The Low-Ranking Civil Servant Wants to Achieve Success - Chapter 188

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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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Special Side Story Episode 1
An Incident at the Training Institute
Kiaros and Namia’s wedding concluded in grand celebration, blessed abundantly by the Government Officials.
“What a truly magnificent wedding ceremony.”
“It’s the best. Absolutely perfect.”
“How is it that everything proceeded without a single exception….”
Every detail of their wedding was made public and recorded in numerical documentation.
It was the result of Namia’s insistence on creating a “standard for Imperial Family weddings” by documenting everything.
Each step of the process was clearly designated in a manual, and all the Government Officials were delighted.
“Now state weddings have a perfectly standardized procedure.”
“We needn’t fear the upcoming wedding of Young Prince Jayden.”
Though Jayden was still quite young, all the departments involved in major state events felt reassured in advance.
“Given the important national events scheduled, we’ll depart for our honeymoon at the end of August. From every perspective, that timing seems most suitable.”
Namia had meticulously arranged the entire future schedule with careful consideration.
Watching her, everyone praised Kiaros whenever the opportunity arose.
“The Crown Prince truly is remarkable. He has chosen the finest Crown Princess for the Empire.”
“To think he makes every decision for the sake of the Empire. How did he manage such a perfect marriage?”
Each time Kiaros heard such rumors, he winced and pressed his forehead in distress.
“…It was a love marriage, I tell you….”
Yet since he could not suppress each rumor circulating behind the scenes one by one, the misunderstanding—if it could be called that—continued to accumulate.
There was even one such occasion.
It was a diplomatic event attended by people from various nations, and as Namia proceeded through the event with such seasoned excellence, all the leaders of each country marveled.
“Remarkable—the Crown Prince has indeed selected an exceptional Crown Princess.”
Kiaros wanted to say, “I did not choose the Crown Princess; Namia chose me.” But before he could, someone else interjected.
“Truly worthy of the Crown Prince. What a brilliant stratagem, even bringing harmony with the Magic Tower.”
He wanted to say, “The Magic Tower has nothing to do with this marriage and only hindered it.” But before he could, yet another person interjected.
“The future of the Empire that this political marriage will create shines most brightly, hehehehe….”
Kiaros finally could not restrain himself before everyone present and spoke thus.
“It is not a political marriage. This union was born from our genuine love for one another.”
In that moment, everyone present fell silent. All were taken aback.
Right on cue, the Empress shattered a plate from far away.
“Blast it!”
In the silence, the sound of shattering porcelain rang out along with the Empress’s curse.
“Hehehehe, the plate’s fault, surely! How dare it slip from our Fron’s hands! Surely she hasn’t cut a finger, has she?”
The Emperor’s leisurely fuss followed suit. In the midst of it all, the Empress dropped the lamb chop, fork and all.
“Confound it! I haven’t even had a bite!”
“Oh dear, what a shame for that lamb chop. To miss the honor of entering our Fron’s mouth.”
The people looked at Kiaros with eyes that said, “So that’s what it means to marry for true love—a couple like that.”
Nevertheless, they all smiled and said something different aloud.
“Indeed, Your Highness the Crown Prince!”
“Your love is truly beautiful, hehehehe!”
It was plainly insincere.
Yet at a diplomatic function, I couldn’t very well show displeasure at the lack of sincerity, so I merely smiled bitterly and swallowed another sip of wine.
But sadly, my tragedy was far from over.
“…Namia? You’re Namia Loapi, aren’t you?”
Someone who had arrived late suddenly recognized Namia and approached her.
“It’s me, me! Agnes Felin!”
Namia’s eyes widened in surprise at the voice’s owner. Then she smiled broadly and clasped Agnes’s hands.
“Agnes! It’s been so long! How have you been?”
The title of saint had long since disappeared in the Empire. However, in several other nations, young women who manifested holy power were still sent to convents in the old tradition to purify body and spirit before being granted the title of saint.
“It’s been so long since we last met at the Training Institute!”
“Why are you being so formal? Is it because I’m a saint now? Hahaha, we shouldn’t use honorifics between us—it’s too awkward! It gives me goosebumps!”
Agnes was a capable young woman of Namia’s age, born to an Imperial father and a saint mother from the Melby Kingdom. Though not an Academy graduate, she had been recruited as a civil servant through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ special hiring program for mixed-heritage individuals from minority nations.
Since she had entered the civil service in the same cohort as Namia, they had been together from the very beginning at the Training Institute. In fact, Agnes had been Namia’s roommate at that time.
The problem was that Agnes had manifested holy power during her time at the Training Institute. Her mother, who harbored excessive pride in Agnes’s status as a saint, had immediately sent her to a convent in the Melby Kingdom. As a result, Agnes never became an Imperial civil servant.
“Yeah, I finally escaped that damned convent. Ugh, I couldn’t hear any news from the world, couldn’t contact anyone…. I was planning to reach out to you as soon as I arrived in the Empire, but suddenly the kingdom contacted me and told me to attend this event?”
Agnes dragged Namia into a corner, chattering incessantly.
The two had been very close during their time at the Training Institute, so from Agnes’s perspective, Namia felt like an old friend.
“As expected, the Crown Prince has made a political marriage, so I’m told I must first greet the Crown Princess? The Melby Kingdom’s envoy fell ill and couldn’t attend, so they suddenly ordered me—who just arrived by ship—to go. What was I supposed to do?”
Agnes, having just emerged from her isolated convent, spoke cheerfully, knowing nothing of the world’s affairs.
“But why are you here? There’s no scroll work here, is there? Did you transfer to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs? Ah, so you’ve been promoted enough to attend events like this. Yes, you’re smart, so even if you were assigned to the Scroll Planning Department, I knew you’d eventually transfer elsewhere and get promoted quickly!”
“…Actually, back then it was the Scroll Management Department, not the Scroll Planning Department….”
Agnes had one flaw despite her kindness and cheerfulness: she lacked perceptiveness and was slow to grasp situations. Moreover, having been isolated in the convent all this time, her condition had only worsened.
Agnes had only come as a temporary substitute, intending to simply introduce herself to the Crown Princess—whose name she barely knew—and leave quickly….
But the moment she saw her old friend Namia’s face, she lost her composure in her joy.
It was unfortunate for her, but since the formal event had ended and people were gathered in small groups chatting, it made the situation even harder for her to grasp.
“Wow, but I’m so glad I ran into you first! I was really planning to just pay my respects and leave. We almost missed each other even though we were in the same space! Wait? A wedding ring? You got married?”
Before Namia could even respond, Agnes’s eyes lit up as she grabbed her hand and whispered.
“Could it be… Could it be Victor? You didn’t marry Victor, did you? Oh my! Just imagining it makes my heart flutter.”
Of course, Agnes had spoken in the lowest voice possible from her corner, but Kiaros, standing quite close and concentrating all his senses on Namia, heard every word of their conversation clearly.
“The atmosphere was strange even back at the Training Institute! Victor was so sincere, you were genuinely moved, and I was so excited I couldn’t sleep….”
Kiaros dropped the wine glass he was holding with a sharp clang.
* * *
That night.
Kiaros sat alone in his bedroom, consumed by anguish.
Victor Awin. The name that always tormented me with jealousy.
I knew that Namia and he were nothing to each other, yet Victor was the only man who had reached out his hand to her when she lived a lonely life.
She herself had admitted, “Back then I was so lonely and suffering, and if he had confessed, I probably would have accepted.” Of course, I could understand that.
But why couldn’t I have been there for her when she was struggling? It was lamentable, even if it was unavoidable.
And it seemed something had happened between them at the Training Institute as well.
Should I ask? No, forget it. If I ask, I’ll only upset myself. Then should I not ask? But if I don’t ask, my imagination will spiral endlessly and drive me mad….
It was at that moment.
“Your Majesty, I’ve arrived.”
I heard Namia’s voice—she had been outside a bit longer than usual, catching up with Agnes.
“I’m coming in now.”

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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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