The Low-Ranking Civil Servant Wants to Achieve Success - Chapter 184

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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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Side Story Episode 13
“What?”
“It’s not that they’ve become close with Namia Loapi. They’ve just… become well-behaved. Whenever they happen to encounter the Crown Princess, they tremble and bow their heads in panic. When asked why, they all refuse to speak. So we’ve…”
Everyone shrank back with frightened expressions.
“…We don’t know the reason, but we’ve decided to keep our distance for now.”
I was momentarily dumbfounded and let out a sigh. I’d never heard of anything like this before.
After bullying someone, they tremble in fear for no apparent reason? And they won’t even explain why?
“They’re all cowards.”
I chuckled and crossed my legs. Looking at Namia Loapi’s background alone, there’s absolutely nothing to fear. They’re all ridiculous.
[Namia Loapi’s overall score?]
I’d already confirmed it with Madam.
[Family background is 15 out of 30 points… Her mother is a criminal and her father is a former rural schoolteacher. The Loapi Baronial Family has completely collapsed. The only reason I gave 15 points is because her maternal grandfather is the Tower Master. Wealth is 5 out of 20 points… She might receive something later, but currently she hasn’t formally inherited anything from her grandfather. Let’s hope there are no debts on her paternal side. Appearance is 27 out of 30 points, reputation is 5 out of 10 points… She rarely shows her face in high society. She doesn’t have any particularly close relationships with other noble daughters.]
In a way, this was quite an opportunity.
If I openly suppressed Namia Loapi, whom everyone feared without knowing why…
“Then you should watch carefully.”
No one else could surpass me, no matter how hard they tried. I am Princess Enacalid of the Empire. I declared confidently, my eyes gleaming.
“Who has returned to Imperial High Society.”
* * *
A grand tea party welcoming my return was held in the Duke’s Garden. The Ducal House prepared it with great care.
Of course, I didn’t forget to send an invitation to Namia Loapi. She sent back a positive response.
I welcome your return home. I will arrive on time.
No matter how long she’s lived in the Imperial Palace, wasn’t she just a country bumpkin from a fallen noble family before?
To make her lose confidence the moment she arrived, the Duke’s Garden was more splendid than ever. I waited for her with great confidence.
“Excuse me, Princess.”
Of course, the noble daughters remained worried until the end.
“Are you really… sure about this? We’re all so frightened… The ones who were grinding their teeth at you have all gone quiet.”
“Who exactly has gone quiet?”
“Calisa, Countess’s Daughter, Onti, Marquis’s Daughter, and Felina, Marquis’s Daughter…”
Well, they’re all spirited young ladies.
As it happened, they were all people I had invited to the garden. Before I could even tilt my head in confusion, Calisa, Countess’s Daughter and Onti, Marquis’s Daughter rushed over urgently.
“Princess! Is it true that you… invited the Crown Princess?”
“Did you really invite the Crown Princess?”
I was exasperated and crossed my arms. Why would they use such excessive honorifics for a mere country bumpkin? I smiled confidently and spoke.
“Crown Princess, you say? Who knows what the future holds. Anyway, I did invite her.”
At my words, the two young ladies’ faces suddenly turned pale.
They exchanged glances and, as if saying ‘let’s stay as inconspicuous as possible,’ rushed to the table in the farthest corner.
What on earth is happening?
As far as I knew, these two had loud voices and enjoyed being the center of attention at such gatherings.
Just then, a maid rushed over hurriedly. She was Felina’s Maid.
“Excuse me, Princess. My lady asked me to deliver this to you.”
“Hmm? What is it?”
“On the way here, I heard that the Crown Princess-to-be would also be attending, and she suddenly complained of severe abdominal pain and had the carriage turned around. This is an apology letter regarding that matter.”
What on earth is this?
I received a letter of sudden apologies and felt utterly bewildered. Was someone making fun of me right now?
I understood the nature of High Society very well. If one’s relationship with someone had soured, one should either actively expand one’s faction or attach oneself to the opposing side entirely.
Avoiding the situation like this made no sense whatsoever. It was a true admission of defeat—like the Empress herself.
She was actually afraid of a woman who hadn’t even become Crown Princess yet? I could at least understand if she were flattering me instead.
That was when it happened.
“Namia Loapi, the Baron’s Daughter, has arrived.”
At those words, I regained my composure. I couldn’t lose my nerve over a mere Baron’s Daughter.
Since she was only betrothed and not yet married, Namia Loapi was officially still the Baron’s Daughter.
Though she was the Tower Master’s granddaughter, that couldn’t serve as a title, and while she had briefly been the Minister of Education of a now-defunct department, she held no position now.
‘Let me see what kind of face she has.’
I smiled elegantly and headed toward the entrance.
I had already heard her beauty assessment from Madam, so I had some expectation of her appearance. She was exactly that level of beauty. But then…
‘Hmm, somehow she looks rather naive. Her eyes lack sharpness.’
Her first impression wasn’t particularly striking. Above all, her presence was rather weak.
“Welcome. Thank you so much for coming.”
I made a quick assessment and spoke to her first.
“Thank you for inviting me, Princess.”
Namia responded gently before me. Well, even though she’d spent some time in the Imperial Palace, there was nothing to fault in her etiquette or such matters.
“This way, please.”
I pulled Namia’s arm and smiled wickedly.
“I’ve been wanting to have a conversation with you, Namia.”
I planned to thoroughly humiliate her at this gathering.
Just like the current Empress, I intended to ensure she could never show her face at High Society events again.
I had already received considerable advice from my mother.
On how she had prevented the Empress from ever setting foot in High Society.
No matter how ignorant and vulgar someone might be, they cannot bear words that show contempt for them.
The more one reacts in the moment, the more one can twist the situation, until eventually they have no choice but to leave in disgrace, she had told me.
My mother had once even succeeded in making the Empress draw her sword.
After that, the Empress became a public laughingstock. Drawing a sword at a social gathering, with guards no less?
What is High Society, after all? Isn’t it a place to build friendships through pleasant conversation? Yet to draw a weapon there—it was truly conduct unbefitting her station.
In any case, success meant making her think, ‘I will never attend such gatherings again.’ I had already used such methods since childhood to keep many young ladies confined to their homes.
“Please sit here.”
I led Namia to my table and seated her.
All of my close companions were already seated there.
The young ladies all had fearful expressions in their eyes. Several had already fled to a distant table.
‘I won’t forget. How dare you not take my side?’
But for now, all the young ladies at this table could be considered my allies.
An elegant afternoon tea set was arranged, and we gradually began exchanging pleasantries.
Namia sipped her tea quietly, her expression serene and composed.
When the conversation turned to the Convent, I spoke with a slow, measured laugh.
“The most difficult part for me was sleeping on those hard, uncomfortable beds—the kind commoners use. I managed to endure it for a year, but two years would have been impossible.”

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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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