21 - Can I Cry Now?
Episode 21
The students who left the museum split into two large groups and entered different buildings of the Imperial Palace.
This was to manage them more effectively by dividing their numbers, as people were working there, and loud noises would be problematic from then on.
While following the staff member and listening to their explanation, Limora's friend approached and asked in a small voice.
"Limora? How did you do it?"
At her friend's question, Limora glanced at the staff member in front of them.
Fortunately, they didn't seem to be paying attention to their group.
Limora lowered her voice and replied.
"She was too busy staring at the paintings like an idiot to notice the door closing, wasn't she?"
Limora shrugged her shoulders.
"Poor thing. Wandering around alone and getting trapped when someone closed the door... She doesn't even have any friends, so no one will notice."
Limora's friend, who had approached her, briefly looked disgusted but quickly masked her expression.
While noble students tried to become close to Irene Terrence, commoner students hovered around Limora.
Even though they were commoners, her family had produced many renowned scholars in the capital.
So, everyone except the genius Arcel thought Limora would be the runner-up in this Academy for the Gifted entrance.
'She pretended to be fine on the outside.'
Limora's friend clicked her tongue inwardly.
'She acted all nice in front of the other students, saying how amazing and admirable Ibi was.'
But deep down, she only wanted to push Ibi out of the way and climb to the top.
So, she expected Limora to do something, but she didn't think she would lock Ibi up alone like this.
When Limora said she would play a trick on Ibi earlier, she wondered if she should stop Limora, who didn't know the limits... but she just kept her mouth shut.
There would be no good in provoking Limora.
Watching Limora humming to herself, seemingly in a good mood, the friend returned to her place.
'It's still inside the Imperial Palace, so nothing big will happen.'
At most, she'll be trapped for a few hours before being discovered.
Maybe a passing staff member has already found her and let her out.
'That's not a big deal, is it?'
Limora wouldn't have tried anything that could cause physical harm.
If things got out of hand, Limora would be in trouble if there were any witnesses.
'But judging from Limora's attitude, it doesn't seem like she was caught by anyone.'
Then it's better for her to keep her mouth shut as well.
While the students were moving, no one noticed that Ibi was missing.
\ \ \
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Ibi raised her hand and knocked on the door.
She had already knocked countless times, and her small fist had turned red and swollen.
"Is anyone out there? Please open the door!"
Ibi shouted towards the outside without giving up.
But still, there was no response.
'They said it's not officially open yet.'
So, even when she came inside with the Academy for the Gifted staff, the managing staff only stood at the entrance.
At least there were several museum staff members wandering around the jewelry section, but she didn't see anyone in the portrait exhibition hall.
So, no one would hear her even if she kept knocking like this.
Ibi blew on her swollen hand.
It seemed like it would be futile to keep knocking.
Eventually, Ibi squatted down in front of the door.
'Why did the door close?'
It was clearly wide open when she came in.
Besides, if someone was going to close the door, they would have looked inside at least once and couldn't have missed her standing in the middle.
Then, did someone deliberately close the door to trap her here?
She remembered the cold gazes of the students who had glared at her. Could it be one of them?
Ibi, who had been lost in thought for a moment, shook her head.
'No. Let's not think bad thoughts.'
The deed is already done. Thinking about it won't change anything and will only make her feel worse.
'The headmaster said to think about what to do next in times like these.'
Recalling past memories, Ibi thought about today's schedule.
It was a schedule to tour various parts of the Imperial Palace until quite late.
They didn't check the number of people separately in between, so they would check the number of students right before returning to the Academy for the Gifted, or after arriving.
'That's when they'll realize I'm missing.'
Then suddenly, Ibi became anxious. What if they don't check even then?
Then the only person who would notice that she's missing is her roommate, Irene...
'Will she notice that I haven't come back?'
Irene always seemed busy, surrounded by other students.
Besides, when she came into the room, she would go straight into her own room.
It didn't seem like she would notice that she was missing.
"Hmm..."
Ibi's expression became a little more serious.
Perhaps it would take much longer for them to realize that she was missing.
'But they'll notice by tomorrow morning at the latest.'
From tomorrow, guidance on each classroom and class will begin.
Since there are pre-assigned times and places, they will come looking for her if she's not there.
Then what should she do until then?
Ibi opened the bag she was carrying on her shoulder.
She had brought some of the cookies that were piled up after eating at the Imperial Palace's restaurant during the day.
'I even packed two candies.'
This should be enough to last until tomorrow morning.
"It's okay! I used to survive for a week with just water!"
Ibi clenched her small fist as if she was confident.
She remembered when she worked odd jobs at an inn before entering the Poorhouse.
How hard she had lived until the headmaster rescued her.
Thinking about that time, starving for a day is nothing. She's not even starving, since she has cookies and candies.
Having solved the problem of food, Ibi looked around again.
If she had to spend the night here, she had to find a place to sit or sleep.
'The floor is pretty marble, but it's too cold.'
Fortunately, there was a long wooden bench for visitors in the corner. When she climbed up and sat there, it was much better than the floor.
Even so, it was just better than the floor, and it still wasn't a comfortable place to stay for a long time.
'If I stay like this, I'll get sick.'
She knew how much her body would ache if she slept on the wooden bench, as she had slept in cold and hard places when she was young.
Ibi, who had come down from the bench and was looking around the exhibition hall, found a chest of drawers in the corner and opened it.
Was it a cloth to cover the paintings? A large cloth was neatly folded.
Ibi took it out and unfolded it. It was a thick and rough cloth, but it was much better than nothing.
Carrying it, Ibi climbed back onto the bench, curled up, and covered herself with the cloth.
Meanwhile, the room with the portraits became even darker.
Ibi sat covered in the cloth and looked around. Strangely, the exhibition hall had become darker, but the faces in the portraits felt even clearer.
"They say that at night, the people in the paintings come out and wander around. And if they encounter a living person... Boo!"
She remembered the ghost stories that the children in the same room used to tell her before going to sleep in the Poorhouse.
She used to scream and cover herself with a blanket back then.
'...It's not scary. I'm not scared at all...'
She was alone in a strange place without any friends, but she didn't feel afraid.
Ibi knew the reason why.
The portrait that she had been staring at blankly as soon as she saw it.
Ibi turned her body and sat facing the portrait.
The woman in the painting was smiling the same way she had when she first saw it, so Ibi murmured in a regretful voice.
"I really wish you could come out of the painting..."
Then she could say hello. She could talk to her too.
In the ghost stories her friends told, the people in the paintings came out and harmed the living.
But the woman in this portrait didn't seem like she would ever do that.
Rather, it felt like if she came out, she would smile and greet her, and then talk to her kindly...
Ibi fixed her gaze on the portrait again.
It was a painting she had seen for the first time today, but why did she feel like she had met someone she missed so much?
Then she remembered having felt a similar feeling before.
'When was it?'
It was recently...
"Ah!"
Ibi, who had remembered, spoke in a loud voice. She remembered when it was.
'When I met Professor Sian.'
She had felt a similar feeling at that tomb as well.
It was an exhibition hall with only windows high up and the door tightly closed.
But strangely, it felt like a warm breeze had brushed past her head.
Ibi smiled and faced the painting.
She didn't think she would be scared at all until people came to find her.
\ \ \
The schedule ended after the sky had darkened.
The students, who had been divided into several teams here and there, gathered again in the Academy for the Gifted's plaza.
They were all about to return to the dormitory, chatting with friends who had gone to other teams for a while.
"Wait a minute!"
A somewhat urgent voice stopped the Academy for the Gifted staff member.
"I can't find my roommate!"
