The Low-Ranking Civil Servant Wants to Achieve Success Chapter 16

The rather fine house my father had arranged for the Baron in exchange for taking me in gradually faded into the distance behind me.

I didn’t have anything in particular to pack, so leaving wasn’t difficult at all.

‘Dad, I’m sorry.’

It wasn’t that I had abandoned the Roapia household.

‘But I’m smart enough to know this is the best I can do…’

What I had left behind was the blind desperation I’d always clung to when it came to my father.

Let the Baron and his wife—and Juan—get thoroughly screwed for once.

‘From now on, my salary is all mine.’

Today was payday.

From what I knew, the money would be deposited in the afternoon.

‘Starting with this paycheck, I won’t let a single coin go to the Baron. From this moment on, not a penny.’

I headed straight for the Imperial Palace to change my salary account.

Now that I could finally start doing the things I’d always wanted, thoughts rushed in one after another.

‘First, I need a place to stay. Luca lives in a boarding house, right? I’ll spend tonight at an inn and ask him tomorrow if there’s a room available.’

No matter how weird the place was, it couldn’t be worse than the Roapia estate.

At the very least, they wouldn’t be stingy with food.

‘It’s about to start getting chilly, so maybe I should buy some new clothes? And the soles of my shoes have been worn through for a while now…’

Naturally, there were plenty of things I wanted to buy.

But not a single one of them brought me any joy.

Now I could receive my salary in full, go to restaurants I’d never been able to afford…

I could finally sleep somewhere without anyone giving me the side-eye…

‘Still, I’ll save that paycheck. I can’t give up on finding Dad.’

Because I didn’t know what kind of situation he was in, I had obeyed the Baron all this time out of fear that something bad might happen to Dad.

But deals are meant to be made with people, not dogs.

‘I’ll find a way… If I think it through, there’s got to be another way…’

Even though I had that conviction, I was still afraid I might come to regret the choice I just made.

‘Dad, I’m not giving up on you. I won’t. I swear I won’t.’

As I made my way to the Imperial Palace, tears kept streaming down my cheeks. I wiped them away nonstop, mumbling to myself.

“Dad… where are you? I miss you…”

****

The legal officer had already been dead for ten minutes before the palace knights arrived.

The invisible enemy—still yet to show their face—seemed almost to be mocking Kiaros, as if to say, “We already know your every move.”

“That Lennan fellow was originally from the Scroll Management Department. He transferred to the Ministry of Law ten years ago due to adjustment issues.”

After hearing the report at the palace, Kiaros’ face hardened.

‘That confirms the Scroll Management Department is involved.’

It was a loosely run, drifting department—easy for enemies to infiltrate.

That’s why he had infiltrated it himself.

They’d found half-burnt documents in the fireplace—probably some form of code. A full search was underway, including hidden compartments in the house.

Progress was going well. If something came up, it would be thanks to their swift action.

And they’d been able to act so quickly—all thanks to Namia.

‘Everyone else let their guard down, but that spacey little clerk was the only one doing her job properly.’

Spacey, was she? Now he wasn’t so sure.

He sighed and sent a carrier bird fluttering back out the window.

‘I should summon Namia Roapia tomorrow and offer her whatever reward she wants…’

Just as he turned around—

Across the imperial gardens, he saw that familiar silver hair and quick little footsteps.

‘Huh? Isn’t that…’

It didn’t take long to recognize her. It was Namia.

‘I thought she’d gone home?’

Head bowed, Namia was walking somewhere. Kiaros, without realizing it, found himself watching her.

Then his eyes widened.

Namia was subtly wiping at her eyes. She was crying.

He opened the window wider, and then he heard it—a faint voice, cracked with tears.

“Dad… where are you? I miss you…”

While he stood frozen, staring blankly at her, a knock sounded and his aide entered.

“Your Highness.”

The aide was holding a black-covered report.

“I’ve completed the background check on the Roapia family.”

Kiaros gave a nod for him to continue. The aide, flipping through the report, began with what sounded like a fairly ordinary summary.

They were a fallen noble house from the South, moved to the capital fifteen years ago, steadily drained their own resources, and recently lost everything on a failed, debt-backed investment.

“But… their movements fifteen years ago are a bit strange.”

That’s when Kiaros’ brow furrowed.

“Just before they moved to the capital, Namia Roapia was belatedly added to their family register—as Juan Roapia’s twin sister.”

The name ‘Namia Roapia’ was what had caused his reaction.

“An unusual detail: the Roapia Baron had a younger brother. That brother and his daughter went missing that same year. The daughter’s name was never officially registered at birth.”

In the South, it wasn’t uncommon to file a birth notice first and register a name later. The aide continued.

“We’ll need more time to confirm, but the Crows believe that the missing daughter was Namia Roapia.”

“The South, huh…”

“Yes, Your Highness. Fortunately, the Crows already have a strong presence in that region.”

At this, Kiaros sank into thought.

“Still no leads on that southern girl?”

“Ah, no… The lack of information is making it quite difficult, even for the Crows…”

The aide looked grim.

“We don’t know her age, her appearance—only that she was a girl who used to show up at a local library. One librarian vaguely remembered her as a quiet child who suddenly stopped coming.”

“Hm.”

“If she was that skilled at that age, she probably became a mage and entered the Mage Tower, wouldn’t you say?”

That had been the Crows’ working theory for a while.

“But the Tower doesn’t reveal the identities of mages until they’re over thirty-five—and even then, only with the permission of the Tower Master.”

At the mention of the Mage Tower, the aide nervously glanced at Kiaros.

“But since Your Highness now has access to the Scroll Management Department’s documents… the Tower Master will likely never cooperate with you again.”

“It’s absurd. He never cared about palace affairs before.”

“But now he’ll think you’re encroaching on his domain. And he’s always been… shall we say, creative in his paranoia.”

Kiaros groaned faintly, irritated.

‘If Namia hadn’t revoked that intern’s clearance, things wouldn’t have gotten this complicated…’

Still, he decided not to hold it against her.

All she had done was carry out her duties thoroughly.

‘Even her feelings toward that intern… were unexpectedly sincere.’

He had discovered, by accident, that her indifference had been a misunderstanding on his part. He felt genuinely sorry for having misjudged her.

Clearing his throat, he changed the subject.

“By the way, was the report to the Mage Tower delivered? I told you to get an opinion directly from the Tower Master.”

“Yes, but…”

The aide fidgeted and pulled out a letter.

It bore the Tower’s seal but not the Master’s. Likely written by his secretary.

Kiaros irritably snatched it open.

The Tower Master is currently away.

There is no estimated time of return.

We will inform him of Your Highness’ request as soon as he returns and prioritize a response.

P.S. The report stated that the staff member in the Scroll Magic Division activated 172 scrolls. You likely meant to write 17—please confirm.