The Low-Ranking Civil Servant Wants to Achieve Success - Chapter 185

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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 14
At my words, the young ladies began to chime in agreement.
They seemed to have relaxed their guard, realizing that Namia—whom they had feared without truly knowing—was quiet and hardly presented a threatening appearance.
“That’s right. Goodness, and there’s not even a canopy on the bed there, I hear?”
“Truly, Young Lady, you’re remarkable. No matter how much I study asceticism, I don’t think I could last even a single day in such a place.”
As everyone chatted away in cheerful harmony, I smiled thinly and spoke to Namia.
“In that sense, Namia, you’re quite fortunate. We deliberately travel to convents to learn about asceticism, yet I hear you were raised like a commoner from childhood.”
This was a weak attack.
How she responded would determine the intensity of what came next.
The skilled ones would even turn the attack back on me. The mediocre ones would laugh ambiguously and smoothly change the subject, while the unskilled ones would look flustered and fail to hide their hurt feelings. And those who couldn’t manage even that would simply endure passively.
So how would Namia respond?
She set down her teacup expressionlessly and spoke.
“Yes, of course.”
A brief silence fell.
Was that it? Was that really all?
I tilted my head curiously and raised the intensity.
“Moreover, the Southern Region had quite poor security back then, didn’t it? You must have suffered greatly at such a young age. Growing up that way, I wonder if you didn’t learn something unsavory in such a low-quality environment… After all, one’s upbringing certainly influences one’s character.”
Since I had deliberately crossed the line, she should have said something like “That’s disrespectful to the Provisional Crown Princess.” Then I would have no choice but to apologize.
“Yes, of course.”
Hmm, but Namia’s response was lukewarm. It seemed as though she had withdrawn her very soul.
It wasn’t a good move. It essentially meant she was accepting all the criticism.
Emboldened by her tepid response, my cousin interjected.
“Still, you must have learned something there that we couldn’t learn.”
My cousin had been the type since childhood who would pretend to die if I asked her to. Seeing Namia’s reaction, she gained courage and became even more insolent.
“That’s why you seduced the Crown Prince, isn’t it? Isn’t that right?”
It was the practiced rhetoric of high society used on an easy target.
If she let this slide ambiguously, we could deliberately spread vicious rumors about her.
And if Namia said seriously, “What do you mean by that?” we could turn it around on her: “We were just joking about the two of you getting married—why are you getting serious? What were you thinking?”
Everyone watched Namia with interest. Yet she simply continued sipping her tea quietly.
“Yes, of course.”
That was the entirety of her halfhearted response.
Well, there was no fun in attacking someone like this.
But that didn’t mean I intended to stop. Rather, when she played the fool so readily, it worked in our favor.
The more we trampled Namia here, the clearer it became who truly ruled high society.
‘Remember this, Namia Loapi.’
We had already trampled the Empress like a weed in high society. So unless the Imperial Family’s marriage went according to our wishes, we had no intention of bowing to this woman in society.
‘You’re regretting coming here now, aren’t you? Comforting yourself by thinking we’re vulgar and beneath you?’
And in situations like this, friendless people all think the same thing.
I can live well without coming to such a dirty gathering. I have no intention of fitting in with you people. Such lofty thoughts.
‘So I’ll make sure you never come to such a low-level gathering again.’
That’s our objective.
“Ah, but from what I understand, Namia rarely attends social gatherings… Surely you’re not unfamiliar with the basic rules, are you?”
I spoke with a gentle smile.
“There was once an incident where the Empress became upset at a charity event and drew her sword. When the Emperor heard about it, he was absolutely furious. So he issued a warning to the Count’s House, who were hosting the bazaar at the time… Because of that incident, both the Emperor and Empress’s dignity suffered greatly. Essentially, trivial conversations like this can affect how the Imperial Family governs the nation.”
I couldn’t let Namia tell Kiaros about this and have him disadvantage the Ducal House.
I was teaching her that it was unseemly for Kiaros to involve himself in such matters.
After all, dragging one’s husband or fiancé into disputes between women was the worst possible move.
“Ah, yes.”
“We’ve been taught such things since childhood… but Namia might not know, so I thought I’d inform her.”
I spoke while resting my chin on my hand.
This was tedious—all she could say was “Ah, yes.” There was no tension to it. I figured I might as well say everything I wanted and be done with it.
Though it didn’t seem Namia was unaffected. She clearly looked displeased.
“Anyway, she doesn’t have a family home to teach her these things. Normally a mother would teach her… but how could Namia learn anything from her mother?”
At my words, the noble young ladies let out careful, stifled laughs.
Well, a criminal as an in-law… Even if she is the Tower Master’s Daughter, it’s rather amusing. The current Empress doesn’t have such a background either. I asked Namia for confirmation, my chin still resting in my hand.
“I’m not saying anything untrue, am I?”
“…Ah, yes.”
“I’m just saying what I want to say. There’s no law against speaking one’s mind.”
“Ah, yes.”
How easy. Is this what everyone else was trembling about?
I cast a triumphant glance toward the corner table. The very table where Calisa, Countess’s Daughter and Onti, Marquis’s Daughter were seated.
I smiled at them with an expression that said, ‘You all saw that, didn’t you?’
But then…
‘Hmm?’
The expressions on the young ladies’ faces were strange—I’d naturally expected them to be looking at me with admiration.
The emotion in their eyes directed at me wasn’t admiration… it was pity.
‘What? That look?’
Pity?
For me, not Namia?
Had they both gone mad? Did they not understand the situation at all?
I was gleefully mocking Namia, and she could only say “Ah, yes”—nothing else?
I laughed softly and turned my gaze away from them. The tea party ended there, appropriately enough.
Namia had been insulted, unable to say anything but “Ah, yes.” It was too easy. This wasn’t even a worthy opponent—just an ordinarily weak-spirited fallen noble young lady.
The rest is obvious. She’ll never attend these gatherings again. Kiaros might be upset, but he can’t intervene given Namia’s condition.
Since I’d missed the position of Crown Princess, shouldn’t I at least have this much satisfaction? I retired to bed feeling quite pleased.
* * *
The next day.
The Duke’s Residence was in an uproar from dawn. I furrowed my brow and sat up. I asked my maid irritably.
“What is it? What’s happened?”
“Th-that is… the Provisional Crown Princess has come….”
Good heavens.
I couldn’t help but let out a stifled laugh.
So they couldn’t utter a single word when there were people around, but now they were coming to find me at the crack of dawn the next day to pick a fight?
This was the behavior of amateurs among amateurs. I thought I could make Namia an even greater laughingstock, so I even stretched myself out with a satisfied yawn.
“So? You came looking for me?”
“Ah, no….”
But the maid’s reaction was strange. She rolled her eyes and answered with an expression of deep concern.
“A private audit… has arrived….”
Huh?
…An audit? What on earth was that?

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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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