The Low-Ranking Civil Servant Wants to Achieve Success Chapter 69

Keyvon froze completely, not even breathing, as he looked down at me.

I exhaled sharply and spoke with a chilling expression.

“Where do you think you’re running, leaving behind the sly bureaucrats and the rabbit-like citizens of the Empire? Just where?”

After everything I did to keep him here, if he ran away because of some pressure—ugh. Just imagining that story arc made me over-immerse.

“His Highness the Crown Prince will, as always, continue to work alongside me in the palace, tirelessly, for a hundred years of toil.”

At that, Keyvon muttered in disbelief.

“Not a hundred years of harmony, but a hundred years of overwork…”

“If His Highness runs away…”

I tilted my head up to him, my eyes wide and manic, whispering.

“I’ll chase him to the ends of the continent. I’ll grab him by the collar and drag him back into his office. I’ll watch him with fire in my eyes so he never runs away again.”

Keyvon’s face, always so emotionless, turned ghostly pale.

“Anyway, it’s bad luck to say things like that. So don’t ever say them again.”

At that moment, a bird chirped from the tree above.

Only then did I snap back to my senses.

‘What the—seriously.’

Somehow, Keyvon had backed all the way up against the tree, and I had him pinned with one arm extended, our bodies uncomfortably close.

Despite the paleness of his face, his ears were glowing bright red.

***

“Ah, damn.”

The wild look in Namia’s eyes began to fade, and Kiaros watched as confusion slowly returned to her face.

“Oh no… I’m so sorry.”

Startled, Namia hurriedly withdrew the arm she’d had pressed near his shoulder.

“I was way too threatening, wasn’t I?”

Kiaros, meanwhile, couldn’t help the absurd laughter bubbling inside him.

She was a whole head shorter than him, scrawny, barely any muscle—how could the word “threatening” possibly apply?

She fidgeted awkwardly, eyes darting around.

“My bad. No matter what absurd thing a subordinate says, I shouldn’t lose control and act like that as their boss. Look at you, all stiff… sorry.”

Even if she hadn’t been threatening, it was true—his body had gone rigid.

That sudden closeness, the scent of her, the sound of her breath… it had felt like his heart had stopped.

‘Maybe it was that terrifying conviction in her eyes, like she’d drag me out of hell itself if I ran.’

There was sincerity in that wide-eyed glare of hers.

It might’ve been the first time in his life he truly felt overwhelmed. His heart still pounded so hard it made his vision blur.

She backed away quickly, regaining her composure.

“If it made you uncomfortable, report me. We’re in a superior-subordinate relationship, and I definitely crossed the line.”

She hadn’t touched him once, but the departing warmth of her presence felt strangely disappointing.

Kiaros suddenly felt a deep urge to grab her wrist and pull her back close.

“No, maybe I should just self-report. I should reflect, clearly I’ve gotten too comfortable with you…”

She was spiraling, murmuring in panic. Without thinking, Kiaros blurted out,

“It’s fine. Really… it’s fine.”

Worried she might actually go file a report, he stammered, unable to calm his racing heart.

“Uh, I mean, it’s because of your feelings for… His Highness the Crown Prince.”

“Ah… right, that’s true.”

Namia nodded, her face finally relaxing in relief.

“My feelings for His Highness are sincere.”

She seemed calmer now, but Kiaros’s heart had yet to recover.

The haunting glare, the whispering breath on his neck…

The memory of it lingered so clearly, his chest wouldn’t stop pounding.

“I just wish he’d always stay as healthy and strong as he is now. Even if I’m not beside him, I think about his well-being constantly. I guess I got carried away because the word ‘run away’ just set me off.”

“…”

“What? Did I say something weird?”

Kiaros looked at her and barely managed to respond.

“…No.”

Even when she wasn’t beside him, he thought of her constantly. He, too, had feelings like that for Namia.

He was always curious. Even though they spent their days working together, he wanted to know what she did in the time they weren’t.

She hadn’t told Keyvon about Jaden’s situation. A sign of loyalty to the royal family, but it had somehow made him feel left out—and that feeling had surprised him.

What went on in that small head of hers? He was desperate to understand the blank spaces in between.

‘If Namia were to suddenly disappear one day… I’d be just as—no, probably more—frantic than she was.’

So were their feelings the same? Kiaros looked at her and quietly said,

“I think… I understand that feeling.”

Namia nodded briskly and replied,

“Yeah. That feeling is called loyalty. A pure, 100% devotion to the Empire and the royal family.”

…Maybe not the same feeling after all. He didn’t feel loyal to the Empire or the Crown.

Then what was the name of his feeling?

The thought that “everything would’ve been better without me” had vanished from his mind. In its place…

“If His Highness runs away, I’ll chase him to the ends of the continent.”

Only that chilling, razor-sharp declaration echoed in his head. Her wild-eyed stare was so vivid, it made his heart pound all over again.

***

‘Ugh, I really need to be more careful.’

That was the most I’d ever lost control.

‘I guess I’m the type to get reckless with subordinates. I never knew—because I never had any before.’

Or maybe… it was just that I felt so comfortable around Keyvon.

After all, Keyvon blindly obeyed everything I said at the office.

Even when I’d just pinned him against a tree, he only froze up—he didn’t scold me or complain.

It was probably that silent tolerance that led to this dangerous mindset of mine—thinking I could treat him however I wanted.

‘The more comfortable I get, the more uncomfortable he probably is. I need to get it together.’

I sighed and scolded myself.

‘But wow… up close, he’s seriously built. No—get a grip, Namia. Don’t go there. Imagine if Ohson did that to you. Disgusting.’

Anyway, we returned to the Scroll Department just as lunch was ending.

Since it wasn’t quite over yet, Anastasia was the only one in the office.

She was reading a book with intense focus.

It looked like her final moment of peace before the afternoon shift.

“You’re back?”

Anastasia jumped up to greet us.

The book she’d been reading was titled “I Love You As Much As Our Salary Gap.” I decided to pretend I didn’t see it.

“W-w-would you like some coffee?”

“No, thank you. I already ate.”

I smiled kindly as I replied.

“Really, you don’t need to ask anymore.”

“B-but… I’m not very good at my job, so… I wanted to make up for it.”

She must’ve been self-conscious about her slow pace. Yesterday, she’d asked when Victor was coming back, too.

Anastasia nervously fidgeted with her fingers, then turned to Keyvon.

“B-but Keyvon… weren’t you scheduled for 2 PM?”

“Ah… well, that’s true.”

Since he came back with me right as lunch was ending, he had essentially returned to work an hour early.

Keyvon, as always, answered expressionlessly.

“I just wanted to come in early.”

Anastasia collapsed back into her seat, stunned—as if she’d fainted.

Panting, she shouted,

“Are… are you okay?”

“…Excuse me?”

“Y-you just said you wanted to come back to the office early! Are you sick or something?!”

Come to think of it, she had a point!

Wanting to come to work early? That was suspicious.

‘If it’s contagious, this is a problem.’

I instinctively edged away from Keyvon.

He tilted his head, confused in that foreign, non-native way.

“I don’t understand. I’m healthy.”

“N-no way! Then why did you come in early?!”

Anastasia shrieked, rolling her chair back.

“I-it’s not like there’s anyone you like here! Unless… unless you’re secretly in love with someone?! That’s the only way this makes any sense!”