The Low-Ranking Civil Servant Wants to Achieve Success - Chapter 79

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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 79
‘Surely not.’
After work hours.
Once I’d sent all the staff home, I made my way to the Crown Prince’s Office, rolling my eyes.
‘He wouldn’t actually be requesting a partnership, would he?’
Jayden had sent a letter to the Crown Prince earlier.
Of course, I didn’t need to agonize over the answer. My partner was already determined to be Kibon.
‘I was simply following the imperial decree, so….’
As I arrived at the Crown Prince’s Office, the Aide greeted me.
“Would you care to wait inside? His Highness should arrive shortly. It’s unusual for him to be this late….”
I nodded absently. But suddenly, the Aide burst into tears.
“…Perhaps he’s getting dressed up…hic….”
I started in surprise and looked at the Aide.
The Aide wiped his eyes and muttered.
“Ah, no. Please don’t find this suspicious at all.”
“Yes?”
“I, absolutely, there’s nothing that Namia doesn’t know about. Pure feelings, or expectations, or wedding preparations, or something like that…hic hic hic….”
My goodness, so he’d even prepared for a wedding. He’s quite far ahead of himself.
‘But well, there’s nothing I can do about it.’
In any case, it was someone else’s affair. I indifferently turned my gaze away from the Aide, who had begun sobbing again.
The Crown Prince’s Office was remarkably tidy. Every document was organized with perfect precision.
‘He still seems to be working hard….’
Though it was said he was in seclusion, the desk clearly showed signs of daily labor.
‘He must be diligently investigating the mastermind.’
I happened to have something to discuss before the Saint Cairo Banquet as well.
It was time to provide another hint about the original work.
I was sitting quietly, waiting.
“My apologies for the delay.”
The door opened and Kiaros entered.
His movements were as graceful as always, yet somehow he appeared to be catching his breath.
‘Hmm, did he come in a hurry?’
Looking more closely, even his cravat seemed slightly askew.
“I greet Your Highness, the Crown Prince.”
I offered my respects without showing any reaction. Kiaros gestured for me to sit with a glance, then took his seat across from me.
And….
“…Hah.”
A slightly ragged breath escaped him.
Yes. He’d definitely been running hard.
Kiaros caught his breath for a moment. Then he spoke first.
“Namia, have you found a partner for the banquet?”
His voice was leisurely and casual, as if merely asking out of courtesy.
“Yes.”
“I see.”
His expression showed no disappointment whatsoever. He didn’t even ask who it was.
I rolled my eyes and asked.
“Is that perhaps why you summoned me?”
“Ah, no, that’s not it.”
Kiaros shook his head. Then he pulled a report from a drawer and spoke in a low voice.
“I promised to look into your father, Cedric Loapi, for you.”
“Ah, yes.”
I straightened up in my seat, startled.
Kiaros was indeed a man of his word.
I’d thought it would take longer given how busy he was, but he must have prioritized this investigation.
“I’m not sure where to begin. It seems I’ll need to help you maintain your composure.”
“Wherever you start, I’ll understand perfectly. I’ll maintain my composure well.”
“Your father joined an organization that is presumed to have attacked me.”
“Damn it!”
I shot to my feet without thinking.
“…N-Namia?”
Kiaros seemed slightly flustered, so I quickly sat back down.
“My apologies. My composure has been restored. It may be hard to believe, but that was my first curse in my entire life.”
I took a deep breath and composed myself.
How perfectly typical of Father. Every choice he made with good intentions turned out disastrously.
How many illegal organizations existed in this world!
Especially in the Southern Region, where all manner of vile organizations ran rampant!
And of all of them, he had to join the most vicious one!
‘Kiaros wouldn’t know, but these people eventually start wars!’
Truly, even if he had to join one… how could he possibly choose this one…
I gritted my teeth and gripped the hem of my skirt tightly.
“The organization that attacked me and also framed the Empress… the one your superior Oson belonged to. It’s known as the Gaejo Faction.”
“What? The Gaejo Faction? That’s quite an unusual name, isn’t it?”
As I asked seriously, Kiaros cleared his throat briefly.
Then he shook his head and explained.
“Gaejo. Faction. It’s an organization that ‘modifies’ things. Apparently, they’re particularly obsessed with creating living beings with special abilities.”
Modify?
I blinked slowly.
[For the sake of evolution!]
That’s exactly what the organization member who turned himself in said in the Courtroom.
I remembered something Father had said long ago.
[There are many wicked organizations here. Namia, never say you’ll be taken away as collateral for a debt. They might sell you to a place where they conduct all sorts of terrible experiments.]
Are they actually conducting experiments on living beings?
‘But in the original story… there was no mention of anything like that.’
While war spiraled beyond control, the modified humans didn’t openly flaunt themselves.
Seeing me lost in thought, Kiaros continued speaking.
“We couldn’t track them to the end, but we did secure one experimental subject.”
“An experimental subject…? Could it be human?”
“Not human—a lower-tier demon beast. They’ve succeeded before in modifying lower-tier demon beasts to possess human-level intelligence and language.”
Kiaros then explained the full story from beginning to end.
During his childhood, when he experienced the Dark Period, the one who threw a dagger at him was a modified lower-tier demon beast.
“The experimental subject we secured this time is a female carrying offspring….”
Kiaros spoke in a low voice.
“It seems they conducted experiments on the female, but surprisingly, there’s nothing particularly unusual about her. However, an abnormal wavelength was detected from the offspring in her womb.”
“Ah….”
“It appears that when they conduct experiments on a pregnant subject, it affects the offspring. We’ll know more once that offspring is born. They said it would be born soon.”
Good heavens, experimental subjects… conducting experiments on living beings….
“I don’t know what they want or why they’re trying to kill me and shaking up the Imperial Family, but that’s something I need to uncover further… What I wanted to tell you, Namia, is.”
His crimson eyes gazed at me quietly.
“Finding your father may take more time.”
“Ah… yes.”
“Especially since he’s a vicious criminal I’ve been tracking for a long time without success.”
That was only natural.
After all, they were the sort of people capable of plunging the entire Continent into the quagmire of war….
“Fifteen years ago, the Emperor personally annihilated their leadership, yet they’re making a comeback this quickly. There must be a larger force behind them.”
“…I see….”
In fact, even in the original story, the mastermind was never revealed.
Jayden simply ended the war through strength and strategy.
“Of course, given the situation, I trust no one right now. You’re also a suspect, Namia, but a promise is a promise, so I thought I should tell you at least this much.”
“…Yes. Thank you.”
I answered with all my energy drained. Kiaros sharing this much with me was practically fulfilling his obligation.
And, one more thing.
It was also a warning to prepare myself mentally.
Given that they conduct forbidden experiments, my father might not be safe either….
‘…But then again, who knows. He’s so utterly useless, has such poor instincts, and spouts such unrealistic, stubborn nonsense that there’s no room for him to be modified—he might actually survive by sheer incompetence.’
I took a deep breath and thought.
‘For now, there’s nothing I can do. Let me just do my best in my current position.’
I steadied my reeling mind.
Then I slowly lifted my gaze to look at Kiaros.
Unexpectedly, he had been watching me the entire time. His gaze clearly held concern.
“Crown Prince.”
So I composed my emotions and spoke slowly.
“Will you be attending the Saint Cairo Banquet Hall?”
In the original story, Kiaros did not attend the Saint Cairo Banquet Hall.
It made sense. He was already dead.
Even now, publicly he remained in seclusion, so it seemed unlikely he would attend.
“Well…”
Kiaros rested his chin on his hand and gazed at me with evident interest.
“Initially, I wasn’t planning to go.”
“I would be grateful if you would attend.”
“I see.”
“…Aren’t you going to ask why?”
“I was mimicking Namia.”
“Yes.”
I see. I immediately prepared to move on to the next topic.
Then Kiaros muttered, “So you really aren’t going to explain,” before speaking urgently.
“Actually, I’m curious about the reason. Why are you asking me to attend?”

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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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