21
After the students left the museum, they divided into two large teams and headed to other buildings in the Imperial Palace.
This was because the places they would visit now had people working, and because making loud noises could cause disturbance, they were divided into smaller groups for easier management.
While they were following the employee's explanation, one of Lemora's friends approached and asked her in a low voice:
“Lemora, how did you do it?”
Lemora looked at the employee leading the group.
Fortunately, he didn't seem to care what was happening at the back of the line.
Lemora lowered her voice and replied:
“She was so stupid that she did not notice that the door was closed while she was busy looking at the paintings!”
Then she shrugged indifferently.
“Poor thing!” “She wandered around alone until someone closed the door and she became trapped… She had no friends to even notice her absence.”
Hearing Lemura's words, her friend's face showed disgust for a moment, but she quickly hid her expression skillfully.
The noble students were trying to get closer to Irene Terrence, while the common students were rallying around Lemora.
Although she came from a commoner, her family was known in the capital for producing many distinguished scholars.
Therefore, when it was announced that students would be accepted into the Gifted Academy, everyone expected Lemora to rank second only to Arcel, who was considered a genius.
“She pretends to be indifferent on the outside.”
Lemora's friend snorted secretly.
“In front of the other students, she pretends to like Evie and says she is great and deserves respect.”
But deep down, all she wants is to get Evie out of her way and outdo her by any means possible.
Her friend had expected that Lemora would do something, but she had never imagined that she would go so far as to lock up a child alone.
When Lemora said earlier that she would teach Evie a lesson, the friend thought of deterring her for fear of crossing the line, but she chose to remain silent.
There was no point in making Lemora angry.
The friend looked at Lemora, who was singing softly in a cheerful mood, then returned to her place.
“Anyway, we are inside the palace, nothing serious will happen.”
At worst, she will remain locked up for a few hours until she is found.
A passing employee may have already spotted it and taken it out.
“It's not a big deal, is it?”
If it was serious enough to cause physical harm, Lemora wouldn't risk doing it.
If things get worse and there are witnesses, Lemora will be in trouble.
“But from Lemora's actions, it seems no one has found out.”
So, it is better for the friend to remain silent and not interfere.
Thus, as the students moved around, no one noticed Evie's absence.
—
**Knock, knock, knock!**
Evie raised her hand and knocked on the door.
After knocking countless times, her little fist became red and swollen.
“Is there anyone outside? Open the door, please!”
Evie continued to scream outward without giving up, but no response came.
“They said this place hasn't officially opened yet.”
Therefore, when they entered with the academy staff, the official in charge was only standing at the entrance.
In the jewelry section, there were a number of museum employees milling about, but in the portrait hall, Eppie didn't see anyone.
That's why, no matter how much you knock, no one will hear it.
Evie blew on her swollen hand.
It seems that continuing to knock will not work.
Finally, she squatted in front of the door.
“Why was the door closed?”
When I entered, it was wide open.
If someone had wanted to close it, they would have looked inside and noticed it in the middle.
Did someone close the door on purpose to trap her in here?
Evie remembered the cold looks some of the students gave her. Was he one of them?
She was lost in thought for a moment, but shook her head.
“No, I shouldn't think negatively.”
It happened. Thinking about that won't change anything, it will only make her feel worse.
“The director of the home said that in such situations, you should think about what can be done next.”
Evie remembered the principal's advice and began to reconsider the day's schedule in her mind.
They would wander around the palace until late.
There was no checking of numbers during the tour, so it is likely that the number of students will be checked before returning to the academy or after arriving there.
“Then they'll know I'm gone.”
But suddenly, Evie felt anxious. What if they don't check by then?
So, the only person who might notice her absence is her roommate, Irene.
“Will you notice I'm not back?”
Irene was always surrounded by other students and seemed busy.
When she returned to the room, she would go straight into her room.
She didn't seem to notice Evie's absence.
“Hmm...”
Evie's expression became more serious.
It may take longer for anyone to notice her absence.
“But no matter how late it takes, they will know about my absence tomorrow morning.”
Tomorrow, introductory tours of classes and lessons will begin.
Since each student has a specific place and time, her absence will be noticed and they will search for her.
So, what should you do until then?
Evie opened the bag she was carrying over her shoulder.
After lunch at the palace restaurant, I took some biscuits that had been piling up.
“And I took two candies too!”
With this, there will be no problem in holding out until tomorrow morning.
"decent! “In the past, I lasted an entire week drinking only water!”
Evie clenched her small fist confidently.
She remembered her days before entering the orphanage, when she used to work in a hostel and do hard labor.
How difficult her life was before the home director saved her.
Compared to those days, one day without food is not a big deal. She's not even hungry, she has cookies and candy.
After solving the food problem, Evie looked around.
If she had to spend the night here, she would need a place to sit or sleep.
“The floor is beautiful marble, but it is very cold.”
Fortunately, in the corner I found a long wooden bench designated for visitors. I got on it and sat down, and it was much better than the floor.
However, it was not comfortable enough to stay on for long.
“If I stay like this, my body will get tired.”
Since her childhood, she knew how painful it was to sleep in a cold, hard place.
Evie got off the bench and began looking around the hall. In one corner, she found a chest of drawers and opened one of them.
“Is this a piece of cloth to cover the paintings?”
There was a large piece of cloth carefully folded.
Evie took it out and straightened it out. It was thick and rough, but better than nothing.
She picked up the cloth and climbed onto the seat again, then curled up on herself and covered her body with it.
Meanwhile, the room containing the paintings became darker.
Evie sat down under the cloth and looked around. Strangely, as the hall sank into darkness, the faces of the paintings seemed clearer.
“They say that at night, people come out of the paintings and walk around. And if they come across a living person... suddenly they scream!
Evie remembered the ghost stories the children of the home told before bedtime.
At that time, she was screaming and hiding under the covers.
“...I'm not afraid. I'm not afraid at all...”
Now, alone in a strange place with no friends, she didn't feel afraid.
She knew why.
That painting that made her stare at it in amazement from the first moment.
Evie turned to face the painting and sat down.
The woman in the painting was smiling the same smile she saw at the beginning. Eppie murmured in a sad voice:
“If you could really get out of the painting...”
If that had happened, I would have been able to greet her and talk to her.
In the ghost stories her friends told, the people in the paintings would go out to harm the living.
But Effie felt that the woman in this painting would never do that.
On the contrary, if she had gone out, I would have smiled at her and spoken to her kindly.
Evie fixed her eyes on the painting again.
It was a painting she was seeing for the first time today, so why did she feel like she was meeting a dear person she missed?
Then she remembered that she had felt this sensation before.
“When was that?”
It was close…
“Ah!”
Evie suddenly screamed as she remembered.
“When I met Professor Sian.”
In that cemetery, I felt a feeling similar to this.
The windows were high, and the door was tightly closed in the exhibition hall, but a warm breeze strangely passed through her head.
Evie smiled as she faced the painting.
Until people come looking for her, she will never feel afraid.
—
When the sky darkened, the daily schedule ended.
The students, who were divided into different teams, gathered in the academy courtyard again.
While they were chatting with their friends from other teams and preparing to return to the dormitory, an urgent voice rose:
“One moment, please!”
The urgent voice stopped one of the academy staff.
“My roommate isn't here!”
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