Ch#91
A signature?
Why on earth would Ibi, who wasn't even the Prime Minister, suddenly need his signature?
Amazed, Clois set Ibi down, and she rummaged through her bag to pull something out.
Clois quickly realized what it was.
“Report card?”
“Yes. According to Yeongjae Academy rules, we have to get a signature from a guardian or sponsor before the break ends and we return.”
There was indeed such a rule.
Clois had never had to pick up his own report card since his grades were reported straight to the emperor.
But back then, his friends Duke Kailun and the Marquis of Ragselbv would sigh heavily upon receiving theirs.
“Third overall this time. I'm in for a scolding.”
“Ugh, unlucky. I'm 405th overall.”
Thinking back now, it seemed his friends' children had inherited their personalities.
Ibi showed him the signature line at the bottom of the report card.
“I thought about sending it to the Director and getting it back, but it might get lost in the mail on the way. Since you became my sponsor, I wondered if I could get it from Your Majesty…… And……”
Ibi glanced cautiously at the chief attendant.
There was clearly something she found hard to say in front of him.
Reading her cue, the chief attendant left the room quickly to prepare tea and snacks before Clois could even signal him.
Once he was gone, Ibi's face fell into a pout.
“What's wrong? Is there a problem?”
Seeing her so dejected for the first time, Clois asked in surprise.
‘Are her grades not good?’
In truth, others saying Ibi's rural advanced school scores might not hold up here weren't entirely baseless.
Many students from distant provinces arrived with high scores only to be shocked by lower ones at Yeongjae Academy.
That's why it was common to come to the capital beforehand, study extra with local teachers before applying.
Ibi hadn't had that luxury, so she might have been surprised by her first low scores.
As Clois searched for comforting words, Ibi spoke in a tiny, strained voice.
“Overall…… 2nd place……”
“What? 2nd?”
Unable to stop himself, Clois jumped up and shouted loudly.
2nd place? For a child who studied without proper textbooks or even decent notebooks, bullied and on edge at a rural school.
Even if it was just basic material for second-semester class placements, this was an unbelievably stunning result.
‘No wonder Seraphina was grinning while reporting on Yeongjae Academy.’
Clois had been keeping tabs on Ibi's grades.
Not caring if they were high or low.
Whether she got 1st or last, it didn't matter to him.
‘Getting into Yeongjae Academy was impressive enough.’
Especially under far more disadvantaged conditions than other students, she'd made it on her own effort. That alone was enough for Clois to praise her forever.
The reason he cared about her rank was worry that she'd be disheartened by her first low score.
At the youngest age, coming alone from afar.
Other kids from distant homes had families move to the capital or at least one parent stay to meet them on outings.
But Ibi had no one.
After enrolling, she'd faced cold treatment as an Orphanage kid, wandered alone, and just when she made friends, the Izriella incident exploded.
She couldn't have studied properly.
Even if she did, the trauma from the beating would have made focusing impossible…….
So when Seraphina visited, he'd subtly prodded her to share something.
Planning to prepare some comfort or gift for Ibi if her scores were low.
But Seraphina refused to tell before students got their reports, saying ask Ibi directly if curious.
‘She must have planned to send it to the Orphanage Director listed as guardian.’
As Clois pondered, Seraphina had said, ‘Wouldn't she feel burdened if Your Majesty cares this much?’
He thought that made sense.
So he'd said nothing, yet here she was asking him to sign.
In truth, Clois was even happier about that than her rank.
The issue was Ibi herself being so downcast.
“Ibi. 2nd place is something everyone would admire and congratulate you for. So why the long face? Disappointed it's not 1st?”
At Clois's worried voice, Ibi cautiously opened her mouth.
“Foreign languages…… I got one wrong.”
“……One?”
His voice cracked in shock.
In fact, Clois had ordered Seraphina after the exam to get him the foreign language test paper.
Curious if what he'd taught appeared, and the difficulty level.
Reviewing it, it was appropriately basic.
He'd heard indirectly which problems stumped Ibi, so he hadn't expected high scores.
‘She's just starting out.’
Even basic first-semester questions weren't easy.
Plus, foreign languages was elective, so only confident kids took it.
For Ibi, newly learning it, a good score would have been unbelievable.
Yet only one wrong?
As he gaped in ongoing shock, Ibi bowed her head further.
“I'm sorry. You taught me so much……”
“No, what are you saying? Sorry? Why you?”
“Because I got the one you taught wrong……”
Clois rubbed his face with his hand.
Good heavens, the child bowing her head like she'd committed a grave sin over that.
“Ibi. You learned this foreign language for the first time this semester. Getting only one wrong on Yeongjae Academy's exam…… that's truly amazing.”
“Still…… you were busy but taught me……”
She must not have realized when he was Professor Sian.
But visiting the Main Palace after learning he was emperor, she'd come to know how busy he was.
“Don't worry about that. I did it because I wanted to. No matter how busy, I could spare time to teach you.”
Only then, at his gentle coaxing tone, did Ibi slowly lift her head.
“Besides, the child I'm sponsoring got 2nd at Yeongjae Academy. Now I can boast about it at the council meetings.”
“Boast? About me?”
“Yes. Not sure if you know, but most imperial ministers sponsor Yeongjae Academy students. They brag endlessly at every meeting…… Now I can chime in too.”
Perhaps amazed to be the emperor's boast.
Her sullen look vanished, replaced by a beaming smile of joy.
Right on cue, the chief attendant entered with snacks and tea.
“Wow……!”
Ibi exclaimed at the cart he wheeled in.
From the top shelf to the bottom, it brimmed with all sorts of snacks and foods.
Through the transparent glass lids, colorful pastries were visible. It was no exaggeration to say they'd brought every pastry in the empire.
“Snack time means snacks.”
The chief attendant poured a cool, mild tea suitable for children, and Ibi soon began munching pastries with it.
Meanwhile, Clois was already bragging to the chief attendant about Ibi.
“Ibi got 2nd overall at Yeongjae Academy. And on the foreign language she learned for the first time from me, only one wrong.”
Clois emphasized that she'd learned it from him.
“Oh my! She always worked so hard and got such proud results.”
At the chief attendant's admiration and impressed gaze, Ibi gave an embarrassed but joyful smile, unable to hide her delight.
Seeing Clois so thrilled and the chief attendant amazed made her feel great.
She even puffed up her shoulders a bit.
When she passed the advanced school before, the Director had been this happy. Back then too, seeing not just herself but others rejoice had felt wonderful.
Having people here share her joy made her happy.
