The Low-Ranking Civil Servant Wants to Achieve Success Chapter 55

The Finance Minister was, as expected, a seasoned veteran. His face tensed with wariness, sensing something was off.

Until now, I had sat there with a blank, docile expression. But I suddenly spoke up.

“I believe you’re saying I misrecorded the remaining balance. But in fact, it’s the Finance Department’s documents that are strange, and I was quite troubled over them. Here, in this section, the magic circle usage fee is calculated at 0.035%, but actually, it was lowered to 0.032% five years ago. Since the announcement came through the Scroll Management Department, the Finance Department wouldn’t have access to that. Technically, Finance should’ve confirmed it with us once per year, but since the rate hadn’t changed for the past 159 years, they must’ve stopped checking.”

“Uh, hm?”

The Finance Minister’s complexion changed instantly at my response.

Then, regaining his composure, he narrowed his eyes and asked,

“But even if the rate changed after 159 years, shouldn’t that have been reported to us? That’s common sense, isn’t it?”

“That’s true, it’s common sense. But technically, the responsibility for confirmation lies with the Finance Department. As a principled man, I’m sure you understand that, Minister.”

Of course, it wasn’t the Minister’s fault.

There’s no way he could personally verify something that minute.

“Fine. But.”

The Finance Minister stared intently at the document, then narrowed his eyes.

“I understand the Scroll Department Minister’s point. But if the rate dropped to 0.032% five years ago, why has the balance in our records always matched perfectly?”

He seemed to have momentarily set aside his original purpose—to force my resignation.

Naturally, work came first.

I smiled sweetly and replied,

“Because someone’s been embezzling that 0.003% difference over the past four years. That’s why the balances matched perfectly.”

The Finance Minister’s face turned completely white.

‘Perfect.’

I grinned and shrugged lightly.

‘This is the end for the Roapia barony.’

The 0.003% service fee—insignificant for a department, but large for an individual. Over four years, it added up to a substantial sum.

I’d found out while reviewing Juan’s documents.

[Juan? About the magic circle fees—who’s responsible for checking with our department?]

[That’d be me. I also pay the usage fee to the Tower.]

[The Tower dropped the fee starting last year. Fix this. The calculations must’ve been off since then.]

[Oh, so that’s why the Tower refunded some gold last year? Whoops. I thought they just miscalculated, so I kept it.]

[…What? Are you insane?]

I’d nearly jumped out of my chair, and Juan blinked innocently.

[Great. I’ll just keep it for a few years. I’ll say the fee changed right before the last person stepped down.]

[Are you serious? That’s embezzlement—you’ll get disciplined.]

[Who’s even going to know the Tower lowered their rate? No one in your department does anything. They won’t care. And Tower folks don’t leave their labs. I’m just taking advantage of a flaw in the system.]

[That’s ridiculous. Not knowing is one thing—but you know!]

[If I get disciplined, people will know it’s because you snitched, Namia.]

[You—]

[Don’t act so pure. You already cheated on the entrance exam.]

[What are you talking about?]

[You did my assignments. That counts as cheating. You’re using loopholes too, all for your dad.]

In the end, I couldn’t say anything back.

But I never forgot.

‘And now, all that remembering finally paid off!’

The Finance Minister wasn’t a fool. He would figure out what Juan had done almost immediately.

“Minister.”

I looked him straight in the eye and said,

“Aren’t you curious how I even knew about this?”

“……”

“Try asking Juan about the contents of the reports he’s submitted all this time.”

He wouldn’t be able to answer a single question.

And then the Minister would figure out who really wrote them.

Honestly, I wasn’t particularly proud of myself.

I didn’t intend to steal the credit, either.

But still…

‘I may not be proud, but if I can take it, I will.’

I glanced outside the Minister’s office at the trembling staff.

‘They’re counting on me.’

Nine remaining employees in the Scroll Department. Ten, including the intern.

I couldn’t let them keep getting ignored.

And there was another reason.

‘If Juan gets fired, that’s the end for the Roapia barony.’

The baron was already heavily in debt. He’d been using Juan’s government salary to stave off creditors.

If Juan were dismissed?

‘The debt collectors would swarm in, demanding full repayment.’

And now, Juan would be required to repay three times the embezzled amount to the treasury.

‘They’ll have to sell the house.’

As far as I knew, that house was all they had.

It was bought with money from my dad.

‘So basically, they’ll be broke.’

The Finance Minister, clearly shaken, let out a dry cough.

“Oh, one more thing.”

I bowed politely and said,

“By rule, only the person who leaked internal documents is subject to disciplinary action. I’m sure you’re aware.”

Even if I wrote the reports, I wouldn’t be punished.

The Finance Minister stared at me, his eyes trembling.

Then—

“I’ll… discuss this later. I need to go.”

He bowed and quickly rushed out.

‘Ahh.’

Watching him go, I thought,

‘Being a Minister is amazing…’

If I weren’t a Minister, I could never have said any of that.

As a lowly staffer, it would’ve been unthinkable.

‘Seriously insane… I love it.’

Submitting budget drafts? All within a Minister’s power.

Even pointing out errors in paperwork like this—only a Minister could do that.

If I’d told some random Finance clerk, I’d have been ignored or accused of causing unnecessary trouble.

‘With authority, things get done fast and clean… this is no joke…’

The pain and emptiness in my heart felt momentarily soothed by power.

Smiling, I turned to Keyvon.

“All right.”

Keyvon looked at me, still dazed.

“Shall we get back to work? We haven’t finished reviewing everything.”

***

Kiaros stared at Namia. She was truly an astonishing woman.

Even the way she had translated Imperial speech had shocked him.

To have his own native language interpreted back at him—

‘Well, Juan’s definitely getting fired.’

Kiaros had already made moves against the Roapia barony.

The only remaining problem had been Juan Roapia’s protected civil servant status.

‘And she just handled that on her own.’

Namia’s eyes sparkled as she reviewed the documents again.

Kiaros studied her face.

A woman who once longed for family dinners and casual conversations.

But now… she was someone who sought power to actively soothe that emptiness.

‘She probably got the Finance Minister’s attention. He’ll come back.’

Had she planned this from the beginning?

Kiaros knew the Finance Minister well.

A strict but competent man.

‘And his foster son… is in this department, isn’t he?’

He glanced over the department’s roster.

Namia had reorganized the structure and promoted that man to Team Leader.

Not only that—she’d also issued a special recall request for him, even though he was on long-term overseas assignment.

‘Victor Arwin…’

Victor had been registered as the Minister’s foster son after becoming a civil servant, so Kiaros had never seen him in the social scene.

As he pretended to read the roster, he suddenly asked,

“By the way, Minister. This Team Leader Victor Arwin shares the same surname as the Finance Minister.”

“Oh, yeah.”

“They’re related?”

“Oh, yeah.”

“Then he must be just as uptight.”

“Ah—no.”

…Wait a second.

Oh, yeah and No?

Namia added casually,

“Senior isn’t uptight at all.”

…What?

SENIOR?!