Ch#89
"I'm really fine now!"
"Good, good. Even thinking back on it, I still regret not punching that wicked thing myself. How dare she do such a vile thing to my disciple...... Tsk."
Even after all this time, Professor Males clicked his tongue as if his anger hadn't subsided, glaring off into the distance for no reason.
Then he pulled over the person beside him and introduced her.
"Kiddo, this is Lucy, my disciple from long ago."
The middle-aged woman called Lucy looked at Professor Males as if to say such things happened.
"Master. So you do acknowledge me as your disciple?"
"What choice do I have? Even though she only picked the things I hated, her grades were good, so I had to acknowledge her."
"Ugh, really. Are you still sulking that I became an architect instead of a mathematician? It's been 30 years already. Give it a rest."
"Who's sulking!"
At Professor Males raising his voice, Ibi could tell.
The professor had been sulking.
Lucy ignored Professor Males's grumbling and approached Ibi, bending at the waist.
"So you're Ibi. Master praised you nonstop in his letters. I've been dying to meet you, our little youngest."
Lucy extended her hand for a handshake.
Since no adult had ever offered her one like this, Ibi hesitantly reached out her own small hand.
The large hand, stained with ink marks, gently grasped and shook Ibi's tiny one.
Ibi felt strangely grown-up from the greeting. Then she remembered how Lucy had addressed her.
"But...... youngest?"
"Yes, the youngest in our group has finally been replaced. How many years has it been? 25 years? Or 26?"
Lucy's eyes brimmed with emotion as she looked at Professor Males.
"26 years."
"Right, right. Master has finally taken on a new disciple after 26 years."
As Ibi watched them, not understanding, Lucy explained.
"It looks like Master hasn't explained yet, seeing you?"
"Of course not. What would my kiddo do in a group crawling with un-cute middle-aged folks like you?"
"That's too much. If Master had taken one new disciple a year, there'd be someone Ibi's age by now—wouldn't that have been great?"
"Enough! Where am I supposed to find students who meet my standards that easily?"
"Yes, yes, that's right. Ah, Ibi. What this means is that professors at Yeongjae Academy or the academy usually have their prized disciples. Naturally, those disciples form a group, and you're the newest youngest member after 26 years."
With Lucy's explanation, it finally made sense.
As Ibi nodded, Lucy rummaged in her pocket and pulled out a small brooch-like item.
"This is our group's crest. You can pin it on your Yeongjae Academy uniform or make it into a necklace to wear. If you need help with anything, show this at our office in the capital. Then not only our group members, but anyone who recognizes the crest will help you."
Leaning in as if sharing a great secret, Lucy whispered in Ibi's ear.
"Come visit, and I'll buy you ice cream."
"Really?"
Ibi's eyes sparkled.
Ice cream only came out once a week at Yeongjae Academy because too much upset the stomach!
"Hey, why are you luring the kid there!"
"Why? Everyone's curious. And summer break's coming soon—if you stay at Yeongjae Academy and get bored, come visit anytime. Your seniors are all dying to meet you."
"Me?"
"Yes. They're all desperate to find an excuse to come to Yeongjae Academy just to see you. They want to come as special lecturers. Everyone will welcome you. We thought there'd be no new members to our group, but then such a small, cute junior comes along."
Ibi looked at the brooch in her hand.
Pinning it to the collar of her Yeongjae Academy uniform, it sparkled in the sunlight.
The small crest, painted in gold, silver, and blue, was made of numbers and geometric shapes.
'They're waiting for me.'
Besides Yeongjae Academy, she knew nowhere else in the capital.
Knowing now that there were people and places waiting for her made Ibi's heart feel secure.
Perhaps her feelings showed on her face, as Professor Males stopped grumbling upon seeing Ibi's pleased smile.
"If I'd known she'd like it this much, I should've brought her along for a day."
"Ha, you ignored the thousands of letters begging you to come. Isn't this favoritism a bit much?"
"Quiet! I'll bring Ibi to visit once during break."
"Oh, really coming? Then tell us ahead of time. We'll all gather, seniors and juniors alike."
"Ugh, it'll be so noisy."
Saying that, the corners of Professor Males's mouth twitched up.
He had cut off contact with his disciples for a long time.
Not because he disliked them. He just hated getting tangled in faction fights.
His disciples, never introduced by him to other professors or nobles, had banded together on their own.
And now they had become a group with some renown in the empire.
He was proud they'd grown well without him, but felt more sorry.
Yet hearing they still waited for him moved him deeply. And Ibi was welcomed too.
'I do have good disciple luck.'
While Professor Males was lost in emotion, Ibi glanced at the blueprints in his hand.
"But what were you and Miss Lucy doing, Professor?"
"Ah, right. We have our work."
At Ibi's question, Males and Lucy hurriedly looked back at the blueprints as if snapping to.
"Another city's academy commissioned a building in the same style as Yeongjae Academy's library, so we came to review it."
Lucy then explained architectural knowledge.
What kind of stone was used here. How much height and weight it could bear. Ways to calculate pillarless spaces by designing with such computations.
Seeing the formula Lucy taught, Ibi looked at the blueprints and said.
"Then this area could go up to 15 reeds without pillars?"
"......You just calculated that now?"
Lucy stared at Ibi in astonishment, then nodded slowly.
"Now I get why Master took on a new disciple after so long."
"Right? Right? Our kiddo is this amazing!"
"I see. In that case, raising her as a future empire-famous architect who'll go down in history......"
"Hey! She's going to be a mathematician!"
Once again, Professor Males and Lucy bickered loudly, continuing until a library staff member came to ask them to be quiet.
* * *
At the same time, Clois was deep in thought, propping his chin on his hand.
The chief attendant entered, but he didn't even turn his head, unable to tear his eyes from the papers covering his desk.
"Your Majesty, why not rest a moment?"
At the attendant's words, Clois shook his head.
"No, no time."
He was truly anxious.
Only about two weeks remained until Yeongjae Academy's break.
In truth, most classes were already on hiatus after exams, offering only supplementary lessons to those who wanted.
Students from far away had received assignments from professors in advance and left early.
'She's staying this time.'
A week ago, after exams ended, Clois had summoned Ibi.
It was their first meeting since the Izriella incident, and he had been terribly nervous.
The moment Ibi entered following the chief attendant, Clois jumped up and approached her.
Fortunately, the handprint marks on her face were gone, and her expression was as bright as before.
She still seemed intimidated by him as emperor, but less tense than the day she first learned, so he was satisfied.
He then had the simple foods and snacks prepared in advance brought out.
"It's like a mountain......"
Seeing the table full, Ibi's mouth hung open, filling him with pride.
One bite, then another. Watching her munch happily, Clois asked several questions.
"Going back to the Orphanage for break?"
"No...... I think I'll stay here. Lots to study, and I want to sightsee the capital."
The moment Ibi said she'd stay, Clois resolved himself.
'She can't just stay cooped up at Yeongjae Academy. I should show her somewhere to make good memories.'
The instant she left, he issued the command.
"Bring the list of Imperial Villas near the capital. Not a single one missing—all of them!"
Those were the papers now piled on Clois's desk.
