The Low-Ranking Civil Servant Wants to Achieve Success Chapter 14

“Please send our Namia to the capital’s academy, no matter what.”

 

The place Dad had taken me to was none other than his older brother—the Baron of the Roapia family.

 

“She’s a smart girl. Promise me. You’ll make sure she gets an education. This money should be enough to move to the capital.”

 

Dad handed the Baron an envelope. As soon as he checked its contents, the Baron beamed brightly.

 

“Of course, don’t worry about that.”

 

“…You were trash among trash even as a kid, so I’m a little worried. I can only hope you’ve become a decent human being since.”

 

Now that I think about it, Dad was right on the mark.

 

“Add Namia to your family registry. She’s the same age as Juan, so just register her as his twin. No one in the capital knows you, so no one will question it. Who would care if they’re real twins or not?”

 

It was actually a clever method.

 

When Juan was registered at the academy, people would naturally ask, “What about the other twin?” That way, I could be enrolled too.

 

“I’ll come back. No matter what, I’ll return and take Namia back.”

 

Dad looked at the Baron seriously.

 

“So until then, please take care of Namia. She’s your blood too—you won’t treat her too poorly, right?”

 

At the time, I was staring anxiously at the envelope Dad had handed over.

 

He’d been struggling just to pay off the interest on his debts—how could he have come up with such a large sum?

 

‘Where on earth did he get that money…?’

 

I had so many questions.

 

But Dad looked so heartbreakingly sad that I couldn’t bring myself to ask.

 

Pretending not to understand adult matters is a virtue of children who grow up too fast.

 

Dad pulled me into a tight hug and whispered,

 

“My little girl, just wait a little longer. You know Daddy loves you, right?”

 

I wanted to cry and beg him not to go. I wanted to cling to him and say I wanted to stay by his side.

 

But, just like every morning before that, I smiled calmly and answered,

 

“Yeah, Dad… I’ll wait patiently, just like always. I’m really smart, right? So don’t worry about me. You just take care of yourself.”

 

That was our last conversation.

 

“Don’t forget, Brother. Make sure Namia gets into the academy.”

 

“Of course, don’t worry. Just think of our childhood together, and trust me a little! Don’t be so stiff and unyielding.”

 

“…Now that you mention our childhood, I think we’d better write the most strict, heartless contract in existence.”

 

Before he left, Dad drew up a legally binding contract with the Baron.

 

If Namia wasn’t enrolled in the academy, Dad would come back and sue him for double damages.

 

But then something even more shocking happened.

 

The next day, the loan sharks came and handed me a document.

 

It was proof that all the debt in my name had been paid in full.

 

‘No way… That was not the kind of money you could just pay off like that.’

 

I had been bound by debt since birth, but now I was free—and I didn’t even know how to react.

 

Meanwhile, the Baron used the money Dad gave him to move to the capital. And per the contract, he did send me to the academy along with Juan.

 

But when I got the top score on the entrance exam…

 

That was the first time the Baron slapped me across the face.

 

“You got top marks? And you’re Juan’s twin? What the hell is this! Now they’ll compare you two constantly! You’ll make Juan feel inferior!”

 

The Baroness rolled her eyes and chimed in,

 

“You’ve got no shame, freeloading like this!”

 

After that, I started intentionally underperforming on tests. I half-assed my assignments.

 

I still wanted to attend the academy, but I was terrified the Baron might break the contract if I kept outperforming Juan.

 

‘What if he just says screw the compensation and kicks me out?’

 

And so, year after year passed.

 

Dad never came back.

 

And the treatment I got from the Baron’s household only got worse.

 

If I helped Juan with his assignments, I could at least get a meal out of it.

 

Of course, the Baron only upheld the bare minimum of the contract—he enrolled me in the academy, but everything else was terrible.

 

“Where did your dad go? Hmph. Of course he told me.”

 

But I could never talk back to the Baron.

 

“Well… I’ll tell you when the time comes. You’re still too young. No need for you to know now. I promised your father I wouldn’t tell you until you became an adult.”

 

I couldn’t argue—because I had my own vague suspicions.

 

The debt in my name had been astronomical.

 

But if Dad had managed to pay all of that off and buy the Baron’s family a new estate…

 

‘Dad was kind and good, but he wasn’t a man of great talents.’

 

There was only one explanation: he had sold himself. And no way it was through legal means.

 

So I waited until I became an adult and could start earning money.

 

I wanted to go find him—wherever he was, no matter what.

 

But after I entered the palace as a civil servant, the Baron changed his story.

 

“Just until we become a viscount family. That’s all I ask. Okay, Namia?”

 

The Baron and his wife were now aiming for a viscount title.

 

If you spent enough money, there were various ways to purchase a higher title.

 

But they didn’t quite have enough, so they asked for my salary to help.

 

Once they reached the capital, their greed had only grown.

 

“If we become a viscount house… and Juan firmly establishes himself as the heir… then I’ll tell you. Okay?”

 

“We’re scared, you know? What if your dad got involved in something terrible? We’ve got too much to lose. You understand, right?”

 

Yeah…

 

I was afraid, too. Afraid that Dad had gotten involved in something truly dangerous.

 

So I was too scared to even ask the information guild.

 

‘I just want to get the information from the Baron—safely.’

 

So I understood their caution about keeping quiet until they secured their new title.

 

But I had no intention of giving in completely.

 

“If I keep giving you money, you have to promise to tell me where Dad is. Got it?”

 

“Of course, of course! Let’s write up a contract! Just like your dad did! A rigid, heartless one!”

 

“Five years.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“I’ll give you my salary for five years. No more than that.”

 

“Five years isn’t enough! Ten years, ten!”

 

In the end, our contract settled on seven years.

 

Seven years of giving them my salary. In return, they’d tell me where my dad went.

 

[My sweet girl, just wait a little longer. You know Daddy loves you, right?]

 

Dad gave up his entire life for me.

 

My childhood with him was the brightest time of my life.

 

Sometimes when he couldn’t find anyone to watch me and the library was closed, he’d take me to work with him.

 

[It’s not hard at all! Just seeing your face gives me strength!]

 

Even while doing backbreaking labor, he’d smile and wave at me whenever he could.

 

And on the walk home under the morning star, he’d hold my sleeping body close and gently pat my back all the way.

 

‘Dad…’

 

Now that I was an adult, I was going to find him—no matter where he was or what it took.

 

‘If rescuing Dad requires a lot of money, that’s why I’ve been secretly saving every extra allowance, overtime bonus, and unused leave payout. Even skipping dinner on late nights…’

 

The only person who had any clue about Dad’s whereabouts was the Baron.

 

Ignoring the Baron felt like giving up on Dad.

 

That’s why I’ve lived like this until now.

 

[I don’t know everything about your situation… but maybe you should cut ties and live your own life.]

 

This was my situation.

 

Others might think it was nothing, but for me—it was everything.

 

Dad gave his life to protect me. Enduring seven years of giving up my salary for him? That was nothing.

 

‘But if they ask for anything more… I won’t just sit quietly.’

 

I quickened my pace, heading toward the Baron’s estate.