Ch#118
Even knowing it was a joke, Evi's heart strangely fluttered.
As if she were glimpsing something that would happen someday.
At that moment, Irene approached Ruska's side.
She was expected to hit his back, scolding him for his silly joke, but far from stopping him, she curtsied even more gracefully than Ruska, lifting her skirt slightly and bowing.
Her posture was so refined it truly resembled greeting the emperor.
"I'd like it if it were Evi too. She'd suit it far better than these guys. In that case, I'd take the Minister of Finance."
At Irene's specific ambition, Ruska looked like he'd been beaten to the punch and hurriedly said,
"Then make me Captain of the Imperial Knight Order! And the Imperial Knights too!"
His urgent tone made it sound as if Evi truly held the decision-making power.
Seeing the two like that, Evi cleared her throat with an 'ahem' and mimicked the Clois she remembered.
"Let it be as you desire."
Perhaps because her imitation was surprisingly convincing.
Irene and Ruska looked at each other and burst into laughter.
"Evi, saying it like that makes you sound just like His Majesty!"
"Really. For a moment just now, I saw His Majesty in you. You two resemble each other!"
"Really? Was it that similar?"
"For real! I've seen His Majesty since I was little. It was exactly like that just now."
At Ruska's response, Evi felt pleased.
'They say I resemble His Majesty!'
Of course, she knew better than to say such things inside the Imperial Palace.
Otherwise, even the adults who now chuckled indulgently would glare with bulging eyes, demanding how a mere orphan dared speak so carelessly.
'But it feels good.'
Being told she resembled someone was something the Poorhouse children envied.
It was a word they themselves rarely used.
Children walking hand-in-hand with their parents clearly shared resemblances.
Hair color, eye color, face shape, height—even small habits.
But the Poorhouse children had no one to compare themselves to.
So they would say things like their hair or eye color resembled another child's inside the Poorhouse, but everyone knew.
That they were unconsciously searching for adults who looked like them on the street.
Yet for the first time, she was told she resembled someone.
And it was His Majesty the Emperor, whom she adored so much.
As Evi puffed up with pride for no reason, Irene and Ruska were pondering a different issue.
"But what about Arsel? If you take both Captain of the Imperial Knight Order and the Imperial Knights, Arsel has nothing left."
"He probably wouldn't like being a knight captain anyway. Let me think... What position suits Arsel? He's good at studying, so maybe Minister of State? But if he's in that role, he'll nag us every day to do our work."
"Hmm, then what should we give him?"
"Something with work but no official power?"
"Does that exist?"
At that, Evi quickly chimed in.
"Anyway, it'd be great if Arsel were with us every day too!"
"Yeah, agreed. He'd complain about us, but he'd handle all the other annoying people too. They'd shut up just from his glare, right? He's scary now, but as an adult, he'll be even scarier."
At Irene's words, Evi tilted her head.
"Irene, are you scared of Arsel?"
He had seemed a bit cold at first, but being with him showed Arsel took great care of her and was very kind.
When going to the village candy store every day, he never let go of her hand, and if she seemed even slightly tired, he noticed keenly and suggested resting.
He'd put delicious things in her mouth first, telling her to try them.
When she thought he was needed from watching nearby, he stepped in without hesitation.
Moreover, had there ever been a time Arsel didn't smile while they were together?
For such an Arsel to be scary.
Irene hugged Evi, who puffed her cheeks as if disagreeing. Ruska held his forehead beside them.
Then the two muttered simultaneously.
"Ha, that sly fox..."
"...?"
As Evi looked puzzled, wondering why they were suddenly talking about foxes, a loud noise came from the training ground.
Turning, she saw knight aspirants had come out to the training ground and were practicing.
Eric waved to the three from among them.
"Did our young ladies come to watch?"
At 'young ladies,' the aspirants' heads turned all at once.
Then, upon seeing Irene and Evi, they let out short sighs.
"Young ladies? Aren't they just kids?"
Still, perhaps worried their shirtless upper bodies might embarrass them, they hurriedly put on shirts.
At that, Eric smacked each of their heads.
"You're slacking. These girls will grow into ones you couldn't even speak to. Be grateful they're watching and bow your heads."
Meanwhile, Ruska had brought Evi and Irene down to the training ground.
He led them to a shaded area with an awning.
"It might be boring, but watch a bit and then go inside..."
"Boring? How could the Marquis Ragselb family's training ground be boring."
Irene handed Evi, seated in a chair, a cool glass of water, her eyes sparkling.
"Everyone in the empire knows the knights from this training ground are outstanding. That's why our Terins family gives extra points to those from here."
At Irene's words, the training knights turned in surprise.
"Terins family?"
"No way, that southern Terins?"
Seeing the aspirants recognize her family, Irene smiled brightly.
"Yes, the southern Terins. As you know, our family offers the highest salaries among noble houses, after the Imperial Palace and Imperial Knights. We look forward to applications from talented individuals."
At Irene's words, the trainees cheered.
As she said, the Terins family was renowned as the noble house with the highest application rate after the palace and Imperial Knights.
Then Eric spoke.
"Alright, then shall we all warm up with some light bare-handed sparring?"
"Yes, sir!"
Excited at the chance to show their skills before a Terins direct descendant, they all responded energetically.
Ruska ran a hand down his face with a sigh.
"I was planning to rest a bit and then take Elishia to the forest to play."
Evi had seen only the best at Irene's and Arsel's homes.
Would sweaty, muscular men shouting and clashing bodies suddenly be fun...?
So he thought.
"Eric oppa! Trip him! Trip!"
"Eric oppa! Behind! Behind!"
But dozens of minutes later, Evi and Irene had jumped up from their seats, fists clenched, cheering excitedly.
Thanks to their cheering, perhaps, Eric hoisted the burly trainee charging at him onto his shoulder and slammed him into the sand behind.
Thud!
With a loud crash, the fallen man groaned. Eric calmly twisted and pinned his arm.
"Eric wins!"
As the judge raised Eric's hand, Evi and Irene cheered with double high-fives.
"Eric oppa is the best!"
"So cool! Eric Ragselb!"
Ruska gaped beside them in disbelief.
"What? How long did you watch to start calling him oppa?"
"He's older than us! So oppa!"
As Irene shot back as if it were obvious, Ruska protested aggrievedly.
"Hey! I'm older than you too!"
"Huh, are you?"
Irene glanced at Ruska with a so-what expression, then turned to Evi.
"Eric oppa is really good. Right?"
"Yes! So cool!"
Evi couldn't hide her excitement either, clenching her fists with flushed cheeks.
At first, she'd thought it scary. Grown men, huge ones at that, throwing punches.
'If it were before, I definitely would've been scared...'
But now, it wasn't scary.
'Since when?'
The innkeeper husband had been a large man.
Even after coming to the Poorhouse, she'd hurriedly hide under the bed if a big man passed by.
Though it improved over time, she'd still tense up and sweat near large people.
She remembered feeling the same when she first arrived at the Genius Academy...
'Since when did it become okay?'
Evi recalled the first adult man she hadn't been afraid of.
'His Majesty.'
Thinking back, why hadn't she been scared at all then?
Despite meeting him for the first time, far from fear, she'd approached and greeted him first.
And the adults after that too.
Not all, but so many had treated her kindly and listened to her stories.
Before she knew it, she could greet them eye-to-eye without shrinking back.
Then, with another thud! cheers erupted again.
"Eric wins!"
Eric, victorious once more, helped the fallen man up and beckoned Ruska.
"Next up, Ruska. Ready to get crushed in front of your guests?"
"What! Why me!"
As Ruska hesitated and stepped back, Irene snorted.
"Well, you couldn't beat Eric oppa anyway."
"Yeah. Eric oppa is bigger."
At the two so casually certain of his defeat, a vein bulged on Ruska's forehead.
"What kind of reaction is that! You think I can't beat Eric even once?"
And shortly after.
"...I lost."
Ruska had to admit defeat under Eric, looking utterly dejected.
"You're ten years too early, little bro."
Eric pulled the grimaced Ruska up and ruffled his hair roughly.
Ruska trudged back to Evi and Irene and plopped down beside them.
"I lost. Pathetically."
Irene stuck out her tongue teasingly beside him and giggled.
Ruska's face crumpled even more.
"If we were the same age as him, I'd win!"
"Hmm, would you really?"
As Irene teased him, Evi stood and handed him a cool glass of water brought from the kitchen for the trainees.
"Drink this, Ruska. You sweated a lot."
She even brought a towel, making Ruska tear up with emotion.
"As expected, my Evi is an angel. How did you end up roommates with that demon Irene..."
As Ruska pretended to sob, a kicked ball from another training ground flew quickly toward Irene.
"...!"
By the time Irene noticed, it was already too late.
Unable to dodge or even close her eyes, as she stared at the approaching ball.
Thwack!
Ruska, who had blocked her front, punched the flying ball away.
Then he yelled toward where it came from.
"What are you doing so dangerously! Go do it somewhere else!"
After shouting, he sat back down and drank the water Evi gave him.
At his attitude that what he'd done was no big deal, Evi and Irene exchanged glances.
Though unsaid, they knew they shared the same thought.
That Ruska had seemed a bit cool just now.
