37 - Can I Cry Now?
37
In the Inner Palace's conference room, ministers were chatting while waiting for the Emperor.
Perhaps it was because the Academy for the Gifted had recently reopened.
Most of their conversation topics revolved around the Academy for the Gifted.
"I'm glad the Academy for the Gifted seems to be operating smoothly."
"Indeed. Since it's the first time it's reopened after the war, I was worried there might be many shortcomings, but so far, there don't seem to be any major problems."
In truth, there weren't no problems at all.
'It's just that quite a few children are dropping out.'
Before the war, everyone knew how strict the Academy for the Gifted was.
So, noble families would prepare their children to enter the Academy from a young age.
Things like washing themselves in the morning, dressing themselves, and preparing for their own lives.
But now, seven years after the war.
It hadn't been that long, but people had completely forgotten the rules of the Academy for the Gifted.
Moreover, because many nobles had died in the war, the current nobles cherished their children even more.
As a result, it was only natural that the children grew up spoiled.
Children who wouldn't even feed themselves.
It was impossible for them to do well when they were suddenly told to do everything on their own.
There was a child who cried and made a fuss on the first day, saying they were scared, and couldn't even enroll.
There was a child who came in and asked if there were no maids or servants, and what they were supposed to do now.
There was a child who lasted a day or two but eventually dropped out because they couldn't even put on their own uniform.
There was even a child who was quickly expelled for causing trouble with their peers or being rude to the staff, accumulating over 50 demerit points in a short amount of time.
Many children had left the Academy for the Gifted for all sorts of reasons.
Naturally, that was a disgrace. Not only to themselves but also to the person who had acted as their guardian.
So, the conference room was now largely divided into two groups.
Those whose children, for whom they were guardians, were still safely at the Academy for the Gifted.
And those whose children couldn't endure and had left.
The latter were desperately trying to ignore the topic of the Academy for the Gifted, unable to lift their heads in the conference room.
Of course, those whose children were still there brought up the topic of the Academy for the Gifted even more proudly.
"Speaking of which, it's almost time to send the guardians' gifts. What gifts have you all prepared?"
A minister, who had heard that his nephew was already building close friendships with many noble children, said with a smile.
'Especially with Irene Terrence.'
He had received a letter saying that his nephew was always by Irene's side, warding off the annoying children who clung to her, and that she seemed grateful.
'If he becomes close to the Terrence family... nothing could be better.'
The Terrence family had decided to send their second daughter into central high society.
If that family had made up their mind, they would surely secure a place in this capital.
So, he had to stick to them like glue.
In response to his relaxed words, the others replied as if they had been waiting for the opportunity.
"I'm planning to give a fountain pen that I ordered from my father-in-law last year. It's for a friend's grandson, and he asked for a new pen because he studies so hard. I have high expectations for his future. He'll surely be loved by the best professors."
"I've ordered a book for my relative's child to read while they're at the Academy for the Gifted. It's the newly revised encyclopedia from this year..."
"Of course, wearing only the Academy for the Gifted uniform must be boring, so I've ordered clothes and shoes for them to wear on days when they can wear casual clothes from a very famous fashion house..."
While everyone was talking about what they would gift to the child they were a guardian for.
Clois was listening to their conversation through the slightly open conference room door.
'Guardians give gifts?'
That was not a custom when he attended the Academy for the Gifted.
'Then I should send something too.'
At the same time, he thought of the handkerchief he still hadn't returned.
He had been wondering whether to just return it or send a small gift along with it, but he didn't know there was such a custom.
Thinking it was a good opportunity, Clois listened to what the ministers were gifting.
After listening for a while, he thought.
While the other children probably received many things from their families on a regular basis, Ibi was not in a position to do so.
Then wouldn't it be okay for him to take care of many things for her?
The moment he thought that, all sorts of things flashed through Clois's mind.
What would be a good gift?
He thought about what the ministers had said earlier.
'A good fountain pen would be nice.'
Not only that.
Fountain pens, regular pens, pencils, colored pencils... it would be good to prepare all the stationery items that children could have, of the highest quality.
'It would be nice to have more dictionaries or clothes too.'
Suddenly, his mind flashed to the study in his residence.
The chief secretary would select books by the empire's prominent scholars and place them on his shelves.
It wasn't just books he liked.
There were also books that were placed there because they were famous or considered essential, even if he didn't read them.
It was only natural. There were many different kinds of dictionaries.
Among them were dictionaries for young children.
Since it was mandatory for every noble family in the empire to have them, they would have been placed in his study as well.
'It would be good to have a set of dictionaries too.'
That way, she could look things up right away when she was curious about something.
In his imagination, Clois was looking for more things to fill Ibi's room with.
She was a child from the Poorhouse. She probably didn't have many clothes.
'It would be good to have a lot of shoes too. She's at an age where she'll be running around and playing a lot.'
Before he knew it, Clois had naturally started imagining what colors of clothes and shoes would suit Ibi.
'Since it'll be summer soon, she'll need a wide-brimmed hat.'
She was a child with bright blonde hair. She would look very good wearing a hat with flower decorations.
'Do girls usually like decorations like ribbons?'
He had heard that they usually matched the color of the decorations to the color of the children's eyes. Since hers were green, a large green ribbon brooch would look good no matter where she attached it.
In Clois's imagination, the number of gifts was gradually increasing.
Then, a conversation from the past suddenly came to mind.
The time he had talked with Lilian about the hair and eye color of their unborn child.
At that time, Lilian had said.
"I think the child will have the same hair color as you. And eyes like mine."
Clois had shaken his head at those words.
"Why? I want our child to have your red hair. I've never seen a more beautiful color in my life."
Lilian chuckled at his increasing smoothness even after they were married, and then said with conviction.
"I know. Our child will be born with blonde hair and green eyes. And it will be a girl."
She had spoken with such certainty, as if she had seen the future.
So, after going to the battlefield, whenever he thought of the child he had never seen, he naturally thought of blonde hair and green eyes.
'Just like Ibi Elden...'
Having thought that far, Clois was startled and came to his senses.
Then, he ran his hands over his face.
He had vaguely thought about Evevien before, but he had never kept thinking about one child like this...
'I need to be careful.'
He sighed.
Lately, the resolve he had built up over time had been crumbling in an instant.
What if he were to develop the same affection for a certain child as he would have for his own child?
'That can't happen.'
How many nobles were eagerly eyeing the position of his adopted child right now?
It wasn't just because he found them disgusting.
'My daughter is not in this world.'
And yet, to cherish another child as if she were that child.
That would be a terrible thing to do to that child, and to the real Evevien.
Clois erased the many items floating around in his head.
He just needed to give a suitable gift that fit the formality. There was no need to give more than that.
Listening to the ministers, it didn't seem like they were giving too much either.
Then he should probably just give one item as well.
'Then...'
Clois was lost in thought again.
She was a child who had come from afar, leaving her home behind. Unlike the other children at the Academy for the Gifted, she was a very young child with no one to rely on here.
And not long ago, she had experienced the unpleasantness of having to spend several hours alone in the dark, hadn't she?
What would be good to give to such a child?
Suddenly, something flashed through his mind.
