The Low-Ranking Civil Servant Wants to Achieve Success - Chapter 201
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Special Side Story 2, Episode 3
“In exchange, I ask for one thing.”
Namia continued softly.
“No matter what you hear… please don’t take it too hard. Of course, I imagine you will feel disappointed… but I hope you’ll try your best to understand.”
Jayden’s eyes rolled around before he nodded.
“O-of course. If it’s a decision my sister-in-law made, then… I can try to understand anything.”
“Yes.”
Namia replied calmly.
“I didn’t intend to hide it from the Young Prince specifically. It’s just that he’s still so young… so I was being cautious. But I never expected him to be so curious about it.”
Jayden let out a shallow sigh.
As he carefully gauged the mood, alternating his gaze between Namia and Kiaros.
Namia took Jayden’s hand and placed it on her belly.
“It’s still very small, but….”
Jayden’s eyes widened in shock.
“I think the baby will be thrilled to know that Uncle is waiting for him.”
Jayden gasped for breath. Astonishment painted the young boy’s face as the realization struck him.
Kiaros cleared his throat with a soft cough and smiled wryly.
“Since we’re not past the stable period yet… I was planning to tell you after that, just to be safe.”
He then added matter-of-factly.
“It seemed like the decision to tell you was Namia’s own choice, so I couldn’t say anything earlier, Jayden.”
Jayden’s expression remained bewildered.
After standing dazed for quite some time, the boy asked in a trembling voice.
“Do Mother and Father know?”
Namia and Kiaros exchanged troubled looks. Kiaros eventually answered slowly.
“Only Namia’s Parents, the Tower Master, the Emperor, and the Empress know. You’re the sixth person to find out.”
In other words, he was the last among the family to learn of it.
Jayden’s expression began to harden gradually. Kiaros quickly spoke up.
“It, it was just about being careful since we’re not past the stable period yet. Especially since you’re still so young….”
Moreover, they hadn’t actively informed the other adults either.
The Medical and Health Department, which oversaw the health of the Imperial Family, had to document everything, and the Emperor inevitably learned of the pregnancy through those records.
Even with security measures in place, the Emperor naturally had access to review them.
After that, Namia argued that it was unfair for only the Emperor among both sets of parents to know, so she had to inform the other adults as well.
And so this situation had come about.
“B-but the meeting… is it okay to attend something like that? You said you’re not past the stable period.”
“The doctors said it’s best to just live normally without overexerting myself, continuing with my usual activities.”
Namia spoke with a somewhat reluctant smile.
“I haven’t had any morning sickness, and there are no particular symptoms yet… they say pregnancy feels different for everyone, but for me it seems no different from usual. Of course, they say things will change once my belly starts to show….”
In fact, from the moment Kiaros learned of the pregnancy, he desperately wanted Namia to have absolute rest.
But Namia insisted that thinking about “the countless meeting agendas that pass without her knowledge” made her emotionally unstable.
Since everyone’s constitution is different, the baby showed no sign of existence—as if it actually enjoyed Namia working.
Under the belief that a happy mother makes a happy baby, Kiaros and Namia went about their day as usual.
“W-what? H-how suddenly…?”
Jayden was in complete panic.
“I… I thought I might determine the future of the Empire. If it’s their child, they’d naturally be better suited to be Emperor than me…”
The boy dropped his head.
“B-but I didn’t play any role, and um, I just became a foolish child who whined needlessly. So I can only be the family member they found out about last…”
As Jayden grumbled and expressed his disappointment, he pouted for a moment before suddenly straightening his back and shaking his head.
“No, no, no! That’s not it, Jayden!”
The boy, referring to himself by name again, slapped his own face with both hands. Then he smiled and clapped.
“Congratulations, Sister-in-law! Really, congratulations! I’m so happy!”
Of course, Namia and Kiaros simply watched Jayden’s display without any change in expression.
“Brother! Congratulations! A child of you two—how lovely that must be! I’m so thrilled! Even though I found out last… there must have been good reason! I’m still young, after all!”
At Jayden’s renewed act of childishness, Kiaros let out a small sigh.
Then he patted the boy’s shoulder and spoke seriously.
“You did determine the future of the Empire. Because I watched over you from the moment you were born, and I know—you were terribly, wonderfully precious.”
He continued with a gentle smile.
“That’s why I always wished for a child. Even when Namia asked me about having one, I recalled your memory and said it seemed like it would be good.”
“B-but!”
“Of course, there were times I felt somewhat betrayed when you acted differently on the outside than within… but despite that, I love you so much that I’m confident I can shower my child with love, no matter what kind of child they become.”
Jayden’s expression became neither laughing nor crying as his eyes rolled.
“It’s because of you, Jayden. Watching your growth made me think that I could raise a child well.”
Namia nodded enthusiastically.
“I feel the same way, Young Prince. Didn’t I tell you earlier?”
She spoke gently.
“Watching you made me feel like I had a younger brother. And the Imperial language lessons were so enjoyable! I want to teach my child using those same materials.”
Jayden silently prayed for the nephew who would be born.
He had no doubt that Kiaros would want to teach swordplay personally. That child would undoubtedly receive rigorous, high-level education from both father and mother.
Would the baby be able to endure such harsh life in the Imperial Palace?
Perhaps they would need his own expertise of “surviving by pretending to be a child”!
“It’s all thanks to you, Young Prince. Honestly, watching you grow has been both joyful and bittersweet for us.”
Namia spoke softly.
“We wanted to meet a small child again, so the decision came very easily.”
“C-cough! Cough!”
As the two spoke so sincerely, Jayden’s ears began to burn.
The thought of “a nephew who would be born because of Jayden” made him feel proud.
Kiaros watched the scene with quiet amusement.
‘Still just a child, after all.’
Now an even smaller child would be born into the Imperial Family.
“S-so, do you have a name for them yet?”
Jayden asked, swallowing dryly.
Namia shook her head gently as she answered.
“No, not yet. Would you like to give the baby a name, Young Prince?”
In truth, “we haven’t reached an agreement” would have been the accurate way to put it.
Namia insisted on the dreadful provisional name “Dragon Baby,” while Kiaros genuinely thought it was “the worst,” but for now he was managing to deflect by saying “let’s reconsider.”
‘Yes, Jayden.’
Kiaros watched Jayden, whose mouth hung open in shock at this unexpected authority, and thought to himself.
‘You’ll be better than Namia, at least.’
Anything would be better than Dragon Baby, surely.
Jayden drew in excited breaths for a long moment before crying out.
“JJ! JJ!”
“What?”
“Jayden’s Junior! JJ! Because I’ll be teaching the little one personally!”
“Teaching… what exactly?”
“How to survive as an adorable Imperial child!”
Kiaros heard the provisional name, which held not a shred of love or hope but only his uncle’s selfish intentions, and felt a chill run down his spine.
Jayden’s eyes sparkled as he grinned widely, speaking his own name in the third person once more.
“Jayden will pass on his expertise brilliantly!”
Kiaros suddenly imagined a small child speaking exactly like Jayden and let out a groan.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————