The Low-Ranking Civil Servant Wants to Achieve Success - Chapter 72

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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 72
Kiaros couldn’t believe what lay before his eyes.
Jayden was shy by nature and never approached me with undue familiarity, yet I had always treated him with utmost respect and courtesy.
But now… Jayden’s gaze itself had transformed.
“Where is the Minister of Scrolls?”
I had always felt apologetic toward Jayden, though he had done nothing wrong.
It somehow embarrassed me that I, born without love, stood as Crown Prince instead of the adorable and brilliant Jayden.
[Brother, you’ve arrived? Please, sit.]
[You needn’t be so formal. Treat me comfortably.]
[No, I must observe proper etiquette. You seem to be working so hard. Your complexion doesn’t look well. Please rest when you can.]
[I’m fine. By the way, what are all these stacked books? Have you read them all?]
[Yes. Well, when I’m alone, it gets tedious… Reading makes time pass the quickest.]
Though I myself had struggled to fit in with ordinary people at that age, Jayden always weighed on my mind.
Those eyes—sorrowful yet bearing a maturity beyond his years…
‘That disrespectful letter sent to the Empress… wasn’t it written under Riedan’s coercion?’
In the meantime, Namia hurried out of the Minister’s Office.
Standing before Jayden, she offered a formal bow.
“I greet Your Highness the Young Prince. I am Namia Loapi, Minister of Scrolls.”
“Hmph.”
Jayden regarded Namia with an arrogant expression.
Kiaros felt dizzy at the sight of Jayden’s unfamiliar demeanor.
Jayden rolled his eyes for a moment, then spoke with evident embarrassment.
“I heard Riedan came by earlier. To harm you, apparently.”
“Ah, yes.”
Namia answered respectfully, then added with a bright smile.
“But the Team Leader here took care of it for me.”
Anastasia blinked blankly, holding her coffee cup. Namia continued with exaggerated gestures.
“She blocked his vision with that harmful powder he always carries, and when he still resisted, she mercilessly subjected him to ten forms of torture.”
Well, since Jayden himself had referred to the coffee grounds as ‘harmful powder,’ the account wasn’t entirely inaccurate…
In any case, Jayden flinched and took a step backward.
Jayden glanced at Anastasia with newfound respect and cleared his throat.
“Ahem, a hidden master indeed. Fortunate you weren’t harmed. I was concerned, so I came to check. And…”
Then, turning back to Namia, he spoke.
“Let’s have a word.”
“Yes. Shall we step into the Minister’s Office?”
Kiaros had not followed Namia out, so he remained in the Minister’s Office.
He watched with bewilderment as Jayden and Namia entered.
Jayden glanced at Kiaros, who wore Kibon’s appearance, and asked.
“Who is this?”
“Ah, he is my secretary. A new intern from a foreign country.”
“Is that so?”
Kiaros steadied himself, gazing at Jayden’s adorable cheeks and round eyes.
He was his usual endearing self.
‘Right, I suppose he was startled when I asked a child to drink coffee.’
Normally he was a cute and well-mannered boy.
Hearing that Riedan had rushed at Namia, he came to check immediately—so tenderhearted and fragile….
That was when it happened.
“What are you staring at?”
Jayden picked a fight.
“A green New Intern, and you don’t stand up to greet me? Even if you’re a foreigner, don’t you know the Empire has its own laws? Your Minister is stammering right now, so how dare a mere intern intern stare at the Young Prince like that? Are you going to behave properly? Tsk, you——.”
It was the moment Kiaros’s world shattered.
* * *
Kibon appeared deeply shocked by the child’s harsh words.
I forcibly helped Kibon to his feet and made him bow.
“My apologies, Your Highness the Young Prince. Please allow me to apologize on his behalf. Even though I, as Minister, have stood, he remains sitting vacantly because he is still unfamiliar with Imperial culture.”
“Unfamiliar with Imperial culture? So he’s excess baggage? Then why is there so much stuff on the intern’s desk?”
Jayden clicked his tongue suspiciously.
I quickly answered, worried sparks might fly toward Kibon.
“I’ve been… rolling him around quite a bit. He hasn’t adapted to the Empire yet, but I’ve been overloading him with work. It’s unavoidable due to staffing issues….”
“Since he looks presentable, you might as well work him harder. They say even young people willingly endure hardship, so grind him down more.”
This child even possessed the arrogance of an old curmudgeon.
Kibon trembled as he looked at Jayden.
He seemed indifferent to most things, but this impudent brat apparently irritated him.
“The thing is.”
Jayden sat down arrogantly, crossing his arms.
“Thanks to you, I had a good talk with the Empress. Better late than never, but we’ve decided to stop hiding our feelings and get along from now on.”
“How fortunate, Your Highness the Young Prince. Truly fortunate.”
I smiled brightly, and Jayden stared at me intently.
Shortly after, he turned his gaze away and cleared his throat with a cough.
“Well, it’s thanks to you.”
“Thank you for the praise. I shall pass it down through the generations as the family’s honor.”
“Good. Well, to the Empress… I actually confessed that I’ve been rather impertinent. It seemed she was quite hurt by the letters I’ve been sending.”
“Ah….”
Jayden continued with a somber expression.
“So I simply admitted that I’m actually a brat with bad manners and poor character prospects.”
“My, is that so…. What did the Empress say in response to such an objective self-confession?”
“She was delighted.”
Hmm?
“She said if my reputation is already this terrible while I’m still young, those wretched fools won’t come crawling to me with schemes about me coveting the Crown Prince’s position.”
Ah….
Well, in any case, it’s a happy ending.
“That’s why I don’t hide my true self in front of the Empress. The Empress also agreed to do whatever she wishes.”
“I see…”
“Of course… for now, I want to remain a well-mannered child in front of the Emperor and the Crown Prince. They don’t know my true nature.”
Jayden laughed shyly, fidgeting with his fingers.
While the sight was quite endearing, Kibon regarded Jayden with a cold, piercing gaze. He seemed to genuinely dislike ill-mannered children.
A brief silence fell, and then Jayden spoke again.
“Ahem, you said you were the first to suspect something was wrong after checking the soundproofing scroll inventory.”
“Yes. It was only natural.”
“It wasn’t natural. It was something to be grateful for. So about that.”
Jayden grinned at me.
“I want to hold that Saint Cairo banquet event you planned after all.”
Ah, finally this moment arrives. I smiled brightly.
Good. Everything was going according to plan.
Their relationship had recovered, so naturally they’d want to share that event together.
“The Empress also wants to do it. She said she wants to make memories with me right now.”
“Yes. It would be an honor for our Scroll Department.”
I held back the urge to shout with joy. Instead, I smiled gently and nodded.
The Imperial Family holding an event with the Scroll Department at the Saint Cairo banquet.
‘Let’s raise the reputation of the Scroll Department this time!’
No matter what, I’ll do my absolute best in this showcase, even if it grinds my bones to dust!
I already had a generous budget, so resources were plentiful. My heart raced at the thought of preparing an event that would astonish everyone.
I made a silent vow and spoke kindly.
“I’ll prepare it soon and guide you through it. It’s not difficult. Once I provide you with the scroll, all the two of you need to do is activate it together. It will surely become a wonderful memory for you both.”
Of course, I’d have to work late nights to prepare for it.
“Ahem, ahem.”
After the event discussion ended, Jayden didn’t leave despite his throat-clearing.
It seemed he had something else to say.
I waited patiently without pressing the embarrassed child.
“Um, well.”
After a long moment, Jayden spoke while looking away.
“You kicked my brother, didn’t you.”
What, that’s what this was about? I nodded kindly.
At the same time, Kibon coughed in embarrassment.
“C-cough!”

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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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