55
At the heart of the Gifted Institute, the main building housed the Dean's Office, the Academic Affairs Department, and the offices of the responsible professors, making it a vital administrative center.
Therefore, there were only a few classrooms in the building.
Having a classroom in such a place was a source of pride for the teachers, and a privilege for the students who took their lessons to boast about.
At that moment, Professor Mallis was standing tall in one of these halls, his shoulders raised proudly, and he announced in an enthusiastic voice:
“Look! Here's your new classroom!”
He proudly extended his chest, pointing to the door as if he was displaying a valuable treasure.
“You will no longer have to travel long distances to reach other halls. This hall is for you alone, so there is no need to carry heavy loads. You can leave it here safely, as I only teach this group, and there are no other students using this place!”
It was not that Malles was free of other obligations; he had insisted on refraining from teaching any other group, but the students would not have known these details.
“Wow! Really new classroom!”
In front of Professor Mallis, Evie raised her arms high, expressing her overwhelming joy.
For the past few days, she had been walking hand in hand with Irene to the mathematics hall.
But sometimes, when other lessons were late, or when the weather was bad, they had to hurry.
On one occasion, Evie tripped and fell, hurting her knee and hands. Then, Irene gave him a frightening look, as if she was accusing him of responsibility.
“Oh my God, this girl could hit me!”
"Oh? Can I?"
"I say this metaphorically! Metaphorically! Look at the sparkling brilliance of her eyes!"
Despite this talk, after class Malice ended up carrying Evie on his back and heading to the first aid room.
“Can't you wrap the bandage better than this?”
“It's just a little scratch on the knee, and putting more bandages on will make it harder to move.”
The employee sighed, then asked Evie a question:
“But, why do you have all these wounds from falling? Do you run a lot? You have to be more careful, otherwise these wounds will remain scars.”
Upon hearing this question, Irene not only looked at Professor Mallis, but Lusca and Arcel joined her, staring at him with looks of silent accusation, as if to say that he was the one responsible for what happened to Evie.
The next day, today, the professor announced that the new hall was finally ready, and led the four there.
“Can we come in?”
“Of course, kiddo. Come in and check the place out.”
With the professor's permission, Evie knocked gently on the door:
“Excuse me.”
Mallis smiled sweetly at this behavior.
“Who is this girl’s teacher to have such fine literature?”
“…”
At this muttering, the other three, except for Evie, exchanged silent glances, then shook their heads as if they had decided to remain silent.
* * *
The classroom was perfect in every way.
It was originally a professors' office, so it wasn't very spacious, but that was to the advantage of the four students.
Large, unused spaces may distract from focus.
Thanks to some deal that Professor Mallis had made with Serafina regarding his retirement date, the hall was filled with everything the students needed: various mathematics books, a long sofa and a table to rest when tired.
These accommodations were not just a way to please the professor.
“If you don’t find a place to go between lessons, use this hall freely. Walking between the dormitory and the halls is definitely tiring.”
"Yes!"
Evie responded enthusiastically to the professor's words.
“So, let's end today's lesson here.”
"Good!"
This time, Lusca quickly raised his hand in response.
“This boy is just happy because the lesson is over.”
Mallis snorted, giving Lusca a sideways glance.
But soon the satisfied smile returned to his face.
“At first, I just wanted to teach Evie, but, oh my God, these other three are really talented.”
At first, the other three were considered just an annoying addition that came with Eevee. But after the lessons were conducted, Mallis gave everyone passing grades.
“Irene Terence, as befits the daughter of a merchant family, is quick to calculate.”
She may not show much passion for deep academic research, but she quickly understands what is explained to her.
Thanks to her strong pride, she would cling to the professor and ask him many times until she fully understood the topic.
“Woloska as well.”
Luska is the most mobile and sedentary in the lesson. He yawns loudly, and sometimes lies on the table, declaring his surrender.
But he was coming up with strange solutions that had never occurred to Malles, who had spent decades studying mathematics.
Most of these solutions were illogical calculations, but some of them arrived at the correct answer, and even required Mallis himself time to understand how they worked.
“What a surprise, sometimes such students discover amazing equations.”
Of course, he sometimes wanted to give him a little shake when he complained of exhaustion after solving a single problem.
“As for Arcel, there is no need to talk about him.”
In terms of academic achievement, Arcel was flawless. His name had been famous in the Empire for years, as professors spoke of the genius of the son of the Duke of Cairn.
Among the four, Arcel was the only one who had fully mastered advanced mathematics, a talent that could be described as perfect.
“To be able to teach such students!”
Mallis clenched his fist tightly. Who would have thought that he would be so lucky at the end of his life with such an opportunity?
“I have to try harder.”
It is not enough to have a classroom. He has to reconnect with old friends and gather his former students.
“This way Evie will be safe after she graduates.”
Without yet realizing the importance of this gathering to the future of the Empire, Mallis left for the Academic Affairs Department, humming a cheerful tune.
* * *
As soon as Professor Mallis left, the four immediately began arranging their books.
“Ah... I'm tired...”
Irene stretched out her arms and let out a tired moan. Despite her diligence, the long lessons were exhausting.
“Are you tired?”
Evie, who had finished arranging her books, approached with a worried look. Irene extended her arms, hugging Evie as if she were a doll.
“Class is stressful, but I think worrying about the weekend is what makes me more tired.”
She said as she gently cupped Evie's cheeks. Perhaps thanks to her attention to feeding Evie well during meals, her cheeks felt plumper and softer than before.
But she's still far from the ideal image of a seven-year-old girl that Irene imagines.
“What weekend?”
Because of holding her cheeks, Evie's words came out garbled, but Irene understood them.
“This week is the first weekend we have been allowed to go out since classes started.”
"Yes."
Evie remembered what she had read in the gifted institute's brochure: After students got used to the institute, they were allowed out once a month during the weekend.
“The Terrence family branch in the capital is all gathering at the city house, and they asked me to come meet them… But, my God, how noisy they are! My head hurts already.”
Irene groaned, and Lusca followed her with a frowning face:
“I also have to go home on the weekend. My brothers say that sparring practice here is boring, and they want me to go out and train with them.”
Loska, who has three brothers, imagined himself as a training dummy being beaten, and hung his head. Then he turned to Arcel, who was reading quietly, and asked him:
“And you, Arcel?”
“I'm planning to go home too. I have meetings, and I want to bring some books from there. But there seems to be a festival in the park near the town house, it might be a bit annoying...”
Arcel stopped talking when he noticed Evie listening to them in amazement. Irene and Luska followed him in silence.
Lusca tried to fix the situation by saying:
“Um, Evie, why don't you go for a walk? Maybe the festival Arcel mentioned...”
“Ugh!”
The sound of a kick interrupted him, and Luska grabbed his leg in pain. Irene had kicked him under the table with a look that meant, “What are you talking about, you idiot?”
“Irene, you...!”
As Lusca was about to protest with tearful eyes of pain, he heard another soft blow.
This time, a foot accurately hit his back knee, and he staggered and sat up. Behind him, Arcel stood with his usual expressionless face and said:
“Sorry, I accidentally bumped my foot into yours.”
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