The Low-Ranking Civil Servant Wants to Achieve Success - Chapter 28

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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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Chapter 28
“But why are you helping me?”
“Oson is my superior. I know him better than anyone. That’s why I find this situation truly suspicious. I want to help the Empress.”
The Empress wasn’t particularly clever, but she was far from foolish either.
“So according to you, I’m dragging out time by stubbornly insisting that man is suspicious without any real basis.”
“Yes.”
“That solves nothing. I’d only look more suspicious myself. Suddenly singling out some unknown civil servant for a trap investigation? Me, who’s never even seen an official document before?”
“That’s right.”
I handed her the scroll once more, speaking in a soothing tone.
“But the future is uncertain, and if we drag out time, a miraculous opportunity might come our way.”
“Hmm?”
“Your Majesty has family. Family who would do anything to help you, family who loves you.”
Speaking the word “family,” my heart clenched inside.
I had exactly one person—family who would do anything for me.
And I was determined to do anything for them.
At my words, the Empress lowered her gaze.
“I’m doing this so I don’t burden those beloved family members.”
“Perhaps. But rather than fearing causing trouble, wouldn’t a true Imperial Knight uncover the mastermind behind the assassination attempt on the Crown Prince by enduring through this?”
As I spoke, the Empress let out a hearty laugh.
Then, saying “Let me trust you once,” she accepted the scroll I offered.
“According to what you say, this Oson fellow is indeed suspicious. I don’t mind bearing false accusations, but this is an accusation that the true culprit in the Crown Prince’s assassination is being hidden and the investigation is being obstructed. That’s worth looking into.”
“Yes. I suspect there’s someone behind my Team Leader. He’s not the type to stand for the Imperial Family. An investigation is necessary.”
And so we became a team.
‘For now, I just need to prevent a verdict from being reached. Just drag out the time like this.’
My plan was never to create a perfect alibi.
Everything had already happened—such a thing was impossible.
I rose slowly from the now-chaotic courtroom during the recess, thinking to myself.
‘The Emperor will arrive soon.’
In the original story, he returns to the Capital around this time.
Right after receiving news that “Kiaros is dead.”
‘People will be absolutely shocked then.’
Because the Emperor appears at the Imperial Palace just one day after Kiaros’s death is announced.
‘In reality, it would take a month of carriage travel to reach here, but…’
A special ability of the user that he reveals to no one—not even to fellow Imperial Family members.
‘The Emperor’s special ability is long-distance teleportation.’
No matter how far the distance, he could travel anywhere in a single day.
He conceals this ability all along, until Kiaros’s death forces it to be revealed.
‘And so he returns to the Capital, rules for about a year, and then passes away.’
Kiaros surely informed the Emperor about the Empress’s situation yesterday.
Then the Emperor, who loves the Empress, will rush here without hesitation.
What happens next… the Emperor will handle it himself, I suppose.
‘The Empress is using this as an opportunity to uncover the mastermind behind it all.’
The Empress had grasped my hand not for her own safety, but to ensure a proper investigation.
As long as the Empress doesn’t confess, the Emperor will protect her by any means necessary.
‘How he does that isn’t really my concern…’
What mattered was that the verdict didn’t come down before then.
Once a verdict was rendered, not even the Emperor could overturn it.
‘In any case, he truly loves his family. When it comes to them, he’s willing to reveal special abilities he’d never disclosed to his own children to the entire world.’
And so the Emperor’s ability was revealed in the original work as well.
Prince Jayden, being the protagonist, had his special abilities described frequently…
‘Come to think of it, I don’t know Kiaros’s special ability.’
There had been no opportunity to describe the ability of Kiaros, who died young.
Since it was classified, even Jayden didn’t know his older brother’s special ability.
‘What could it be? Since he’s a dragon-blooded, it must be something incredible, probably.’
I glanced at Kiaros, who was holding his position in the courtroom.
‘Crown Prince…’
Speaking with the Minister of Justice, he was utterly flawless.
He looked so powerful that one couldn’t possibly imagine the dark period he would face.
‘He seems like as good a person as he is beautiful.’
The man who had even made sure I had meals and wanted to properly thank me.
Yet the distance between us was truly immense.
So vast that I couldn’t dare speak a single word to him.
‘It’s so difficult to get closer.’
I slowly turned my gaze away from Kiaros.
The courtroom, bustling with people rising to their feet, was in disarray.
I too slipped into the crowd and left the courtroom to visit the restroom.
After leaving the restroom, I checked the time and saw there was still quite a bit of break time remaining.
‘Well, there’s no need to go back in early, is there?’
I glanced into the courtroom from a distance.
Kiaros was also rising, seemingly heading to the restroom.
There was no point going back in just to sit around bored and wait.
‘Should I take a walk around the area instead?’
It was then, as I stretched and stepped out into the garden outside the courtroom entrance, that it happened.
“Namia Loapi?”
Someone suddenly grabbed my wrist from behind.
The unexpected contact and unfamiliar voice sent a chill down my spine.
“What is this?”
I spun around in shock.
The man gripping my wrist was a middle-aged man I’d never seen before.
He didn’t appear to be a civil servant, so I wondered if he was a nobleman who had come to observe the trial.
“This is the first time we’ve had a proper conversation like this, haha.”
He continued speaking without any intention of releasing my wrist.
“I am Howard Olten.”
“Pardon?”
“Ah, I mentioned it to the Loapi Baron. Perhaps he didn’t tell you?”
“…Pardon?”
Olten? He’d spoken to the Loapi Baron about this?
My mind raced to piece it together.
[Eldest Son of Olten Merchant Guild… he says you’ve really caught his fancy.]
I could roughly guess who this man was.
Was this the old man the Loapi Baron had tried to marry me off to—the one who said he fancied me?
As I blinked, he grinned, revealing yellowed teeth.
“I’ve seen you several times visiting the Loapi Baronial Family. Your vacant eyes and that dull complexion—it’s exactly my style, young lady.”
“Good heavens.”
I stared at him with tired eyes and muttered.
“So you’re saying your style is a woman over twenty years your junior who looks like she’ll be sold off for debt….”
I struggled with all my might to pull my wrist free and shot back at him.
“Didn’t the Loapi Baron tell you? I clearly said I wasn’t interested.”
This man who introduced himself as Howard Olten seemed to think my opinion was of little consequence.
Well, one would need that level of audacity to propose marriage to a woman young enough to be one’s daughter.
He shrugged his shoulders and replied coolly.
“Then your father will simply go bankrupt. As his daughter, you’ll just watch that happen?”
“I’ll watch it with applause and amusement. Thanks to you, I’ve already severed ties with him.”
When I spoke firmly, he furrowed his brow.
“Then let’s forget about your father. I still fancy you, Namia Loapi.”
“Listen… come to your senses. If you took out a hand mirror and looked, it might help you grasp the situation.”
“Haha, I don’t know about that. I recently purchased a Baron’s title. I’m a nobleman with considerable wealth. Doesn’t that change your mind?”
“I think what I had for breakfast is about to come back up….”
It was truly disgusting and infuriating. Just then, I noticed Imperial Knights passing by in the distance.
‘I should have him imprisoned for indecent assault against a civil servant and obstruction of official duties. The relevant statutes are….’
Just as I was about to cry out for help with all my might.
A cool voice of a young man came from behind.
“Let her go.”

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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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