The Low-Ranking Civil Servant Wants to Achieve Success Chapter 111

“Please change immediately!”

“And who are you to tell me what to wear?”

Keyvon, ears flushed red, hastily took off his jacket and threw it over my shoulders.

“The exposure is too much! What if someone sees—”

“I want people to see me.”

Keyvon was overreacting.

Yes, the outfit was a bit revealing, but it only exposed my shoulders. It wasn’t anything especially scandalous.

At the last banquet, I saw plenty of dresses more daring than this.

I had just been dressing too conservatively all this time.

“Absolutely not.”

“And who cares what you say?”

“No, but… aren’t you cold?”

Of course I was cold. It was November, after all. And this wasn’t a banquet hall.

“That’s why I brought a thermal scroll.”

I waved him off and confidently walked toward the chapel.

My heels—almost the first time I’d ever worn something this high—clicked sharply against the hallway floor.

Add in the most glamorous fan and bold makeup I could manage, and even I had to admit: I looked intense.

“Still, just to save on the scroll’s power, I’ll keep your jacket on until we reach the chapel.”

“You shouldn’t wear that even in the chapel! Why go that far just to wear something like this?”

“There’s a reason. Are you interrogating me right now? Get a grip. People might think you’re my boss.”

“…”

Keyvon continued to look thoroughly displeased, but I breezily ignored him.

The High Priest had announced, after the banquet, that he would remain in the palace’s temple.

Though it was called a temple, it was really just a small space with a chapel and living quarters. The sleeping area could barely accommodate five people.

Which meant, if I went to the chapel now, I’d definitely run into the High Priest and a few of his attending clergy.

“But why are you going to the chapel all of a sudden?”

“You don’t need to know. And I already reported to His Highness the Crown Prince, so it’s fine.”

Of course, I had very briefly glossed over the specifics of my first approach.

I might have slightly omitted the method of approach on purpose.

After all, the High Priest can’t touch me right now. I’m not a priority.

He probably thought someone like me could be killed anytime. Which is why I had to act at an unexpected moment.

Keyvon, unable to grasp my deep intentions, simply looked confused.

“Then… what exactly…”

By that point, we had arrived at the chapel.

I returned his jacket.

As I slipped it off, a sharp breeze hit my exposed shoulders.

I activated the thermal scroll I’d brought. Like all scrolls, it wasn’t wildly powerful, but it worked about as well as a hand warmer.

Then, I looked at Keyvon and issued an order.

“You’ll say exactly two things.”

“Two things?”

“To me, you’ll say, ‘That is the High Priest.’ And to the High Priest, you’ll say, ‘His Highness the Crown Prince will not take this lightly.’”

Kiaros quietly held his breath.

No way… is that what she meant by ‘approach’?

Namia’s outfit was far too revealing. He had never seen her dressed like this. The heavy makeup and sky-high heels only added to the effect.

Surely… surely she doesn’t mean to seduce him?

And that line she told Keyvon to say—“His Highness won’t take this lightly”—it left a bad feeling in his gut.

According to the temple’s regulations, the High Priest was forbidden from any romantic relationships.

So then… was the line “That is the High Priest” meant to trap him into that kind of scandal?

No. No way.

Even just seeing her pale shoulders exposed made Kiaros tremble. His head felt light, and a fever crept up.

If Namia smiled at the High Priest like that and said something like, “I’d like to get closer to you, High Priest”—

Absolutely not. I cannot watch that.

Even if this was meant to trap the enemy, the idea of Namia acting all sweet toward another man made him physically ill.

At that moment, Namia opened the chapel door. The High Priest, who had been praying inside, turned around.

Their eyes met.

“Wai—”

Just as Kiaros tried to stop her by grabbing her arm—

“My, my. And here I thought someone with proper manners would at least say hello before staring.”

With a dramatic snap of her fan, Namia spoke haughtily.

“To dare be so rude to someone favored by the Dragonkind, and in the palace no less…”

Instead of seduction, she launched straight into acting like a total brat.

Both Kiaros and the High Priest looked utterly dumbfounded, blinking in disbelief.

What are you doing? Why aren’t you saying your line? I taught it to you! Don’t you get the hint?

Namia elbowed Keyvon sharply in the side. When he only looked more dazed, she shot him a glare.

At last, something clicked.

Kiaros cleared his throat with a cough, then finally managed to say,

“That is the High Priest.”

That was the right line. A small smile of approval flickered on Namia’s face.

As soon as he spoke, she widened her eyes dramatically with a gasp.

“Oh! That’s the High Priest? Ah, right, right—we have met before, haven’t we? Goodness, I must’ve forgotten. I did meet so many people at the banquet…”

She added, beaming mischievously,

“Well, even if I am an airhead, His Highness always says, ‘Our Mia-Mia-Namia is still adorable.’”

Not even as a joke could Keyvon bring himself to reply, Yes, that’s true.

The scene and the line were just too out-of-character for how Namia usually behaved around him.

She was, once again, shamelessly milking her scandal with the Crown Prince.

She never acts like that around me…

Namia had always been formal and respectful in front of Kiaros. So now, seeing her act like this—so natural, so silly—it actually made him laugh a little.

It had been baffling at first, but…

Namia suddenly clapped her hands together with a bright smile.

“Anyway, I was looking for you, High Priest.”

“Ah… yes.”

The High Priest gave her a bewildered look.

Was she always like this? His face said it all.

And it made sense. At the St. Cairo banquet, Namia hadn’t even danced the first dance. She’d left so quickly that hardly anyone had the chance to get a sense of her personality.

“You see, my dragon prince kidnapped me and locked me up in the palace… I guess I was too pretty at the banquet. Well, I did turn him down for the first dance… But I can’t help it—I don’t even know how I feel… maybe I like him? Maybe not? Hmm? Oh no, High Priest, I hope I’m not boring you?”

Before anyone knew it, Namia had sidled right up next to the High Priest, chattering away.

“Haha… not at all. But, Minister—what brings you to me?”

“Nothing much.”

Namia snapped her fan shut, her eyes gleaming.

“I’d like you to heal me.”

“Pardon?”

“I’m clearly sick, but the palace doctors keep saying I’m fine. I think they’re quacks.”

“And… what exactly is wrong?”

“I’ve been feeling a bit chilly…”

The High Priest looked at her like, That’s because you’re dressed like that.

Clearly, this whole outfit was part of her master plan—to create the most ridiculous, exaggerated situation possible.

“My ankle hurts a little…”

That would be the high heels.

“And I didn’t wash my face, but my skin is breaking out…”

The High Priest looked like he was holding back the urge to say, Of course it is. You’re wearing five pounds of makeup.

“But the palace doctors keep insisting I’m perfectly healthy.”

Namia clicked her tongue in disapproval, then flashed a bright grin.

“Maybe modern medicine just can’t handle someone like me. Don’t you think you should heal me, High Priest? You must have some divine power, right?”