CICN 19

Chapter 19

The students’ murmurs soon died down.

Their allotted time at the main palace had run out, and since there were still many places left to visit, they had to move on.

The only difference now was that the students who had been standing next to Ibi were now openly avoiding her.

Not just the noble students—now even the commoner students were shooting her subtle glares.

To those who didn’t know the full story, she just looked like a girl trying to get attention with lies.

Though she noticed the sharp glances directed at her, Ibi didn’t shrink back.

‘Doesn’t matter. I was chosen to be here!’

Far from shrinking, her eyes sparkled even brighter than in the morning, and she stood tall with confidence.

Compared to when she attended the upper-level academy, this was nothing.

Back then, there were times when people literally threw stones at her.

But here, the rules were strict, and the staff at the Gifted Institute didn’t show favoritism based on status, so such things wouldn’t happen.

The staff led the students on a tour around various parts of the imperial palace.

Even those students who had said they’d been to the palace with their parents during banquets couldn’t help but gasp in admiration when they were taken to areas normally off-limits.

Though much of it had been damaged in the war, the imperial palace—steeped in a thousand years of history—retained its grandeur and beauty.

Seeing just how stunning the main palace was, the students became even more eager to succeed.

Especially when they saw the high officials heading toward a meeting room, their eyes gleamed with ambition.

Working in the palace wasn’t too difficult.

But rising to a high position—that was a different matter.

‘Your family background matters, but your personal abilities are more important.’

Proof of that was the current Chancellor, one of the Emperor’s closest advisors. He had come from a minor noble family, almost commoner in status.

But after entering the Gifted Institute, he had made a name for himself through his brilliance.

Later, when he chose to remain in the palace, he quietly climbed the ranks until Emperor Clois recognized his true abilities.

Despite his low birth, he had become the highest-ranking official among the ministers.

This was a great source of encouragement for the commoner students in the Gifted Institute.

‘As long as I do well.’

But some students were having different thoughts.

They glared at Ibi, who was walking around unfazed even after being exposed as someone protected by the Emperor.

In truth, Limora had disliked Ibi from the very beginning.

No, she had hated her.

‘I thought I’d be second place.’

When Limora saw that she had ranked third in the entrance exam, she bit her lip.

She had no issue with Arsel being first.

In fact, she liked her and wanted to become friends.

But not Ibi Elden.

‘A girl from a poorhouse?’

Commoners? As if they were the same.

Unlike the nobles born with advantages, she had worked hard.

She had studied until it nearly killed her. Her family had high hopes for her.

At school and at home, she was always buried in books. Her family’s academic legacy was at stake—something even greater than a noble name.

Ever since she heard that Arsel would attend the Gifted Institute, Limora had dreamed of becoming second.

A noble as top student, a commoner like her as second—that was the perfect picture.

Being pushed down to third place by that girl was deeply humiliating.

And when she found out that Ibi had received help from Arsel and Ruska to get into the Institute, it only added to her bitterness.

‘What makes her better than me?’

Still, she couldn’t openly show how she felt. Especially if Ibi was truly under the Emperor’s protection—she’d need to get on her good side.

But now she knew that wasn’t the case.

‘In that case…’

The Institute gave plenty of honors to the top two students, but rarely anything to the third.

So Ibi, as Arsel’s runner-up, would attend every major event at the Institute and benefit from all kinds of exposure.

She’d grow closer to Arsel and even catch the attention of powerful figures in the palace.

Just imagining it made Limora unconsciously bite her lip.

Then, a few students next to her looked enviously at another group.

“There’s still a crowd around Lady Irene.”

“Right? By the way, weren’t you roommates with that little Lady Irene? If she drops out, maybe someone else will take her place? I heard the boys’ dorm had to be reassigned since a lot of them quit.”

Amid her friends’ chatter, Limora wondered what would happen if Ibi disappeared.

‘If I’m lucky, I might become Lady Irene’s roommate.’

Perhaps the Institute had assigned a commoner to be Irene’s roommate to keep noble cliques in check.

If Ibi left, another commoner might take her place.

If that person was her…

The more she thought about it, the more Limora’s lips curled into a smile.

Attending events with Arsel, chatting in the dorm with Irene Terrins.

Getting introduced to Ruska, and naturally building friendships with other noble students.

That was the perfect life at the Institute, just as she imagined it.

The image in her head grew more vivid as they walked through the palace.

All she could think was:

‘If only Ibi Elden weren’t here.’

Then maybe… just maybe…

The students’ schedule continued.

They had been awestruck by the palace in the morning, and after a meal at the palace dining hall, they headed for the Imperial Museum.

This place too had been heavily damaged during the war.

“A lot of the Empire’s jewels were kept here. But fortunately, most of them were recovered safely.”

The children couldn’t take their eyes off the famous royal jewels displayed under glass.

Sparkling here, glittering there.

Even nobles rarely had the chance to see this many incredible jewels in one place.

It reminded them just how wealthy and powerful the imperial family was.

Their admiration for Arsel and Ruska deepened.

If one became the Emperor’s adopted child, all of this could become theirs.

As this admiration grew, more girls began gathering around Irene.

Most of the jewels displayed—aside from the crown and scepter—had belonged to former empresses.

Women close to the empress could even borrow royal jewels on special occasions.

People saw it as a measure of trust from the royal family.

So some students dreamed: if they got close to Irene Terrins, maybe one day they could borrow those jewels too.

While the students lost themselves in fantasy, the three at the center of attention looked rather bored.

As if none of it impressed them.

Ibi, like them, wasn’t looking at the jewels.

More precisely, she couldn’t see them.

Each display was surrounded by students, leaving no space for her to stand and look.

And since it was the imperial museum, the showcases were all designed for adults.

Being small even for a seven-year-old, Ibi could only catch side glances—never a full view from above.

Worse, whenever she tried to get closer, some kids would laugh and deliberately push her aside.

So by the time the students left the museum, Ibi hadn’t really seen anything.

Her shoulders drooped as she stepped out of the jewel gallery.

‘I wanted to see more…’

It was her first time seeing such beautiful gems in person.

She had wanted to admire them more—but even more than that, she had another reason.

‘I wanted to write a more detailed letter.’

She had promised the headmistress and her friends that she’d write about everything wonderful she saw at the Institute.

They had been so happy when she made that promise.

She wanted to share the beautiful and amazing things she saw with them.

“We’re heading to the history wing next. Everyone, please follow.”

But at the staff member’s call, Ibi had no choice but to turn away with regret.

She overheard other students say that this place was not easily accessible to outsiders.

Just like the main palace, even nobles needed special permission—or had to meet strict requirements to enter.

‘When will I ever get to come back here…?’

Unable to hide her disappointment, Ibi kept looking back again and again.

The next stop was the history wing of the museum.

Though it housed precious royal relics, it mainly displayed portraits of royal family members and important historical records.

“This section is still under renovation, so not everything has explanations yet. But once everything’s ready, we’ll reopen it fully. For now, feel free to look around.”

At the staff’s words, the students began to disperse.

They wandered about, but the excitement they’d felt while looking at jewels was gone.

They had been walking all morning and were still tired from their earlier excitement.

And no matter how important the artifacts were, most looked scorched or faded—nothing eye-catching.

Most students ended up sitting on benches by the walls, chatting or stepping out to the terrace.

Meanwhile, Ibi wandered through the gallery.

She hadn’t seen much of the jewels, so she hoped to take in as much as she could here—at least to have something to write about in her letter.

Then she entered a room full of portraits.

A sign at the entrance said these were portraits of past emperors.

She walked slowly, reading each nameplate beneath the paintings—until she stopped.

[Clois Arelkian Harkia]

It was the name of the current emperor. Ibi instinctively looked up at the portrait above.

“Huh?”

A surprised sound escaped her lips.