The Low-Ranking Civil Servant Wants to Achieve Success Chapter 1

 Prologue

From the morning, the Scroll Department’s office was abuzz with noise.

A middle-aged man—the Minister of Education—had barged straight into the Minister’s office without notice.

“ I saw the cooperation request your department sent to us this morning. I distinctly remember summoning you to the Ministry of Education myself, didn’t I?”

Whether the Minister of Education was fuming or not, the woman facing him remained calm.

At just twenty-three years old, this was Namia Roapia—the newly appointed Minister of the Scroll Department.

She responded slowly, as if none of this surprised her.

“ Ah, did you? I must’ve missed it. I’ve been busy.”

The Minister of Education exhaled sharply.

She had sent a rude cooperation request first thing in the morning, and now all she had to say was ‘I was too busy to see it?’

Suppressing his rising anger, he protested.

“ You may be a fellow minister, but you’re far younger than me. And the Scroll Department is smaller in scale compared to the Ministry of Education. Forcing me to come in person—isn’t that a breach of decorum?”

“ I guess so.”

Namia replied lazily while tending to her nails.

“ Yeah, I suppose it was kind of rude…”

Namia Roapia.

Just days ago, she’d been a mere low-ranking civil servant in what was openly mocked as the “hopeless department”—the Scroll Management Bureau.

But recently, due to the Tower Master’s outrageous tantrum, she was suddenly seated as its minister.

After the Crown Prince’s rampage, which wiped out the upper ranks of the Scroll Management Bureau, the restructured “Scroll Department” had been born—with Namia at its head.

In other words, to outside eyes, she was the textbook case of a “parachuted minister.”

“ But if you’d waited just a bit longer, I might’ve come myself, y’know~.”

Her infuriating tone sent the Minister of Education into a silent frenzy.

But he couldn’t yell or grab her by the hair.

Because, at this very moment, the Empress and the young Imperial Prince were visiting the Scroll Department.

‘So the rumors about her being favored by the Imperial Family were true. And now she’s totally full of herself!’

The Minister of Education cast a quick glance through the glass doors at the Empress and the Prince.

The doors were transparent, but for now, he and Namia were alone in the office—excluding the black-haired secretary standing quietly behind her.

Grinding his teeth, he warned:

“ Now that I see it firsthand, the Minister of the Scroll Department seriously lacks foresight. You’re just sitting in here while the royals are visiting? Not even attempting to attend them? This is honestly just…”

“ Yeah? Why’s that a problem~?”

In the Empire, the authority of the royal family was absolute.

They were ‘Dragonkin’—descendants of dragons. Even standing still, their overwhelming presence made commoners naturally submit.

And yet, this woman had the audacity to act like this?

Sensing an opportunity, the Minister of Education raised his voice.

“ Do you think it’s acceptable for a minister to be so discourteous to the noble Dragonkin? Huh?”

“ Oh, is this being discourteous? Didn’t know~. There’s no law about that, after all.”

Namia puffed on her nails, casually blowing away dust with a tilted head, completely unbothered.

“ Personally, I just think royals are more comfortable when left alone…”

“ What? Are you out of your mind?”

When the Minister of Education snapped, Namia finally lifted her eyes and crossed her legs.

“ His Highness the Crown Prince told me not to be intimidated by the whole Dragonkin thing, and to just treat him comfortably.”

“ ……What?”

“ He said to me, ‘My cute, lovely little MiaMia , do whatever you want. Your Dragon Oppa will protect you. Just marry me. I’ve even secretly prepared a wedding ceremony~.’”

Behind her, Namia’s secretary let out a choked cough. Namia just shrugged and added:

“ So yeah, I’ve got nothing to fear~.”

“ You… seriously…”

“ So please~ cooperate with our department for this event, okay?”

“ No, I mean…”

“ Otherwise, I’ll tell Dragon Oppa~. He’s head over heels for me, you know. He won’t take this lying down~.”

The Minister of Education bit his lower lip and held back a groan.

Rumors were already widespread within the palace that Crown Prince Kiaros had gone into seclusion after being rejected by Namia.

But that he was still this obsessed? That he was still hanging onto her like this?

‘Forget everything else—her tone is just infuriating!’

He glared at Namia, trembling with rage.

   

 

After a few more exchanges, the Minister of Education stood up in a huff.

He looked around the department with an irritated expression.

Clearly ready to pounce on any fault he could find. But…

‘As if there would be anything to catch!’

I watched his retreating figure with satisfaction.

Just a few days ago, this place had been the notorious “Scroll Management Bureau” where issues popped up left and right.

Staff attendance was a mess, the office was filthy, and classified documents were scattered everywhere.

But ever since I, Namia Roapia, became minister under the most unprecedented and bizarre of circumstances—

‘Look at this perfection!’

Documents were neatly arranged, employees were seated at their desks, and everything was organized.

Even the Empress and the young prince, visiting the department, were comfortably enjoying the scroll exhibits.

In the end…

“ You’ll regret this, Minister of the Scroll Department.”

With thunderous steps, the Minister of Education stormed out of the Scroll Department.

I watched him go, a sly smile playing on my lips.

‘Wow, being a minister means I can even mess with other ministers. This is the best.’

Normally, I wouldn’t have been able to pull off playing such a conceited, clueless young woman.

The type who acts spoiled just because she has the favor of the royals.

‘Of course, I laid the trap for a greater cause… But this kind of act? Really suits me.’

Changing posture and expression from moments ago, I reached back for the documents.

“ Minister.”

As I focused again on my work, the secretary behind me—Keyvon, ever the shadow—spoke cautiously.

“ Uh… that ‘Dragon Oppa’ part… That was, um, a bit much.”

It seemed my use of the phrase ‘Dragon Oppa’ earlier had traumatized him.

I smiled, waving it off.

“ It’s fine, it’s fine. His Highness gave me full permission. I can use his name all I want.”

“ …I don’t think he expected you to use it this much.”

“ Which is exactly why he gave permission. If he knew I’d go this far, do you think he would’ve?”

“ ……”

“ Anyway, what’s done is done. He’s not gonna get petty about it later, right? It’s all for the good of the Imperial family.”

“ ……”

“ Just do your job. You really think we have time to worry about the Crown Prince right now?”

My words seemed to snap Keyvon back to his senses, and he buried his face once again in the mountain of paperwork. The dark circles under his eyes were painfully visible.

Of course, I had my own mountain of work—way more than him, in fact.

That was the fate of a minister of a small department.

Still—

‘If I were still a lowly clerk, I’d know exactly what the Minister of Education was plotting, but be powerless to do anything about it.’

Ever since my sudden rise, so many things had changed for the better.

A bigger paycheck, invitations to glamorous and important events, no more dealing with stupid bosses, freedom to stop hiding my competence, the ability to lead the department the way I wanted…

But best of all—

‘I get to out-villain the villains from the original story and mess with them at every turn!’

Thinking back on the original plot, I remembered how I had skyrocketed thanks to the Crown Prince and the Tower Master.

I swear, I never expected to wear such a shiny title.

And yet… the taste of power was unexpectedly sweet.

‘I love power! I love honor! I love being a minister! Promotions! The fresh air at the top!’

At first, I hadn’t planned for things to go this far…

I just wanted to prevent a few of the tragedies from the original plot…

‘But now that I’m on the fast track, there’s no way I’m letting go!’

Forget the original story.

The lifeless, dead-eyed Namia Roapia of the past was gone.

My eyes gleamed—intoxicated by power more and more each day.

‘Never letting go!’

So how did it all begin, you ask…?