The Low-Ranking Civil Servant Wants to Achieve Success - Chapter 198

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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 11
The more I thought about it, the more I sighed at the absurdity of the request.
To spread word through Noble Social Circles that I wished to marry a woman who looked good in pearl jewelry—it was ridiculous.
I’d spent the entire morning wrestling with how to craft a plausible lie to refuse, but nothing came to mind.
Yet the moment I decided to simply write the truth, my pen moved across the page without hesitation.
I beg your pardon, Your Majesty the King.
Because we share blood, because we are family, I must be honest and truthful.
I will offer no convenient excuses, only the truth unmarred by shame.
At least then, I would be free from the guilt of deception.
The only ornament worn by the woman I have decided to marry was a mask that concealed her entire face.
During the first Dark Period, there was a girl who saved me.
I had already decided to marry her.
I cannot speak falsehoods openly before others.
My only memory of that girl who had rescued me with a scroll in the Southern Region was the mask covering her face completely.
‘…She must still be alive. Probably at the Magic Tower.’
Thinking of the Magic Tower, my heart grew heavy once more.
The Scroll Management Department, which I had failed to disband again, came to mind.
‘Still, it’s not the worst outcome. At least attempting something new shortened my time spent worrying.’
After finishing the letter, I glanced out the window.
I wondered if the New Trainee’s remaining day would be pleasant.
At least dinner would be enjoyable. After all, the Crown Prince himself had spoken, so the Training Academy would serve its finest meal in history.
‘That New Trainee will have a birthday that isn’t the worst, at least.’
The more I thought about it, the stranger the moment felt. I didn’t know her face or her name.
Kiaros hesitated briefly before pulling out the roster of New Trainees.
To praise that exemplary new recruit’s diligent sense of duty, I wanted to know her department. And I searched for the trainee whose birthday was today.
‘…It’s not there?’
I reviewed it twice. Just in case, I checked through all the male trainees’ birthdays as well.
‘Really… it’s truly not there?’
Yet there was no trainee with a birthday today.
‘Ah, well.’
So was the birthday itself all a lie?
Was everything just the devotion of a civil servant trying to apprehend an intruder?
How could she do that? She said she’d spoken only truth until the end, that she felt no guilt….
Even as I felt betrayed, I found myself impressed. It was a complicated emotion indeed.
But there was no point in dwelling further, so Kiaros simply buried the matter.
* * *
Days later.
Upon receiving Kiaros’s reply, the King of Imoat was furious.
“What absurd nonsense is this excuse! Such insolence!”
The contents of the letter Kiaros had sent were preposterous.
Until then, I’d softened my words out of guilt toward my mother, but for some reason, my heart had shifted—and I’d sent back a response that bordered on mockery.
“Even if you’re the Crown Prince of the Empire, how could you disrespect your Maternal Grandfather like this?”
The King of Imoat snorted indignantly and stamped his foot. His anger was unbearable.
Of course, there was nothing he could actually do to Kiaros.
“Arrogant brat….”
His teeth ground together in fury, yet still there was nothing he could do.
Kiaros’s Former Tutor, who stood beside him in shared despair, spoke in a dejected voice.
“…It appears His Majesty has drawn a line with you, sire. After all, he cast even me, his own tutor, aside so coldly.”
“Stubborn little whelp….”
All the King of Imoat could do was curse.
He crumpled Kiaros’s letter and hurled it away, then huffed bitterly.
“How petty and vile. From this moment on, I shall never regard that boy as my grandson.”
After that, the King of Imoat never wrote another letter of request to Kiaros.
He had simply concluded: ‘This is hopeless.’
Every time he received such a response to his requests, it would only leave a worse taste in his mouth.
The tentative probing—’He still hesitates at my words, so perhaps he’ll grant this much…’—came to an end.
“Eventually, he’ll come to his senses when the new Empress and Young Prince strike him down hard.”
Meanwhile, Kiaros thought to himself, ‘…Does speaking one’s true heart actually work like this?’ and from that point forward, he lived a peaceful life.
* * *
All of this truth was revealed only after Namia and Kiaros married.
It was none other than Agnes’s appearance that brought it to light.
“…So… goodness.”
Namia’s eyes widened as she pieced the story together.
“The clumsy Intruder who seemed unlikely to accomplish much because of his tender heart….”
“So that’s how you saw me.”
Kiaros, too, crossed his arms and muttered in disbelief.
“A New Trainee who I thought would stop at nothing—even lying—out of such a strong sense of duty. And she turned out to be my wife.”
Their eyes met. Without either of them taking the lead, laughter burst forth.
“If I was so thrilled that night because of a man who changed the dinner menu, then I have no regrets. Because that man is you.”
“To be precise, Agnes was even more thrilled than I was.”
Namia spoke, recalling that night when the two of them had barely slept.
“I simply thought: don’t curse him for leaving me alone. That was all.”
“Now you’re free to curse him all you want.”
Kiaros said with satisfaction.
“Victor Awin is a despicable wretch who left you alone on your birthday. He deserves execution.”
A satisfied expression had settled on Kiaros’s face. The thought of the wonderful Victor from Namia’s memories being dragged through the mud delighted him immensely.
“From that day on, my Maternal Grandfather never made such petty requests of me. So I’ve actually been deeply grateful to him all this time.”
“And how have things been between you two since then?”
“Like strangers, really.”
Kiaros shrugged as he spoke.
“Still, when I created Kibon’s identity, I went so far as to set his nationality to the Imoat Kingdom… I think there’s still that much goodwill left between us. Back then, just thinking about it made me sick, but I overcame it. It’s thanks to you.”
“I see.”
Namia thought to herself that it wasn’t such a remarkable solution that things would work out so smoothly, but since all’s well that ends well, she decided not to press further.
“In any case, it seems we do have a long history together.”
Kiaros spoke with a satisfied expression.
“I should subtly let it slip in the Noble Social Circles. That we actually met back at the Training Academy.”
“What? Do you really need to?”
“Then I’ll hear less about a political marriage.”
He had unfinished business. The topic of political marriage from earlier wasn’t over.
When Namia’s expression showed exasperation, he shrugged.
“Anyway, I’m relieved to finally know the full story of what happened at the Training Academy. All this time you thought it was Victor who helped you, when it was actually me—I felt a bit wronged, but now that grievance is resolved.”
Then he smiled at Namia.
“Surely this has meaning for you too, doesn’t it?”
Namia slowly nodded in response.
“Of course.”
His eyebrows twitched slightly at her casual tone.
“Thank you for making that birthday so special. I’m sorry it took so long, but how should I express this gratitude?”
Her eyes widened with an enchanting gleam. Kiaros looked at her with an expression tinged with anticipation.
“I think you already know.”
His voice was already thick with excitement. Namia smiled and cupped his cheek, pressing her lips to his briefly.
The tense atmosphere that had subtly permeated the room since she entered the bedroom suddenly intensified. Pretending not to notice each other’s flushed expressions, Namia whispered playfully.
“Wait. You said your troubles were resolved because of me too. So you owe me gratitude as well.”
She deliberately adopted an imperious expression and commanded.
“Do better than I did.”
In truth, Kiaros was indeed a man who excelled at everything.
And with Namia’s directive on top of that….
He expressed his gratitude with genuine dedication, for a long time, earnestly, and with all his effort. He certainly outdid Namia’s performance.
― Special Side Story Complete ―

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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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