10 - Can I Cry Now?
Episode 10
Clois momentarily suspected that Ibi was trying to impress him, knowing that this place was the tomb of the Empress and Princess.
It was because there had been people who had done such things in the past.
People who harbored vain expectations that if they pretended to honor the Empress and Princess whom the Emperor could not forget, he would look favorably upon them.
He wondered if Ibi was one of those people.
But upon a little reflection, he realized it was an absurd thought.
Ibi was a child from the Poorhouse whom he had personally selected. Besides, today would be her first time entering the Imperial Palace.
For such a child to come to the Emperor's most cherished space through a thicket path that others didn't even know about, and try to impress him?
It was impossible.
‘First, I must block the path.’
It seemed that while the Academy for the Gifted had been empty for a long time, large animals had been passing through, creating a path.
If left as it was, another child from the Academy for the Gifted might come here again.
Clois felt a strong displeasure at the fact that it was not only dangerous but that others might find their way here.
‘Except for that child.’
Thinking that it might be okay if Ibi came, Clois was surprised by his own thoughts.
She was a child who had nothing to do with him anyway, so why was he making an exception for Ibi Elden just because he had seen her once? Why?
While Clois was pondering, the sky grew darker.
And after a while, the bell rang again from the direction of the Academy for the Gifted. It was the bell announcing the Preliminary Bell, followed by the Complete Curfew.
Snapping out of his thoughts at the sound, Clois rose from his spot and approached Lilian's tomb.
And looking at the flower crown still full of the scent of grass and flowers, he spoke in a gentle voice as if his wife were there.
“Lilian, would Evevien have been like this if she had lived?”
If she had lived, she would have been seven years old, like Ibi.
Clois recalled Ibi's appearance from a moment ago.
She was small and thin now, but if she did well at the Academy for the Gifted, she would surely gain weight like other children her age soon.
Then her dull-looking golden hair would regain its luster, and her green eyes would sparkle more.
Clois's body trembled at that thought.
He felt a familiarity as if he had known her for a long time, even though she was a child he was seeing for the first time. It was because the child's eye color was the same green as Lilian's.
Moreover, if her hair color became a little darker, it would be a similar gold to his.
Just like the child he had briefly imagined when Lilian was pregnant a long time ago...
Get a grip.
Clois, who had been lost in a sentimental mood, scolded himself.
He had taken Lilian's body with his own hands. And the body of Evevien, whom she was holding, as well.
Everyone who remained in the castle at the time said that Lilian had taken young Evevien and gone to the ramparts herself to save the people in the castle, throwing herself as the enemy ordered.
And after that, the enemy had mutilated the bodies...
"...Hah!"
Clois wiped away the cold sweat and snapped out of his reverie.
If he stayed here any longer, he would only have more useless thoughts. Clois glanced at the tomb once more before turning back towards the Imperial Palace.
Much later, Clois returned to his chambers and sat on the sofa, looking at the bouquet he had brought.
After fiddling with it for a long time, he took out the beautifully arranged flowers in the vase in the room and put the bouquet he had brought in their place.
Then he realized that he had taken the handkerchief Ibi had given him.
"Oh dear."
It was clearly a new item she had received today, and because he had taken it, she had inadvertently lost it.
‘I should return it.’
Returning it wouldn't be difficult. He could send it through his vassals. He could easily hide the fact that the Emperor had sent it.
Yet, Clois kept thinking about how he should go to the Academy for the Gifted and return it himself.
Then he realized.
He wanted to see Ibi Elden one more time more than he wanted to return the handkerchief.
Clois gave a bitter smile.
"It seems I've become too weak."
That must be why he keeps trying to find Evevien's image in another child.
He placed the handkerchief on the table.
Thinking that he should have a vassal return it properly when the day dawned.
\ \ *
Dong. Dong. Dong.
The bell rang throughout the Academy for the Gifted, announcing the Complete Curfew.
Ibi caught her breath in the dormitory lobby.
Thanks to quickly escaping the forest when she first heard the bell, she was fortunately able to return to the dormitory before the bell announcing the Complete Curfew rang.
As Ibi breathed heavily, the staff who were organizing documents inside smiled and spoke to her.
"It looks like you ran here in a hurry? It would be good to come earlier from tomorrow."
Ibi was worried that they would scold her for coming in at the last minute, but unlike what she had expected, the staff were kind, perhaps because it was her first day.
After replying that she would be more careful from tomorrow, Ibi was about to go up when she suddenly remembered something and went to ask the staff.
"Excuse me, is it possible to check my guardian here?"
"Guardian? It's not difficult to check, but... did you come in without knowing?"
Most children entering the Academy for the Gifted usually meet and greet their guardian at least once before entering.
Even if they hadn't met, they knew their name.
"Yes. I didn't know there was such a system, but I saw in a book that everyone is required to have a guardian. I want to know who my guardian is."
"What's your name?"
"I'm Ibi Elden."
At Ibi's words, the staff brought a file containing the students' information and began to search through it.
"Let's see... Ibi Elden... Ah, here it is."
The staff soon found Ibi's file and answered.
"Ibi's guardian is Professor Sian Roshen. He has the title of Baron."
"Pardon? Sian Roshen?"
Ibi's voice grew louder at the name the staff mentioned.
Then, realizing that she had made too much noise, she quickly closed her mouth.
"Why? Is there a problem?"
"No, it's nothing. Thank you for checking."
Ibi greeted the staff and went up the stairs to her room.
'Sian Roshen!'
Ibi had to doubt her ears the moment that name came out of the staff's mouth.
The name of the stranger she had just met in the forest was Sian Roshen.
Besides, that person had clearly said that he was a professor at the Academy for the Gifted, hadn't he?
'But why did he become my guardian?'
Just as Ibi didn't know Professor Sian, Professor Sian didn't seem to know her either.
But how was he registered as her guardian?
'Maybe the Academy for the Gifted asked the professors because there was a child without a guardian?'
No matter how she thought about it, that was the most likely scenario.
Ibi's steps towards her room were light as she thought of Professor Sian, whom she had met in the forest.
He was someone she had met for the first time, but somehow felt like she had known him for a long time.
Besides, it was the first time she wasn't afraid of such a big adult man.
Far from being afraid, she wanted to talk more if she had had more time.
She had hurriedly returned because of the bell, but the lingering regret she couldn't erase had remained in her heart all the way back, and now that person was her guardian.
Then there was a chance to meet again.
'Besides, he's a professor at the Academy for the Gifted, so wouldn't I be able to meet him once during class someday?'
Then Ibi remembered an important fact.
"My handkerchief!"
Come to think of it, she had just returned after giving the handkerchief to Professor Sian.
Just in case, she searched all over her pockets, but it was nowhere to be found.
'They said that if you want more of the provided items, you can get them...'
To Ibi, who had always had to save everything at the Poorhouse, a new handkerchief was a huge asset.
It was already a grateful thing to receive such a thing for free, but she felt like she had done something wrong to think she had lost it on the first day she received it.
At the same time, she felt relieved. Because she had a reason to confidently go to Professor Sian.
'The Academy for the Gifted's guide map didn't have Professor Sian's lab marked.'
The map she had memorized also had the locations of the professors' labs marked. But clearly, Professor Sian's name was not on that map.
'I should ask the other staff tomorrow.'
With a thrilled heart at the thought of meeting Professor Sian again, Ibi opened the door to room 305.
"...!"
Ibi met the eyes of a dozen female students standing in the room and froze.
