Translator: Nox

59 - Can I Cry Now?

Episode 59

If he had written down when, I would have come back here at that time.

In any case, what is certain is that Ibi will come back here again.

Then, the parts that he thought were fine until just now seemed lacking in Professor Sian's office.

'The chair is too high and hard.'

At this rate, there is no place for a child to come in and sit.

'The color of the curtains is also dull.'

No matter how well the sunlight comes in, if the curtains are such a dark color, wouldn't they think it's scary when they come in?

'The books are not good either.'

It is full of books for academic purposes that only have letters.

Wouldn't it be nice to have at least a picture book in a foreign language?

Clois picked up a pen and wrote down what he thought was more necessary for this room.

Things that the person who comes back here will be happy about.

\ \ \

The Townhouse of the Terrence family in the capital was a place where passers-by would definitely stop and look at least once.

The mansion, which has the largest area in the capital except for the Imperial Palace, has both elegance and splendor.

And now, numerous carriages were flocking to the mansion.

Irene was on the balcony on the second floor, looking at the people who kept coming in as if she was bored.

"It's the Seasonal Festival, shouldn't everyone be out having fun? Why are they coming here?"

When Irene was grumbling at seeing more people than she had expected, the door to the room opened and Irene's sister, Ines, came in.

"Irene. Are you really not coming down?"

Irene didn't even turn around, resting her chin on her hand and said sullenly.

"I didn't know you would be here, sister."

"It's your first outing since you entered the Academy for the Gifted, how could I not come to see you? Thanks to that, I was able to hear a lot about your life at the Academy for the Gifted."

Irene's shoulders flinched at the mention of life at the Academy for the Gifted.

"You're really living as you please even here."

At Ines's words, Irene pouted her lips even more.

"I felt it last year too, but the nobles in the capital are pretentious, gloomy, and annoying. I'd rather be with the kids from the South."

At those words, Ines sighed and shook her head.

"I've told you so many times since you were young that you have to face that pretense for the rest of your life. So? Are you thinking of quitting the Academy for the Gifted? If so, I won't stop you. I'll try to persuade Father."

Saying that, she lightly patted her younger sister's shoulder.

"When you were born, the priestess said. No matter what you do, you will live happily and contentedly next to the greatest power."

The South is a place where folk beliefs have a stronger influence compared to the central region where the capital is located.

The Terrence family was the same.

When the Count said he would remarry, taking his young daughter Ines, people did not welcome it.

The other party was almost a commoner, and not even a woman from the South.

That was also a problem, but they were worried that if a new child was born, there would be division over the successor.

But when Irene was born, the priestess of the island, who happened to be visiting the Terrence family, saw Irene and said.

"She is a very greedy child, she will stand in the closest position to the greatest power. She will experience dangerous things along the way, but she will live happily ever after based on the firm trust at that time."

It was the greatest blessing. After that, even the family members who had antipathy towards Irene began to cherish Irene.

In particular, people thought that the greatest power clearly meant the person who would become the Emperor.

That is why Irene's name was constantly mentioned as the Crown Princess, wasn't it?

Irene sighed at Ines's words, who was talking about an old story.

"Sister, do you like me because of the priestess's words?"

"No. I like you because you are a small and cute sister."

At the affectionate words, Irene turned around and hugged her sister.

"I know you came because you were worried about me."

She is already starting to take over her father's work.

Such a busy person wouldn't have come here just because she had time.

"Sister cherishes, adores, and loves me."

"Seeing you say such things shamelessly, you are definitely my sister."

Ines smiled as if she was satisfied.

"Sister, about my roommate..."

"I know. You're talking about Ibi Elden, right? By the way, her name appeared 17 times in the letter you sent, so I was wondering about her."

"About Ibi, can she come home with me during the vacation?"

"Do as you please."

Ines looked at Irene as if nothing was a big deal.

Irene is doing well, but she is particularly prickly to those around her.

So, despite having many children around her, she didn't call anyone a friend.

Irene cherishes a child so much.

'She said she was a commoner from the Poorhouse.'

She is a child who will never be related to power like the one the priestess spoke of.

But what does that matter?

"Since she's your first friend, you should definitely invite her."

\ \ \

Thud!

With the sound of a kick, Ruska's body rolled forward.

"Hey, Ruska! Can't you come to your senses!"

Ruska's second older brother looked at him from behind, lying on the floor as if nothing was wrong.

"Why are you so out of it? Do you miss Arcel?"

"Are you crazy? Why would I miss that guy!"

"Then why are you doing this?"

"I keep worrying about Ibi..."

"Ibi? Who is that?"

When his second older brother asked, Ruska realized he had made a mistake and closed his mouth.

Of course, his brother wouldn't just let it go.

"It's a girl's name? Who is she? Who?"

"It's not what you think, brother. Ibi Elden. A 7-year-old little kid."

"Hoo, keep going."

"What do you mean keep going? She's a child from the Poorhouse, and I made a slip of the tongue before I went out. I asked her if she wanted to go out since she had nowhere to go inside the Academy for the Gifted... She's also young... And it's her first time in the capital, so she wouldn't be able to go out."

"Hmm... Then you should just go back to the Academy for the Gifted early."

"Huh?"

"You said you're worried about her being left alone, right? Then go back early and take her to the Seasonal Festival or something."

At those words, Ruska's eyes sparkled.

"Can I?"

"Yeah. It's a waste of time to spar with a brother who has his mind elsewhere anyway."

At those words, Ruska grabbed his practice sword and hurriedly ran back to the mansion.

Watching his younger brother's back, his second older brother muttered.

"I think this is the first time that guy has moved like that because of someone other than Arcel..."

\ \ *

Ibi walked down the darkening road.

After visiting Professor Sian's office yesterday, she had been worrying all day today.

'Can I go again today?'

Seeing that he wasn't in his office yesterday, it didn't seem like he would be there today either.

So, she had been in her room all day since morning, looking at books or studying, but from the afternoon, she kept wanting to go back there.

'After all, I don't like it too quiet.'

Even the children who didn't go out yesterday must have found it hard to endure this silence, and they all went outside.

Ibi was the same. Maybe it was because she read a book about the Seasonal Festival yesterday before going to bed.

Strangely, today she wanted to go out and see the festival even more.

Ibi, who couldn't concentrate on anything all day, eventually went to the cafeteria early for dinner.

Even the cafeteria had almost no one working, so there were only packaged sandwiches.

There were so few people taking them that there were almost no people left inside the Academy for the Gifted.

Ibi took a sandwich and sighed as she looked at the dormitory.

'I just want to see it, even if it's just a glimpse.'

Since she doesn't have any money anyway, she doesn't think about buying anything.

It would be nice if she could just go out and see it.

Before she knew it, Ibi turned her back on the dormitory and walked in a different direction.

With the hope that she could at least find a place where she could see outside the Imperial Palace.

Then, the moment she passed the building where Professor Sian's office was located.

"Oh!"

Ibi's eyes widened when she saw the room with the lights on.

'That's Professor Sian's room!'

After confirming several times that the place with the lights on was room 408, Ibi immediately ran into the building.

"Professor!"

Ibi forgot to even knock and opened the door wide.

"Ibi?"

Professor Sian was really inside.

It was the first time seeing him at the Academy for the Gifted other than at the Forest of Graves.

The moment Ibi confirmed that he was a real professor inside the Academy for the Gifted, she was happy and ran to him and clung to him.

"It's really Professor!"

At those words, Clois burst out laughing.

"Are there fake professors too?"

Then, he flinched at the words he had uttered.

Come to think of it, he was a fake professor.

Ibi grabbed his clothes and clung to him, then let go after a long time. Then, she took out a sandwich from her bag and placed it on the table.

"You haven't eaten yet, right? Here, Professor, please eat this."

"What about you?"

"I can get it again on the way back. I'm bored anyway, so I'll stop by one more time."

"Bored?"

At those words, Ibi replied in a slightly weak voice.

"Everyone went out. They said they'll be back from tomorrow morning."

"You... Ah, you need a guardian to go out."

Among the children at the Academy for the Gifted, children under the age of 10 could only go out with a guardian.

At those words, Ibi's shoulders drooped.

"Yes... Headmaster is far away..."

At that moment, Clois said without realizing it.

"How about going out with me?"