The Low-Ranking Civil Servant Wants to Achieve Success

“...What?”
“You're one of His Highness the Crown Prince’s people, aren’t you?”

“……”
“It all makes sense now. The Empress suspected you were suspicious, and you had that absurd level of physical ability too.”
Kibon’s eyes quietly darted around, his expression clearly flustered. Of course, I didn’t bring this up to interrogate him or anything.

“Did His Highness explain things to you already? From now on, we’re not just Scroll Department employees. We’ll be working directly for the Crown Prince.”
I continued sweetly.
“But I’m not really sure what your actual position is. If you’re, like, a director of some secret organization or something, it’s kind of awkward for me to keep bossing you around like before…”

“You can still boss me around.”
I was basically trying to renegotiate our hierarchy, but Kibon, who’d been stunned into silence, answered quickly.
“You’re my superior, Minister. You can order me around as much as you want.”

“Oh, really? For real?”
That was a reassuring answer.
But just in case he had gotten a sudden promotion or something, I tested the waters a little.

“Until when?”
Kibon stared directly at me and replied without hesitation.
“Forever.”

Is it because he’s a foreigner that there’s a limit to how far he can be promoted?
Well, he said it himself, so there was no reason to argue.
So I immediately gave him instructions.

“First, go drop by the Scroll Department office. There’s something I want to find.”
“What should I retrieve?”
“It’s something I was privately researching back when I was still a bottom-ranker, just to kill time… But after the department cleanup, I can’t remember where I put it. I’m sure I didn’t throw it away.”
I looked Kibon straight in the eye and continued.

“You’re not the one who’s going to find it. Just pass the message along to Anastasia and Victor.”
It pained me to suspect either of them, but that’s exactly why I needed to catch the culprit fast—for my own peace of mind.
“It’s a research report on special scrolls made with blood instead of scroll ink. Tell them to contact me right away if they find it.”

“Yes, understood.”
“And also, reserve the production room under my name while I’m on vacation. You probably won’t be able to do it yourself. Only team leaders and above have access rights.”
“Yes.”

“Lastly, on your way back, deliver this letter to His Highness the Crown Prince.”
“Understood.”
Kibon replied as usual, then looked me in the eyes and added:

“Please don’t go out alone. And if there’s anything you’re uncomfortable with, say it right away—no matter the hour.”
It was only after Kibon left that I understood what he meant by that.
There were no more 'off hours' for him—he was now on standby for me, always.

***
Kiaros was busy.
He visited the Scroll Department in Kibon’s appearance to deliver my message, then switched to his real self to meet the Emperor and interrogate the Education Minister.

“He was spouting some bizarre nonsense. Said that through experiments, he’d come to perceive the world as a book—like a literal book—and could thus see the future.”
“A book...?”
“So maybe that’s how they predicted your second blackout period…”

The Emperor let out a short chuckle.
“They attacked right during your blackout, so now the future they saw has probably changed, don’t you think? Which means their prediction’s no longer valid.”
“Then they probably ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) ran a similar experiment again. To read the new future.”

“That’s what I think too. But it seems they haven’t figured that one out yet.”
Kiaros frowned deeply, his expression turning grim.
Even for a Dragonblood, going up against people who could see the future wasn’t going to be easy.

“By the way, Kiaros…”
The Emperor took his son’s hand with a worried look.
“I heard you kidnapped and locked up Lady Namia. That was consensual, right?”

“...It wouldn’t be called kidnapping and confinement if it were consensual, would it.”
“I just got nervous, that’s all.”
The Emperor huffed anxiously.

Kiaros sighed and took a sip of the water in front of him.
“It’s not hard for us to attract ordinary humans. We’ve got looks, wealth, status, and power. She seems like someone who’d like all those things, so I thought winning her over would be easy—but after that banquet, I’ve got a feeling it won’t work on her.”
“That’s what I thought too.”

“The Finance Minister told me that Namia isn’t the type to be drawn to someone above her. She doesn’t feel affection by bending over backwards for others or pandering to superiors...”
“That’s also true.”
“What if—just what if—she ends up falling for the youngest guy in the Scroll Department instead, huh?”

“Pffft!”
The youngest one in the Scroll Department was, of course, Kibon. Kiaros spat out the water he’d just drunk.
“I spoke with the Empress last time, and she said that intern or secretary—whatever he is—was very good-looking. Shouldn’t you fire him immediately?”

“I-I’ll be going now.”
“Kiaros, running away won’t solve this! She’s going to be hard to win over. What if you just confess to her again?”
The Emperor hurriedly grabbed his son’s sleeve as he tried to stand up.

“I will. But I’ll handle it myself.”
“But how are you going to fix this very serious problem?!”
“There are bigger issues at hand, so I don’t need to stress about solving this one right now.”

At Kiaros’s serious tone, the Emperor clutched the back of his neck.
Kiaros let out a deep sigh and left the Emperor’s room, heading for his own chambers.
His face was filled with fatigue.

Haa... What am I even supposed to do about this…
As soon as he stepped into his room, he let out a shaky breath and began to think.
His aide immediately followed behind him, arms full of documents.

“Your Highness, these are the reports from the Ravens.”
“...Right.”
It was background info on Anastasia and Victor.

But the Emperor’s talk of “confession” and “problem-solving” had left his brain too scrambled to focus on them.
He was aware that there were plenty of suspicious things about Namia.
But ever since talking to the Emperor, he found himself imagining the after—what it would be like once all the mysteries around her were finally resolved.

“Hey.”
Kiaros spoke, unusually, in a very cautious tone.
“Let’s say, just hypothetically. Very hypothetically.”

“...Are you talking to me, Your Highness?”
The aide flinched in surprise. Kiaros frowned and asked:
“Who else would I be talking to right now?”

“Sorry, it’s just—I’ve never seen Your Highness this nervous before. Not even when you proposed to Lady Namia.”
“That’s not a memory I want to relive.”
“Apologies. I will never again mention the time Your Highness arranged the entire wedding venue only to be rejected.”

“Anyway.”
Kiaros took a deep breath and continued.
“Let’s say there’s someone who’s been hiding their identity for a long time, fooling you completely. And you fell for it.”

“Ooh.”
The aide’s eyes sparkled with interest.
“That guy sounds like a total piece of shit, doesn’t he? Someone who deceived me that long? That’s one vile, shady bastard.”

“Okay, but what if that vile and shady bastard confesses? Tells you the truth and says, ‘Actually, I like you.’ How would you react?”
“Huh? What truth?”
“That they’ve been lying to you this whole time. That they’re actually someone you couldn’t even imagine, and... they like you.”

The aide immediately waved his hands in revulsion and shouted.
“Ugh, gross! That’s so shameless! Disgusting! Creepy!”
“W-wait—”

“All those good times we had together would feel meaningless! I wouldn’t even know how to trust anyone again! I'd probably just throw water in their face!”
Kiaros squeezed his eyes shut. His head was pounding.