CICN 07

Chapter 07

“I’ve reviewed the applicants, but to be honest, none of them seem trustworthy. Most of them are people hoping to attend the academy’s semi-annual banquet with their wards, or those eyeing talented graduates.”

Since it was difficult to enter the academy, the children who did were considered valuable assets to the Empire.

They received many privileges and were useful in various ways, even just as children.

That made the position of guardian highly competitive.

“Because the child has nowhere to return to after graduation and is from an orphanage, it’s easy for a guardian to bring them into their own family. That’s why so many people are trying to get the position.”

At the minister’s words, Clois frowned.

After a brief pause, he spoke.

“What about you? Would you consider becoming her guardian?”

“I’ve already made a promise long ago. If a certain child got into the academy, I would be his guardian. He’s the grandson of a close friend.”

One could not be the guardian of two children. And since it was a promise, it would be dishonorable to break it.

“Besides, if it’s known that the child was selected by Your Majesty and that I became the guardian… To be honest, that wouldn’t be good for the child.”

Clois agreed with that point.

Just the fact that he had selected her would already attract unnecessary attention.

And if the Minister of State were to become her guardian as well? That would only bring more trouble.

“Isn’t there anyone else suitable?”

“There are, but most of the people I could ask have already been approached by others.”

“I see.”

It would be troublesome to entrust this to someone unknown.

And it would be annoying if they acted like they’d done something extraordinary just because they took on this task.

“You wouldn’t have come without a plan. Do you have something else in mind?”

“Yes. There’s a professor registered with the academy who isn’t well-known to others. He was appointed before the war but returned to his hometown when it broke out. He was a baronet, and his teaching post at the academy still remains.”

“So, you plan to list him as the guardian?”

“Yes. Since he hasn’t interacted with others much, no one really knows who he is. We can wrap this up quietly when the time comes.”

“What’s this professor’s name?”

“Sian Roschen.”

“Understood. I’ll turn a blind eye. Go ahead and list him as the guardian.”

“Thank you.”

The Minister bowed and withdrew.

Truthfully, this was something the Minister could have handled on his own.

But Clois thought it was just like him to come and seek permission out of integrity.

Left alone, Clois quietly murmured to himself.

“Evi…”

Strangely, the child’s name lingered on his lips.

And today, unlike usual, he couldn’t see the illusion of Yvbien that often appeared somewhere in the room.

Feeling a strange unease, Clois stepped outside.

There was a secret place within the palace he visited on days when he especially missed his wife and daughter.

And now, Clois made his way there.

Evi was walking alone through the academy.

She had been waiting for her roommate to arrive, but the other girl hadn’t shown up yet.

It was already dinner time, so Evi changed into the academy uniform, placed the map book in her bag, and headed to the cafeteria.

“My very first book.”

It had her name written inside it—hers alone to read and touch.

She had often seen students carrying their own books whenever she went to clean upper-level schools.

How she had envied the fact that they had books they didn’t need to return.

Evi hugged her bag tightly.

“I’m so happy.”

To feel this joyful from day one—surely many good things awaited her here.

The cafeteria was noisy when she arrived.

“What do you mean there’s no maid to serve us? Are we supposed to get our own food? I’m a count’s son!”

Several children were loudly protesting the fact that they had to serve themselves.

Staff members calmly explained that it was the rule of the academy, and if they couldn’t accept it, they were welcome to return home.

Some children burst into tears, others grew angry.

Seeing the chaotic atmosphere, Evi quietly made her way to the food counter.

“Maybe it’s better to eat elsewhere. Or go back to my room.”

There were sandwiches wrapped in paper and glass bottles of water and juice—likely for those who, like Evi, preferred to eat somewhere quieter.

Evi placed a few items into her bag.

Stepping outside, she saw the sky glowing orange with the sunset.

“It’ll be dark soon.”

Even if the area was safe, it would be hard to wander around after dark.

As she turned to go back, her eyes caught sight of the forest at the edge of the academy.

She was just about to turn away, thinking it was a large forest, when a soft breeze brushed her cheek.

Without thinking, Evi whispered,

“…Mom?”

Startled, she covered her mouth.

What did I just say?

Mom?

It was such a foreign word. The only recent time she had said it out loud was when she prayed to pass the academy’s entrance exam.

So why did it come out now?

As she stood there confused, the warm breeze brushed her cheek again.

It swept her hair gently, like someone stroking it.

Maybe that’s why—why she had whispered “Mom” without realizing.

Evi, who had been heading back to the dormitory, found herself drawn toward the direction the wind was blowing.

Before long, she had reached the forest at the edge of the academy.

The breeze was coming from within.

Perhaps there were large flowering trees in there. The wind carried a fragrant floral scent.

“How do I get in?”

Normally, she’d never think of entering a forest at this time of day—especially alone.

But as she looked at the red-tinged sky, she kept searching for a way inside.

The breeze left a ticklish feeling on her cheek. It felt like someone had kissed her there.

She knew it was just her hair brushing against her skin, but she kept touching her cheek anyway.

Then, after scanning the area for a while, she spotted a path through the bushes—low enough that she could crawl through.

She recalled something from the academy guidebook.

It had said that sometimes animals appeared from the forest at the edge of the academy.

“They said nothing dangerous lives here, since it’s part of the Imperial Palace, but…”

Evi, who had wandered the forest near the orphanage with other children, knew something.

Even gentle herbivores could become aggressive when they had young in the spring.

So, it would be best not to go in…

As she hesitated, the breeze blew again.

The deep floral scent brushed her hair once more.

It was just the wind, and yet… it felt like someone was calling her.

—Evi.

So tenderly. So sorrowfully.

It was only the sound of the wind, but somehow she knew.

This place was not dangerous.

And beyond this forest… someone was waiting for her.

Evi clenched her fists.

The brush seemed to part just for her, as if it had been waiting.

How far had she walked?

“Haa!”

After crawling and half-crawling her way through the underbrush, she could finally stand up straight.

Though it was spring, sweat dotted her forehead.

Whoosh…

Another breeze blew, cooling the sweat.

Catching her breath, Evi looked around.

Was this a clearing at the center of the forest?

In the middle, there was flat land, and it was surrounded by dense trees.

Beneath the trees, white flowers bloomed thickly among the bushes.

The fragrance on the breeze earlier must have come from them.

Then, Evi spotted a large stone in the center of the clearing. A gravestone.

A grave…

Back at the orphanage, even passing by a cemetery had been terrifying.

Yet strangely, even knowing this was someone’s grave, she didn’t feel afraid.

“But… whose grave is it?”

Evi tried to recall the map she’d memorized.

The first page of her book had a map of the academy grounds.

This forest was only marked as “forest.” The map ended there.

“Beyond this is probably still the Imperial Palace…”

She had seen the tops of tall buildings beyond the forest—surely it was still within the palace grounds.

“But there are graves inside the Imperial Palace?”

It was a vast place, so maybe it wasn’t so strange.

There were only two gravestones in the clearing.

One was as tall as Evi. The other barely reached her waist.

Evi carefully approached the larger stone.

It was a beautiful, smooth white stone with elegant carvings. In the center, the name of the person buried there was inscribed.

Evi read it aloud.

“Lilian Shell.”

It was a name she’d never heard before.

But Evi thought it was a very pretty name.

Pretty enough that she wanted to say it again and again.