The Low-Ranking Civil Servant Wants to Achieve Success - Chapter 50

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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 50
Namia Loapi released my hand with a slight smirk.
Then, with newfound composure, she spoke.
“Since we’ve met before, let’s skip the introductions and get straight to work.”
“Yes.”
“….”
“Is something the matter?”
“Hmm.”
Namia Loapi stared intently at Kiaros.
Then, with a faint sigh and a respectful tone, she spoke.
“Normally… in situations like this, I should tell you to speak casually first. But since you’re a foreigner, I’m not entirely sure of the customs. So let me say it—is it alright if I speak casually with you? You seem quite young, after all.”
Ah, now that I thought about it, that was true.
Supervisors typically spoke casually with their secretaries.
‘I deliberately set Kibon’s age to twenty-two. She must have checked the personnel record card.’
Since I was a New Intern, I’d intentionally set the age young.
I’d carelessly scribbled down a birthday without much thought.
The Imoat Kingdom origin was chosen because it had the least diplomatic exchange with the Empire.
Since I’d fabricated a person from scratch, I needed to minimize any potential issues.
‘And it’s my mother’s homeland anyway, so it’s not entirely a lie.’
Half the blood flowing through my veins originated from the Imoat Kingdom, after all.
Though I’d only visited the Imoat Kingdom once in my life….
Regardless, I needed to grow accustomed to Kibon’s identity now.
“Yes.”
When Kiaros nodded, Namia Loapi smirked.
“Good. Then let’s start simply—shall we begin by reviewing some old documents together?”
A review, no less—it was a light first task.
Seeing Kiaros’s confident expression, Namia Loapi spoke cautiously.
“Don’t forget your oath. You said with your own mouth that you’d never give up. I’ll be doing a second review anyway….”
Her slightly trembling eyelashes, quivering with anxiety, somehow seemed endearing.
It appeared she was concerned about the volume of documents.
“Yes.”
But Kiaros was truly fine with it.
In fact, these were documents I’d already reviewed once before.
Wasn’t it based on those review results that I’d dismissed all the Scroll Management Department staff?
‘Getting this flustered over just having someone review documents. And she said she’d do a second review herself too….’
Namia Loapi seemed far too kind to be in a supervisory role.
I reassured her, speaking again.
“You mentioned this is your first time having a subordinate.”
“…Yes.”
“When dealing with me, you need only remember one thing: if the Minister of Education commands, I will obey unconditionally. So stop second-guessing yourself and simply give your orders.”
“R-really? I’m going to give you orders right now, so you absolutely cannot stop, no matter what.”
Kiaros answered without any change in expression.
“Yes. I will not stop, no matter what happens.”
And less than two hours later.
‘I want to quit.’
Kiaros breathed heavily, trembling.
‘That woman….’
Namia’s smile was no longer beautiful to him.
‘…Is she a demon?’
* * *
The morning of Namia’s first day as Minister of Education.
Several ministers had gathered informally. They all wore angry expressions.
“This is absurd. A twenty-three-year-old as a minister?”
“No matter how dysfunctional a department is, having someone like that as a minister on equal footing with us is rather problematic, don’t you think? Do we really have to see such a child at ministerial conferences?”
They were dissatisfied with Namia’s ministerial appointment.
Opinions were divided among the ministers.
One group of ministers who accepted it gently, suggesting that the Tower Master must have had his reasons for placing her in that position.
Another group of ministers who remained indifferent, saying it had nothing to do with them as long as it wasn’t their department.
And….
“Well, I happened to see Namia’s personnel record card…. Her Academy grades and entrance exam scores were both terrible. How can someone like that become a minister? It’s historically shameful.”
“Even the subordinates under us will look down on us. Won’t they?”
A faction that absolutely could not accept Namia becoming a minister.
They were secretly gathering for a meeting.
“We need to drive her out.”
A middle-aged man sat in the center, his eyes gleaming with gravity.
He spoke in a low voice.
“Remember how dissatisfied we were when the previous Scroll Management Minister was incompetent? And now a subordinate from that department becomes a minister? There’s nothing more to say.”
It was the Minister of Finance, known to have the most influence among the ministers.
Historically, the Minister of Finance naturally served as the leader of the other ministers.
“Even if she’s young, I could accept it if she were competent.”
The Minister of Finance spoke with a serious face.
“But that doesn’t seem to be the case. Since we barely managed to extract it from the Magic Tower and place it under the Imperial Family, we can’t leave the Scroll Management Department in such a mess like before. We might as well have abolished it.”
“Minister of Finance, do you personally know Namia Loapi?”
One of the ministers asked carefully.
Because the Minister of Finance was naturally speaking under the premise that ‘Namia Loapi is incompetent’.
“According to the Minister of Justice, Namia seems quite sharp.”
The Minister of Justice was not present at this gathering.
He had been present when the Tower Master asked for Namia to be made a minister.
But he only threw out the words ‘I opposed it at first, but… well, she seems formidable,’ and turned toward the indifferent ministers.
The Minister of Finance shook his head and spoke.
“Our department has the twin brother of that girl Namia, doesn’t it? Huan Loapi.”
“Ah, is that so? You know him?”
“He’s always a day late with deadlines, but his work is excellent. The results are outstanding, so I promoted him quickly. I’ve been keeping an eye on him.”
In a large department like the Ministry of Finance, a minister typically wouldn’t know the names of fourth-year employees.
Conversely, it meant Huan Loapi’s abilities were exceptional enough to have caught the minister’s attention.
The Minister of Finance harbored no prejudice regarding age or gender. Therefore, regardless of seniority, he had no qualms acknowledging competence.
“Even if we’re the same age, if Huan were to become a minister, I’d accept it. He’s somewhat scatterbrained during work, but ultimately produces unparalleled results. Whenever I’ve approved his requests to access higher-level documents, he’s always delivered results worthy of that access. But his younger sister…”
The Minister of Finance stroked his chin and muttered with displeasure.
“Huan has always gone around saying his younger sister was foolish from the moment she was born.”
“Ah.”
“They were on the same team during the civil service entrance exam. With Huan’s considerable help, she barely managed to pass, or so I heard.”
One of the other ministers then asked in surprise.
“Wait, Minister. You know the personal circumstances of a fourth-year employee? That’s impressive. How many people work in the Ministry of Finance…”
“I don’t know the details either. There’s such a rank difference that I haven’t had many conversations with him. But I overheard some chatter at a company dinner.”
The Minister of Finance shrugged as he spoke.
“His younger sister apparently wasn’t someone who should have been here in the first place, but he helped her a lot since their school days. And now she’s a minister? It makes no sense.”
He declared firmly, his eyes blazing.
“If the Tower Master threw a tantrum, then her magical abilities must be at least competent.”
The Minister of Finance typically didn’t involve himself in such matters.
Unusually for a civil servant, he held the rank of marquis. He was a man confident in both his abilities and his background.
“But regardless of her magical prowess, this is the Imperial Palace.”
However, he viewed this as a power struggle between the civil service and the Magic Tower. That’s why he decided to intervene.
If the Emperor had appointed her due to the Tower Master’s tantrum, couldn’t he simply find fault and impose disciplinary measures?
“Just wait and see.”
He had long resented the Scroll Management Department.
He simply couldn’t touch it because it was jointly affiliated with the Magic Tower.
But now the Scroll Department belonged to the Imperial Family. Now he could touch it.
“The fundamental duty of a minister is drafting budgets. Does the Scroll Department have anyone who knows how to properly prepare a budget proposal? The previous minister’s work was a complete mess.”
The Minister of Finance lifted his chin and spoke coldly.
“By the end of today, I’ll have that girl stepping down of her own accord.”

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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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