30 - Can I Cry Now?
Episode 30
Thump, thump.
Seraphina watched Limora's retreating figure with drooping shoulders and listless steps.
"N-No, I don't want to! I'd rather take another punishment with demerit points!"
'She probably thought she was being clever.'
But she wasn't really smart enough to be cunning.
If she were, she would have acknowledged her instructions, bowed her head, and said she would visit Ibi every day until Ibi forgave her.
But Limora flatly refused and turned her back on Ibi.
That attitude alone was enough to tell.
Limora had no intention of sincerely apologizing to Ibi.
Seraphina clicked her tongue and returned to the room. Then, she said to Ibi, who was inside the room.
"I even made sure to be considerate of you so as not to attract the attention of the other children, but it's a shame it turned out this way."
At the word "considerate," Ibi gave an awkward smile.
In fact, Seraphina was going to call Limora down, saying she had something to say regarding Ibi.
But when she instructed the staff member to do so, Ibi grabbed her clothes and shook her head.
"You can't do that. Then everyone else will know..."
Then, Ibi asked her to call Limora here as if it were for another matter.
So that the other students wouldn't know that Limora was related to this incident.
Ibi smiled sheepishly at Seraphina's praise.
'That's what Headmaster always did.'
There were many children in the Poorhouse. Therefore, there were constant fights.
Among them were children who secretly did "bad things" like this.
Especially children who stole things or messed up other friends' belongings.
When that happened, the children searched with their eyes wide open to find out who the culprit was.
At times like that, Headmaster would sometimes call some children, saying, "Help me with some work."
Ibi really thought those children were called to help Headmaster with her work.
Until she almost forgot to knock and tried to enter, overhearing the conversation inside.
How surprised she was to find out that the children who were called were actually the culprits.
Later, when she was alone with Headmaster, Ibi asked why she lied and called them like that.
"That's the biggest punishment and reflection, so I do that."
Ibi couldn't understand Headmaster's answer.
Seeing her face, which showed that she couldn't understand at all, Headmaster stroked Ibi's hair and said again.
"When you do something wrong, you have to reflect on it yourself. An apology that you are forced to make while being conscious of others is meaningless. It's very painful and unsettling not being able to confide in anyone and worrying about when your mistake will be discovered. Even while your friends are laughing and playing, the person who did wrong can't sincerely laugh."
Ibi told Seraphina what she remembered Headmaster saying.
Then Seraphina smiled and patted Ibi's shoulder.
"She was a good teacher."
At that moment, a voice came from behind the wooden partition that divided the space.
"Everything's good, but can we leave now?"
"Ah, sorry. I forgot about you two. Come out."
As Seraphina smiled, Ruska came out from behind the partition, grumbling. Naturally, Arcel was with her.
"Now you two can go back. Even though this is a staff building, it's still an annex of the girls' dormitory. No matter how much privilege you have from His Majesty the Emperor, it's still not right to come into the girls' dormitory."
"That's not why we came here!"
Ruska raised her voice as if she was being seen as a pervert, then hurriedly shut her mouth.
"No, we were here in case that Limora or Lemora kept lying until the end..."
That was true.
The two of them stayed in case Limora insisted until the end that she had never done such a thing.
"I'm glad it ended before that happened."
While Ruska was muttering, Arcel said to Ibi.
Ibi looked down when she saw that the top he was wearing again was crumpled.
"Ah, thank you for lending me the clothes. And thank you for letting Limora speak first."
It was Arcel's idea to turn off the lights on purpose when Limora came in, make her panic, and then have her see Ibi.
"I think that alone will make her angry and confess her mistake first."
Indeed, it turned out as Arcel said.
Seraphina clicked her tongue inwardly as she looked at Arcel, who was speaking calmly.
'That young one is suggesting something similar to a war prisoner interrogation method from somewhere...'
She didn't stop him. Honestly, Seraphina also wanted Limora to receive this much punishment for doing such a thing.
'If she's scared of me, she'll know to be scared of others too.'
At least she won't be able to think about trapping others in the dark alone in the future.
"Anyway, it's too late, so you guys go back. I won't see you off, is that okay?"
"Of course."
"Naturally."
"Then let's say goodbye properly later. Goodbye."
At Seraphina's words, the two bowed and waved to Ibi.
"See you tomorrow!"
Ruska said, laughing cheerfully.
"It must have been hard, get some rest."
Arcel said politely in a calm voice.
Ibi bowed deeply to the two people who were waving at her.
"Thank you so much today."
At Ibi's greeting, the two waved until the door closed.
Watching that, Seraphina thought that anything could happen.
'Those guys aren't the type to take care of others like that.'
Seraphina was also close to Clois, so she had been friends with the two since they were young.
'Those guys who seemed like they only had each other as friends, what's going on.'
Then her gaze went to Ibi, who was busily packing her bag.
Come to think of it, she was strange today too.
'The magic casting was too easy and fast than I thought.'
The entire Imperial Palace was designed to make magic casting difficult with old power.
So even though she borrowed the Magic Stone and cast the magic, she wasn't confident that she would find her in one go.
But not only was the casting stronger than usual, but it also found Ibi at once as if someone was leading her.
'I could only use magic like this when Lilian was here...'
Then suddenly, Arcel and Ruska's faces came to mind.
The two children, whom she hadn't seen in a long time, were somehow unfamiliar yet familiar, and they were smiling like when Lilian was alive.
'Why?'
Herself too. The two of them too.
What was the reason for being different from usual?
"Then I'll be going now. Thank you so much for using magic to find me today. The light falling like stars was really pretty!"
Ibi smiled brightly as if she was recalling that moment.
"Oh..."
At that moment, Seraphina realized.
That the skinny child in front of her was wearing a familiar smile.
It was the same smile as Lilian in the portrait she had seen while taking Ibi out.
Seraphina's eyes scanned Ibi.
Dull but bright golden hair. And deep green eyes.
'She resembles her.'
"Headmaster?"
"Ah, sorry."
Seraphina woke up from her thoughts at Ibi's call.
Princess Evevien was dead. Everyone in the castle at the time testified to the death of the two, and Clois himself recovered the bodies.
Knowing that, Seraphina's eyes momentarily went to the back of Ibi's hand.
Then she smiled bitterly at the clean back of her hand, which had nothing on it.
'What am I thinking.'
Why was she looking for the Emperor and Empress in a child from the Poorhouse?
Seraphina took Ibi out of the room.
\ \ *
"Hooa..."
Ibi came up the stairs and quietly opened the door to her room, 305.
Seraphina said she would take her to the room, but a staff member from the Academy for the Gifted was looking for her outside.
Listening to her complaints, it seemed like she had a huge amount of work piled up.
Seraphina apologized and repeatedly said she would see her again later, then trudged back, and Ibi also returned to her room alone.
She had to wash up quickly and prepare for tomorrow.
'I have to go in quietly.'
It's already too late. Irene might already be asleep.
Ibi, who was about to open the door very quietly, found a paper bag placed in front of the door.
"......?"
Wondering what it was, she opened it and found sandwiches, fruits, cookies, and candies that were clearly brought from the Academy for the Gifted's cafeteria.
'The staff must have packed them for me.'
If she had known in advance, she would have thanked them for this too.
Ibi held the paper bag in her arms and went into the room.
A moment after Ibi went in.
The opposite door opened slightly, and Irene peeked her head out.
Then, after confirming that there was nothing in front of Ibi's door, she closed the door again with a satisfied expression.
The noisy second day ended like that.
