The Low-Ranking Civil Servant Wants to Achieve Success - Chapter 41
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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 41
It was true. I really did excel at ancient languages.
After a moment of silence, the Minister of Justice was the first to speak.
“Hmm, Namia Loapi. I’m aware that even at the Academy, only students with high grades can take advanced ancient language courses.”
He was right. My Academy grades had been in the lower ranks, so I hadn’t been able to take advanced ancient language courses as an upper-year student.
The Minister of Justice seemed to have assumed my grades based solely on the fact that I worked in the Scroll Management Department.
He spoke firmly.
“You can’t just get by memorizing a few phrases.”
I bowed respectfully and continued speaking.
“Karti arha haoalum katena. I taught myself by studying texts. Atina kaloba anatusa. I am not merely memorizing a few phrases.”
“That doesn’t make sense. Why would you teach yourself that?”
“Atanaka arin kayurom aratana. Ancient languages contain many words that form the origins of scroll magic incantations.”
The Tower Master let out an amused chuckle at my words.
He spoke with evident satisfaction.
“That’s genuine fluency.”
“Atana. Correct.”
The Minister of Justice clicked his tongue in frustration.
Well, it was understandable to be at a loss.
Me, a mere twenty-three years old, becoming a minister?
‘By any measure—experience or precedent—it truly makes no sense.’
But…
There was no clause stating that a twenty-three-year-old could not become a minister.
All eyes turned toward the Minister of Justice. He rolled his eyes in apparent panic and exclaimed.
“And—and your gait! You must have received special training to walk like a high-ranking noble!”
I stood up abruptly and straightened my posture with deliberate grace.
Then, in perfect form, I glided gracefully around the room in a circle. I hadn’t bothered with it before, but when I applied myself, it came naturally enough.
And I came to a halt in perfect posture amid the silence.
Kiaros muttered in a dazed tone.
“…I thought you were dragging yourself around because you lacked energy.”
“I was conserving energy. I’m honored to have cleared up this small misunderstanding.”
Even so, I was the daughter of a Baron—someone who could attend noble etiquette classes.
I had learned all the basic refinements at the Academy. I simply hadn’t bothered to maintain them out of laziness; I hadn’t actually forgotten them.
As I settled back into my seat with quiet composure, the Minister of Justice cried out again.
“And—and! You must also be well-versed in the various clauses that change constantly. Especially personnel-related clauses, which change frequently—you must memorize exactly when and how each change occurred. You’ll be managing subordinates, after all!”
I clasped my hands together and answered with utmost courtesy.
“Ah, you speak of personnel-related clauses.”
And without pause, I poured forth a torrent of words.
“On February 11th of this year, Article 33, Section 9 was revised regarding civil servant residency. On May 29th of this year, Article 4, Section 2 concerning disciplinary measures was amended.”
“…”
“However, Article 56, Section 11 of the Imperial Palace Civil Service Law—which states that a minister’s position is appointed by the Imperial Family upon the recommendation of at least two department members including the appointee—has never been changed since the founding of the nation. For reference, Article 39, Section 12 of the Magic Tower Related Law stipulates that members of the Magic Tower possess rights equivalent to those of the Scroll Management Department’s personnel.”
“…I, Namia Loapi. Surely….”
The Minister of Justice opened his mouth in disbelief.
I added shyly.
“I agree with the Tower Master’s opinion, so I also recommend myself.”
So the Tower Master and I.
Two people recommending meant we’d satisfied the basic conditions for ministerial appointment.
The Tower Master shouted excitedly, swinging his fist.
“Nice! I’ve definitely memorized all the personnel regulations, haven’t I? Hehehehehehe!”
The Minister of Justice blinked, utterly flabbergasted. He seemed to need time to accept this absurd situation.
And I gazed shyly at the Empress.
If this was an Imperial appointment, then my ally here was….
“Namia Loapi.”
That’s when Kiaros interjected.
“Do you perhaps want to become a minister?”
Of course I did!
A minister could report directly to the Crown Prince.
Not only that, but I could also access classified documents from various departments.
‘This means it’ll be easier to give Kiaros hints about the original story!’
Even when trying to counter the original story, I was powerless as a mere subordinate.
So I’d kept joking to myself, saying things like ‘Unless I become a minister, there’s nothing I can do.’
But now it seemed that might actually happen.
‘Absolutely, absolutely, absolutely not because I have ambition for power, no, no!’
Besides, I couldn’t become the Tower Master anyway! Unfortunately!
‘Ah, no. What am I thinking so honestly about….’
I rolled my eyes and steadied my resolve.
‘I, I need to prevent the war! The war! It’s absolutely not because I want to become a minister! Ahem, ahem!’
Something pricked my conscience, but that was easy to ignore. Nothing was easier than ignoring my inner voice.
I nodded with an innocent face and answered.
“I wish to dedicate my body and soul to make it happen somehow.”
Then Kiaros opened his mouth solemnly.
“Then I….”
That’s when it happened.
“Excellent!”
Before Kiaros could finish speaking, the Empress jumped to her feet and shouted.
“Namia Loapi, I appoint you as minister! Your Majesty, Your Highness, that’s acceptable, isn’t it? Yes? Yes? Yes?”
The final procedure—the Imperial appointment.
Thus the Empress drove the nail in.
“This child’s capabilities are more than sufficient! I can prove it! My long-standing principle has always been that people should be treated according to their merit!”
“Yeeeeees! That’s wonderful!”
Brushing aside Kiaros, who was about to say something, the Tower Master also jumped to his feet.
“That’s exactly it!”
The Tower Master and the Empress reached out their hands simultaneously.
Just as I squeezed my eyes shut, thinking they were about to fight again.
“Bravo!”
The two of them clapped their hands together in a high-five with a loud crack.
The sound was so thunderous that the Crown Prince’s Aide in the back jumped in surprise.
“Namia as Minister! Ahahaha! Excellent, excellent! The Tower Master has come up with a splendid idea!”
“Thank you for the appointment, Empress! My, what a wonderfully aligned conversation partner you are! Perfect timing!”
These were the two who had once torn the room apart with their quarreling.
Yet now they chuckled together, their hands continuing to collide repeatedly.
“She creates such original scrolls beautifully! With continued communication with the Magic Tower, she’ll become a magnificent mage!”
“I noticed earlier that she possesses excellent qualities as a civil servant! She’ll become a truly outstanding talent for the Imperial Palace!”
Those who had been disparaging civil servants and mages against each other swiftly changed their tune.
The Tower Master’s eyes gleamed as he even brought up the Previous Minister of Education.
“I guarantee she’ll surpass that fool! He couldn’t even create a single proper scroll! All he did was whine to the Magic Tower!”
“Exactly, exactly! Wasn’t it said that he had numerous family-related corruption scandals? Namia’s household is such a mess that she couldn’t commit misconduct even if she tried!”
And throughout all this, the Emperor, who had been silently smiling, slowly rose to his feet.
“So be it.”
The Emperor made no effort to hide his displeasure as he gently pried the Empress’s hand away from the Tower Master.
Then he firmly grasped the Empress’s hand himself and spoke gently.
“We face a great conflict ahead. We cannot afford to quarrel among ourselves over trivial matters.”
His tone was also one of placating the Minister of Justice, who had been vehemently opposed.
“Let us conclude this by having both the Magic Tower and the Imperial Family each take a step back.”
In other words, he was proposing to end the negotiations between these two organizations that inevitably clashed.
“However, we cannot leave the Scroll Management Department, which endangered the Imperial Family, untouched. We shall dissolve the Scroll Management Department and reorganize it as the Scroll Department, appoint Namia Loapi as Minister, and incorporate the remaining staff members under her. And.”
It seemed like the same thing, but in the civil service organization, such procedures were still necessary.
The Emperor raised his eyebrows as he continued.
“Until we track down and eliminate all those behind the plot against the Crown Prince and Empress, the Scroll Department shall remain under Imperial jurisdiction.”
In essence, he was removing our department from the Magic Tower’s domain for now.
The Tower Master clicked his tongue once, clearly displeased. After all, this meant losing the Magic Tower’s influence.
Yet he had to acknowledge that his management had been lacking.
“Ahem, it’s temporary. Ahem, I shall cooperate on the condition that Namia Loapi assumes the ministerial position.”
Good heavens.
I sat there feigning composure, but my eyes were spinning.
I was truly becoming a Minister.
‘This is insane, absolutely insane. I’m becoming a Minister….’
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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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