The Low-Ranking Civil Servant Wants to Achieve Success - Chapter 71

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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 71
Just as lunch hour ended, other staff members began streaming back in.
“Come on.”
I tapped Kibon on the shoulder and spoke.
“Let’s get to work now. Since we’re here early.”
“Work, you say….”
“A threatening letter… no, I mean an official document I need to draft.”
When I smiled brightly, Kibon flinched.
I raised my eyebrows and added.
“To the Minister of Education.”
The Minister of Education was undoubtedly trembling right about now.
With Riedan arrested, how anxious must he be?
‘After all, if he suffers a bit more mentally….’
I smiled wickedly and drafted the official document.
‘In the end, I need to use him as bait.’
The Minister of Education.
Remarkably, a man who genuinely believed he was serving the Imperial Family and the Empire.
And….
‘He’s also someone who received a recruitment offer from the conspiracy organization behind this war. For now, he’s refused, but.’
According to the original story, the Minister of Education would join the conspiracy organization much later, after the entire Imperial Family had fallen.
But it was written that he had received the offer long ago.
‘However, the mere fact that he didn’t report the offer to the Imperial Palace when he first received it… is proof that he’s conflicted inside.’
The Minister of Education was a cunning man who turned a blind eye to Riedan’s affairs while always thinking of a way to escape.
So it was natural that he wasn’t making any moves.
But what if I gave him a justification to act?
‘Then he’d move!’
If I stepped on his heels just right, I could properly catch the conspiracy organization.
It seemed like it would work if I moved together with Kiaros at that time.
‘I suppose I became the Minister of Education to move this freely.’
There’s so much I can do.
With knowledge of the future and power in hand, there was nothing to hold me back.
I pressed down the corners of my mouth that were rising again with my hand, hiding my smile.
Kibon tilted his head as he looked at the document I was sending to the Minister of Education.
“What kind of official document is this?”
“Oh, a cooperation request.”
“You’re requesting such… unreasonable cooperation from the Ministry of Education?”
“Yes.”
If I demand excessive cooperation like this, the Minister of Education will flinch for a moment.
‘Does he know I’m involved too? Is he threatening me?’ He’ll lose sleep over such thoughts.
“He probably has something to feel guilty about.”
“No… surely not the Minister of Education as well…”
“Hmm?”
“Never mind.”
Kibon muttered as if exasperated.
After that, only the sound of pens scratching across paper echoed through the Minister’s Office.
Unfortunately, the Scroll Department always had an abundance of work.
“Please, Kibon.”
I placed a stack of documents on Kibon’s desk as I spoke.
“Things will improve once Victor arrives. He should be here tomorrow or the day after, so just bear with it until then.”
Kibon offered no response. He seemed somewhat displeased about something.
Was this guy really a workaholic?
So I added a few more documents to the pile.
‘See? I’m such a warm person, aren’t I? Wait, hold on.’
I rolled my eyes, lost in thought.
Kibon had definitely said he liked warm people!
‘Could he possibly like me?’
Anastasia had immediately ruled me out, but truthfully, I had the highest probability.
Because Kibon didn’t converse with any other employee besides me.
‘And besides, he blocked my path without hesitation back then.’
The person had been a blood-soaked criminal.
Since Kibon wouldn’t have known Riedan, he could have thought a vicious criminal was chasing me.
Yet he blocked my path without the slightest hesitation.
Wouldn’t most people instinctively step back?
‘Could it really be me?’
My ideal type was somewhat distant from me, but an ideal type was still an ideal type. The woman his heart actually yearned for could be entirely different.
‘Even when I act incredibly rude, he says it’s all fine…’
I engaged in self-reflection once more.
Because he was the first comfortable person I’d encountered, I’d grabbed his hand and even pinned him against a tree. If Oson had done that to me, I would have reported him for sexual harassment immediately.
‘Now that I think about it, there really is a possibility.’
If Kibon actually liked me…
“Kibon.”
When I called out to him casually, Kibon immediately lifted his head and looked at me.
His dark eyes gazed at me with quiet composure.
“When your superior calls, you should answer.”
“Yes.”
When I point it out, he obeys meekly.
At first, I thought it was presumptuous, but now I found myself comfortably ordering him around without much thought.
‘Indeed, Kibon seems to be the only man I treat so comfortably.’
Since he was my first subordinate, I had no other basis for comparison.
Yet there was still much I didn’t know about Kibon.
After all, how could I consider someone as a potential partner without knowing anything about them?
‘Of course, being a foreigner means there might be some difficulty due to cultural differences, but that’s something I can overcome if I teach him well.’
Except for matters of war, I was someone whose reason took precedence over emotion. So I always thought rationally first before examining my feelings.
Therefore, I asked Kibon abruptly without preamble.
“What are your shortcomings?”
To maintain a long-term relationship, shortcomings mattered more than strengths.
But figuring that out myself would be inefficient.
Given Kibon’s inflexible nature, he would surely speak honestly and at length, so it was better to ask directly.
“My shortcomings, you say?”
Kibon answered immediately without even asking why.
“I’m not entirely sure.”
Kibon’s shortcoming was that he didn’t engage in self-reflection.
While I was lost in thought, Kibon continued speaking.
“However, according to those I trained with…”
“Training? You received that too?”
“Yes.”
Well, his body certainly bore the marks of rigorous training.
When I expressed curiosity, Kibon explained.
“There are no people who would openly discuss my shortcomings in front of me, but during training, it becomes unavoidable to mention them.”
“Ah, I see. That makes sense.”
I had often seen the Palace Knight Order training as I passed by.
They would earnestly spar with each other and discuss their respective strengths and weaknesses.
“The consistent feedback I’ve received from those people is that I lack self-control somewhat.”
“What?”
At this unexpected answer, my eyes widened in surprise.
“Wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-wh?”
Anastasia shrieked from outside, nearly having a fit.
“Y-y-y-y-Your Highness the Young Prince!”
It was an unexpected visit from the Young Prince.
“Good heavens.”
Looking out the window, Jayden was indeed there. I frowned slightly in surprise.
‘I knew he’d come looking for me soon, but to visit the office directly?’
Even considering Jayden’s youth, this was quite a tense situation.
All the department members, including myself, stood up abruptly.
But Kibon simply remained seated and returned his gaze to the documents.
‘Is this guy actually insane?’
I nudged him and glared, but he didn’t even stand up, merely watching Jayden with a suspicious gaze.
Meanwhile, Anastasia stammered even more than usual as she cried out.
“W-w-w-would you like some coffee?”
Then Jayden, crossing his arms, responded as if exasperated.
“You want to give a high-caffeine beverage to an eight-year-old child whose brain is still developing? Did you perhaps leave your intelligence at home? Or did you throw your common sense in the trash? If you’re going to keep prattling on about coffee to a child, why don’t you join the trash bin yourself?”
Kibon dropped the pen he was holding with a soft clatter as he watched the sharp-tongued young boy.
Well, this was probably his first time meeting Jayden.
It wasn’t for nothing that he was called “the hopeless brat” behind his back.
Anyone in the Imperial Palace who didn’t know Jayden’s temperament was probably only the servants.
Jayden lifted his chin and spoke.
“Enough of that. Where is the Minister of Scrolls?”

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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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