Chapter 19

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Translated by Sylph

Read only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net.

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The buzzing of the students was soon settled.

It was because the permitted time at the entrance of the main palace had ended, and they had to move again as much of the schedule remained.

The only difference was the fact that the students who had been beside Evi were now openly avoiding her.

Not to mention the noble students, even the commoner students now looked at Evi with subtle glares.

In the eyes of the students who did not know the truth, she merely appeared as a child trying to draw attention with lies.

Evi knew that the gazes toward her had sharpened, but she did not shrink back.

‘It doesn’t matter. I’m the person selected here!’

Far from shrinking back, Evi puffed out her chest with eyes that sparkled even more than in the morning.

Compared to when she attended the upper school, this much was nothing.

Back then, there were really times when stones would occasionally fly at her.

However, because the school rules here were strict and the staff of the Gifted Center also did not overlook anything regardless of status, such things did not happen.

The staff of the Gifted Center took the students and toured various places in the Imperial Palace.

Even the students who had said they had entered the Imperial Palace with their parents during banquets let out exclamations of admiration as they entered places they could not access at that time.

Even if many parts had been damaged by the war, the Imperial Palace of the empire with a thousand-year history still retained its splendor and beauty.

Greed began to grow in the hearts of the students at the sight of the main palace, which was more beautiful than they had thought.

In particular, everyone’s eyes flashed when they saw the ministers heading toward the conference room.

Remaining in the Imperial Palace to work is not a difficult task.

However, rising to a high position is a different matter.

‘Although the family also has a great influence, personal ability is more important.’

As proof of that, even the Minister of State, who was currently the closest confidant of the Emperor, was originally a humble noble, almost close to a commoner.

However, after entering the Gifted Center, he made a name for himself in the empire with his cleverness.

After that, after deciding to remain in the Imperial Palace, he continued to be promoted quietly, and his ability was properly recognized after the accession of the current Emperor, Clois.

Thus, although he came from a low-status family, he rose to the position of Minister of State, the highest among the ministers.

That fact became a great encouragement to the commoner students who entered the Gifted Center.

‘I just have to do well.’

However, there were also students who thought differently.

Rimora glared at Evi, who was walking around as if nothing were wrong, far from being discouraged even though the fact that she was Rimora had been revealed.

Actually, Rimora had not liked Evi since the time she entered.

No, she hated her very much.

‘I thought I would be the runner-up.’

Rimora, who confirmed that she had placed 3rd in the basic test, bit her lip.

She had no feelings for Arcel, the top student.

No, rather, she felt favorable toward him. She wanted to become close if possible.

But not Evi Alden.

‘A mere child from an orphanage.’

What do you mean, fellow commoners.

Unlike the children of innate noble families, she had made an effort.

She had studied really hard, and the expectations from her family were high.

She did not put down her books at school or at home. For her, the honor of a scholarly family, greater than the name of a noble family, was at stake.

From the moment she heard the story of Arcel going to the Gifted Center, Rimora had dreamed.

A dream where Arcel, from a noble family, was the top student, and she, a commoner, was the runner-up.

Therefore, being pushed back by a mere girl like that, the fact that she was 3rd was very humiliating.

Furthermore, knowing the fact that the girl had received help from Arcel and Ruska on the way into the Gifted Center made her stomach turn even more.

‘What is so great about her compared to me.’

Still, she could not openly reveal those thoughts. Moreover, if Evi Alden was truly a child under the Emperor’s protection, she had to become close.

But now she knew that was not the case.

‘Then…’

The Gifted Center gives many awards to the top student and the runner-up, but rarely gives anything to the 3rd place.

Therefore, from now on, Evi Alden would benefit by attending various events of the Gifted Center as a representative beside Arcel, the top student.

By doing so, she would not only become closer to Arcel but also make an impression on the ministers of the Imperial Palace.

Thinking of that scene, Rimora unconsciously bit her lip.

At that time, the students who were by Rimora’s side looked at the group on the other side with envious eyes.

“There are still many people around Lady Irene.”

“You’re right. Come to think of it, was that kid Irene’s roommate? If that kid leaves, will someone else enter that spot? They say they rearranged the rooms because many people quit the boys’ dormitory.”

Amid the chatter of her friends, Rimora thought about what would happen if Evi disappeared.

‘If I’m lucky, I might be able to become Lady Irene’s roommate.’

Wasn’t the reason the Gifted Center assigned a commoner child as Irene’s roommate because they were wary of noble children gathering too much?

If so, if Evi were to leave, there was a high possibility they would put a commoner student in that spot again.

If that were to be her…

The more she thought about it, the more the corners of Rimora’s mouth naturally rose.

Attending the events of the Gifted Center with Arcel, and talking with Irene Terence when returning to the dormitory.

While doing so, she could also be introduced to Ruska and naturally build friendships with other noble students.

That was exactly the most perfect life at the Gifted Center that she thought of.

The imagination in Rimora’s head took on an increasingly clear form.

Throughout the walk inside the Imperial Palace, Rimora thought.

‘If only Evi Alden wasn’t here.’

It seemed like it would work out.

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The students’ schedule continued.

In the morning, they were moved by the appearance of the main palace, and after finishing their meal at the Imperial Palace restaurant, they headed to the Imperial Palace museum.

This place was also a place that had suffered great damage during the war.

“Because it is a place where many jewels of the Imperial Palace were located. Still, most of the jewels have been safely recovered.”

The children could not take their eyes off the famous jewels of the Imperial Palace displayed under the glass.

Sparkling here. Sparkling there.

Even as a noble, it is difficult to have such excellent and massive amounts of jewels.

So, the students realized once again how much wealth the Imperial family of this empire possessed and also how great its authority was.

The envious gazes toward Arcel and Ruska also deepened to that extent.

If they became the Emperor’s adopted child, they would be able to have all of this.

As the envy toward them deepened, more female students also clung to Irene’s side.

The jewels seen in the museum were mostly those used by the Empress, except for the crown and the scepter.

And women who were close to the Empress from generation to generation could also borrow the jewels of the Imperial family on important days.

People guessed how much trust the other party received from the Imperial family by seeing that.

Therefore, if they stayed close to Irene Terence, wouldn’t they also be able to borrow these someday?

While the students were intoxicated by their imaginations, the three people who were actually receiving the gazes had indifferent expressions.

As if this kind of thing were nothing special.

Like those three, Evi was also not looking at the jewels.

To be precise, she was not able to see them.

At every wonderful jewel, students flocked around, so there was no place for her to stand and watch.

Furthermore, since it was the Imperial Palace museum, the display cases were basically adjusted to the height of an adult, not a child.

For Evi, who was short even for a 7-year-old, no matter how much she raised her heels, she could only barely see from the side and could not see the proper appearance from above.

Moreover, when Evi approached to see, rather than helping, others even giggled and nudged Evi away with their bodies, pretending not to know.

In the end, until the students left the museum, there was nothing Evi could see properly.

As she came out of the viewing room filled with jewels, Evi’s shoulders slumped.

‘I wanted to see a bit more.’

It was the first time in her life seeing such jewels in person.

She also wanted to see more of the sparkling and pretty things, but there was a bigger purpose than that.

‘I wanted to explain in more detail in the letter.’

She had promised the orphanage director and her friends. That she would write letters about all the wonderful things she saw after coming to the Gifted Center.

How happy her friends were when she made that promise.

Evi wanted to let her friends know about the pretty and wonderful things she had seen.

“Next, we move to the History Hall. Everyone, please follow.”

But at the staff’s words, Evi had to turn her steps with regret.

According to the students’ words, this was not a place where outsiders could easily enter.

Like the main palace of the Imperial Palace, it was a place where even nobles could only enter after receiving very strict permission or if they were qualified people.

‘When will I be able to come here again…’

Unable to hide her regret, Evi looked back several times.

* * *

The next place the staff took the students was the History Hall of the museum.

There were precious relics of the Imperial family, but this was a place where portraits of Imperial family members or history books recording important facts were displayed.

“Work has not finished here yet, so there are many places where explanations have not been attached yet. There will be an opportunity to come again later when the construction is completely finished and it opens. Please look around freely here.”

At the staff’s words, the students immediately scattered.

They peeked here and there, but it was not an excited atmosphere like when they saw the jewels a moment ago.

It was because everyone had been walking and moving around since the morning, and they were exhausted from being so excited in the jewel exhibition hall just before.

Furthermore, even if they were important relics, they were all dull things with burn marks or old, so they did not attract the students’ interest.

Therefore, most of the students sat on chairs placed near the walls and chatted with their friends or went out to the terrace to look around.

Among them, Evi looked around the exhibition hall.

Since she couldn’t see many jewels, she had to see many other things to be able to write something in the letter.

Then she entered a room full of portraits.

Looking at the explanation attached to the entrance, this was a room where portraits of successive Emperors were hung.

Evi’s steps, which had been walking while looking at the name tags from the front, stopped.

[Clois Arelkian Harkia]

It was the name of the current Emperor. Evi unconsciously raised her head and looked at the portrait above.

“Huh?”

At that moment, a bewildered voice flowed out.