawn tomorrow, so it wouldn’t be an overnight event. There were no anonymous Imperial Palace facility reservations, so the location wouldn’t be the Palace. There were no travel records for Administrative Support Department staff, so it wouldn’t involve mobilizing people for an event. Perhaps they rented a restaurant? But the Imperial Palace head chef’s skills surpass any restaurant.’
Yet my predictions proved wrong.
Once the external schedule concluded, the carriage headed directly back to the Imperial Palace without anyone suggesting, ‘Since we’re out, shall we go somewhere?’
When Kiaros and I returned to the Imperial Palace together like this.
“Namia.”
Kiaros took my hand and spoke.
“How about we take a stroll?”
“Ah, that sounds lovely.”
The Imperial Palace Gardens were so beautiful wherever you went, as if a fairy tale had been spread open before me, so I had always enjoyed strolling through its various corners.
After my daily duties ended, I would wander through the vast Imperial Palace with Kiaros, so garden walks had become nothing special.
“We walked through the Hydrangea Garden yesterday, so shall we go that way today?”
“Yes, I’d like that.”
I moved my feet without much thought, accepting Kiaros’s escort.
But as I walked step by step, following where he led me.
“…Huh?”
It was a strangely familiar path. I let out a soft laugh.
“Do you remember this path?”
“Of course.”
It was the path leading to the Temple within the Imperial Palace—now closed off.
The very path where I had gone with Kibon Altes to provoke the High Priest, and where we had infiltrated at night with explosives.
We had destroyed an entire warehouse, and on the way back, I had ridden on Kibon’s back.
It was already a remote path, and with the Temple sealed, there was no one around. It was the first truly desolate garden I had encountered within the Imperial Palace.
“Do you remember that bench too?”
“Of course.”
The bench that had been completely unmaintained back then, even somewhat unsightly, remained exactly as it was.
I had left my confession report there, and the miserable feelings from that time now felt like a past life.
Without either of us saying who should go first, we sat side by side on that bench. After having traveled so comfortably in plush, luxurious carriages until now, sitting on this hard, worn chair made laughter burst forth.
“Be honest with me.”
He held my hand firmly as he spoke.
“When you said this bench was pretty and suggested we come back—that was a scheme, wasn’t it?”
I chuckled and whispered into his ear.
“Of course. How could my heart not waver when a competent, handsome, cute, and younger junior seemed to have feelings for me?”
The moment I spoke so casually, Kiaros pulled me into his embrace as if he couldn’t help himself and declared firmly.
“…From now on, all of the Crown Princess’s subordinates will be women. That’s final. I’m anxious because there’s a precedent of you making eye contact with a junior.”
“Then don’t have any female superiors either. I’m anxious because there’s a precedent of you making eye contact with a superior.”
“But my superior will only ever be you for the rest of my life.”
“Actually, I knew you’d say that… Mmph!”
My mouth was sealed shut. There was a reason I couldn’t speak casually in front of others.
After he had been exploring various places for quite some time, he held me close.
“Namia.”
And he whispered softly.
“From now on, we will live surrounded by beautiful things, bearing countless responsibilities on our shoulders….”
Nestled against him, I couldn’t move and felt my face flush.
“But let us never forget that longing we felt to sit together on this worn chair and laugh.”
In that moment, my heart swelled with emotion.
The excitement of that night when I gazed at this bench and whispered, “Let’s come back next time,” and the melancholy of that dawn when I left my confession report behind, alone.
And Kiaros, who had remained behind, rushed over to check that report and fell into panic.
There had been times when I was so anxious, wondering if we would ever be able to be together like this in this place again.
“But usually… don’t people say ‘I won’t forget’ instead of ‘let’s not forget’?”
“Yeah. But I figured you’d forget. You haven’t mentioned coming here since we returned to the Imperial Palace.”
At Kiaros’s words, I couldn’t help but laugh aloud. To be honest, I’d been so caught up in engagement preparations that I’d completely forgotten about it.
“This was originally Temple Grounds, but it’s been closed now, so this garden has no name.”
He spoke softly.
“I want to give this place to you as a wedding gift. You’ll need to remodel it anyway. I’ll give you complete authority over it. Even the right to decide the garden’s name.”
“Ah…”
My goodness.
It was truly the perfect wedding gift. A garden that would need to be decorated anyway, and he was giving me complete control over it.
This garden would surely be remembered for generations to come as the one Namia Loapi received as a wedding gift.
“It’s rather amusing to say something like this on the day I’ve even matched the betrothal gifts.”
He spoke as he pressed his lips to the back of my hand.
“Will you still marry me?”
Then he exhaled a soft sigh and smiled.
“I know you’ll accept, but I’m trembling far more now than when I asked you to marry me a few months ago.”
Ah… he was talking about that proposal that had been flatly rejected.
“Perhaps it’s because I love you so much now.”
Kiaros’s warm breath scattered across the nape of my neck.
“Only after you appeared did my life escape from emptiness.”
“Yes.”
“So marry me.”
I laughed softly at the ticklish sensation. Then, meeting his eyes, I answered.
“Yes.”
That was enough. Kiaros laughed low and kissed me again. It was a long, sweet kiss that continued on. Our bodies overlapped completely.
On the way back after that.
Just like a few months ago, I was carried on Kiaros’s back on the return journey. But this time, it was for a different reason—I was in no state to walk on my own.
Both his simple proposal and his not-so-simple wedding gift pleased me.
It had been a brilliant and beautiful day with notable external engagements that drew attention.
But ultimately, the time spent together on the Old Bench had been the happiest day of all.
Now that we had become each other’s family, we were no longer lonely.
I whispered, burying my face against his back.
“I think I’ll come to love this garden most of all in the Imperial Palace.”
“Give it a beautiful name. One that carries our memories, so it will be remembered by future generations.”
“Yes.”
I had already decided on a name roughly.
In honor of his love, I intended to give the garden a name that commemorated both the person who had gifted it and the precious memories the two of us shared.
Dragon Brother’s Garden.
I thought that would be quite fitting.
― The End ―
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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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