The Low-Ranking Civil Servant Wants to Achieve Success Chapter 15

 

The Roapia Baron’s estate.

Not quite in front of the imperial palace, but still decently close. A fairly nice house.

I let out a deep sigh and opened the door. At the same time, the middle-aged couple sitting anxiously in the living room sprang to their feet.

“Namia!”

“You’re here, Namia! Did Juan tell you what’s going on?”

Ugh. This doesn’t feel good.

The fact that the Baron and Baroness were greeting me this warmly was a very bad sign.

‘That means something definitely happened.’

Especially after what Luca said yesterday—how they’d been throwing my name around to borrow money—I had a really bad feeling about this.

“…No.”

I instinctively took a step back and replied,

“Juan just told me to stop by home… Oh, and he dumped some Treasury work on me too, come to think of it.”

“I see… well, try to help him out with that if you can…”

The Baroness dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief and let out a long sigh before continuing.

“Namia, your uncle suffered a huge loss on an investment.”

“Oh, okay.”

I nodded without much surprise. Everyone but the Baron himself knew he had zero talent for investing.

Though it did sting a little knowing some of that lost money had come from my paycheck.

“But the problem is…”

Wait, there’s more?

“…he took out a pretty sizable loan to make that investment.”

My eyes flew wide open.

‘A pretty sizable loan’ means a massive debt.

As I stared at the Baron in disbelief, he waved his hand and shouted indignantly,

“They told me it was exclusive insider information! How was I supposed to know this would happen?!”

No, seriously, are you an idiot? Why would someone give you top-secret investment tips? If they were real, they’d cash in themselves.

I sighed deeply. He glared at me like I’d betrayed him.

“I did it for this family! What, you think I wanted this to happen?! Just because I lost some money, now you’re giving me that look? Who taught you such disrespect?!”

“I didn’t mean to look at you like that. I just wanted you to succeed. Anyway…”

I responded without batting an eye.

“…why exactly did you call me here?”

Just because we shared blood didn’t mean I owed them anything.

I was fully aware of how unfairly they’d treated me. To me, they weren’t family—they were nothing more than a business transaction.

Not blood relatives—just the only lead I had to finding Dad.

So my heart had been closed off to them long ago.

“Well, about that…”

The Baroness hooked her arm through mine and smiled sweetly.

“Namia, what do you think about getting married? You’re at a good age, after all…”

What? Marriage?

These people…

That’s a line you do not cross, not even with a transaction partner.

“He’s the eldest son of the Olten merchant guild… and he says he really likes you.”

The calculation was instant.

The Olten guild was a prosperous one. No matter how much the Baron owed, they had more than enough to cover it.

But the heir was older than the Baron himself.

“He’s a good man, you know? Got divorced fourteen years ago and hasn’t been with another woman since. Oh, and he has a condition—he wants you to quit your palace job. Says he doesn’t like his wife working and earning small change.”

“…Wasn’t he divorced for domestic abuse? Is that what we call a ‘good man’ now?”

“Oh, I heard that was all just a misunderstanding. Who cares about the past? You’ll be living like a queen in a rich house.”

The Baroness giggled and squeezed my arm tighter.

“Look, I’m saying this because I think of you like my own daughter. Quit your job, be sweet to him, and you’ll never want for anything again. If I had a daughter, I’d definitely marry her off to him.”

“But you don’t have a daughter, do you?”

I cut her off coldly, and she whined as if wounded.

“Well, think about Juan… He’s finally doing well. We can’t have the family’s situation dragging him down, can we?”

“Why would I think about Juan? He’s not my son.”

The Baron cut in before she could say anything more, waving his hand like he’d had enough of this roundabout talk.

“That’s enough. Just marry the man.”

It was a clean, commanding tone. The kind that assumed I would obviously obey.

“Then I’ll tell you immediately.”

He smiled slyly, as if bestowing a great favor.

“I’ll tell you where your father went.”

I didn’t respond. Just lowered my gaze.

Dad…

My most precious memory. The one person I must protect—the most valuable part of me.

He was the reason I’d endured all of this until now. And honestly, it hadn’t been that hard.

‘But… but I must be precious to Dad too.’

A long-buried question finally floated to the surface.

If Dad knew I’d lived like this—would he be happy?

“Come on now, I said I’d tell you where he is, didn’t I? You’ve still got over three years left on the contract anyway.”

The Baron rubbed his hands together like a sleazy merchant.

“Marry rich, use that money to find your dad! Quit your civil servant job! Everything lines up!”

As he kept talking, even he seemed to get more excited.

“This is a win-win! You’ll get everything you want!”

I looked at him, expressionless.

Sure, I’d get everything I wanted.

Finding out where Dad was. Getting the money to rescue him.

A vision bloomed unbidden in my mind.

[Dad! Dad!]

[My girl! How did you get here, huh?]

In my fantasy, our reunion was dramatic and tearful.

[I married an old, ugly man who’s richer than you can imagine. I even quit my amazing palace job! Oh, and that guy? He’s famous for beating his ex-wife. I sacrificed everything for you, Dad! Aren’t I amazing?]

[No… my sweet girl… now I wish I’d never left!]

The daydream ended.

I let out a long sigh and shook off the Baroness’s grip.

“No, thank you. Let’s end this toxic relationship here.”

It was a line I’d rehearsed countless times. I’d wanted to walk out of this house so many times before.

I’d endured and endured, but now I’d finally reached my limit.

“I’ve got no more business with this household.”

“You brat! Have you lost your mind?! I’m the only one who knows where your dad is! You think you can go snooping around on your own? You’ll land your dad in jail!”

The Baron flailed to grab me in disbelief.

“I’m perfectly sane, and frankly, I have no interest in discussing this further with you.”

I dodged his grasp without hesitation. I had nothing to pack, so leaving was easy.

But something inside me collapsed.

[I’m not tired at all! Just seeing your face gives me energy, Namia!]

Because Dad loved me, I had to let go of this. This wasn’t what he would have wanted.

I’d endured enough.

“Don’t contact me again.”

The Baron shouted something after me, but I didn’t hear it.

Not that I intended to listen anyway.

“Oh, and I’ll be changing the account my salary goes to. Just so you know.”

Without looking back, I walked out of the Roapia estate.