The Low-Ranking Civil Servant Wants to Achieve Success - Chapter 80

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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 80
I answered calmly.
“Ah, I’m thinking of selling a trap. Well, to do that, I need permission from the Crown Prince for one thing….”
“Hmm?”
“First, would it be alright if I sold the Crown Prince’s name a bit…?”
Kiaros interlaced his fingers with evident interest.
“Explain.”
He commanded with a slightly crooked smile.
“I’m quite looking forward to this.”
Watching how naturally the command flowed from him, I paused to collect myself.
An innate arrogance that had never bowed to anyone.
Emotional restraint and asceticism that had become habit through consideration for others.
Yet confidence that emerged from knowing his own excellence.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Ah….”
I answered while fidgeting with my fingers.
“It’s just that I was thinking… the Crown Prince has probably never heard even the slightest word of displeasure from anyone.”
Born to rule and raised to rule. Even the Imperial Family had always been kind to him.
“That’s… really impressive.”
To possess both power and skill—it’s truly magnificent…. I want to become like that too….
Kiaros let out a soft laugh and rested his chin on his hand with indifference.
“What.”
Gazing directly at me, he answered with ease.
“That’s about right.”
* * *
The next morning, at the Scroll Department Office.
“Hey, are you seriously joking? Huh? Are you laughing? You’re laughing? Is all this funny to you? Amusing? What? You weren’t laughing? Then did I see wrong? Are my eyes broken, right now? Huh? Can’t you stand up straight?”
Kibon was being scolded endlessly.
“What did I say? Didn’t I say I didn’t like the look in your eyes from the start? Huh? With that con artist’s face of yours, where exactly did you bury your sense of awareness? Ugh, seriously….”
It was because Jayden and the Empress had burst in.
“Hey, you were there too. You knew everything and still screwed over our Crown Prince? Huh? How dare you request a partnership? Huh?”
The Empress struck her chest repeatedly as if exasperated.
Jayden also stomped his feet and shouted.
“My grand plan was ruined because of you!”
From Jayden and the Empress’s perspective, they had every right to be angry.
They had both been desperate to make me and Kiaros partners.
‘If Kibon hadn’t made the request, Victor would have requested a partnership instead, but those two don’t know that.’
Jayden clutched his head and wailed.
“And on top of that, I heard the Crown Prince’s Office called Namia over last night!”
They did call me… but it didn’t seem like the goal was a partnership request.
While the two of them were making a fuss, I jabbed Kibon in the ribs.
Kibon replied in a flat voice.
“I apologize. I’m afraid I didn’t quite understand.”
It was something I had taught him this morning.
[Kibon, the Empress and Young Prince are definitely going to show up today and cause a commotion.]
[I see.]
[…On occasions like this, it’s not ‘I see’ but ‘What should I do?’… Anyway, just keep repeating ‘I apologize. I’m afraid I didn’t quite understand.’]
In any case, Kibon had to attend the Saint Cairo Banquet.
There would be many high-ranking nobles there. If problems arose because of an attitude unbecoming his position, it would be troublesome.
‘But Kibon’s attitude… it’s really ambiguous.’
There wasn’t anything specific enough to point out as problematic, yet something about it was definitely off. So I chose avoidance over correction.
[At the banquet too, if the atmosphere feels strange, just keep repeating ‘I apologize. I’m afraid I didn’t quite understand.’ Understand?]
[…Will that resolve everything?]
[You have to keep repeating it until it does. Eventually, the other person will back down because of their blood pressure. After all, you can never beat someone who doesn’t understand.]
But I couldn’t keep stalling indefinitely while waiting for that ‘eventually’ when dealing with the Imperial Family.
So I stepped forward and called Kibon out.
“Kibon, come here and get to work. The tasks are piling up.”
This was the only way to calm down Jayden and the Empress.
“I’ve been working hard lately, rolling things along, you know. This one has a lot on his plate.”
Making it look more miserable to be under me.
When I piled documents high on Kibon’s desk, his face went pale.
Since there actually was a lot of work, it wasn’t a lie either.
After that, I naturally redirected the Empress and Jayden’s attention.
“First, let me explain how to use the scrolls. I’ll calculate everything up to the moment of activation, so you’ll just need to chant the incantation….”
After demonstrating a few times, I left the rest to the staff.
Then I returned to the Minister’s Office. There was a lot of work that needed handling.
And Victor, who had started his official duties today, peeked in.
“Oh, Minister of Education.”
Victor had already completed his first report.
He entered the Minister’s Office, submitted the report, and grinned.
“It looks like you put some effort into the Saint Cairo Banquet scroll, didn’t you? Whew, you must have pulled an all-nighter. Want to grab lunch together? The in-house cafeteria menu isn’t bad today.”
His tone was tinged with playful laughter.
“And I heard a really interesting rumor yesterday. That the femme fatale who broke the Crown Prince’s heart is our Minister here.”
I took the report and skimmed through it once.
True to his nature as an exemplary student, it was an excellent report.
The format was perfect, whether he had learned it personally from the Minister of Finance, his adoptive father.
“So I thought this way.”
Victor raised his eyebrows and spoke playfully.
“Wow, who would dare confess to our Minister when they’re so terrified?”
I kept my eyes on the report as I responded.
“What? Afraid of what? Surely not the Crown Prince?”
Victor raised his arm dramatically and answered.
“No. I’m terrified of our Minister of Education’s discerning eye. If I’m not small and adorable like this, who would even confess to him?”
I burst out laughing at that.
Victor was massive, bear-like in build, so hearing him call himself “small and adorable” was hilarious.
Just then, behind me, Kibon’s fountain pen snapped with a sharp crack as he processed documents.
Victor’s eyes widened as he spoke first.
“Oh? Our New Intern’s pen just broke. Can’t interrupt the flow while calculating, so here, borrow mine for a bit.”
Kibon refused curtly without even looking at him.
“That won’t be necessary.”
Of course, Victor didn’t mind at all and laughed it off.
“Come on, don’t be awkward about it. We’re not being stingy with family. Well, not that I’m giving it away, of course. Namia gave me this as a gift back in the day. Just return it when you’re done.”
He flicked a pen from his pocket toward Kibon.
I stared at that pen for a moment.
It was a cheap one I’d scraped together money to buy back in my student days.
‘He’s still kept it all this time.’
I fell into thought briefly, then forced my gaze away and continued the conversation.
“True. Whether someone confesses to me or not, the Crown Prince isn’t the type to be so petty.”
Kibon then walked over silently with the pen Victor had given him and placed it with a sharp tap on Victor’s report sitting on my desk.
Tsk, completely ignoring someone’s kindness—he really was narrow-minded.
I shook my head inwardly and continued speaking.
“He’s confident in everything he does, so he’d be generous about it.”
“Exactly? If I were to confess to you too… Aaaah! Kibon, you just stepped on my foot! Do you have anemia? Did you get dizzy for a moment? Shouldn’t you go to the Medical Health Department?”
Victor staggered after Kibon stepped on his foot.
I eyed Kibon suspiciously. It seemed intentional.
No matter how I thought about it, he seemed to like me… Was it because he was young? He showed no composure whatsoever.
Making it so obvious like that. Tsk. An unrequited crush was something you couldn’t let slip—even more than an office romance.
Victor continued talking while rubbing his foot.
“Someone as accomplished as him wouldn’t be jealous… If things worked out between our Minister of Education and me, he’d generously wish us happiness. He’s famous for his good character… Ouch! Wait! My pen!”

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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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