Chapter 76
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
Chapter 76
I answered hastily.
"Deceive you, Your Majesty? No, Kibon simply has poor adaptability—not a bad character."
"Look at that composed face. You're telling me he doesn't have a bad character?"
Kibon stood at attention without a word of rebuttal.
No matter how suddenly the Empress threw a tantrum, he didn't seem particularly startled.
It was quite a feat to appear so polite yet so insolent at the same time.
"It's simply that his Imperial tongue is rough and he's unfamiliar with Imperial culture. I've been teaching him quite a bit."
"Really?"
"Yes. At first, I too mistook him for an insufferable brute I wanted nothing to do with."
At my words, Kibon looked at me with an expression of disbelief. I was startled by how nakedly his sense of betrayal came through in that gaze.
'After behaving like that at first, he actually thought I'd come to view him favorably?'
Meanwhile, the Empress continued to regard Kibon with displeasure. Her expression suggested she had a terrible feeling about him.
Yet she tilted her head, uncertain whether her "feeling" extended to foreigners as well.
"Still, right now he's the aide who knows me best. That's how much I trust him."
"Well, fine."
The Empress clicked her tongue and muttered.
"But my body's itching for a fight. Look at him. Seriously, no joke. Why don't we have a sparring match?"
"Your Majesty..."
In the end, I found myself gazing at her with a pleading expression.
The Empress let out a deep sigh and shook her head firmly.
"When you look at me like that, Namia... sigh."
She blew her bangs back with a puff and finally hung her mace against the wall again.
I watched the mood carefully before bowing respectfully to the Empress.
"In any case, thank you for this precious opportunity, Your Majesty."
I needed to get Kibon out of this chamber quickly.
After all, "thank you" in office-worker speak means "I'm leaving now."
"This is my first time wearing clothes from the Dress Shop. I'm grateful for such generous treatment."
In truth, I'd always bought ready-made garments. The accessories I wore were all counterfeit jewels.
Then Jayden tilted his head and asked.
"Why is it your first time? Don't civil servants make good money?"
"Well... my adoptive parents, who are worse than beasts, have been taking my salary."
"You make scrolls well, don't you? Why didn't you make luminous scrolls as a side job and sell them on the Black Market? You might not make a fortune, but you could've at least afforded cheap Dress Shop clothes."
"Ah."
I answered respectfully.
"According to Article 2, Section 3 of the Imperial Palace Civil Service Law, civil servants are prohibited from holding concurrent positions."
"Huh, who follows that? Everyone does it secretly. Riedan was selling his own teaching materials at bookstores all the time."
"I follow it."
Jayden opened his mouth as if taken aback.
The Empress laughed loudly and waved her hand dismissively.
"How very Namia of you. That's exactly the kind of answer Namia would give. Maybe that's why I took a liking to you at first glance."
The Empress, speaking in that husky voice, gazed at me with a penetrating look.
I was beginning to notice that her eyes held a rather intense satisfaction.
She then issued a command to the Wardrobe Staff, who were still trembling.
"Anyway, let's try the next outfit now. You brought plenty, didn't you? Try something else."
The Empress, sprawled back with her legs spread wide, let out a low chuckle.
And with an expression more magnificent than anyone else in the world could muster, she spoke softly.
"I'll buy everything here for you."
I clasped my hands respectfully and replied.
"No, Your Majesty. Given Madam's excellent taste, I believe the first dress you recommended will suit me best."
"What! Namia! I can buy a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand of these clothes! Don't hold back—try on more right now!"
The Empress hurled the catalog aside with a flourish and shouted, and I answered with proper courtesy.
"According to Article 3, Section 1 of the Senior Civil Service Act, a minister cannot accept gifts or money from the Royal Family or those with whom they conduct business."
"...What?"
"I will purchase this dress and these accessories with my own salary. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to meet a renowned dressmaker."
Madam had said something like "I'm sure she'll buy it!", but I had never intended to accept a dress from the Empress in the first place.
The reason I remained silent was simply that a minister's salary was high enough for me to afford this myself.
'I've lived all this time without being able to buy things like this—let me splurge a little with my own money!'
The Empress blinked slowly, taken aback.
Then she stood up abruptly, as if bewildered.
"What are you talking about! Namia, you're the benefactor of our family! You saved me, you saved Crown Prince Kiaros, and you saved Jayden too—and you won't even accept a few dresses? What?"
"No."
I spoke with an unwavering expression.
"I cannot accept gifts or money."
"...Then, what about jewelry...?"
"No."
"Just one pair of earrings!"
"I'm sorry. No."
Declining with utmost respect, I added with a resolute expression.
"I will not lose this position as minister under any circumstances."
Disciplinary action is absolutely out of the question!
I'm going to be an impeccable minister, no matter what!
"Good heavens."
Jayden let out a pained groan.
"Even if we tell my brother to shower her with gifts, it won't work..."
"Right. I've received all sorts of things from His Majesty the Emperor."
"Really?"
"Swords, double-bladed axes, shields, helmets... Nothing expresses emotion quite as directly as a gift offensive like that."
The Empress, confused and at a loss, suddenly turned around to look at Kibon.
"You're the aide who knows Namia best, right? Then tell me—is there any way to give Namia a gift?"
"No, sir."
Kibon spoke without changing his expression.
"The Minister may be blinded by power, but he is incorruptible."
Jayden heaved a deep sigh and clicked his tongue. Like a child desperately trying to convince me after I'd refused his bribes, he continued.
"Don't forget, Namia. You're partnering with a man who's requesting an escort for the first time. Understand?"
"Ah, well."
I nodded readily.
"Yes, I will do so."
* * *
In the end, Kibon managed to leave the Empress's Chamber without having to spar with her. I was truly grateful for that.
[Good heavens, the Crown Prince likes a civil servant so much that I can't even give gifts? What? Does that make sense? What?]
When I refused the monetary gift, Jayden suffered such profound mental shock that he forgot all about Kibon.
"Phew, I'm really glad that's over. Avoid Her Majesty the Empress for a while."
As I walked briskly, Kibon hesitated for a moment before asking quietly.
"...Does the Crown Prince displease you that much?"
"No, I don't dislike him. We're just not close."
"Then why did you look reluctant when the Young Prince mentioned the escort?"
"Ah..."
I thought I'd hidden it well, but apparently it showed.
I scratched my cheek as I answered.
"Actually, I personally... want to make my entrance alone."
"Pardon?"
"There's no rule that says you must have a partner."
Crown Prince Kiaros has always entered alone until now. Besides, there are often people who arrive without partners.
Jayden clearly seemed to want to be Kiaros's partner, but my true feelings were...
"I want to be the center of attention."
My reflection in the mirror was truly, absolutely beautiful.
"I want to hear them announce 'The Minister of Scrolls is entering'..."
This banquet was my first official appearance since my appointment as Minister.
If I entered with Kiaros, I would be completely overshadowed by the Crown Prince's radiance.
"I want to savor being a Minister on my own terms."
I spoke with burning eyes.
"I want all eyes on me at once, with that look of 'How did she rise so far?'"
As I exclaimed, Kibon's mouth fell open with a gasp. Then he murmured in bewilderment.
"Truly... the Minister says things I could never have imagined."
"Well, you're a bit like that too."
"I'm not."
"Sure. Usually when someone surprises people, they say 'Eek!'"
"Did you just... you, of all people, tell me 'Usually people say it like this'?"
That was when we arrived at the office side by side.
"...Ah."
My footsteps, which had been carefully navigating around the shattered remains of the door the Empress had destroyed, came to an abrupt halt as I spotted someone.
Kibon, who had been following behind me, also furrowed his brow and stopped in his tracks.
"Namia Loapi?"
An unexpected visitor was waiting inside the office.
"No, I suppose I should be calling you Minister now. Ah, but before that...."
Undulating waves of pale brown hair, eyes the color of a faded sky. Tawny skin, a massive frame.
Eyes that curved like a crescent moon and lips that traced an elegant arc.
"Congratulations on your sudden promotion, junior."
It was Victor Awin, whom I had expected to arrive no sooner than tomorrow.
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org