The Low-Ranking Civil Servant Wants to Achieve Success-Chapter 28

[But why are you helping me?]

[Oson is my supervisor. I know him better than anyone. That’s why I truly think this whole situation is suspicious. I want to help Your Majesty the Empress.]

The Empress wasn't exactly sharp, but she wasn’t an idiot either.

[Let’s say, like you said, I just stubbornly claim that guy is suspicious and drag out time.]

[Yes.]

[That won’t solve anything. Even if it were me, I’d find myself more suspicious. Just picking out some random civil servant for a trap investigation? Someone like me, who's never even looked at an official document before?]

[That’s true.]

I gently handed her another scroll and spoke soothingly.

[But the future is unpredictable. If you just hold out long enough, a miracle opportunity might come along.]

[Huh?]

[Your Majesty has family, right? Family who would do anything to save you, family who loves you.]

Just saying the word "family" made my chest tighten.

I had once had exactly one family member who ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) would do anything for me.

And I would have done anything for them too.

At my words, the Empress lowered her gaze.

[I'm doing this so I don't cause trouble for those loving family members.]

[Well... maybe rather than fearing being a burden, enduring and exposing the true mastermind behind the Crown Prince’s assassination attempt would be the true duty of a royal knight.]

When I answered, the Empress chuckled dryly.

Then she said, “Let’s trust you once,” and accepted the scroll I handed her.

[So according to you, that bastard Oson really is suspicious. I don’t care if I end up falsely accused, but if the accusation misleads the investigation and hides the true culprit behind the Crown Prince’s attack, that's a real problem.]

[Yes. I think there’s definitely someone backing up my team leader. He's not the type to act for the sake of the Imperial Family. A proper investigation is needed.]

And just like that, we became a team.

'All we need is to stall enough that a verdict isn’t reached. Just like this.'

From the start, my plan wasn't to create a perfect alibi.

The events had already happened — making a flawless excuse was impossible.

As the recess began and the courtroom descended into confusion, I rose slowly, thinking,

'His Majesty the Emperor will arrive soon.'

In the original story, he suddenly returns to the capital around this time.

After hearing the news that "Kiaros is dead."

'Everyone is completely stunned at that moment.'

Because it’s only been a single day since the news broke, and yet the Emperor appears at the palace.

'Even though it should take a month of carriage travel to get there...'

A special ability unique to Dragonbloods that they never reveal even to other royals.

'The Emperor’s special ability is long-distance teleportation.'

No matter how far, he could travel anywhere within a day.

He had hidden it all his life, only revealing it because of Kiaros's supposed death.

'After that, he rules for about another year before passing away.'

Kiaros must have informed the Emperor about the Empress’s situation yesterday.

So the Emperor, who loved the Empress deeply, would come running instantly.

And after that... well, the Emperor would handle everything.

'The Empress will try to use this as a chance to expose the true mastermind.'

She wasn’t grasping at me to save herself but to ensure a real investigation would happen.

As long as the Empress didn’t confess voluntarily, the Emperor would protect her at all costs.

'Not that I care how exactly they manage it...'

The critical point was making sure a verdict wasn’t reached before then.

Once a verdict was passed, not even the Emperor could overturn it.

'Anyway, that’s how much the Emperor loves his family. Enough to reveal a secret ability he had hidden even from his own children.'

Thus, the Emperor’s power was publicly revealed even in the original story.

Prince Jaden, being the protagonist, had his own special abilities described in detail...

'Come to think of it, Kiaros’s special ability was never revealed.'

He died too early for his power to ever be written.

Even Jaden didn’t know his older brother’s ability because it was a top secret.

'Whatever it is, since he’s Dragonblood, it must be something amazing, right?'

I glanced at Kiaros, who was standing firm inside the courtroom.

'His Highness the Crown Prince...'

He was exchanging a few words with the Minister of Justice, looking flawlessly beautiful.

He looked so strong that no one would ever guess he was in his "blackout period."

'Seems like he’s as good of a person as he is handsome.'

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He even made sure to get me a meal voucher and tried to properly thank me.

But he was someone impossibly far away from me.

Far enough that I couldn’t even dream of speaking to him casually.

'It’s really hard to get closer to him.'

I slowly turned my gaze away from Kiaros.

The courtroom was chaotic with people standing up and moving about.

I blended into the crowd and left the courtroom to visit the bathroom once.

After coming out of the bathroom, I checked the time. There was still plenty of recess left.

'Well, no need to go back early.'

I peeked toward the courtroom from afar.

Kiaros, too, seemed to be getting up, maybe heading for the restroom.

No point going back just to sit there bored.

'Maybe I’ll take a walk around nearby.'

Stretching a little, I stepped into the garden located outside the courtroom entrance.

And then—

"Namia Roafi?"

Someone suddenly grabbed my wrist from behind.

The unexpected contact and unfamiliar voice made chills run down my spine.

"What is this?"

Startled, I whipped around.

The man gripping my wrist was a middle-aged stranger.

He didn’t look like a civil servant — maybe a noble visiting for the trial?

"This is our first time speaking, haha."

He kept talking without letting go of my wrist.

"I’m Howard Olten."

"What?"

"I spoke to Baron Roafi — maybe you haven’t heard yet?"

"...What?"

Olten? He said he spoke to Baron Roafi?

My brain started spinning quickly.

[The eldest son of the Olten merchant group... said he really liked you.]

I quickly pieced it together.

This was the old guy Baron Roafi had tried to marry me off to, the one who supposedly "liked" me?

As I blinked in disbelief, he flashed his yellow teeth in a grin.

"I visited the Roafi household a few times. The vacant, sorrowful look in your eyes and that gloomy complexion... exactly my type."

"Good grief."

I stared at him with disgust and muttered.

"Just admit it. You like women twenty years younger, about to be sold off because of debt."

I yanked at my wrist, trying to free myself, and shot back,

"Didn’t Baron Roafi tell you? I said no very clearly."

Howard Olten, as he introduced himself, didn’t seem to think my opinion mattered much.

Well, that shamelessness was probably required to propose to a girl young enough to be his daughter.

He shrugged nonchalantly and said,

"Then your father will just go bankrupt. Are you willing to watch that happen as his daughter?"

"I’ll watch with popcorn and a big smile. Thanks to you, I already cut ties with him."

I said firmly.

He frowned at that.

"Then let’s forget your father. I still want you, Miss Roafi."

"Get a grip, will you? Pull out a hand mirror and take a good look at yourself. Might help you understand the situation."

"Haha, well, I recently bought a baron title too. I’m a wealthy nobleman now. Doesn’t that make me more appealing?"

"I’m about to throw up what I had for breakfast..."

It was truly disgusting and infuriating. Just then, I noticed some Imperial Knights passing nearby.

'Let’s see... harassment of a civil servant plus obstruction of official duties... Yep, time to send him to prison.'

I was about to scream at the top of my lungs—

When a young man's chilling voice came from behind me.

"Let her go."