“At first, I tried to deny it. I didn’t even believe myself. You know very well how much I detest and wary of those who push their children to me with ulterior intentions.”
“Of course, Your Majesty.”
There were those who would hire children for money, and even train them to say their name as Ephebian, hoping that the Emperor, who had lost his daughter, would bestow his blind love upon them.
In Cloyce's eyes, they were nothing more than human merchants buying and selling souls.
"I knew very well what they wanted. So I mocked them. What would it change if I spoiled a child a little? If the child seemed special, I would just invite him every now and then for tea... I thought it would end there. But it wasn't."
“…”
"You're a parent, so you understand. When a five- or six-year-old looks at you and says he wants something, what do you do?"
“Shyly, I was giving them everything they wanted.”
“The same thing happened to me. Even if the child didn’t ask for something, I would insist on buying it and giving it to him.”
Cloyce remembered the festival days.
Eveb never said a word about what she wanted to have or eat.
However, he was the one who made a huge effort to find out what caught her eye, what aroused her curiosity, and to put it in her hands.
He felt this was his duty. As if loving and caring for a child is a given...
“When I saw her smiling happily at what I bought her, I felt like I could give her the whole world, just to keep her smiling.”
“…”
"To listen carefully to what she wants, and to buy her what she wants. If this continues, I'm afraid I'll do something that will make you worry. Maybe I'll suddenly adopt her and give her power and everything…"
Cloyce ran his hand over his face with a tired look.
Evie does not aspire to such things. But he was the one who wanted it.
As if he wished Evie would experience everything his daughter should have lived.
“But that wouldn't be good for the baby either.”
At first, when he saw the papers that the nobles had carelessly discarded, he felt upset and just said that she was qualified, let her be accepted into the academy.
But his decision changed the girl's life completely.
Evie left everyone she knew and came here alone.
Even for adults, moving to a new place is not easy.
How can a little girl leave her place without a protector, to live among peers who look at her with disdain because she does not belong to their class, relying only on a few friends to stay afloat?
There are still many years until graduation.
“Was Evie really happy here?”
“Your Majesty, acceptance into the academy is a great honor that everyone aspires to.”
"I know. But that applies to ordinary children, or children of nobles. As for a child from an orphanage without any support, was it really a good thing for her to arrive here? To be left alone in a place that rejects her?"
“…”
When the Secretary of State was unable to respond, Cloyce rubbed his face with his hands.
“If you are so worried as to speak to me so frankly, rumors of the Emperor’s interest in Ivy Alden are bound to spread sooner or later.”
The minister, who was anxious about this very matter, answered with silence.
“I'll finish it.”
It had to be done.
"Evie has already had everything she could possibly have: excellent teachers, great friends. She has succeeded so far, and will be able to continue on her own. If the Emperor's attention is added to this, it will become poison for her."
Cloyce mentions a picture of Evie learning a foreign language.
Her learning speed was frighteningly amazing.
Wherever you go, you will be known as a genius.
But if the Emperor intervenes...
That talent will remain in doubt for life.
Even if Evie achieved something with her own effort, she would never avoid accusations that she got it thanks to the Emperor's support.
“There is another professor who wants to take custody of the child. I will leave it to him, so there will be no problem.”
Cloyce made up his mind.
“I will remain her guardian only until this exam.”
After the exam is over, Professor Sian Ruochen will leave on a long-distance trip.
And he won't come back.
His office belongings will be sent somewhere, and Cian's name will never appear in the academy again.
Evie will worry and miss him for a while.
But this time will not be long.
To Evie, Professor Sian is only someone she has met for a short time.
You will meet more people, live new experiences, and soon you will forget the academy professor whose face you have only seen a few times.
“It will be arranged soon, there is no need to worry anymore.”
“…”
The minister replied with a complicated expression, then bowed and withdrew.
Cloyce sat alone in front of his desk.
“I must ask Seraphina to prepare to remove Professor Sian Rushen.”
Since he decided, it was best to end the matter as quickly as possible.
Despite his determination...
Cloyce looked at the foreign language book on the desk.
Remember Evie's voice saying she's nervous about the exam because she's learning this language for the first time.
“Only until today.”
Maybe it's okay to visit Evie just today.
Cloyce rose from his seat, holding up the book.
The day was still bright, and during exam period, all the students were inside the academy.
This means that the possibility of meeting students like Arcel or Loska, who have already met him, is high.
He thought he shouldn't go, but his feet wouldn't stop.
“Fortunately, the place is secluded.”
It is true that there are other professors' offices, but they are often on overseas trips and rarely have classes.
So, the chance of meeting them is slim.
Even though it is exam period, students who are busy studying may reduce the number of people they can encounter compared to normal days.
Upon entering the academy area, Cloyce realized that his predictions were almost correct.
The academy was not as noisy as in the days of going out, but rather was relatively quiet.
Thus, he could get to his office, see Eppie, and then leave without problems.
But as he approached the building housing his office, he suddenly felt that something was wrong.
While the other buildings were quiet with students busy studying, the secluded building, which was supposed to be quieter, was crowded with students.
They were talking with obvious enthusiasm.
“What's going on?”
Something seems to be going on inside the building.
“Maybe I should come back later.”
With this number of students, it may be better to return in the evening.
As he was about to leave, a student leaving the building shouted:
“Call a staff member! Or a professor!”
The student saw Clouis, and his face lit up as if he had found a savior, and he ran to him.
“Professor, right? There is a fight inside the building! They are hitting and kicking each other... We must intervene!”
quarrel?
“That's why students gathered here.”
In an academy with such strict rules, the use of physical force means harsh punishment for the offender, unless there is exceptional justification.
The penalty may include expulsion in some cases.
Another student apparently went to inform the staff, as Cloyce saw a group of them quickly approaching the main building.
“Here they come.”
Cloyce pointed to the staff, and the terrified students ran to them.
"What's the situation? Can someone explain who quarreled with whom?"
The student who stopped Cloyce shouted:
“Izerella said she caught a thief. There was a student who had lost a bracelet before, and Izerella said she knew who took it, and invited everyone to look with her. We followed her, and she went to a professor’s office in this building, and then she screamed at Evie Alden, accusing her of stealing and demanding that she return the bracelet.”
“!”
Cloyes' steps stopped, as he was about to leave.
The student continued:
“Evie was carrying a box in her arms. When Isirella asked her to show it, she vehemently refused. Isirella hit her in the face. Irene tried to intervene to stop her, but...”
The next moment, Cloyce rushed towards the building.
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