The Low-Ranking Civil Servant Wants to Achieve Success-Chapter 30

Kiaros slowly nodded.

At least now he knew her feelings.

She wanted to marry him. It seemed he had been right to inquire about the ceremonial hall's schedule after all.

Namia gave a small smile and bowed slightly.

"Well, I’ll be going now, Mr. Kibon. Thank you very much. Ah, and also for helping me carry the box back then."

"...No. Doing what your superior asks is only natural."

When she mentioned the box, Kiaros’s gaze deepened slightly.

This would probably be the last time he met her under the guise of Kibon.

[Actually, I assigned him a task and he seemed to hate it... I wondered if he hated even talking to me...]

So now was the only chance to clear up the misunderstanding.

He wanted to tell her.

That he didn’t hate her — in fact, he respected her greatly.

"That department was such a mess, I just thought there was nothing to learn there."

"Ah..."

"It wasn’t because I disliked you. On the contrary, I was curious why you stayed in such a place."

"Well, it’s not like I was in a position where I could make noise..."

"Is that so? Anyway, if I ever return, I would like to learn a lot from you."

"Learn, huh... It’s not about learning. You just copy whatever you’re told to do."

Namia answered with her usual lifeless eyes.

Of course, Kiaros had decided not to misinterpret that hollow look anymore.

"Anyway, I’ll get going."

With a short nod, Namia went back into the courtroom.

Kiaros stood there blankly, watching her receding figure.

'It’s only natural she wouldn’t pour her heart out to a foreign intern she’s only met twice.'

From her perspective, Kibon Altess wasn’t close to her at all.

Kiaros slowly made his way back inside the building, heading toward the bathroom to avoid other people's eyes.

There was no longer any need for the guise of Kibon Altess.

'Well, I doubt I’ll ever need this appearance again anyway...'

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He changed back and removed the hood.

In the mirror, the familiar face of Kiaros stared back at him.

He straightened his tousled hair once and exited the bathroom.

It was then—

"Your Highness!"

It was the loyal aide he had sent to the Imperial Palace ceremonial hall before the trial began.

The aide immediately came up and reported.

"I checked the reservation situation at the Imperial Palace ceremonial hall."

Kiaros gestured for him to continue, and the aide said,

"It’s fully booked until next fall."

"What? Next fall?"

"Yes. The Imperial Palace ceremonial hall is considered one of the greatest benefits for civil servants. Even high-ranking nobles desperately want to get married there."

Sure, he knew reservations were tough, but this was worse than expected.

Kiaros clicked his tongue, but the aide added,

"However, there is a spot open two weeks from now, on the weekend."

"What? I thought it was booked until next summer."

"A couple who were scheduled to marry canceled after breaking off their engagement. That slot is expected to be taken quickly."

"Is that so?"

Kiaros frowned slightly.

[If it’s with His Highness the Crown Prince... in my current situation, I think I would marry him...]

His deduction so far had been rational.

She clearly had said it would be good to marry the Crown Prince.

'Then... maybe she would prefer a marriage as soon as possible.'

She had supposedly severed ties with her uncle, Baron Roafi.

Maybe she wanted to establish a new family quickly.

Kiaros gave a low order to his aide.

"Just in case, reserve that spot at the ceremonial hall."

"Sir? Under whose name?"

"My name—no, wait, that might cause rumors. Reserve it under your name for now."

"...Excuse me?"

The aide’s pupils wavered.

He was also unmarried.

Naturally, being ordered to reserve a wedding venue without even having a fiancée was quite confusing.

"It’s not definite yet."

Noticing the aide’s emotions, Kiaros soothed him.

If it turned out Namia wasn’t that girl, or if it was just a passing comment and she didn’t actually want to marry him, he would cancel it immediately.

'It’s just preparation for an uncertain situation.'

No matter how he looked at it, it was a very rational decision.

"If something is decided, I’ll change it to my name."

"Yes, understood. But... to make the reservation, they require the bride’s name as well."

"The bride’s name? Is it necessary?"

Kiaros was flustered, and the aide answered,

"Well, we could say she’s a commoner from the provinces whose birth was not properly registered, and just list a nickname."

"Then put a nickname."

"What should I list?"

Having lived his entire life inside the rigid structure of the Imperial Palace, Kiaros had no clue about nicknames.

He furrowed his brows and muttered whatever came to mind.

"...Na, Nami? Would that work? Or Mia?"

"Hmm?"

The aide’s eyes widened in shock.

"Are you thinking of naming Miss Namia Roafi as the bride?"

Kiaros himself was startled by the words.

He furrowed his brows and muttered,

"...I thought you didn’t pick up on things easily."

"I can pick up this much. My apologies."

The aide apologized politely, then answered sincerely.

"So the rumors were true after all. I heard this morning that you two were getting married."

"If you heard a rumor the Crown Prince’s aide didn’t know, doesn’t that suggest it’s probably a false rumor?"

"That's what I thought. But it seems I was lacking."

The aide even looked like he had realized something deep.

"So that’s why Your Highness had such an amused expression throughout the trial. Because Miss Namia was there."

"Amused?"

Kiaros spoke curtly.

"This is an important trial related to {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} Her Majesty the Empress. It was just... slightly interesting."

"My apologies. Anyway, so there was a reason you kept watching Miss Namia."

"Watching her? I was just observing because she was suspicious. Suspicious in many ways."

"My apologies. But even though she’s suspicious, you were quietly observing her without intervening."

"Quietly observing? I left her alone because she seemed to be helping me. And she’s my benefactor too."

"My apologies. But... without consulting the benefactor, you’re already reserving the wedding hall."

"That’s—!"

That girl from the South might not even be Namia.

In that case, of course, the reservation would be canceled.

"I can cancel. It’s because nothing’s certain yet. If it looks like it won’t work out, cancel it immediately."

"My apologies. However—"

"Go, quickly. The trial will start soon."

"Yes, understood."

Despite his lack of tact, the aide was fiercely loyal. He immediately turned and ran off.

Kiaros chuckled lightly and turned his gaze forward.

'Well, let’s watch this till the end.'

He had already guessed that Namia and Fron were working together in this ridiculous trial.

Fron was the one speaking.

But he could distinguish which parts were Fron's words and which were Namia’s influence.

'Namia Roafi, you...'

A gaunt civil servant, blinking vacantly, body slack and weak.

Suspicious, strange, completely unpredictable — his benefactor.

And maybe... the girl he had promised marriage to.

'Let’s see how she plans to steer this bizarre trial.'

That morning, he had only thought it would be an irritating, awkward trial.

But now, thanks to Namia’s unexpected appearance, it had become downright fascinating.

[It's not like I was in a position where I could make noise...]

The Scroll Management Department she had been quietly crushed under suddenly felt even more annoying to him.

'Once this trial ends, I’ll have to wrap this matter up properly.'

If Namia really was that girl from the South, he intended to bring up marriage right away.