The Low-Ranking Civil Servant Wants to Achieve Success Chapter 56

There are plenty of students at the Academy. Even among peers, many remain distant and formal.

Naturally, relationships between seniors and juniors weren’t especially close either.

Even Anastasya, who was from the same Academy as Namia, interacted with her only professionally.

And yet, from Namia’s mouth came the friendly term, “senior.”

“He’s a kind and gentle person.”

Kind? Gentle?

Kiaros narrowed his eyes.

“Hearing you say that… you two must be quite close.”

It was hard to imagine Namia being close to anyone.

Hadn’t she said herself that she didn’t even have someone to go out to a restaurant with?

So the idea of her having a male friend was entirely unexpected.

She always seemed like the type to respond to everything with a half-hearted “Ah, okay.”

“I thought you didn’t have any close male friends, Minister.”

“Ah, okay.”

“Don’t people usually ask why it seems like you wouldn’t?”

Namia stared blankly at him.

Kiaros flinched and quickly added, “…Maam?”

Namia let out a long sigh.

“I’ll let it slide since you’re a foreigner. But you shouldn’t talk to your boss like this. In the Empire, it’s also not common to have such casual personal conversations with your superior.”

He didn’t think he’d been casual at all. In fact, this was the most uncomfortable he’d felt all day.

Just then—

“Namiaaa!”

A young man’s voice rang from outside the office.

Namia furrowed her brow and muttered, “Luka?”

“Namiaaaaaa!”

The door burst open, and a young man with chestnut hair entered.

Wearing a doctor’s coat, he was clearly a Health and Welfare Ministry employee.

“I’m here! Luka Klass, the one who shares a very special bond with you, has arrived!”

His face was overflowing with joy as he shouted Namia’s name.

That innocent, beaming face—Kiaros remembered it.

He was the medical staffer who had taken care of Namia the day of the assassination attempt.

‘But… special bond?’

Kiaros blinked in disbelief.

‘Who the hell is this guy?’

***

Exactly 20 minutes after lunch break ended—

‘He finally showed up.’

I had a feeling Luka Klass would come around by now.

But before I could greet him myself—

“Wh-what brings you here?”

Luka bumped into Anastasya before reaching the Minister’s office. To my knowledge, it was their first meeting.

“Are… are you here to see the Minister?”

At Anastasya’s words, Luka’s jaw dropped.

“Wow. So Namia really did become Minister.”

Anastasya eyed him skeptically.

“You’re a… Health and Welfare Ministry staffer…? Are you… perhaps a f-friend from the Academy? Since you speak so informally…?”

“We were Classmates, yes, but I’m not just a friendly Classmate.”

Luka grinned and lifted his chin confidently.

His green eyes sparkled with pride.

“We’re… something special. I’m the one who had a huge impact on Namia’s life. We started as Classmates, but now we’ve become irreplaceable to each other.”

Keyvon snapped his head up from the documents he was reviewing.

Meanwhile, Luka continued with rising passion:

“Others didn’t understand Namia’s worth. But I, and only I, recognized her brilliance long ago and kept reaching out to her.”

He spoke with such fervor, I couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Again and again, I broke through her indifference until, finally, in the Imperial infirmary with just the two of us, she opened her heart to me.”

If I recall correctly, that was the day I received IV fluids.

Well… he’s not entirely wrong.

That was the first day I properly responded to his excited rambling.

“In the end, I broke through the locked doors of her heart and succeeded in bringing her to stand by my side! She even declared in front of others that we share a special bond!”

To be fair, I did call him a rival in front of the guards to get them to leave so I could meet the Empress…

And shortly after, I was promoted to Minister.

“Is that true?” Keyvon asked, wide-eyed.

“Well, it’s not exactly a lie…”

As if timed perfectly, Anastasya chimed in with a serious expression.

“So… would you like some coffee?”

“Coffee sounds great!”

Luka cheerfully answered, continuing the conversation:

“Nice and strong, no milk, deep aroma, please. By the way, who are you—”

“Good question. I’m Anastasya Cayenne, Team Leader of the Administrative Unit.”

“Wait, Team Leader is offering me coffee? I-I’m just a fourth-year employee…”

“Yeah, doesn’t seem right, does it? Then just take what I give you and shut it.”

I sighed and stepped out of the Minister’s office.

Keyvon quickly followed behind me.

“Luka.”

I scratched my cheek as I greeted him.

“Fancy seeing you here. But since this is a professional setting, could you use my title? It’s kind of awkward otherwise.”

“Come on, even if people are watching, how could I— Yes, Minister.”

Luka straightened his posture as he spoke.

Though he didn’t seem particularly serious, his tall frame and clean-cut looks weren’t unpleasant.

He looked increasingly pleased with himself as he spoke again:

“Hah… my eye for talent, my persuasiveness—honestly amazing, aren’t they? One word from me and she’s completely turned her life around?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“I told her to get it together and—boom—Minister.”

“Mm-hmm.”

“I challenged her to a promotion race and she accepted! I mean, for her to soar past me this fast—it’s just like the entrance exam…”

I was responding half-heartedly when—

“Hm?”

The word competition seemed to make Kiaros narrow his eyes in displeasure, as though it were unbearable.

Luka raised his chin again.

“She even told the guards I was her rival. The entire Health and Welfare Ministry heard about it.”

At that, Keyvon suddenly interjected.

“…Rival? You two?”

Luka glanced at him with surprise.

Like, who the heck is this guy?

“Oh, sorry,” I stepped in quickly.

“He’s an intern. Still working on his Imperial language skills. He probably didn’t understand the term rival.”

“Intern? Wait, is this the guy who was—”

I remembered I’d once told Luka the intern had no manners.

I quickly cut him off and explained,

“Yeah, he came back. Turns out there were some misunderstandings.”

“But… to barge in on a conversation between a Minister and her rival, speaking so casually?”

“He’s a foreigner. Different culture. I’ll make sure he learns.”

At that, Keyvon sheepishly said,

“Sorry. I just… it sounded weird.”

“What did?”

“Talking about being special, opening up, standing beside each other… I thought you were… a couple.”

Luka and I both winced at the same time.

“This intern’s got some impure thoughts,” Luka muttered, visibly offended.

“How could you look at a beautiful, honorable rivalry and make it romantic? Why can’t men and women be proper rivals? Why does standing beside someone have to be romantic? Do you go home after work and read garbage romance novels?”

Anastasya flinched and quickly slid a book titled “I Quit Being the Male Lead’s Rival and Got a Romance Instead” under her desk.

In any case, I looked nervously between Luka and Keyvon.

‘They’re not even on the same team, but they’re going at it already?’

Keyvon had a temper. Would he snap?

But surprisingly, Keyvon responded calmly and even flashed a small smile.

“Oh, I just…”

His lips twitched upward slightly, as if he were forcing them down.

He shrugged and said casually,

“You seemed close since the Academy, so…”

“That doesn’t mean you should be shipping us! We are not like that!”

Luka practically recoiled and waved his hands.

Then, after a moment’s thought, he muttered under his breath,

“…Maybe if it were Senior Victor…”

Keyvon dropped his pen with a clatter.