The Low-Ranking Civil Servant Wants to Achieve Success - Chapter 6

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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 6
Luca fell silent for a moment, his mouth opening and closing without sound.
I shrugged awkwardly and added, “Well, but from the next exam onward, your scores were consistently much better than mine….”
“Well, but from the next exam onwards, your grades were consistently much better than his, Luca…”
At that, Luca’s green eyes flashed with intensity.
“That’s because you deliberately bombed every exam just enough to barely qualify for the Imperial Palace! You calculated it perfectly!”
“Hmm.”
“Even if others don’t notice, I’m smart enough to see through that!”
This wasn’t the first time Luca had thrown such a tantrum.
Throughout our Academy years, he was the only one who remained fixated on my top score in the entrance examination.
Every time exam results were posted, he would rush to my desk as if compelled by some invisible force.
Then he would stare intently at my pathetically low test scores.
‘Our scores are worlds apart, yet he kept insisting we were rivals. And here he still is, doing the same thing.’
I had naturally assumed his obsession would end after Academy graduation….
But it seemed his interest never faded—he simply had no opportunity to voice it because we worked in different departments.
“Ahem! Anyway! You were my first rival, and I still want to compete with you in something!”
“Ah, sure….”
“Hey, don’t you usually ask what someone wants to compete in?”
“I don’t have the energy for that….”
“Hey!”
Well, truthfully, Luca was completely right.
I had never truly demonstrated my abilities except during the Academy entrance examination.
Even during the civil service recruitment, I had calibrated my performance to barely meet the passing threshold.
‘Of course, I wrote Huan’s entire employment report as well.’
During that time, Huan diligently studied for the written assessment. That’s why he managed to score at least average on it.
‘Well, it wasn’t anything particularly unusual.’
After all, I had completed all of Huan’s assignments throughout Academy as well. That’s why his assignment scores were always perfect.
[Don’t discourage our Huan. Understood?]
And regarding my salary….
[Write your salary account number here.]
I was in my fourth year, yet I had never actually received my salary. Overtime pay was the only money I could claim.
Though the amount was pittance, it was precious to someone who had never possessed money in their life.
I had something I absolutely needed to do with that accumulated money.
“Namia, let’s compete on promotion speed instead. How about seeing who can climb higher in this organization?”
“Hmm…. You’ve already won, and you’ll keep winning. That’s it, right?”
When I spoke calmly, Luca’s expression turned frustrated once more.
Watching his emotions fluctuate, I offered him sincere advice.
“Live your own life now, Luca. Stop focusing on me.”
“And are you living your own life well?”
Unable to contain himself any longer, Luca clenched his fists and shouted in response.
“You’re living like this because of your family, aren’t you? It’s so obvious. They’re taking all your salary anyway, so I’d want to slack off too!”
Luca spoke while struggling to hide his pity beneath an expression of frustration.
“Fine, let’s say that was acceptable during your Academy days. But Namia Loapi, you’re an adult now. You absolutely don’t need to live like this.”
He worked his lips for a moment, then released a heavy sigh.
“I don’t know all the details of your situation, and I know this is terribly presumptuous of me to say, but… just cut ties and live your own life. Stop that pitiful look in your eyes, and let yourself actually use your abilities!”
I lowered my gaze, stung by his harsh criticism of my hollow expression.
And I remained silent for a long time.
‘He’s going that far? My poor nutritional state must have shocked him.’
Countless times before, Luca had stood before me spouting things like “Show your true strength! Face it head-on!” in his excitement.
But this was the first time he’d been so blunt as to bring up my family circumstances while lecturing me.
“A-ahem! Ahem ahem!”
As my silence stretched on, Luca began watching my expression nervously.
When the quiet persisted, he cleared his throat awkwardly and spoke.
“W-well, if I was out of line, then I’m s-sorry… s-sorry…”
I released a quiet sigh. Then I turned my gaze toward Luca and slowly opened my mouth.
“Yeah, you’re right… you’re insane.”
“That’s not fair! I was just trying to apologize… huh?”
Luca, about to bounce up again, flinched when he met my eyes.
It was probably because my eyes held focus this time, unlike usual.
“You’re right that you don’t know everything about my situation.”
As my voice, normally so casual, turned serious, Luca’s eyes widened.
Contrary to what he thought, I was actually doing my best to live my life.
Because I had a clear goal that no one else knew about.
‘I’ll endure like this, and endure again. I’ll definitely prevent the war. That’s how I’ll find my real father. Until I find him, it doesn’t matter if I don’t use my abilities.’
Silence fell over the Hospital Ward for a moment.
Luca released a deep sigh. His excitement had faded, but the sigh still carried a sense of helplessness.
I smiled slightly and spoke again.
“Still, I know you said that because you care about me. Thank you, Luca.”
Our relationship had always been the same since our Academy days.
So this conversation was unprecedented.
Perhaps this was the first time I’d shown genuine sincerity to anyone. It felt like it had simply been far too long since I’d received anyone’s concern.
Even if that person was Luca Class, who’d always bothered me by going on about being my “rival.”
“I’m not saying I’ll live like this forever. It’s just that I have my own desires. There’s something I absolutely must obtain from those people.”
Luca bit his lower lip with a look of regret. Then he chuckled and spoke.
“But what can you do about it?”
“What?”
“Everyone’s going to know now that you’re an incredibly capable person, Namia Loapi.”
Luca looked at me with a triumphant expression.
“If you really wanted to hide your abilities, you shouldn’t have used 172 scrolls. There’s already a rumor going around that you alone created 166 scrolls and activated all of them at once.”
“Oh, that?”
I returned to my indifferent expression and spoke.
I knew better than anyone the hopeless atmosphere that permeated our department.
“You don’t know our Scroll Management Department very well. Our department is meticulously a mess.”
I calmly laid out my future for him.
“Six reports have already been submitted, so there’s no way I’ll let a rumor spread that I alone created 166 scrolls.”
“…What?”
“I’ll claim I made an error in the inventory report. So I’ll face disciplinary action.”
“That’s absurd! What kind of insane organization…. Or at least, the Magic Tower wouldn’t….”
“The Magic Tower, isolated from worldly affairs, would never learn of this matter in the first place. And there’s no reason for anyone to deliberately inform them.”
I spoke with indifference.
“The only one who might offer even a courtesy acknowledgment would probably be the Crown Prince himself. He’d throw a commendation my way, perhaps.”
Whether I faced discipline or not was irrelevant—the commendation had been my goal all along.
With that commendation, I could meet Kiaros once more.
Actively countering the original story required power and resources.
But I possessed neither money, nor status, nor influence.
‘Why am I even thinking about the original story? How inefficient. I wish it had been Kiaros who remembered it—he has wealth, status, and power.’
As a low-ranking civil servant, I couldn’t prevent something as massive as a war. Only someone with power like Kiaros could stop it.
So I made my decision.
I would cling to Kiaros’s side and offer hints about the future as much as possible.

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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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