The Low-Ranking Civil Servant Wants to Achieve Success Chapter 94

 

After delivering the opening speech, Emperor Pedwin returned to the VIP seats. Looking around once, he asked the Empress:

“Where is Kiaros?”

“Who knows. But honestly, I think it’s best not to go looking for him.”

The Empress said this with a twinkle in her eye.

“Namia’s missing too.”

And with a laugh that went kkuuu-ak-ak-ak, she shook her shoulders.

“Come on, Jaden! I’m starving to death! I was too nervous about the ceremony to eat properly at lunch… Let’s go grab something quick to eat!”

She headed toward the finger food table with Prince Jaden in tow. The Emperor watched her retreating figure with a fond smile.

Beside him, the Treasury Minister cleared his throat with a polite cough.

His adopted son, Victor, was also nowhere to be seen.

“Seems His Highness the Crown Prince… just couldn’t give up on the Scroll Minister.”

Throughout the banquet, everyone had been glancing at Kiaros and Namia with looks that practically said, Well, of course.

There had been rumors that Kiaros had been rejected by Namia, but in truth, people whispered behind their hands: Why would Namia do that?

[If it were me, I’d be marching straight into a proposal the moment His Highness confessed.]

[Namia must be regretting it too, right? Just a few words spoken up close and she’d totally fall.]

What’s more, Kiaros looked stunning today, like he had dressed to impress.

Though he’d been reclusive lately, his complexion looked unusually pale, as if he’d been overworking himself…

“Well.”

The Emperor shrugged with a subtle expression.

“He was turned down once, but it wasn’t because they were incompatible—just because it was sudden and they weren’t close enough yet, or so he said. So if he approaches her carefully, there might still be a chance. Honestly, is there even a man in this Empire better than Kiaros?”

The Treasury Minister gave a chuckle and took a sip of wine.

The Emperor immediately understood that the chuckle meant, You’re the Emperor, so I won’t argue… but I disagree.

“Why? You don’t agree?”

“Heh heh heh.”

“Be honest. I won’t take it personally.”

“Ahem, well, it’s nothing much…”

The Treasury Minister smiled faintly as he spoke.

“I know people like the Scroll Minister quite well. We’ve spoken a few times, and it was clear from the get-go. In some ways… she’s rather similar to me.”

“Hmm? Well, I don’t know about that. You’ve got quite a rugged look—you might want to check a mirror…”

“I meant internally. Miss Namia is, at heart, the ultimate old-school civil servant. She enjoys power and achievement but prefers to be acknowledged for her abilities rather than flattery.”

The Emperor could only nod.

Namia, for all her ambition, wasn’t particularly talkative. She didn’t hide her capabilities, but she wasn’t exactly sweet or deferential, either.

“If she can’t shine on her own, she probably feels useless. I imagine she knows that about herself all too well.”

“Huh…”

“Which is why she wouldn’t instinctively view the Crown Prince as a man. He’s clearly someone who would overshadow her. That kind of person would more likely be drawn to a highly competent subordinate instead.”

The Emperor waved a hand dismissively, looking incredulous.

“Come now, someone who likes power refusing to be the wife of a powerful man? That makes no sense.”

To which the Treasury Minister replied with a shrug.

“Didn’t Lord of the Mage Tower’s daughter, Aran, do exactly that?”

The Emperor’s expression hardened at the mention of Aran, the embodiment of ambition.

Very few knew that Aran was poor at magic and had a deep complex about it.

The Mage Tower Lord had tried to marry her off to another high-ranking mage, but Aran insisted it was meaningless unless she could display magical talent herself within the tower.

Eventually, she ran away from home and has been missing ever since, giving the Tower Lord a major headache. The Emperor didn’t know the full details after that.

“…Why is your analysis so scarily accurate? Even your examples make perfect sense. Are you stalking Miss Namia or something?”

Just then, Victor, who had stepped away earlier, returned.

His usual easygoing smile was intact, but he was limping.

“Victor? Did you hurt your leg?”

“I wasn’t paying attention and twisted it. I thought I should check in so you wouldn’t worry, Father. I’ll go visit the infirmary now—it’s nothing serious.”

The Treasury Minister nodded lightly. His thoughts on Namia had all started with Victor.

It was three years ago, shortly after adopting him, during a business trip abroad.

[Everything’s fine, except… I do have someone I like, and that’s a bit unfortunate.]

[Someone you like? Since when? Who is she? Which family? If she weighs on your mind, you should’ve gotten engaged before leaving…]

[Just a junior colleague from the same department. But it’s not the right time anyway.]

Victor had smiled sheepishly, brushing the topic off.

[She’s not desperate for me yet. Maybe because she finally got into the department she wanted, even if it’s a mess…]

[Hm?]

[She’ll only lean on me when things get worse. Unless she truly hits rock bottom, she probably won’t…]

At the time, the Treasury Minister had felt a strange sense of dissonance from Victor’s otherwise gentle face.

[She’d hate to be just a shadow next to someone who shines brighter than her. But it’s not like I can dim myself either, right?]

He had just chalked it up to modern youth making romance more complicated than necessary.

But after encountering Namia a few times, he quickly realized she was that junior Victor had spoken of.

[If you were to marry Victor, I’d approve.]

That’s why he had once told Namia something so out-of-the-blue.

[I was going to bring you into the Treasury anyway, but getting ground down here a bit more might be even better.]

And today, seeing the anxious gleam in Victor’s eyes as he watched Namia, he was now certain.

“Anyway, Your Majesty. To be completely honest…”

After Victor left, the Treasury Minister laughed softly.

“His Highness the Crown Prince is too perfect—he shines brighter than anyone in the Empire, which might actually make him less attractive to Miss Namia. But our Victor is different. He’s now her talented subordinate.”

“How amusing, Marquis. Are you trying to challenge me in a daughter-in-law competition?”

“I’d certainly lose in a son contest, but when it comes to daughters-in-law? I’d say it’s worth betting on.”

The Treasury Minister remained composed, even in the face of the Emperor’s teasing. Paradoxically, it was this composure that earned the Emperor’s trust.

“If that foolish son of mine gets carried away by emotions and starts acting all proud, reminiscing about the past instead of humbling himself… then victory will be a long shot.”

“Hmm, but by your logic, wouldn’t she be more likely to fall for someone even lower down in the ranks than your son, the team leader?”

The Emperor chuckled mischievously. But inwardly, he was a bundle of nerves.

This is bad. Really bad. What do I do now…?

***

With Victor gone just as Kiaros had asked, only he and I remained on the balcony. Feeling awkward, I glanced at him and started to speak.

“Um, well… I came out here to get some air. I didn’t expect you to show up so soon… I guess that letter from the Mage Tower Lord wasn’t anything serious?”

“Not quite.”

Kiaros slowly stepped closer and stood beside me.

“It was serious. It’s about the Reformist Faction.”

“Huh? The Reformists, all of a sudden?”

“He finally confessed everything. Turns out, he’s been investigating the Reformists this whole time.”

Wait—was the reason the Mage Tower Lord had been neglecting the Scroll Department all this time… something so noble and grand?

Eyes wide, I asked:

“And why is he suddenly revealing this beautiful tale of self-sacrifice just now?”

“It wasn’t all that self-sacrificing… Apparently, his daughter is a high-ranking member of the Reformists. He just wanted to secretly get her out before the Imperial family caught wind.”

That was genuinely shocking. I clicked my tongue in disbelief.

“You’re kidding me… The Mage Tower Princess, who has everything, joined the Reformists…?”

“Oh, there was something she lacked.”

Kiaros answered calmly.

“She couldn’t use magic at all.”

“…What?”

Something didn’t add up.

My father had said the Mage Tower Lord’s daughter was extremely gifted and destined to inherit the Tower…