The Low-Ranking Civil Servant Wants to Achieve Success Chapter 4

After the scrolls repelled the poison arrows, more knights quickly rushed over.

“Chase them! There aren’t many of them!”

As the knights charged forward, the attackers scattered into the crowd.

But the area was still in chaos. Understandably so.

This had been a direct assassination attempt on the Crown Prince—it shocked everyone.

“Are they insane? Attacking His Highness the Crown Prince?”

“Who’s behind this? Are they not afraid of the wrath of a Dragonkin…?”

Murmurs of disbelief spread in all directions.

Everyone concluded the same thing—someone had done something utterly insane for no reason. After all, Kiaros was completely unharmed.

‘Thanks to me…’

I staggered, thinking to myself.

The magic in the scrolls had all been expended. Blank sheets with faded magic circles fluttered down around me.

‘It wasn’t easy to stop the ambush today.’

Originally, the incredibly powerful Crown Prince was caught off guard by an unexpected second Dark Phase and died in vain today.

Afterward, the Empress would pass away as well. The Emperor, who had been absent from the capital, would return and reclaim power—but not even for a full year.

‘It’s a classified matter, but the Emperor is already in such poor health he could die any day.’

The only royal left behind would be the story’s protagonist, the Crown Prince’s much younger half-brother—just an eight-year-old boy.

That was how the Polariwood imperial family collapsed and war erupted.

But now, I had twisted the original plot and saved the Crown Prince from the attack.

“I told you to hold your positions!”

While I was basking in satisfaction, the White Knights’ captain exploded in anger at the three knights who had left their posts.

“What were you thinking, all running off just because you saw a few enemies?! Leaving a few visible is the most obvious bait tactic!”

The root of the problem was simple. The escort knights had no real combat experience.

After all, how often would they need to fight when guarding a Dragonkin like the Crown Prince?

“Seriously… If not for Miss Mina from the Magic Department, we’d all be in trouble!”

“…It’s Namia.”

Scroll activation still required mana. I had used mine up completely.

Even while swaying on my feet, I awkwardly corrected him.

“It’s not the Magic Department, it’s the Scroll Management Department…”

Right in front of me, a pair of vivid red eyes like rubies appeared.

It was Crown Prince Kiaros.

He must’ve been the most shocked of all by the unexpected second Dark Phase, but his expression remained unchanged. He still exuded the cold presence of a ruler.

“Defense scrolls… I was told there were six in stock yesterday.”

He must’ve received the briefing last night?

And he remembered the number—something no one else would’ve cared about?

‘Wow. That level of attention to detail is unheard of in our department.’

Truly meticulous. I was impressed.

His eyes scanned the snow-like pile of used scrolls around me before returning to me again.

“How many were there, exactly?”

Even as I was being questioned, my vision blurred and my mind went foggy.

‘I didn’t sleep at all making these yesterday… and I used up every last drop of mana.’

Honestly, fainting was the only thing left on my to-do list.

Still, I had to make sure I took credit while I could.

“…172 sheets.”

I barely managed to answer before collapsing.

I thought I’d hit the ground, but to my surprise, it was warm.

“…Uh.”

I blinked my eyes open, and Kiaros’s face came into view.

Whoa.

Am I… being held in His Highness the Crown Prince’s arms?

‘He’s really built…’

He seemed to be saying something, but I couldn’t hear him clearly.

Still, he looked perfectly fine. I managed to move my lips and whisper.

“I’m so glad… you’re safe.”

Then, with my eyes wide and dazed, I added:

“I really wanted to protect you. So, so, so, desperately.”

And with that, I lost consciousness completely.

****

Back at the Imperial Palace, Kiaros immediately began investigating the mastermind.

There was no doubt—it was the same faction he’d been tracking.

‘Whoever they are, they know too much about the royal family. They’re more formidable than I thought.’

To even plan an attack on a Dragonkin like him—this wasn’t a simple group.

‘And the fact that it coincided with a Dark Phase… that’s what bothers me the most.’

If not for the sudden onset of the Dark Phase, he could’ve neutralized the attackers before they even fired a single arrow.

‘If they predicted my second Dark Phase—which even I didn’t expect—they’re no ordinary group. But is that even possible? As if they knew the future…’

He immediately began investigating the phenomenon of the “second Dark Phase.”

Since the founding Emperor, no royal had ever experienced it. Not even the palace had any preparation for such a thing.

‘I’d better keep it classified that I’m in a Dark Phase. No need to give them more information.’

Outwardly, he showed no change. But inside, even breathing felt stifling.

‘The records say… the second Dark Phase is just like the first.’

That meant he would regain his powers in six months. While deep in thought, the White Knights’ captain approached and bowed.

“I sincerely apologize. Here’s the disciplinary list.”

The three knights who disobeyed orders and the captain himself, for creating a hole in the defense, were all on the list.

“Well.”

Kiaros murmured darkly.

“I was negligent as well. I have no excuse.”

“And the Scroll Magic—uh, Scroll Planning, no wait, sorry… Miss Namia from the Scroll Management Department…”

“Give it here.”

As soon as Namia’s name came up, Kiaros snatched the report from the stammering captain.

<Namia Roapia, second daughter of Baron Roapia, currently 23 years old.>

Her profile was written neatly in the report.

<Employed for 3 years and 7 months in the Inventory Team of the Scroll Management Department under the Imperial Knights.

Her twin brother, Juan Roapia, is also an Imperial civil servant working in the Ministry of Finance.>

But one particular line caught his attention:

‘Top scorer on the entrance exam for Imperial Academy, Class of 54?’

However, her grades during the academy years were in the lower tier. Her graduation scores were also in the bottom rankings. She passed the Imperial civil service exam with one of the lowest scores and was placed in a dead-end department.

‘Hmph.’

Those clear, shining blue eyes that had met his amid the flurry of scrolls had been bright and vivid.

He’d thought her eyes were blank—without passion, soul, or focus.

[Ah, yes.]

That utterly indifferent voice still echoed in his ears.

Was the woman who recited legal codes from memory and activated 172 scrolls really the same person?

[I really wanted to protect you.]

And why… why did that voice carry such sincerity?

She was, in every way, a strange woman.

[So, so, so, desperately.]

When he heard those words—it had actually been a little unsettling…

Lowering his gaze, Kiaros quietly asked:

“Is Miss Namia Roapia still unconscious?”

“Yes, according to the Medical Department, she probably won’t wake until tomorrow…”

After Namia passed out, Luka from the Medical Department had taken charge of her care.

[She used up all her mana. Combined with accumulated fatigue, it pushed her to collapse. A good rest should do the trick.]

[She saved my life. Make sure she’s looked after until she wakes.]

[Uh… Her nutritional state isn’t great. May I give her additional IV fluids?]

[Use all the fluids in the palace if necessary.]

Kiaros fell into thought for a moment.

‘Poor nutritional condition? But her salary should be enough—so why?’

Her twin brother even worked in the Ministry of Finance—one of the Empire’s most prestigious agencies.

“Baron Roapia? Where is that house based?”

“Uh… they’re minor nobility. Not very influential.”

“Really? Are their finances that strained?”

“Hard to say. I doubt it’s that bad. They have a decent baron’s estate in the capital, and both twins work as civil servants…”

The Empire was a good place to live. Even among commoners, it was rare to find adult women with poor nutritional health.

Kiaros furrowed his brow.