59
If someone had written to me when you would be back, I would have come here in time.
However, one thing's for sure: Evie will be back here again.
When I realized this, I began to see the flaws in this office that I had thought was perfect until now.
“The chair is too high and hard.”
How could a place like this be suitable for a little girl to sit?
“The color of the curtains is also dark.”
Even if the sun was creeping into the room, wouldn't the dark color of the curtains make this newcomer feel intimidated?
“And books here are of no use.”
They are all academic books filled with only text, without any pictures.
Aren't there supposed to be, at least, a picture book in a foreign language?
Cloyce picked up a pen and began writing a list of the things he thought were necessary for this office.
Things that might please those who will return here one day.
* * *
Terrence's family home in the capital was a place that would inevitably catch the eye of passers-by at least once.
With the exception of the Imperial Palace, this was the most spacious palace in the capital, combining elegance and luxury.
Now, in front of him were many carts flowing towards him.
From the second floor balcony, Irene looked boredly at the crowds of people that kept coming.
“It's the holiday season, isn't everyone supposed to go out and have fun? Why would they come here?”
While Irene was complaining about the number that exceeded her expectations, the door to the room opened and her older sister, Ines, entered.
“Irene, are you really not going to come down?”
Without turning around, Irene leaned her chin on her hand and answered in a disgruntled tone:
“I didn't know you were here, sister.”
“How could I not come to see my younger sister on her first outing after entering the Gifted Institute? Thanks to that, I heard a lot about your life at the Institute.”
At the mention of institute life, Irene's shoulder shook slightly.
“You seem to live there as you please, as anywhere else,” Ines added.
Irene frowned more, her lips forming a whiny bow.
“I felt that way last year too, but the children of the capital’s nobles are pretentious, cunning, and annoying. I much prefer the children of the south.”
Ines sighed and shook her head.
“Didn’t I tell you when you were young that you have to face this pretentiousness all your life? So, are you thinking about leaving the institute? If so, I will not stop you. I will try to convince our father.”
She said this while gently patting her younger sister on the shoulder.
“When you were born, didn’t the priestess say that, no matter what you did, you would live happily and contently alongside the greatest power?”
The south, compared to the center where the capital is located, is a region strongly influenced by popular beliefs.
And so was Terrence's family.
When the earl announced his second marriage and the acquisition of a young daughter, Aeneas, the people did not welcome the news.
The bride was a woman close to the common people, not from the South.
كان ذلك مشكلة بحد ذاته، لكن الأكثر قلقًا هو احتمال حدوث انقسام حول الوريث إذا وُلد طفل جديد.
But when Irene was born, the island priestess visited Terrence's family and said of her:
“طفلة طموحة للغاية. ستقف في أقرب مكان إلى أعظم قوة. ستواجه خطرًا في طريقها، لكن بفضل الثقة الراسخة في تلك اللحظة، ستعيش حياةً سعيدة إلى الأبد.”
This was a great blessing. منذ ذلك الحين، بدأ حتى أولئك الذين كانوا يكنون العداء لآيرين من أفراد العائلة يحبونها.
People believed that “greatest power” definitely referred to who would become emperor.
For this reason, Irene's name was always mentioned as a candidate for the position of Empress.
Irene sighed as she listened to Ennis tell this old story.
“Do you love me because of the priestess’s words, sister?”
“No, I love you because you are my cute little sister.”
At these words full of tenderness, Irene turned and threw herself into her sister's arms.
“I know you're here because you're worried about me.”
أختها التي بدأت بالفعل في تحمل مسؤوليات والدها ليست من النوع الذي يأتي إلى هنا فقط لأن لديها وقتًا فارغًا.
“Because you love me and consider me cute and beautiful.”
“How dare you say such things without shame? You are undoubtedly my sister!”
Ines laughed contentedly.
“Sister, about my roommate...”
“أعلم، تقصدين إيفي آلدن، أليس كذلك؟ كنتُ بالفعل أتساءل عنها لأن اسمها ظهر سبع عشرة مرة في رسائلكِ.”
“About Evie, can I take her home for the holiday?”
“Do whatever you want.”
Ines looked at Irene in amazement, as if it was strange.
Although Irene performed her duties well, she was always cruel to those around her.
Even though there were many children around her, she never called anyone a “friend.”
How could Irene, who was like this, cherish a child so much?
“It was said she was from the orphanage, a common girl.”
A child who would have nothing to do with the “power” the priestess spoke of.
But, what does that matter?
“She is your first friend, so it is natural for you to claim her.”
* * *
Boom!
With the sound of a powerful kick, Lusca's body rolled forward.
"Hey Luska! Are you still going to be so distracted?"
Behind Luska, who had fallen to the ground, his second brother stood looking at him in astonishment.
“Why are you so distracted? Do you miss Arcel?”
"Am I crazy? Why do I miss him?"
“So, what's going on?”
“I'm just… worried about Evie.”
"Evie? Who is she?"
When his second brother asked the question, Lusca realized he had made a mistake, so he closed his mouth.
But, of course, his brother wasn't the type to ignore it.
"A girl's name, right? Who is she? Who?"
“Not what you think. Evie Alden, a seven-year-old.”
“Hoo, go on.”
"Continue what? She's a girl from the orphanage. Before I went out, I made a mistake in speaking. I told her that if she stayed at the institute with nowhere to go, she could go out to have fun... She's very young... And since she's in the capital for the first time, she might not be able to go out."
“Hmm…then go back to the institute early.”
"What?"
“Aren’t you worried that she’s lonely? Then come back early and take her to the monsoon festival.”
At these words, Luska's eyes sparkled.
“Is this possible?”
“Yes. Anyway, training with a distracted brother is a waste of time.”
Upon hearing this, Luska grabbed his training sword and rushed towards the palace.
While he was looking at his brother's running back, his second brother muttered:
“This is the first time I've seen that boy act like this for someone other than Arcel...”
* * *
Evie was walking down a path that was gradually getting dark.
Since her visit to Professor Sian's office yesterday, she had spent the whole day thinking.
“Can I go today too?”
Since he wasn't in the office yesterday, it didn't look like he would be there today either.
So, she spent the morning reading books or studying, and stayed in her room all day.
But as the afternoon came, she began to feel an urgent desire to return to that place.
“In the end, I don't like this excessive calm.”
Even the children who didn't go out yesterday couldn't stand the silence, so they all left.
Evie was like that. Maybe because she read a book about the monsoon festival yesterday before bed?
Today she had a strange and intense desire to go out to see the festival.
Eppie couldn't focus on anything all day, so she went to the restaurant early to have dinner.
Even the restaurant was almost empty of staff, and there were only packaged sandwiches.
Indeed, the number of people taking these sandwiches was very small, reflecting the scarcity of those remaining at the institute.
Evie took a sandwich and walked out, then sighed as she looked at Amber.
“I wish I could go out to see the festival, even from afar.”
She had no money, so she didn't think about buying anything.
If only you could go out just to enjoy the views.
Without knowing it, Evie started walking away from the ward, in another direction.
She was hoping to find a place with a view outside, even outside the Imperial Palace.
Then, as she passed Professor Sian's office building, she suddenly stopped.
"Yes!"
Her eyes widened when she saw a bright room.
“It's Professor Cyan's office!”
After confirming several times that light was coming from Room 408, Eppie rushed into the building.
"Mr!"
Evie opened the door wide, forgetting even the knock.
“Evie?”
Professor Sian was already there.
This was the first time she had seen him at the institute, outside of the forest cemetery.
The moment she realized that he was a real professor at the institute, and not an illusion, she rushed to him with great happiness and clung to him.
“He is my real teacher!”
Cloyce laughed lightly at her words.
“Is there a fake professor?”
But he stopped suddenly, shocked by his words.
Come to think of it, he himself was the fake professor.
Evie clung to his clothes for a while, then he finally let go of her hand.
She took a sandwich out of her bag and placed it on the table.
"You haven't had dinner yet, have you? Take this, Professor."
"And you?"
“I'll get one on my way back. Anyway, I'm bored, so I'll stop by again.”
“Bored?”
Evie replied with a hint of frustration in her voice.
“Because everyone went out. They said they would come back tomorrow morning.”
“And you… oh, you should have an escort.”
At the Gifted Institute, children under the age of ten are not allowed to go out unaccompanied.
At this, Eppie's shoulders sank.
“Yes...the dean is too far away...”
At that moment, Cloys said without thinking:
“How about you go out with me?”
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