The Low-Ranking Civil Servant Wants to Achieve Success - Chapter 81

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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 81
Ink was trickling across Victor’s report.
Kibon had slammed his pen down on the document earlier, breaking Victor’s writing instrument in the process.
Kibon spoke without a shred of concern on his face.
“My apologies. I’m afraid I didn’t understand.”
Really.
That’s not how people talk anymore.
“I shall compensate you several times over.”
“Ah… but this was a gift young Namia gave me when she started!”
“I shall purchase one hundred pens identical to this one as a welcome-back gift upon my return. Then they will be equivalent.”
“No, New Intern? How can they possibly be the same when the person, the quantity, and the timing are all different?”
“My apologies. I’m afraid I didn’t understand.”
Really.
I said that’s not how people talk.
One thing was certain.
Kibon had a terrible personality and was petty. His character needed some serious correction.
“Well, in any case.”
Victor picked up his broken pen and smiled wryly.
“Having a personal conversation in the office is quite difficult, isn’t it? Let’s talk all we want on the day of the Saint Cairo Banquet Hall event. I’ve already made a reservation—the Minister’s second dance is mine.”
He glanced at Kibon and scratched the back of his head. Then he left slowly, muttering to himself.
“Being second to Namia… somehow that feels a bit disappointing.”
That was when it happened.
With a bang, the Scroll Department Office door burst open.
“Ha…”
The person who entered the Scroll Department was none other than the Minister of Education.
The moment he opened the door, he glared at me sitting in the Minister’s Office and spoke.
“I’d like to see the Minister of Scrolls.”
His expression was thoroughly irritated, his lips trembling with anger.
I smiled brightly and answered immediately without even rising from my seat in the Minister’s Office.
“Yes, Minister.”
Even as I did, I had to suppress the laughter that threatened to burst forth.
‘He took the bait.’
At last, it was time to spring the trap I had boasted about to Kiaros yesterday.
[May I perhaps… sell the Crown Prince’s name?]
Getting his permission in advance was all for this very moment!
At the same time, seeing my radiant expression, Kibon in the Minister’s Office flinched.
That was when it happened.
The Empress, who had been practicing scroll activation with Anastasia in one corner of the office, waved her hand grandly.
“Oh, the Minister of Education?”
The Empress called out innocently, blinking her eyes.
“Your son, the teacher, was a worthless bastard, and you didn’t know that, right? If you actually knew everything and buried it on your end, then I’ll bury your corpse on mine!”
“Aha. I’ve already proven my innocence before the Knight Order, Your Majesty.”
The Minister of Education answered swiftly and bowed with perfect courtesy.
“I greet the Empress and the Young Prince. But what brings you to the Scroll Department Office…?”
“Ah, we’re practicing for the Saint Cairo Banquet event. I needed to learn how to use scrolls from the staff.”
The Empress answered while fluttering a scroll.
The Minister of Education furrowed his brow.
“…If that were the case, you should naturally have summoned a civil servant to the Separate Palace or your quarters. For the Imperial Family to visit the office directly is most irregular.”
“Ah, but I just wanted to rough up someone here, so I came. It seemed excessive to summon the New Intern just to berate them.”
The Empress glanced at Kibon as she answered.
She had indeed berated him, but at least she hadn’t summoned him for it, so she hadn’t treated him too harshly. Jayden nodded in agreement.
“And once we started practicing here, going back to the Separate Palace seemed like a bother.”
The Minister of Education bit his lip with a displeased expression.
He seemed to think the two of them were undermining the dignity of the Imperial Family.
“Well, in any case, conduct your business and be on your way. Truth be told, your instincts aren’t very good… So I haven’t forgotten that you seem rather suspicious. Remember that.”
The Empress glared and issued her warning. Then she and Jayden resumed their scroll practice.
The Minister of Education finally clicked his tongue and entered his office, sitting down. Then he glared at me and spoke in a low voice.
“I saw the cooperation document you sent to our department this morning. Surely I had summoned you to the Ministry of Education?”
I shrugged my shoulders.
And deliberately activated a soundproofing scroll.
It meant our conversation wouldn’t leak outside the Minister’s Office.
Once I had activated all the scrolls, I answered slowly.
“Ah, was that so? I was too busy to notice.”
This morning, I had sent another extremely discourteous cooperation document to the Ministry of Education. It was the second one since the needless cooperation request I’d sent in a mocking manner on the day Riedan was captured.
Since this was the second time and not the first, naturally the Minister of Education had instructed me to come to the Ministry at once. Of course, I ignored it.
If I ignore him, what else could he do but come himself?
“Though we’re both called ministers, you’re considerably younger than me, and the Scroll Department is smaller in scale compared to the Ministry of Education. Isn’t it impolite to make me come directly like this?”
“I suppose so.”
I answered while pretending to trim my fingernails.
“It was rather impolite, I admit… But if you had waited a bit longer, I might have come anyway.”
Kibon’s eyebrows twitched at my suddenly altered tone of speech.
The Minister of Education snorted and grew even more angry.
“Now that I’m here, I see the Minister of Scrolls’s thinking is far too shallow. Not even attending to the Imperial Family, just sitting idly in your office? This is really… sigh.”
“Pardon? Why is that?”
“Making the Imperial Family visit the office directly—it undermines the dignity of the court, ah…”
As the Minister of Education spoke, he seemed to realize something and shook his head.
“Well, if it’s the Empress, that might be possible. She’s someone who never received proper education anyway.”
That was true. It was rare for the Imperial Family to visit an office directly.
It was obvious that Jayden had come because the Empress asked him to.
Recalling this fact anew, the Minister of Education sighed deeply and glared at me.
“Well, even Young Prince Jayden… Fine, let’s say that’s acceptable. But the Minister shouldn’t act this way. Are you saying you can behave so rudely without consequences? Hmm?”
“Oh, is this considered rude? I had no idea. There’s no law against it, after all.”
I tilted my head quizzically and blew on the nails I’d been filing.
Without even glancing at him, I murmured casually.
“Personally, I just think it’s nice when the Imperial Family is a bit more relaxed too…”
“What? Have you lost your mind?”
The Minister of Education blinked, utterly bewildered.
His face flushed red as his blood pressure seemed to spike.
‘Everything’s going according to plan.’
I’d sent him a deliberately discourteous cooperation document, fully expecting the Minister of Education to come chasing after me.
And I already knew the Empress and Jayden would arrive this morning because of Kibon.
This entire situation was designed to bait the Minister of Education.
[You’re selling my name? How?]
[I’m planning to turn the rumors to my advantage. I’ll spread the word that the Crown Prince favors me. Would that be alright?]
[Wasn’t the entire Imperial Palace already gossiping that I got rejected by Namia? Sell away as you please.]
Yesterday’s conversation was now armor protecting me.
If I could even sell Kiaros, what did I have to fear?
I widened my eyes upward and crossed my legs.
“The Crown Prince himself said not to overthink it and to treat me comfortably, you know.”
“…What?”
“He told me, ‘My cute, clever, and lovely little one can do whatever she wants. Big Brother will protect you. Just marry me. Actually, I’ve already secretly prepared the wedding.’ That’s what he said.”
He told me to sell freely, so I really did sell freely. Behind me, Kibon stifled a cough.
I continued with perfect innocence.
“So I have nothing to fear, you see?”
“You really are…”
“So please have the Ministry of Education cooperate with this event.”
“No, what—”
“Otherwise, I’ll tell Big Brother. He’s so smitten with cute, lovely me that he won’t just sit idle.”
How’s that? Feeling your status drop? Lost all your dignity? Frustrated?
The Crown Prince seems completely out of his mind over this strange woman, doesn’t he?
You must be terribly worried about the nation’s future, right?
I laughed sharply and instantly shifted my expression and tone.
“But why do you look like that, Minister?”
“What?”
“I was just trying to lighten the mood with a little joke. It’s nice when civil servants get along well, don’t you think? I was trying to be friendly first, but since you couldn’t match the atmosphere, I’m feeling a bit hurt.”
The Minister of Education flinched at my sudden change to a serious expression.

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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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