The Low-Ranking Civil Servant Wants to Achieve Success-Chapter 6

Luka couldn’t speak for a while, just silently opening and closing his mouth.

I gave an awkward shrug and added,

“Well, I mean... after that first test, your grades were way better than mine anyway...”

Luka’s green eyes suddenly flashed with seriousness.

“That’s because you intentionally tanked every single exam after that! You hit the exact minimum score just enough to squeak into the palace!”

“Hmm.”

“Maybe other people didn’t notice, but I’m smart enough to see right through that!”

Honestly, this wasn’t the first time Luka had thrown a fit like this.

He was the only one who had ever been fixated on the fact that I’d taken first place in the entrance exam.

Back at the academy, every time test results were posted, he’d rush over to my seat like he had something stored with me, and glare at my mediocre scores.

‘He used to rant about how we were rivals, even though our scores were worlds apart. Guess he still hasn’t grown out of that.’

I thought that after graduation, his obsession had ended...

Turns out it hadn’t. We’d just been in different departments, so there was no chance to talk.

“A-Anyway! You were the first rival I ever had, and I still want to compete with you—even if it’s in something else!”

“Ah... sure...”

“Hey, normally you’d ask what the competition is about, right?”

“Not really feeling that motivated...”

“Hey!”

Well, truth is... Luka wasn’t wrong.

Except for the academy entrance exam, I’d never once performed at my full potential.

Even during the civil service selection, I only aimed for the exact cutoff score needed to pass.

‘Of course, I’m the one who wrote Juan’s hiring report, too.’

Juan had spent that time studying hard for the written exam. That’s the only reason he got an average score there.

‘Not that it was anything unusual.’

Even back at the academy, I’d always done Juan’s assignments. That’s why his project grades were always perfect.

[“Don’t discourage our precious Juan, okay?”]

And my salary too...

Updat𝓮d from frёewebnoѵēl.com.

[“Write down your bank info here for your salary deposit.”]

I was in my fourth year, but I’d never received a single paycheck. The only money I ever saw came from overtime.

It was barely anything—but to someone like me who’d never had money before, it was precious.

Because I had something I absolutely needed to save up for.

“Namia, then let’s compete in promotion speed. Let’s see who rises higher in this organization!”

“Mm... You’ve already won. You’ll keep winning. Happy now?”

When I replied flatly, Luka looked frustrated again.

I looked at him—emotions swinging wildly—and gave him a sincere piece of advice.

“You should really stop getting hung up on me and start living your own life, Luka.”

“And what about you? Are you living your life properly?”

Luka clenched his fist and shouted, like he couldn’t hold it in any longer.

“You’re only living like this because of your family, right? It’s obvious! I’d give up too if I lost all my pay anyway!”

He was trying hard to hide his pity behind anger.

“Fine, that was understandable during the academy days. But Namia Roafi, you’re an adult now. There’s no reason for you to keep living like this.”

He moved his lips a little, then let out a long sigh.

“I don’t know everything you’re going through, and yeah, I know it’s super presumptuous to say this but... just cut ties and live your own life. Drop those dead-fish eyes, and start using your skills for once!”

I lowered my gaze, apparently having been harshly criticized for my dead-fish eyes.

Then I stayed silent for a while.

‘Wow, he actually said all that. Must’ve been really shocked about my malnutrition.’

Luka had gotten ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) worked up in front of me countless times before, yelling stuff like, “Show your true skills! Let’s face each other fair and square!”

But this was the first time he’d gone so far as to bring up my family situation and try to coach me.

“Ahem! Ahem-ahem!”

When I stayed quiet too long, Luka started sneaking glances at me.

As the silence stretched on, he awkwardly cleared his throat and muttered,

“I-if I crossed a l-line or anything, I’m s-s-s...”

I let out a quiet sigh. Then turned to look at him, speaking slowly.

“Yeah, you’re right... You really are insane.”

“That’s not what I meant! I was just trying to apologize—wait, huh?”

Luka, who looked ready to start ranting again, froze when he saw my eyes.

Probably because—for once—they had focus.

“You were right about one thing. You don’t know everything about me.”

My usual half-assed tone had turned serious, and Luka’s eyes widened.

Because contrary to what he thought, I was doing my best in my own way.

I had a clear goal—one no one else knew about.

‘I’m going to keep hanging on and surviving until I stop that war. And I will find my real father. Until then, I don’t care if I don’t get to use my full potential.’

Silence settled over the hospital room.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

Luka sighed deeply. The heat had faded from him, but his sigh still sounded helpless.

I smiled softly and spoke again.

“But I know you meant well. Thanks, Luka.”

Since our academy days, our dynamic had always been like this.

So this was the first real conversation we’d had.

Maybe it was also the first time I’d ever shown someone my true feelings.

Maybe it was just that... it had been so long since anyone worried about me.

Even if that someone had always annoyed me by calling me his “rival,” Luka Class.

“I’m not planning to live like this forever. I’ve got my own reasons. There’s something I have to get from those people.”

Luka bit his lower lip like he couldn’t stand it, then chuckled weakly.

“But what are you gonna do now?”

“Huh?”

“Everyone’s going to know now, Namia Roafi. That you’re insanely talented.”

He looked at me triumphantly.

“If you really wanted to keep your abilities hidden, you shouldn’t have written 172 scrolls. There’s already rumors flying around that you made 166 scrolls by yourself and activated them all at once.”

“Oh, that?”

I fell back into my usual uninterested expression.

No one understood the utter dysfunction of our department better than I did.

“You really don’t know the Scroll Management Department, do you? We’re consistently thorough—about being a mess.”

I calmly explained my future.

“They already reported only six scrolls. There’s no way they’d let a rumor spread that I made 166 of them myself.”

“...What?”

“They’ll probably cover it up by saying I messed up the inventory report. And then I’ll get disciplined.”

“That’s insane! What kind of garbage organization— I mean, at least the Magic Tower should—!”

“The Magic Tower doesn’t give a damn about the outside world, and there’s no reason they’d ever hear about this. And no one’s going to tell them.”

I said flatly.

“If anyone’s going to even pretend to care, it’d be the Crown Prince. Maybe he’ll throw me a commendation or something.”

I didn’t care if I got punished or not. That commendation was my real goal.

With that, I’d get to meet Kiaros one more time.

To actively intervene in the events of the original story, you needed power.

But I had no money, no position, no authority.

‘Ugh, why am I the one who remembers the original story anyway? Would’ve been way more efficient if someone rich and powerful like Kiaros had remembered it instead.’

A low-level civil servant like me can’t stop something like a war. Only someone with Kiaros’s level of power can.

So I made up my mind.

I was going to stick to Kiaros like glue and feed him every hint about the future I could.