The Low-Ranking Civil Servant Wants to Achieve Success - Chapter 195

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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 8
“Why would you need to lie? You’re already refusing, so why add a lie on top of that? That’s probably why you feel guilty and your mind is so cluttered, isn’t it? Even if it’s a well-intentioned lie, the act of lying itself feels uncomfortable.”
Kiaros sighed deeply before responding.
“It’s not a request from a stranger, but from blood relatives. It’s better to wrap things up with pleasant words, don’t you think?”
Now that I thought about it, this was the first time I’d ever confided my worries to someone like this.
Until now, I’d always handled everything related to my maternal family home alone.
“Since I keep getting rejected by the same person over and over, I try to maintain distance while being respectful with my excuses.”
“….”
“I thought I was handling it well. There’s been no friction so far, and everything has been clean.”
“But it seems like your own heart is full of friction, intruder.”
Kiaros’s words caught in his throat. Because it was the truth.
A moment later, the woman sighed and spoke.
“They call you family and make requests comfortably, yet you call them family but can’t even speak the truth comfortably.”
Kiaros flinched.
Now that I thought about it, I was the only one showing consideration by calling this a family relationship. The New Intern had struck a nerve with her listless voice.
“You said this situation happens repeatedly. If you keep using the same approach, you’ll keep getting the same results.”
That was true.
“Since they’re blood relatives, you don’t need to be as formal as you would with strangers, do you? They seem to think that way. Since you’re not losing anything, why not try a different approach this time? You might get a different result.”
If the New Intern in the storage had said ‘they’re family, so don’t refuse and just do what they ask,’ I would have stopped the conversation.
But the New Intern didn’t advise me about refusing itself.
Moreover, the words ‘they approach you as blood relatives, so why don’t you stop being so formal since you’re blood relatives too?’ were quite convincing.
I’d been agonizing alone all this time simply because of my position as Crown Prince, but from a third party’s perspective, blood relations were an equal relationship between both sides.
“…Let me try that. Thanks for the advice.”
Kiaros nodded slowly. Then, realizing I’d talked too much about myself, I bluntly asked.
“But New Intern, why is your day such a mess?”
She’d said things like ‘today’ or ‘just today’ many times. She sighed deeply and answered.
“Oh, it’s my birthday today.”
“…Huh?”
“But I couldn’t even eat lunch. The food at the Training Institute is good too.”
Kiaros didn’t say something like ‘then you should have let me go.’
It was obvious she’d held me back because there was a harder reason.
…Was she being bullied? Were the other interns ostracizing her? Did she have no one to eat with? Is that why she said something about waiting alone a lot?
“I’ll eat dinner with a friend, so I’ll feel better….”
She has a friend. That was a relief.
A sigh-tinged murmur followed.
“But tonight’s menu… is the worst meal I eat at the Training Institute. It’s a menu I really hate. Anyway, it’s been a day with terrible luck all around….”
Disappointment dripped from the woman’s voice.
That’s when someone in janitor’s clothes appeared in the distance. It meant lunch time was over.
“New Intern.”
“Yes?”
“I should go. The Janitor is coming. They’ll probably open the door soon. Based on their pace, I’d say they’ll arrive within three minutes.”
Kiaros spoke quietly, concealing his presence.
“If you knocked and shouted now, they might come even faster.”
“…No, thank you. I don’t have the energy for that.”
The woman answered softly.
“Thank you for staying with me. Really… it was the best birthday gift.”
At those words, Kiaros flinched. He asked in a bewildered voice.
“The best birthday gift?”
“Yes.”
“What have I… what have I done so far?”
“You didn’t leave me alone. You didn’t have to, really… I’m sure your infiltration schedule was busy… but you stayed with me until the end.”
The New Intern hesitated for a moment before continuing.
“No one has ever done that for me.”
He found himself biting his lower lip without realizing it.
Because from that tiny, ant-like voice, he could sense genuine sorrow.
In that moment, he felt an inexplicable sympathy and an incomprehensible bond with a woman whose face he didn’t even know.
“Goodbye, intruder. But don’t steal anything—just leave quickly.”
Suddenly, the New Intern’s voice became sharp and businesslike.
“The moment I leave, I’m going to report that an outsider has infiltrated. With the exact location and time, too.”
Kiaros was taken aback once more.
A report? At a moment like this?
It was truly a succession of absurdities. He stood there dumbfounded, asking in bewilderment.
“…What?”
“The Training Institute is a state institution, so reporting is naturally my duty. I don’t know what’s here, but there could be state secrets. Since I’m technically a civil servant, I must do my best to maintain security at public institutions. So I’ve done everything I can here—keeping you from leaving. Since I’m not in a position to arrest you myself… ”
What kind of woman is this?
So when she asked him to stay with her, was she trying to pin him down, knowing he was an intruder?
If so, that would have been remarkable acting.
“But there were no lies in what I said.”
The woman spoke with a hint of laughter.
While Kiaros was confused about whether it had been an act or not.
“So my heart isn’t entirely uncomfortable. Keep that in mind, intruder.”
“No, what….”
“I told you. Even well-intentioned lies make my heart uncomfortable. So I wanted to report you, but not lie.”
It was utterly ridiculous. What on earth was this woman thinking?
But Kiaros was not an intruder—he was the Crown Prince. Her attitude toward the nation was quite admirable. Of course, he couldn’t praise her here.
Meanwhile, the Janitor continued approaching, and Kiaros sighed before finally offering his last greeting.
“Happy birthday, New Intern.”
Then he added curtly.
“And if a situation like this comes up again next time, don’t mention reporting me first.”
She seemed to be a student who had only studied at the Academy and didn’t understand the various patterns of crime well.
“It could be dangerous. An intruder might be lurking nearby, and the moment the Storage door opens, they could identify you and harm you before you can report it. Civil Service workers have a duty to protect themselves—remember that.”
He left the area in front of the Storage without waiting for a response. The Janitor was genuinely approaching.
Besides, he had learned everything he needed to know. It was certain that the Scroll Management Department could not be dissolved today.
Behind him as he departed, he heard the Janitor’s voice: “Oh? There was someone here?” The Unknown Woman would find her own way out.
It was merely a strange moment created by coincidence.
‘…She’ll make an excellent civil servant. Her promotions will come quickly.’
Of course, she seemed rather unmotivated today, perhaps because she was sad.
‘Should I give her some kind of reward?’
But if he did, rumors would spread that the Crown Prince had visited the Training Institute. Kiaros didn’t want to turn the Training Institute into an emergency situation every year.
Still, he hoped that at least today, that Unknown Woman would experience some small joy.
Lunch time had already passed—she probably hadn’t even eaten lunch on her birthday.
She had said she didn’t lie, after all.
‘She needs to have a proper meal.’
Kiaros recalled the disappointed voice speaking of the evening menu. Then he quietly took a detour and entered through the Training Institute Back Gate.
He discreetly changed his appearance and headed straight for the Training Institute Director’s Office.
“My goodness, Your Highness the Crown Prince!”
The Training Institute Director jumped up in shock. It was unprecedented for a member of the Imperial Family to visit the Training Institute.
“This is an unofficial visit, so don’t record it or inform anyone else. The matter is….”
“Yes, yes!”
“Regarding this evening’s menu—if you have sufficient ingredients, how about making something a bit more presentable?”

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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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