The Low-Ranking Civil Servant Wants to Achieve Success
Chapter 125

My plan was simple.

I would head to the High Temple in Parens, which seemed to be the Reformist faction’s base of operations.

I’d rotate between attack scrolls, defense scrolls, flare scrolls, and firework scrolls, and just blast the whole place to pieces.

I’d meet the Master of the Tower and my dad, who were probably already infiltrating the place.

Then I’d use a teleport scroll to get the two of them out safely, and after that—whether I lived or died didn’t matter...

“It’s all or nothing at this point.”

That was the big realization I had.

“So that’s it!”

Up until now, the reason I’d been so meticulous with plans and schemes and worked myself to the bone—was because I had no power.

“If your body’s strong, your brain doesn’t have to suffer.”

But instead of ending up in Parens where the High Temple was, I’d arrived in a small village where I’d spent my childhood. Teleportation scrolls could only take you to coordinates the caster knew precisely.

It was a rural town with a small school—where my dad had once worked—and a library, where I’d saved Kiaros once.

Thanks to that, I got to see the ocean again for the first time in a long while.

“The weather’s nice.”

Couples holding hands were walking along the beach beside the vast, blue sea.

Some of them were even goofing around in the surf, one carrying the other on their back, laughing as they got their feet wet.

Seeing that made someone come to mind.

“Kibon...”

I sat down on the sand and gazed at the waves for a long time.

I had wanted to see Kibon one last time before I left, but I just didn’t have the courage.

If I revealed I was an experimental subject... I was afraid he’d make a disgusted face.

[Still, I’m sorry. This must be upsetting...]

[I’m not upset. Minister, are you upset?]

The thrill and heat in his voice when he asked that—it had been so vivid, I still remembered it clearly.

[...No.]

And the shy way I’d had to answer back then.

[...I like it.]

[Me too.]

I don’t know exactly when it started, but I liked being around him.

I liked that there was someone who would unconditionally follow /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ my lead.

In a world where nothing ever went my way, Kibon was the one thing that did.

“It was probably way back. A long time ago.”

Thinking back, I even wanted to have the first dance at the banquet with Kibon.

That’s probably why I’d been able to say to Kiaros, without hesitation, “I’ll be going now.”

And just thinking of Kiaros made me sigh.

When I’d brushed off our little scandal like it was nothing, Kiaros had replied like this:

[Really? So that’s what Miss Namia thought of it.]

Then, after a pause, he added:

[Or maybe... that’s what she wanted to believe.]

I hadn’t been able to respond to that. Because it was the truth.

I didn’t want Kiaros to think I was special in that way.

I wanted to believe that he wasn’t reacting much to the rumors because he was in his blackout period.

“Because I already like someone else...”

Kiaros was a good person. I didn’t want to hurt him.

But the way he looked at me, and the things he’d mutter under his breath—there was definite affection in them.

I didn’t know why he came to like me. But maybe it wasn’t so strange. We hadn’t been complete strangers.

If I hadn’t fallen for Kibon first, there had been plenty of moments when I might’ve fallen for Kiaros instead.

“I can’t dump that kind of burden on someone like him.”

Kiaros was in a position where he might have to kill me for the Empire.

I couldn’t bear to be the one who made someone kill the woman they loved. And that went for Kibon too.

That’s why I left just a letter.

Since this was probably the end, I put everything I wanted to say as a woman, not as his boss.

I thought long and hard about how to write it—and ended up going with the format I was best at.

“To think my first and last confession would be written...”

I let out a long sigh and dusted off the sand as I stood.

I’d sorted through my feelings. Now I had to hurry and rescue my dad and the Master of the Tower.

“The High Temple of Parens.”

An enormous and ancient structure, so complicated it was often called a labyrinth—just entering it was said to be near impossible.

Its structure made it impossible for experimental subjects to escape, and the Master of the Tower was likely lost inside as well.

“Let’s go.”

I clutched the strap of the crossbag full of scrolls the Master had packed for me, and set off.

***

“...Kiaros?”

The Emperor frowned as he looked at Kiaros, who had suddenly gone blank.

“Kiaros? You were just talking normally. What’s...”

The Emperor couldn’t finish his sentence. Kiaros didn’t even wait to listen—he suddenly bolted.

“Kiaros!”

The Emperor reached out in surprise, but at that moment, his attendant burst in.

“Your Majesty! The High Priest was just caught attempting to assassinate His Highness the Crown Prince!”

The Emperor blinked in shock.

“Kiaros? Is he okay? No—he must be. I just saw him.”

Chances were, he’d arrived faster than the attendant. So he was probably fine.

Since most of the Reformist pursuit was left to Kiaros, the Emperor wasn’t up to date on what had happened after the Education Minister’s arrest.

“The High Priest? He tried to kill Kiaros? How dare he?”

“Yes. According to the Crows, His Highness had already suspected the High Priest was behind the Reformists, and was investigating the Temple. Thanks to Miss Namia’s actions, it’s now confirmed that Victor Arwin is one of them as well...”

The flood of new information made the Emperor press a hand to his forehead. But being the exceptional Dragonblood he was, he quickly processed everything.

“I see. I understand.”

His crimson eyes gleamed coldly.

“If the High Priest has been captured, then we can’t leave the Temple untouched. Formalities and religious respect aside—we need to destroy the High Temple.”

Destroying that massive, labyrinthine structure?

The meaning was simple.

The current Emperor, Fedwin Polariwood, would transform into a dragon and reduce it to rubble, leaving no trace behind.

***

Kiaros was tearing across the palace in a frenzy.

Which meant every palace servant got to witness His Highness’s full-speed sprint for a second time.

The always elegant, dignified man was now running in uniform like a madman...

“What the—has he lost his mind?”

“I heard Miss Namia escaped?”

“Wait, it really was imprisonment? I thought the Empress just phrased it badly...”

He looked like a total lunatic.

And with the attendant’s confirmation that Namia had disappeared, rumors in the palace were spreading like wildfire.

Regardless, Kiaros, panting heavily, came to a stop in front of an old, shabby bench.

A forgotten bench near the palace’s inner temple—one nobody ever paid attention to.

[This is the ugliest bench in the whole palace, but... let’s come back here someday.]

She’d clearly said that at random, just pointing at whatever was nearby.

And yet, that little move—not even subtle—had made him feel like he was walking on air.

That night had felt like a dream. And the more time passed, the more vivid it became.

[Starting from that day... I think this will be my favorite bench in the palace.]

It had been a lie.

Truthfully, from that exact moment—that bench was his favorite.

Because it was the first place Namia had made him a personal suggestion.

[She went out briefly at night. Took a secluded path near the temple. Came back not long after.]

She must’ve stopped by this bench.

Sure enough, tucked into the ivy-covered corner of the bench was a single letter.

With trembling hands, he opened it. The handwriting was unmistakable—neat, proper, Namia’s.

But the start of the letter was...

<Title>

Status Report and Proposal on Namia Roafi’s Emotions

<Contents>

1. Background and Objective

2. Main Text and Theoretical Basis

3. Results and Discussion

4 Conclusion

It was... written like a formal report.

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