2
“……!”
Cloys's words made the ministers freeze in their places, their faces reflecting astonishment.
“As for the rest, eat it to yourself. I will leave now.”
He rose from his seat and turned around, as if to announce the end of his interest in the matter. The ministers rose in turn and bowed to him respectfully.
On his way out, Cloyce turned to the Secretary of State and said:
“Make sure that there are no obstacles to this child’s entry into the academy.”
“Okay, sir.”
Cloys left immediately, and even ordered the servants who followed him to leave.
On his way to his palace, he thought about what he had just done.
It was strange, even in his own eyes.
Why would he care about admitting a child to whom he had no special reason to join the academy?
“But… what’s her name?”
After traveling a long distance, Cloyce realized that he did not even know the name of the child he had chosen.
He paused for a moment, and exhaled a short sigh.
“What is the importance of that?”
His choice of her was nothing but a warning to the ministers who displeased him with their actions. That little girl wasn't someone who really deserved his attention.
He turned his head and looked into the long, dark hallway.
"boredom."
Was it because he spent all day listening to talk about children?
He felt a heavier than usual fatigue weighing down on him.
He changed the direction of his steps, which were heading towards his palace, and headed to the only place in this imperial palace that gave him peace:
The place where his wife and daughter were buried.
All the way, he was lost in his thoughts.
In a world where he has nothing to love, is there really a reason for him to continue living?
* * *
When the Minister of State returned to the conference room, the ministers attacked him with a barrage of pressing questions.
“Who is that little girl?”
“What did His Majesty say? Did he mention anything about adopting her?”
They feared that a commoner child might have attracted the Emperor's attention, bypassing their own children.
The Minister of State swallowed a sigh and said:
“No, he just told us to handle it.”
“Did he say anything else...?”
"Nothing. He didn't even ask her name. Come on, let's continue the meeting."
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when they realized that the Emperor did not show any interest in the child he had chosen.
As the commotion returned to the conference room, the Minister of State looked at the application he was holding in his hand.
Seven years. girl.
“Let's see...what's her name?”
The Minister of State murmured, reciting the written letters carefully and clearly:
“Evie Alden.”
* * *
"wow…!"
Evie gaped in astonishment as she gazed at the majestic imperial palace from the carriage window.
“It's really cool...”
Evie kept looking at the palace in amazement, until she noticed the mocking eyes directed at her by those sitting in front of her, so she turned her head.
Next to her, the orphanage director tenderly held her hand and said:
“A really cool place, isn't it? You could look at it all day long and not get bored!”
Her words lit up Evie's face, and she said excitedly:
“Yes! A place so beautiful and wonderful that it makes my heart skip a beat!”
Evie returned to looking at the palace in ecstasy.
“It's more beautiful than what I read about in books.”
I remembered the travel book I had read many times.
The book described the Lancet capital in these words:
[The Imperial Palace, the holiest and most beautiful landmark in the Lancet, the thousand-year-old city. The palace itself is a vast city. Within its depths resides His Majesty the Emperor, the only member of the Imperial Family of Hyrkia.]
Evie smiled as she recalled the words from the book and looked at the palace.
Imperial Palace!
The palace where His Majesty the Emperor resides!
“To enter a place like this...it's like a dream.”
The more she tried to hold back her smile, the more the corners of her mouth rose involuntarily.
Suddenly, a man sitting facing her laughed sarcastically after looking at her and the headmistress from top to bottom.
“You seem to be from a distant countryside. Enjoy watching as much as you want. When will you see the palace again?”
At these words, the home director puffed out her chest and said proudly:
“Thank you for your concern, but Evie won't need to rush, she'll be staying at the palace from today on. Right, Evie?”
"Yes!"
Evie nodded enthusiastically, and the man let out an open, sarcastic laugh.
“You live in the palace? How so? Do you two think you know what a palace is? If you were deceived by a con man who promised you a job in the palace...”
"We will not be working there. Evie will be attending the elite palace academy starting today."
The director raised her chin arrogantly, speaking with the highest levels of confidence.
“Elite Academy?”
The man's eyes widened when he heard these words, and the director became more boastful.
Evie laughed as she saw the director rejoicing as if it was her personal concern.
“She was the happiest director.”
A week ago, the orphanage in Elram City, where Evie lives, received a letter from the palace.
The letter informed her that she had been accepted into the elite academy, and asked her to come to the palace on time.
"Really? You're in an elite academy? Oh my! What news! As I expected, our Eevee! You'll undoubtedly be the smartest in the academy!"
The manager was doing laundry when she heard the news, so she rushed towards Evie, not caring if her clothes were stained, and hugged her as she jumped with joy, holding the letter.
Evie felt overjoyed as she saw the principal's laugh.
At the age of five, the headmistress rescued her from a horrific place.
It was her pleasure to be this woman's pride and joy.
“And maybe... if I leave, the other kids will be able to eat more.”
Evie swallowed those words she didn't dare say to the principal.
The orphanage in Elram, despite the help of the people of the city, was not in a good financial position.
The principal was admitting every homeless child, making resources scarce.
They had to economize on everything and grow crops all year round in the garden of the house.
Outside of school, Evie would work with the other children in the garden, pulling weeds, catching bugs, and tending the crops.
But satisfying the children's growing appetites was daunting.
“I want more food!”
One morning when the kids at home were fighting over extra potatoes, Evie saw a notice on the high school wall:
[Announcement of Enrollment in the Imperial Elite Academy]
The proclamation had been distributed in all secondary schools by imperial order.
As she was reading, Evie's attention was caught by a condition written in small print at the end of the line:
[The academy provides all food and housing needs throughout the period of study.]
“If our number is reduced by even one, perhaps the director will rest a little.”
Of course, the advanced education offered by the academy was tempting in itself.
“They said that academy graduates get better jobs.”
Most of the academy's graduates would work in the palace, or become professors at the Imperial Academy, the most prestigious educational institution in the empire.
She didn't know how much the salary was, but it was definitely more than what she could earn as an orphan in Elram City.
“If I make money, I can help the director more...”
Evie looked at the principal who was talking non-stop about how proud she was of the girl in front of the man across from her.
“I must be of great help to her.”
But if she had said it directly, the director would have replied that she didn't have to worry about such matters.
So, she claimed that she wanted to study further, and immediately applied to the academy.
In fact, when she applied, she was hoping to be accepted, but thought her chances were slim.
The news of the opening of the academy had caused a stir in the empire, and rumors spread quickly.
Noble and wealthy families were doing their best to get their children into the academy.
How could a common girl, or even an orphan from a small town, be accepted in a place like this?
The night she sent her request, Evie sat alone at the window and made a wish.
“Mom, Dad, help me get accepted into the academy.”
At the moment a bright star fell, Evie closed her eyes and pleaded in her heart.
On normal days, she did not recall the memory of her parents. Just thinking about them was enough to make her feel suffocated.
But she was so desperate to be accepted into the academy, she found herself subconsciously begging them.
Don't know if they are alive or not. Maybe they abandoned it because they didn't want it.
However, Evie was willing to cling to any hope, beg any being.
Please, let me be accepted into the academy.
Let me help the orphanage.
And when I grow up...let me find my mother and father.
I want to meet them.
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