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If there had been someone else with them at that moment, his eyes would have widened in astonishment and he would have asked in astonishment: “What do you mean by that?”
That the Emperor be called by his name!
The Emperor, as soon as he ascends the throne, those around him who dare to call him by his name vanish. Who would dare to call the Emperor of the Empire by his personal name?
Therefore, calling the emperor by name was a rare privilege granted only to a few.
Cloys, until that moment, had only granted this privilege to his two closest friends: the Duke of Killern and the Marquis Lagueslev.
But, even with his permission, they never called him by name.
And now, he was granting that privilege to Eppie.
“So… Mr. Clowes?”
Evie asked cautiously, looking at him hesitantly as if sensing his reaction.
Cloyce smiled, and gently extended his hand to stroke her head.
“That is how it is. At least, it is much nicer than ‘Your Majesty’.”
Evie also felt that calling him like that was better than the title “Your Majesty.”
Every time she called him “Your Majesty,” she felt as if Professor Sian, the good man who treated her so kindly, was completely disappearing.
“Soon, the palace doctor will come with the medicine for you to take. If it were up to me, I would wish you could be more comfortable here… but this place doesn’t seem to make you feel comfortable, right?”
Evie nodded cautiously in response to his words.
Even from the outside, the main palace looked indescribably magnificent and majestic.
But when she entered it, and was even led into a luxurious room in its depths, she felt as if her eyes were wandering from the splendor of the place.
When I first arrived here, I wondered, “Am I really allowed to lie in this bed?”
She couldn't get close to him easily.
The palace doctor and his assistants replied to her that this place was designated for any patient, so there was no need to worry, and that she should rest.
But when she lay down and looked at the ceiling, her nervousness increased even more.
How can it be a place designated for “any patient” with paintings on its ceiling painted with such perfection, luxury and beauty?
Even the bed was much larger than her bed in the academy, and the bedding was as soft as silk.
This was, without a doubt, the most luxurious place she had ever seen, and Evie could not calm down easily.
“I received a call from the academy. Isriela and the five who assaulted you have been transferred to another building in the academy.”
Serafina told him of the preliminary measures that had been taken.
Isriela and her friends have been moved to rooms in another residence that will open next year.
“So, you won't have to see them in the dorm. And they're all under room control, so you won't see them anywhere else either.”
There were sanctions measures. Therefore, they are only allowed to move around to attend exams during the academic schedule, but accompanied by a staff member from the academy, and once the exam is over, they immediately return to their dormitory room and remain there.
It was like temporary confinement.
But, knowing in front of whom they had committed their crime, they were terrified and calmly complied with the punishment.
Cloyce did not care about the fate of these students.
All he was concerned about was that Evie wouldn't have to face them, fearing it would cause her anxiety.
Evie is a victim, so how can she feel comfortable facing her attackers?
At that moment, a knock was heard at the door, and the palace doctor entered.
He was carrying a tray with a cup containing a dark liquid that gave off a strange smell.
"You should drink it all at once. This way the swelling will subside quickly."
Evie looked at the medicine, which at first glance looked very unappetizing, and made a sad expression on her face.
Then, as if she had made a decisive decision, she grabbed the cup with both hands and drank it in one go.
Gulp gulp.
The liquid quickly disappeared from the cup. Moments later, Evie placed the cup back on the tray, squeezing the bitterness in her face.
"A little bitter, isn't it? Would you like to eat this?"
As if he was anticipating her reaction, the palace doctor gave her a candy he had brought with him.
But the problem was that the candy was wrapped too tightly.
With bandages on her face, and the bitter medicine overwhelming her senses, Evie couldn't open the wrapper easily.
Cloyce took the candy from her, quickly peeled off the wrapper, and put it in her mouth.
"Help yourself."
Evie took it naturally.
The palace doctor smiled despite himself as he saw this scene.
The sight of the Emperor and Evie was very similar to a father and daughter who were very close.
Of course, he wasn't stupid enough to voice that idea out loud.
The palace doctor knew very well how sensitive the topic of the Emperor's daughter was to him.
Cloyce praised Evie as if she had done well, stroked her head again, and then stood up.
Evie got up to follow him.
“I have to go back.”
The main palace was making her feel pressured, and she needed to see Irene too.
If Irene had not run to her aid when Isriela was beating her, Eppie would have suffered much more.
“And I need to study too.”
Evie's exams were due next week.
So, she had to go back and start preparing for the exams again.
"Yes."
Suddenly, she remembered that her first exam would be in a foreign language.
“What's wrong?”
Cloyce, who was walking in front of her, turned in horror when he heard her sigh.
“Are you feeling pain elsewhere?”
“No, not that…just…”
Evie answered weakly, her shoulders drooping like someone who had lost hope.
“I have to study for exams, and my first exam is in a foreign language...”
“Ah.”
Cloyce made a similar sound upon hearing her words.
He was about to take her outside, but he hesitated for a moment, then he said to her:
“There is a book here similar to the one I was explaining to you from... If you want, would you like to study here a little? I will explain to you what I was not able to explain last time.”
When he got to this point, Cloyce realized the ridiculousness of what he was saying, so he ran his hand over his face.
How can an injured child be asked to study now? He must have lost his mind.
While he was about to apologize for his unreasonable words, Evie replied:
“I want to! I want to study here and come back!”
Contrary to his expectations that she would hesitate, Evie ran towards him and grabbed him.
Cloyce looked at Evie, then at the palace doctor.
“Does her condition allow her to study?”
“As long as she sits down, it won’t be a problem... but...”
The doctor’s eyes reflected a question: “Are you going to study in such a situation?”
Both Evie and Cloyce knew full well that it might be an exaggeration.
But it had to be done, and Effie longed to learn from Cloyce, and Cloyce in turn wished to teach her even a little.
“Can you?”
"Yes!"
Evie answered excitedly, as if she had been waiting for this question.
The main palace might not be a comfortable place, but with Cloyes around, she felt like it would be okay.
Didn't he say that he would help her with the foreign language only until the end of this semester?
So, there won't be many opportunities to learn from him. This may be the last chance.
She didn't want to miss this moment.
“As of today, you are Professor Sian.”
In response to Evie's enthusiasm, Cloyce smiled cheerfully and extended his hand to her, as he had done at the festival before.
Evie naturally took his hand and they walked out of the room.
The palace doctor was watching the scene from behind, blinked, then regained consciousness late.
“Did… His Majesty smile?”
A few months ago, he had cautiously informed the Minister of State that the Emperor's depression was getting worse.
But recently, he began to notice that the Emperor was becoming noticeably brighter.
He wondered why, and then he realized:
“It was that girl.”
The palace doctor looked at the door the two of them came out of.
For now, this was a joy. But…
“The next one will be difficult.”
He heard that the Emperor revealed his identity himself for that girl.
This meant that everyone would become aware that there was a child in the academy that the Emperor particularly cherished.
“Her life will change a lot.”
From the girl's perspective, this was a good thing.
Just hours ago, she was just a talented commoner student, but now she was the child the Emperor cherished.
She has become almost as stature as Arcel or Lusca.
But she is a child without a family.
How many would approach her, trying to fill that void and take advantage of her proximity to the Emperor?
“However...”
The palace doctor remembered the two of them walking out holding hands.
The Emperor, who rarely smiles in public, simply smiled and did not hide his happiness.
The girl, although exhausted and shocked by what had just happened, showed no sign of fatigue as she followed the Emperor with quick steps.
At that moment, the Emperor and Evie seemed to be enjoying it immensely.
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