Chapter 60
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Chapter 60
Kibon still hadn't emerged from the Men's Restroom.
I waited before the door, my thoughts drifting to what lay ahead.
'As for the original story... there shouldn't be any major incidents for a while.'
Truth be told, I'd twisted the original narrative far too much already.
'Crown Prince Kiaros is handling the investigation into the mastermind well enough. Beyond keeping watch on the Scroll Department staff, there's honestly nothing more I can do...'
Which meant there was something else I needed to address at this particular moment.
My eyes deepened as I sank further into contemplation.
'Perhaps it's time I tried to save the original story's protagonist.'
Crown Prince Kiaros's half-brother and the Young Prince born of Empress Fron.
An eight-year-old child currently being called a "brat with no manners" in various circles.
'Jayden Polariud, that is.'
Jayden's special ability hadn't awakened yet.
At present, he himself didn't even know what power he possessed.
'If the Young Prince's special ability manifests, it would be tremendously helpful in the current situation.'
Without my intervention, it would naturally awaken years later, just as the original story dictated...
'But such an incredible power would be such a waste to leave dormant.'
And besides...
'It wouldn't be the mark of a responsible adult to ignore a child capable of such power being abused.'
I knew all too well what hardships the protagonist endured in his childhood, yet until now I'd been unable to intervene.
But circumstances had changed.
'I can now make contact with the Royal Family.'
When Jayden was mentioned, the Empress's expression remained vivid in my memory.
Endlessly sorrowful and anxious...
I wanted to resolve the misunderstanding between them as well.
'In the original story, it's a misunderstanding that goes unresolved until the Empress's death, but now that she's alive...'
If I carefully wove together the threads of the original narrative, this moment was perfectly timed to execute my plan.
* * *
The nosebleed stopped quickly. Kiaros gazed at his reflection in the mirror.
A pale young man with black hair—Intern Kibon.
I'd grown quite accustomed to this appearance by now.
'Human bodies are certainly far too fragile.'
The Dark Age had never been something I could adapt to.
I could go entire months without sleep without issue, yet a mere few nights of lost rest brought nosebleeds.
'Perhaps I've been pushing too hard lately. It certainly has been exhausting.'
Namia made sure to send me home at exactly ten o'clock. Yet my duties didn't end there.
I had to attend to my responsibilities as Crown Prince until morning came.
Though the Emperor handled all Imperial matters, tracking down the mastermind fell to me.
'But...'
Kiaros wiped beneath his nose, his thoughts drifting unbidden.
'...Today was actually rather entertaining.'
Then I was startled by my own thought.
Entertaining? That grueling work?
...Honestly, while working late into the night, my chest felt tight and ached.
But the exhilaration of finally extracting a sevenfold answer from the Finance Minister was quite extraordinary.
'I've always orchestrated the game myself. This is my first time supporting someone else's board...'
Crown Prince Kiaros blinked. Then he slapped his own cheek.
'Get a grip. Exhaustion has scrambled my mind.'
He washed his face.
'Now I should have some breathing room.'
Namia's first budget acquisition—the matter that had consumed her attention—was finally complete.
According to Namia, there wouldn't be such demanding work anymore.
[Victor will be arriving soon. Once he does, the workload will decrease significantly. Just endure a little longer.]
I couldn't understand why that prospect didn't feel welcoming...
In any case, once I had some free time, there was something I needed to do.
'I should visit the Separate Palace.'
The Separate Palace was the residence of Jayden, the Young Prince.
My younger brother, with whom there was a significant age gap—Jayden.
To me, he had always been a well-mannered and properly-behaved exemplary child.
'Yet I don't understand why everyone says he's so disrespectful...'
The Emperor cherished Jayden. But due to his illness, he couldn't care for him as meticulously as he once had for me.
His birth mother, the Empress, kept her distance from Jayden quite coldly.
'In any case, I'm the only one who can look after that boy.'
From my perspective, Jayden was a remarkably mature young man. The reports from his teachers showed excellent academic achievement as well.
He simply had no friends his own age.
But then again, that was understandable for a royal, in my view.
'I can visit after I leave work today.'
It was just as I emerged from the restroom.
Namia, who had been anxiously waiting in the corridor, rushed toward me.
"Kibon! Are you alright?"
I was startled.
I asked, somewhat bewildered.
"Minister? Did you wait here for me?"
"Yes. I was worried. I couldn't go into the men's restroom, so..."
Namia carefully examined my complexion.
"You're really okay, aren't you? You still look a bit pale."
Then she stepped closer to me. Her concerned blue eyes were right before me.
That was when it happened.
Thump—my heart raced.
"I'm sorry. I thought letting you leave at ten would be fine."
"Ah... yes."
"I had no idea you were pushing yourself so hard. Why didn't you mention you were delicate beforehand? I would have been more considerate from the start."
Crown Prince Kiaros found himself momentarily speechless—genuinely breathless.
This was someone I encountered constantly. Until just moments ago, I'd thought of that face as demonic.
My body flinched at the mere shock of this sudden encounter.
I unconsciously took a step backward.
"I'm not delicate."
"Don't worry, delicate one. I won't hurt you. I'll handle you with care."
Namia Loapi watched me retreat and raised both hands in a reassuring gesture.
"If it hurts too much, leave early and rest for a few days. I won't give you any work, so just take it easy and head home."
I struggled to calm my thundering heart, forcing myself to speak with composure.
"Is there truly nothing I can help you with? You always have so much work."
"Nothing urgent. I've prepared most things in advance, so I'm actually quite relaxed. I just have something personal I'm concerned about that I want to review."
Namia Loapi explained with a gentle smile.
"So really, it's fine. Get some rest, alright?"
"Personal... matters?"
I narrowed my eyes for a moment.
Not official business, but something personal....
'What is it? Could it be something suspicious? Is that why she's hiding it from me?'
Even though I was crawling beneath Namia Loapi like a dog, I hadn't forgotten my original purpose.
I was monitoring the Scroll Department, and she was my first target.
"Could you tell me what that is?"
Suddenly, I felt tense.
If Namia Loapi were to hide something....
But she answered without hesitation.
"Oh, I was originally the youngest member of the Inventory Team, you know. The scroll inventory provided to Young Prince Jayden's Separate Palace has been strange for a while now."
My body stiffened slightly.
"It's been bothering me all along, but when I mentioned it to my former superiors, no one paid attention. I thought I'd investigate it this time."
* * *
Kibon was still a novice at working. To actually ask his superior about additional tasks.
'If I'm not careful, I'll end up with extra chores. I should have pretended not to hear and slipped away when he said he'd let me go....'
Well, contrary to first impressions, Kibon's charm lay in his inability to slack off and his inflexibility.
In any case, there was nothing to hide from Kibon, so I spoke honestly.
"Anyway, it's fine. I'm just resolving a personal question with a noble purpose, so you don't need to help or anything."
It was when I offered Kibon a reassuring smile.
"No."
Kibon looked down at me and spoke.
"I will help you."
"Hmm?"
"Could you explain in detail?"
"Huh?"
Was this man insane?
He was bleeding from his nose, and he still wanted to keep working?
I stared at Kibon with an expression of disbelief.
When I fell silent, Kibon spoke in a resolute tone.
"I want to help. I don't want to rest."
"Huh?"
"I want to work."
"Huh?"
Good heavens. I trembled violently, breathing heavily.
So this was what it meant to encounter a legendary workaholic....
"Kibon...."
Unable to contain the surge of emotion, I seized Kibon's hand without hesitation.
"Let's go right now. I'll tell you what you need to do."
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org