The Low-Ranking Civil Servant Wants to Achieve Success-Chapter 110

To help me rest, since I was clearly exhausted, ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ Kiaros came into the room with me.

Not long after, the crow who had followed the man carrying the vial returned to report.

“He entered the temple inside the Royal Palace. The one where the High Priest and the other priests are currently staying.”

As expected!

My eyes sparkled silently.

“Judging by the looks of it, he appears to be one of the priests the High Priest brought with him.”

Right now, the High Priest was residing in the Royal Palace temple with a few priests.

The crow glanced at Kiaros for permission and then asked,

“Shall we storm the place now and arrest everyone on the spot?”

“Hmm.”

Kiaros crossed his arms and fell into brief thought. Then he said in a low voice,

“If we do that, they’ll probably just claim the priest acted alone and cut ties. If the High Priest is actually involved, it wouldn’t be a wise move to raid the entire temple with just this level of evidence.”

The fact that those words came from Kiaros’s mouth—that the High Priest might be a collaborator—was shocking.

I glanced at him and asked,

“Do you suspect the High Priest?”

Kiaros slowly replied,

“After the founding of the Empire by the First Emperor, peace lasted so long that the temple gradually declined. But if trouble arises among the Dragonbloods and chaos spreads through the continent, the temple could regain influence.”

Bingo.

Sure, I knew that because I remembered the future, but the fact that Kiaros had deduced this much without knowing it was impressive. Truly a ruler worthy of the Empire’s future.

When I widened my eyes at him, Kiaros added slowly,

“Of course, I can’t be certain yet...”

Of course, that was Kiaros’s position. But in my heart, I was already sure.

The High Priest is definitely involved.

In the original story, Jaden realizes the moment he leaves the palace that the priests show absolute obedience to the High Priest.

Even young Jaden saw the priests as mindless puppets. And they were all hand-picked by the High Priest. There’s no way they’d act independently.

And there was one more thing I couldn’t forget.

Using the Dragonblood’s blood as bait was my idea alone. The High Priest had already planned to enter the palace before that.

In the original, the High Priest was never even in the palace at this point in the story.

Which meant the High Priest had a different goal—unrelated to the blood.

Something changed from the original, and now he has a reason to be here himself...

I glanced at Kiaros.

The person the Reformist Faction most wanted to eliminate—someone they failed to assassinate in the original—was right beside me.

In any case, Kiaros was still in a blackout. And the High Priest, if he was part of the Reformists, would know that.

Could it be... he came here himself to kill Kiaros?

Victor had definitely told me earlier to be careful—even though I was staying in the palace under Kiaros’s protection.

That meant someone inside the palace had the power to kill me outright, no matter the guards.

The High Priest is a test subject.

In the original, the High Priest continued to maintain the appearance of someone in his forties.

Doesn’t that mean he has transcendent power? Someone who could kill me in an instant...

He’d be more cautious against Kiaros, but someone like me? I’d be easy to wipe out in one blow.

I can’t tell Kiaros all of this... I’d have to admit I know the future, and that would be even more suspicious.

While I was lost in thought, Kiaros said,

“I was supposed to escort him on his final day leaving the palace, but I guess I’ll have to cancel that.”

At that, I looked up at him.

“Your Highness.”

“Hmm?”

“What would you think about me... approaching the High Priest?”

It was a bold suggestion, but the response came quickly.

“No.”

Kiaros shook his head immediately.

“I don’t like the idea of you putting yourself in danger.”

“I’ll bring Kibon with me. The moment things get risky, I’ll use him as a shield without hesitation.”

Now that I knew the enemy might target me directly, I couldn’t sit still.

“To catch a tiger, you have to step into its den.”

My eyes gleamed as I started explaining the rest of the plan.

***

Late at night, in the palace temple.

The High Priest smiled as he received the vial of blood from the priest.

“This is Dragonblood...”

Dragonblood was an excellent experimental material.

He had been feeling regretful—he’d already used up all the previous samples.

Fifteen years ago, he had collected a small amount from the southern region where the current emperor had shed his blood. But since it wasn’t drawn intentionally, the amount was small.

Still, the results of that experiment were astounding.

I could glimpse the future.

Vague, but undeniable. The first test subject predicted Kiaros’s second blackout.

Namia Roafi, who was in the escort team, thwarted the assassination—but Kiaros had looked thoroughly shaken. It had definitely been a blackout.

After that, the High Priest gathered the last of the emperor’s remaining blood and tried again. But the second experiment failed.

Maybe the sample was too small. Maybe the test subject was faulty. It was impossible to tell with such limited data.

Well... that subject did have a few issues. He volunteered, so it couldn’t be helped...

But now, with Kiaros’s blood, he had another chance to see the future.

That was how desirable Dragonblood was.

Thanks to Victor Arwin.

A brilliant young man, but deeply lacking inside. His tragic family background stood in stark contrast to his talent.

His need to be close to everyone also stemmed from that emptiness.

The Reformists had always recruited people like him.

But Victor had seized the chance to become Marquis Arwin’s heir and left the Reformist Faction.

But guys like that always come back.

That was why they hadn’t killed him back then.

A fundamental void like that can’t be filled from the outside. Unless the person’s heart truly changes, they always return in some form.

In the end, Victor came back on his own. Saying he wanted to destroy Namia Roafi.

And that he wanted to eliminate Kiaros Polariwood—the man who coveted Namia.

I’m sure we’ll find more uses for him.

You couldn’t trust someone like him with anything critical, but keeping a man of his skills around wasn’t a bad idea.

Give it a year or two, and he might even volunteer to become a test subject.

After all, the High Priest himself only grew stronger through the same means. novelbuddy.cσ๓

“Still, this was an unexpected windfall. I’m lucky.”

The real reason he had entered the palace was something else entirely.

Once that goal was accomplished and he left the palace, he’d have successfully plunged the Empire into chaos.

And with chaos, comes the temple’s revival.

He smiled coldly as he stroked his beard.

***

That night, after hearing my plan, Kiaros reluctantly nodded.

“If you’re that determined, give it a try.”

“Then... may I use Your Highness’s name again this time...?”

“What a silly question. You still have anything left to use?”

He even gave me a playful smile. But he firmly instructed that I take Kibon with me for safety.

So the next afternoon, I finished all preparations and pulled the summoning string.

Not long after, Kibon appeared.

I greeted him energetically.

“You heard from the Crown Prince, right? Let’s go.”

“Uh? Go where?”

“To the chapel.”

Meaning, the temple within the palace.

“But... could you wait outside for just a bit? I need to change and put on some makeup. The Empress sent me a ton of outfits back then—let me pick one.”

“Ah... okay.”

After changing into the outfit I’d picked out yesterday and packing a few scrolls, I stepped out proudly.

Kibon yelped in horror.

“What in the world are you wearing?!”

I blinked and replied calmly.

“A good outfit?”