The Low-Ranking Civil Servant Wants to Achieve Success Chapter 74

And just like that, the Empress managed to stun everyone the moment she arrived.

If nothing else, she had a serious knack for that.

“It’s been a while since I’ve felt this way. Somehow, I get the feeling I’m going to lose.”

A fierce competitive fire blazed in the Empress’s eyes.

I hurriedly rushed out and stood between her and Keyvon.

“I greet Your Majesty the Empress. Were you perhaps looking for His Highness, Prince Jayden?”

“Namia!”

She cried out joyfully and swept me into a hug, spinning me around again.

“It’s all thanks to you, all because of you! We’ve agreed to try and get along now! If not for you, I wouldn’t have known what was going on in my son’s heart!”

“Kh–yes… kh–I’m really glad…”

“We even decided to do that scroll thingy together at the ball! You heard, right?”

“Cough, yes…”

“I haven’t been to a ball in ages, so I figured we should get our outfits tailored! For that… what was it, civiller look or something…”

You mean a “similar look”…

“Namia, if you don’t have a dress for the ball yet, come with us! There are only a few days left!”

“Pardon?”

Well, I did still need to get a dress…

But truthfully, I had no time to go shopping. Ever since I became Minister, I’d been pulling all-nighters every day.

“Before that…”

As I blinked in confusion, the Empress gave a chilling smile and pointed to Keyvon.

“I want a sparring match with that guy. He looks like a real brute.”

She grinned, scanning Keyvon up and down.

“How does someone like that end up in the Scroll Department? Give him to me. I’ll train him well and assign him to Jayden’s guard.”

Keyvon looked like he found the very thought repulsive.

“Your Majesty…”

I gave a strained smile.

So in the end, she really did want a duel…

‘If it’s Keyvon, he definitely wouldn’t go easy on her just because she’s royalty.’

The Empress might not know, but when sparring with someone of higher status, you’re supposed to pretend to lose.

Except for the Imperial Knights, of course—they’re far too powerful for that kind of pretense.

But Keyvon was a foreigner. He had no such sensibility. He’d never go easy on her.

‘The Empress probably wouldn’t hold a grudge… but the optics would be terrible.’

Keyvon, for his part, clearly had no desire to duel. His expression said it all.

So I quickly said,

“This intern is weaker than he looks. He’s young, but has all kinds of chronic ailments.”

“Huh?”

“Just a few nights of overtime and he was already getting nosebleeds… He’s definitely not the kind of tough guy Your Majesty would be interested in.”

But the Empress looked outraged.

“What? You sneaky little fox!”

“Excuse me?”

“There’s no way he got a nosebleed just from a few nights of overtime! Maybe if he stayed up for days! Namia, you’re being tricked!”

She looked about ready to grab Keyvon by the collar.

Keyvon just sighed like it was all too much trouble.

“Looks perfectly fine and yet so shady! Faking illness and slacking off even with such a nice boss? We’re doing this. Let’s go, huh?”

He glanced briefly at my helpless expression and slowly opened his mouth.

“My apologies. I refuse.”

My jaw dropped.

Wait—he’s just going to refuse outright?

Thankfully, the Empress didn’t seem offended at all. The two of them were equally shameless—thank God.

“Come on, at least think about it! Don’t you feel restless, stuck here pushing pens when you’ve clearly got some muscle?”

From the determined glint in her eye, I could tell she wasn’t going to drop it anytime soon.

So I laughed awkwardly and linked arms with her.

“Your Majesty, let’s go.”

“Huh?”

“To get fitted. I still haven’t gotten a ball dress either.”

To be honest, I’d never even considered getting fitted with royalty.

But in this situation, it was the only way out.

“Ah, right! Let’s go!”

The Empress laughed heartily and shouted.

“Hurry up! His Majesty arranged for a very famous dressmaker!”

I was relieved she took the bait.

****

I take that back.

“Hey, hey, hey. Let’s spar. Hm? How about it?”

The Empress had not forgotten her target.

As I quickly tried to leave, she shouted at Keyvon,

[Wherever Namia goes, her assistant has to follow!]

[Excuse me?]

[We’re going to get her dress fitted, right? Of course the assistant has to come too!]

I mean, assistants aren’t really… maids or anything…

But the Empress wouldn’t listen. Clearly, she had a plan.

She kept pestering Keyvon to duel any chance she got.

“I still refuse.”

Keyvon remained unfazed, expression unchanged.

His willpower and composure were something else.

‘He’s not even nervous in the Empress’s chamber.’

When I first came here, I automatically tensed up.

Especially since her room was filled with weapons of all kinds.

Anyway, now it was me, Jayden, the Empress, and Keyvon all together.

The dressmaker His Majesty had summoned was certainly skilled.

“This color will work nicely. We’ll unify the pattern here…”

She calmly endured the Empress’s erratic behavior and offered the best possible recommendations.

Just by her tone, it was obvious she was a professional.

The Empress, who admired competence, seemed to like her.

“Wow, sharp eye. I really like it!”

“You flatter me. Thank you.”

With minimal changing, the dressmaker completed the designs for the Empress and Jayden’s ball attire with elegance.

Normally, the order should have been placed much earlier, but the Empress only decided to attend today—so there was no helping it.

Watching the busy dressmaker, I asked gently,

“The ball isn’t far off. Will you be alright?”

“I’ll manage.”

She smiled brightly.

“I’ll make sure it’s ready.”

Well, it was for the royal family. Of course she’d make it happen.

‘She really must be famous, then.’

If the Emperor summoned her, she had to be top-tier.

Even the catalog and sample dresses she brought were luxurious and beautiful.

Then it happened.

“Namia! You need to pick a dress too!”

“Huh?”

The Empress, who had been badgering Keyvon about a duel, suddenly turned to me.

“I told you we’d pick something out for you too!”

“Ah…”

That was just an excuse to get her away from Keyvon…

But I really did need a dress. When I hesitated, the dressmaker smiled warmly.

“I actually had something in mind that I thought would suit you. Would you like to try it on?”

“Pardon?”

Now this was a woman who knew how to sell.

The Empress clapped and nodded.

“Perfect! Namia, you can trust her taste. Try it on!”

Jayden also crossed his arms and nodded.

“Sounds like a good idea. Where else would you find a dress of this quality? You’d better pick one now, under the power of the imperial family. You wouldn’t be able to book this shop on your own.”

Fair point.

I gave the dressmaker a glance with a face that said, “I’m thrilled but trying to be modest.”

She picked up on it immediately and ushered me over.

“Come now. Quickly. We’ll help you change.”

The shop assistants swarmed in.

They worked fast—true professionals.

The dress sparkled with countless tiny beads—it was breathtaking.

“We’ll add this too,”

The dressmaker whispered, opening a jewelry case.

“I can tell someone will pay for it.”

A large sapphire necklace and earrings were added in a flash.

“We’ll fix your hair up a little too.”

With skilled fingers, they braided my hair softly and added a glittering hairpiece.

It was all over in a blink.

“Oh my.”

The dressmaker sighed in awe.

“You… you’re truly beautiful. I didn’t expect it to this degree.”

Even the assistants nodded. They whispered so the others wouldn’t hear.

“To be honest, she might shine the brightest at the St. Cairo Ball.”

“R-Really?”

Feeling shy, I finally turned toward the mirror.

And I couldn’t help but gape in astonishment.

‘Oh my god.’

This is why you leave things to professionals.

I had just sat there silently, and the results were incredible.

‘Is… is this me? Unreal…’

I sparkled from head to toe.

And yet, the colors of the dress and accessories were so refined, they didn’t overshadow me—they enhanced me.

As I stood there, amazed at my reflection—

“Namia! Are you done? Huh? Come out here!”

The Empress shouted.