The Low-Ranking Civil Servant Wants to Achieve Success - Chapter 56

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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 56
Many students attended the Academy. Even among peers, relationships were often distant and formal.
Naturally, bonds between seniors and juniors weren’t particularly strong either.
Take Anastasia, for instance—she and Namia were both Academy alumni, yet they treated each other purely on a professional basis.
So hearing the affectionate term “senior” from Namia’s lips was shocking!
“She’s a warm and gentle person.”
Warm? Gentle?
Kiaros’s eyes narrowed involuntarily.
“The way you speak of her suggests you two are quite close.”
I couldn’t imagine Namia being close to anyone.
Hadn’t she said she didn’t even have someone to go to a restaurant with?
So I never would have thought she’d have a friendly male acquaintance.
She always seemed like she’d just respond with a listless “yeah, sure” over and over.
“I thought you didn’t have any close male acquaintances, Minister.”
“Yeah, sure.”
“Don’t people usually ask why that seems to be the case?”
Then Namia looked at him intently.
Kiaros flinched and added hastily,
“…ma’am?”
Namia sighed deeply and spoke.
“I’m giving you a pass because you’re foreign. Normally, you shouldn’t speak to your superior like that. And having such casual personal conversations between us isn’t part of Imperial culture either.”
I wasn’t being that casual. Actually, I was feeling quite uncomfortable right now.
That’s when it happened.
“Namia!”
A young man’s voice echoed from outside the office.
Namia furrowed her brow and muttered, “Luca?”
“Namiaaaa!”
The door burst open, and a brown-haired young man appeared.
Judging by the doctor’s coat he wore, he was a Medical and Health Department employee.
“I’m here! Luca Class, someone very special to you, has arrived!”
His face was radiant with joy as he called out Namia’s name with unbridled enthusiasm.
I recognized that innocent, pure face.
Wasn’t he the Medical and Health Department staff member who had cared for Namia on the day of my assassination attempt?
‘But… very special to her?’
Kiaros blinked in disbelief.
‘Who is this guy?’
* * *
Twenty minutes after lunchtime had passed.
‘He’s finally here.’
Just as I’d expected he would arrive around this time, Luca Class had come.
But before I could greet Luca myself.
“U-u-um, how did you c-come here?”
Luca encountered Anastasia before heading to the Minister’s Office. As far as I knew, this was their first meeting.
“A-are you l-looking for the M-Minister?”
At Anastasia’s words, Luca’s mouth fell open.
“Good heavens. So Namia really did become a Minister.”
Anastasia regarded Luca with a suspicious expression.
“A M-Medical and Health D-Department employee and the M-Minister… w-what kind of r-relationship do you h-have? C-could it be you’re c-close classmates?”
“We are Academy classmates, but it’s not simply a close friendship.”
Luca laughed and lifted his chin proudly.
His green eyes gleamed with unmistakable pride.
“We’re… quite special to each other. I’m the person who had the greatest influence on Namia’s life. We started as close classmates, but ultimately became something unique to one another.”
Kibon’s head snapped up from the documents he’d been reviewing.
Meanwhile, Luca continued speaking.
“Others never truly understood Namia’s worth. But I alone recognized her brilliance from the very beginning and approached her relentlessly.”
Hearing how passionately Luca spoke, I couldn’t help but let out a quiet laugh.
“Relentlessly—truly relentlessly—I broke through her indifference and drew near, until finally, alone with me in the Imperial Medical Ward, she opened her heart to me.”
The Imperial Medical Ward—that was the day I received the IV drip.
Well, it wasn’t entirely false.
That day was the first time I gave him a proper answer to his endless enthusiasm.
“In the end, I succeeded in opening that closed heart of hers and finally getting her to stand beside me! She even publicly declared that we share a special bond.”
In truth, I’d hastily sought out a “rival” to drive away the guards so I could meet the Empress alone…
But I could see how Luca might interpret it differently.
After our conversation about living properly from now on, having him called a “rival” through someone else’s words, and then becoming a Minister immediately after…
“Is that true?”
Kibon asked with wide, astonished eyes.
“Well, it’s not a lie, exactly…”
Anastasia happened to answer with a serious expression at just that moment.
“S-so…”
Then she blinked and asked,
“W-would you l-like some c-coffee?”
“Coffee sounds great.”
Luca answered cheerfully and continued the conversation.
“Make it strong, no milk, with a rich aroma, please. But who are you…?”
“Good question. I’m Anastasia Kayen, Team Leader of the Management Team.”
“What? The Team Leader is making c-coffee for me? N-no, is this really okay? I’m only in my fourth year…”
“You don’t think it’s right either? Then just drink whatever I make.”
I sighed and stepped out of the Minister’s Office.
Kibon quickly followed behind me.
“Luca.”
I scratched my cheek and offered a greeting.
“Good to see you. But since this is official business, could you use my title? My position is a bit awkward otherwise.”
“Come on, even in front of others, I can’t just keep calling you by your name… Minister of Education, I shall address you properly.”
Luca straightened his posture as he spoke.
He didn’t look particularly solemn, but his tall, refined appearance was pleasant enough to observe.
He began speaking with an increasingly self-absorbed expression.
“Ah, truly… my discernment is remarkable. And my persuasive power is extraordinary, is it not? How is it that the moment I speak with conviction, you awaken to your potential?”
“Yeah, sure.”
“After I told you to get your act together, you became Minister just like that…”
“Yeah, sure.”
“When I suggested we compete in promotion speed, you accepted immediately? Goodness, to surpass me so swiftly—it reminds me of the entrance exam days…”
I was responding with barely concealed indifference when—
“Hmm?”
Upon hearing the word “compete,” Kibon’s eyes, which had been narrowing with visible displeasure, grew even sharper.
Luca continued, tilting his chin upward.
“I referred to myself as your rival in front of the Guard, and everyone in the Medical and Health Department heard it.”
Kibon interjected hastily.
“…Rival? The two of you?”
Luca flinched upon seeing Kibon.
His expression suggested bewilderment.
“Oh, my apologies.”
I stepped in.
“He’s a New Intern, still not fluent in the Empire’s language. He probably doesn’t understand the word ‘rival.'”
“A New Intern? Could that be the same one from back then who was so rude…?”
I recalled mentioning to Luca before that the New Intern had been disrespectful.
I hastily cut off Luca’s words and explained.
“Yes. He’s returned. We had some misunderstandings, but they’ve been cleared up.”
“But… how dare he interrupt a conversation between the Minister of Education and his rival so casually? Speaking so curtly?”
“He’s a foreigner, so his culture differs from ours. I’ll teach him properly going forward.”
Kibon then spoke to me with an embarrassed expression, as if making an excuse.
“My apologies. I just… found something strange.”
“What?”
“All that talk about being special, opening your heart, standing beside you—I thought you two were in a romantic relationship.”
At that moment, both Luca’s and my faces darkened.
“New Intern, your thoughts are rather impure.”
As if deeply insulted, Luca furrowed his brow and spoke.
“How can you witness such a beautiful rivalry of noble intent and conjure such vulgar imaginings? Is there a law preventing men and women from becoming true rivals? Does ‘standing beside’ have no other interpretation? Do you spend your evenings reading third-rate romance novels?”
Anastasia flinched and quickly removed a book from her desk titled “I Quit Being the Strongest Male Lead’s Rival and Now We’re Dating.”
In any case, I regarded both Luca and Kibon with concern.
‘He’s not even my direct superior, yet he’s being so harsh.’
Kibon seemed to have quite a temper, so I wondered if he’d actually get angry.
But to my surprise, Kibon answered in an oddly cheerful manner.
“Oh, I just….”
For some reason, it looked like he was forcibly pushing down the corners of his mouth that kept trying to curl upward.
Kibon shrugged and continued casually.
“It’s close to the Academy, and it seemed like that sort of thing….”
“So you’re trying to link me with her? We’re absolutely not that kind of people.”
Luca suddenly panicked and waved his hand dismissively.
Then, after a moment of thought, he blurted out as if spitting the words.
“…Unless it’s Victor.”
Kibon’s pen dropped with a soft tap.

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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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