The Low-Ranking Civil Servant Wants to Achieve Success Chapter 115

The atmosphere was… charged.

But what surprised even me was that, in this moment—pressed against him like this…

‘I don’t dislike it. In fact, I’m fluttering like crazy.’

The countless antacids I’d left behind at home in a rush, the icy night air as he carried me on his back, all came to mind.

That night, when the wind had been biting cold, Keyvon’s feverish back had burned hot against me.

Even then, I remember thinking: I’ll never forget this night.

‘Ah…’

My heart thumped loudly in my chest.

I’d buried these feelings under the excuse of being too busy—but at this moment, I couldn’t look away from them anymore.

Truthfully, I’d known my heart for a long time.

‘I… I like this.’

This moment, and… Keyvon.

‘I wonder what Keyvon is feeling right now?’

He’d always seemed to like me, even back then…

But that was exactly why I needed to stay grounded.

It was fine to entertain those thoughts privately, but if I let them show, things could go wrong.

‘Just imagine—’

Because I was his superior. That power imbalance was something I had to keep in mind at all times.

‘What if this were me and Osone instead…’

Just the thought of it sent shivers down my spine. Absolutely horrifying.

‘Especially if Osone had put me in this situation deliberately…’

Now that I thought about it, Osone had mistakenly believed I didn’t dislike him. At the very least, that we got along decently.

‘That’s why someone in a lower position should never be made to feel certain that I return their feelings.’

Quick to self-reflect, I opened my mouth first.

“…Sorry.”

“Pardon?”

“I’m sorry. I dragged you into something dangerous… and now you’re stuck like this because of me.”

“…Ha…”

“I really, really am sorry. I’ve got no excuse. As your superior, I shouldn’t have let you get tangled in something so unpredictable…”

“That sigh was from guilt. And… doesn’t that apply to His Highness the Crown Prince as well?”

“Well, yeah.”

This was all Kiaros’s fault—for giving us a bomb that was way too powerful.

I quickly added,

“Let’s just blame everything on His Highness.”

“It’s not a matter of blaming—he is to blame.”

“Look at you, shifting blame like a seasoned bureaucrat. You’ve got some mileage in this system, huh?”

I chuckled, then sheepishly added,

“Still… I’m sorry. This could’ve been uncomfortable for you…”

“I’m not uncomfortable.”

He replied without hesitation.

“Are you uncomfortable, Minister?”

“…Hm?”

Those dark eyes of his looked steadily into mine. My image shimmered in their depths, lit faintly by moonlight.

My heart pounded loudly.

There was an undeniable line drawn between us, one rooted in our shared workplace.

Whether that line would blur—or grow sharper—would depend entirely on my next words.

I met his gaze and whispered,

“…No.”

Right then—CRASH CRASH CRASH!—the shed fully collapsed with a thunderous noise.

“Mmfp!”

Keyvon’s hand flew up to cover my mouth, stifling the scream that almost burst out. At the same time, he grabbed me tightly and rolled us sideways.

Even in the chaos, he wrapped himself around me and rolled onto his back—ensuring I wasn’t hurt in the slightest.

After tumbling a few times, he managed to sit up.

The shed had now completely collapsed.

“I-I’m so sorry…”

It wasn’t even his fault, but Keyvon kept apologizing.

“I was just… startled when you said you’d marry me…”

“Hey! Snap out of it. I said ‘no’! And why are you apologizing over the shed collapsing?!”

Once I was no longer pressed against Keyvon’s burning-hot body, I could finally breathe again.

With the moon behind him, he exhaled deeply, haaah…

“Looks like everyone’s gone. Let’s get going.”

I tried to get up with him—

“Ugh!”

—but my legs gave out and I fell right back down. Keyvon grabbed my shoulder, startled.

“Are you hurt?”

“No, not that. I guess I was too tense… my legs just gave out…”

Keyvon chuckled and began brushing the dirt off my clothes.

Even though he himself was covered in dirt.

Feeling a bit guilty, I murmured,

“Hey… over here’s got more dirt…”

If he was going to dust someone off, he might as well do the part that needed it more.

He smiled again and thoroughly brushed off every bit of dirt.

Then, without a word, he turned and crouched down, offering me his back.

The meaning was obvious.

“…Huh?”

I blinked as if I didn’t understand, and he said calmly,

“This isn’t the first time you’ve been carried on my back. Why the hesitation?”

“Right. Why am I hesitating?”

I brushed the dirt off his back, then climbed on without further delay.

His slow, steady footsteps mixed with the chill of the night air.

Suspended in the air like this, it almost felt like I was flying.

That night when I coughed up blood, he’d carried me too—but back then, he’d been running frantically, and there hadn’t been time for peace like this.

“…This is nice.”

The royal garden at midnight was still and serene.

At my small whisper, Keyvon responded right away.

“It is.”

Our shadow—merged into one—stretched long under the moonlight.

I wrapped my arms more tightly around his neck and said,

“Let’s come back here sometime.”

“Here?”

“Yeah. This path is nice.”

“There’s nothing around here. It’s a pretty remote spot.”

“Is it?”

Looking around to find something, I spotted a worn-out bench nearby.

It looked old—hardly anyone must use it, since vines had crept up the backrest.

“Oh, that bench is cute. So natural-looking. Let’s sit there together before I leave the palace.”

To be saying such things while on his back—I was definitely guilty. Even if he confessed someday, I’d have to pay for this.

“…That’s probably the least attractive bench I’ve seen in this whole palace.”

Keyvon let out a small laugh, then spoke in a low voice,

“Still, let’s definitely come back.”

His voice touched my ear like a lullaby.

“Because from that day on… that bench might just become my favorite in the whole palace.”

One thing was certain: if I was the guilty party tonight, then Keyvon… was my accomplice.

***

The High Priest, now relocated to a room inside the palace, ground his teeth in frustration.

He had planned to lure the Crown Prince into the chapel on the final day and bury him there.

He’d even prepared a drink to cloud the prince’s mind, so he wouldn’t be able to react quickly.

‘I was even ready to sacrifice a few clerics, so we could claim it was a completely unexpected accident…’

Now, with the Construction Department officials coming and going, the original plan was in shambles.

But then—

Wait a minute.

In the midst of his frustrated brooding, the High Priest’s eyes snapped open.

He suddenly recalled something Namia had said earlier—something he’d dismissed at the time.

“If you play your cards right, I’ll invite you when it’s just me and His Highness. I’ll put in a good word about the temple, so you can slip in your requests too.”

If he could go somewhere with just Namia and Kiaros…

Then he could approach the Crown Prince without taking any major risks—or attracting suspicion.

‘Namia Roapia is just a powerless, ordinary woman. And knowing how suspicious Kiaros is, there’s no way he’d reveal he’s in his dark period.’

Which meant—he probably wouldn’t bring any guards.

It was unthinkable for a Dragon’s Chosen to take an escort when going to see their romantic partner.

Besides, Namia Roapia had been grating on his nerves for a while.

‘Once I kill Kiaros, I’ll frame her for it. Two birds, one stone.’

The High Priest grinned darkly.

Even if Kiaros was a Dragon’s Chosen, it wouldn’t be hard to kill him while he was in his dark phase.

Especially now, with the High Priest’s strength enhanced by recent experiments.

‘Yes, I’ve come this far—I will accomplish my goal.’

He would have to humble himself before Namia until she trusted him, but enduring that humiliation was a small price for the greater good.

***

The very next morning—

The High Priest received a letter from Namia.

I heard the temple collapsed last night?
My goodness, even the gods seem indifferent these days.

From the very first line, the letter made his blood boil.