CICN 10

Chapter 10

For a moment, Clois wondered if Evi had come here knowing it was the grave of the Empress and the princess, trying to earn his favor.

It wasn’t an unfounded suspicion. There had been others in the past who pretended to honor the Empress and princess the Emperor could never forget—hoping that by doing so, he might see them in a better light.

Could Evi be that kind of person?

But even with the slightest thought, he realized how absurd the idea was.

Evi was a child from the orphanage he had personally chosen. It was likely her first time entering the palace today.

How could such a child, who wouldn’t even know such a place existed, come through an unmarked path in the woods—one even the palace staff didn’t know—and arrive at the most cherished place of the Emperor to win favor?

Impossible.

“I should block off that path.”

It looked like some large animal had cleared a trail while the Gifted Academy had been left empty for so long.

If he left it as is, another child from the Academy might wander in someday.

Not only was that dangerous, but just the idea of someone else coming here stirred intense displeasure in Clois.

“Except for that child…”

He was surprised at his own thought—was he truly fine with Evi being the exception?

She had nothing to do with him. He had only seen her once. And yet here he was, thinking of making an exception for Evi Elden. Why?

As Clois brooded, the sky grew darker.

Eventually, the bells rang again from the Academy. First the warning bell, then the one announcing full curfew.

Pulled from his thoughts, Clois stood and approached Lillian’s grave.

Looking down at the flower crown still rich with wildflower fragrance, he spoke in a gentle voice, as though his wife were really there.

“Lillian… If Evevien had lived, would she have turned out like that?”

If she were alive, she would have been seven years old—just like Evi.

Clois recalled the face of the girl he’d just seen.

Small and skinny for now, but if she lived well in the Academy, she’d soon gain weight like the others her age.

Then her dull golden hair would regain its luster, and her green eyes would sparkle brighter.

As that image formed, a chill ran down Clois’s back.

It all made sense—the strange sense of familiarity he’d felt from a child he’d never seen before. Her eye color was the same green as Lillian’s.

And if her hair grew a bit deeper in shade, it might become the same golden color as his own.

Just like the child he had once imagined, when Lillian had been pregnant so long ago…

Get a hold of yourself.

Clois scolded himself for sinking into sentimentality.

He had personally laid Lillian’s body to rest. And he had recovered the body of little Evevien she had been holding.

Those who had remained in the castle had told him the story: Lillian, in an effort to save the people in the stronghold, had taken baby Evevien in her arms and walked to the wall, throwing herself as the enemy demanded.

Then the enemy had mutilated the bodies…

“…Hah!”

Clois wiped the cold sweat from his face and snapped out of the memory.

If he stayed any longer, he would only sink deeper into useless thoughts. He gave the grave one last look, then turned and began walking back to the palace.

Much later, back in his quarters, Clois sat on the sofa, staring at the bouquet he had accidentally brought back with him.

After fiddling with it for a while, he removed the beautifully arranged flowers from the vase and replaced them with the bouquet he had received.

Then he realized something else.

He had taken Evi’s handkerchief with him.

“Damn.”

It was probably a brand new item she had just received today—and now she’d lost it by giving it to him.

“I should return it.”

It wouldn’t be difficult. He could simply send it through one of his aides. No one would know the Emperor had returned it.

And yet, Clois found himself constantly thinking about how he might go to the Academy himself to give it back.

Then he realized something else.

He wasn’t thinking about returning the handkerchief—he wanted to see Evi Elden again.

A bitter smile crossed his lips.

“Looks like I’ve grown too soft.”

That must be why he kept looking for traces of Evevien in another child.

He placed the handkerchief on the table.

Tomorrow, he would have one of his aides return it—quietly.

Ding. Ding. Ding.

The bells announcing full curfew rang out over the Gifted Academy.

Evi stood in the dormitory lobby, panting hard.

She had hurried back as soon as she heard the first bell, and thankfully made it just before full curfew began.

As she caught her breath, the staff members who were organizing paperwork inside smiled and called out to her.

“Looks like you were running! Try to come back a little earlier starting tomorrow, okay?”

She had worried they might scold her for arriving so close to curfew, but perhaps because it was her first day, they were kind instead.

She replied that she would be more careful, and was just about to head up when something came to mind. She turned and asked,

“Excuse me… is there a way to find out who my sponsor is?”

“Your sponsor? It’s not hard to check… but you didn’t know before coming here?”

Most children met their sponsors at least once before enrolling at the Academy. Even if they hadn’t met, they usually knew the name.

“I didn’t know there was such a system. But I read that having a sponsor is mandatory, so I wanted to check who mine is.”

“What’s your name?”

“I’m Evi Elden.”

At her reply, the staff member pulled out a binder of student files and began flipping through it.

“Let’s see… Evi Elden… Ah, here we are.”

He quickly found her file and read aloud,

“Your sponsor is Professor Cyan Roschen. He holds the title of quasi-baron.”

“What? Cyan Roschen?”

Evi’s voice jumped in surprise at the name.

Then, realizing she had spoken too loudly, she quickly covered her mouth.

“Is something wrong?”

“No, it’s nothing. Thank you for checking.”

She bowed and climbed the stairs toward her room.

“Cyan Roschen?”

The moment she heard the name, Evi could hardly believe her ears.

That was the name of the stranger she had met in the forest not long ago.

And hadn’t he introduced himself as a professor at the Academy?

“But why would he be my sponsor?”

Just as she hadn’t known him, he hadn’t seemed to know her either.

So how had he become her sponsor?

Maybe the Academy asked the professors to take on students without sponsors?

That seemed the most plausible explanation.

Thinking of the professor she’d met in the woods, Evi’s steps grew light.

He felt like someone she had known for a long time, even though it was their first meeting.

And it was the first time she hadn’t been afraid of such a large adult male.

In fact, she had wanted to talk with him longer, if she’d had the time.

Even as she rushed back at the sound of the bell, a lingering regret had stayed with her. But now he was her sponsor.

That meant she would get to see him again.

“And since he’s a professor at the Academy, maybe I’ll have him for a class someday.”

Then she suddenly remembered something important.

“My handkerchief!”

She had handed it to Professor Cyan and completely forgotten to take it back.

She searched all her pockets, but of course, it wasn’t there.

They said we could request more supplies if needed…

But to Evi, who had always learned to be frugal at the orphanage, a brand new handkerchief was a precious possession.

Even though it had been given to her for free, she felt guilty for losing it on the first day.

Still, there was a silver lining. Now she had a legitimate reason to go find Professor Cyan again.

“But his office wasn’t listed on the campus map…”

The map she had memorized had all the professors’ offices listed, but Cyan Roschen’s name had definitely not been there.

“I’ll ask the staff tomorrow.”

Evi stepped into Room 305, her heart fluttering at the thought of meeting him again—

And froze.

“…!”

She had locked eyes with more than a dozen girls already inside the room.