Chapter 40

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Translated by Sylph

Read only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net.
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“Yawn…”

Evi let out a small yawn while rubbing her eyes.

She had studied until late at night to review what she had learned from Professor Malles all day yesterday.

Because of that, she was a bit tired, but she felt good.

‘Yesterday was really enjoyable.’

First of all, Professor Malles’ class was very interesting.

Contrary to his first impression, which looked scary, he explained the parts Evi found difficult in detail.

Even when she asked again because she didn’t understand well, he didn’t get angry and said with a smile, “Oh, it seems I explained it too difficultly,” and spoke to her again.

‘He’s a truly kind professor.’

To think she had met such a good professor.

The second enjoyable thing was the conversation with Arcel and Ruska.

Until the next class began, the three of them continued to talk.

Not only did they come find her again, but they also constantly asked what classes she was taking, saying they should take classes together.

In the meantime, they came to talk about this and that.

It was a conversation about nothing much. Minor stories like how life at the Gifted Center was, and if there was anything difficult.

Meanwhile, Ruska let out a sigh, saying he had already received many demerit points for breaking the curfew twice.

Arcel sneered and mocked Ruska, saying that if he was expelled, Marquis Lagselve would throw him into a pond.

‘And they say they’re friends.’

While Arcel scolded Ruska, he certainly showed a very comfortable attitude toward him.

‘I’m jealous.’

It must be fun to go around together with a best friend like that every day.

A moment after Evi closed the door and came out.

“…”

Irene quietly followed her out.

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Evi stopped by the garden first.

The gardeners prepared flowers to decorate various parts of the Gifted Center at dawn.

When Evi entered, they welcomed her familiarly.

“Hi, Evi. Have you come to get flowers? I’ve prepared them here.”

Now they familiarly handed Evi the arranged flowers.

At first, they gave her the flowers left over after arranging, but now the ones held in Evi’s arms were all fresh ones without any damage.

Noticing that fact, Evi bowed her head with a smile.

“Thank you always!”

Evi, who came out after saying her thanks, headed to the cafeteria holding the flowers.

When she entered the cafeteria, it was filled with the savory smell of freshly baked bread. On top of that, the smell of vegetable soup and omelets.

A bright smile hung on Evi’s face again.

Since coming to the Gifted Center, it had always been only good things.

Clean new clothes. Abundant ink, notebooks, and pens.

And even her own bed with a soft and warm mattress and blankets, instead of ones filled with straw.

With just that, Evi felt like she had become a princess in a fairy tale.

But the happiest of all was indeed during mealtime.

Meals at the orphanage were always divided fairly. But because of that, they were always insufficient.

Even if one ate every single drop of the watery soup, one was hungry from the moment they finished arranging their tray and came out.

So on the days she went to clean the Upper School, the staff at the cafeteria there used to hand Evi all the leftover bread.

How much had she debated whether to secretly eat just one on the way back to the orphanage with that?

Of course, thinking of her friends, she had brought it back as it was without even touching it.

On days when she had eaten dinner in an instant because she had played excitedly with her friends, she used to be very hungry before falling asleep.

On such days, she had to drink only water and fall asleep…

‘Here, I can eat as much as I want.’

Dozens of types of bread were served. On top of that, also full of ham, cheese, and salad and fruit just as much.

Milk and juice were also piled high, and jams were full of ones labeled with names of fruits she was hearing for the first time. Dinner was even more bountiful.

‘It was full of meat.’

She remembered the day she had her first proper dinner after coming here.

Not only were there soups and salads, but it was also full of dishes she was seeing for the first time.

Then when she received a steak, Evi stood dazed for a long time while holding a fork and knife.

‘To think I can eat it all alone.’

The only days they could eat meat at the orphanage were the days once a month when the butcher shop owner brought various parts.

Even those couldn’t be grilled, so they were all made into stew.

The children used to brag about how many pieces of meat were in their stew bowls when the meal ended.

The most that had been in Evi’s bowl was five pieces.

She had bragged to the children for a whole month with that, but now she could eat a large steak alone.

Moreover, if it was insufficient, they even gave as much more as she wanted.

It wasn’t just meals. Whenever she came to the cafeteria between mealtimes, it was always full of tea and cookies.

On the first day, because she ate five cookies alone after knowing she could eat those as she pleased, her belly had become bulging.

“Evi, you’re here.”

“Hello!”

“Mushroom omelet today too?”

“Yes, please.”

She greeted the staff member she had become familiar with in the meantime and hurriedly put the food on her plate.

From well-toasted crispy bread with butter and jam, and ham and cheese, to an omelet with plenty of cheese and mushrooms.

Because she piled it up so much, her arms trembled as the tray was heavy. Moreover, the flowers she was holding were also heavy.

Evi quickly went to the nearest table and set down the tray and the flowers.

“Phew, it’s heavy.”

When she looked around while tapping her arms, she could only see staff members placing bread or arranging food, and the figures of other students were hardly seen.

It was thanks to waking up and coming out earlier than anyone else.

It wasn’t that she came out early because she was hungry. Rather, since she fell asleep late after studying, she wanted to sleep until a bit later.

But Evi had a reason why she had to come to the cafeteria earlier than anyone else.

‘Everyone is uncomfortable with me.’

When Evi entered the cafeteria, the students would whisper and watch.

They used to send watchful glares, wary that Evi might sit near them.

Evi eventually chose the method of either coming and eating earlier than anyone else or eating last of all.

‘In the morning, it’s better to eat early.’

That way, she wouldn’t be late for class. Conversely, for dinner, she used to eat the latest.

She wasn’t particularly sorrowful or upset.

‘It’s always been like that.’

Since it was something she had already experienced, she didn’t get hurt or anything like that now.

However, as she ate alone in the quiet cafeteria, she sometimes felt lonely.

‘I miss my friends.’

She remembered the noisy mealtime of the orphanage.

Even if there wasn’t much to eat, everyone ate together at the same time while chatting.

It was the moment Evi poked the omelet with her fork, longing for that boisterous time.

“Can I sit here?”

Evi was startled by the voice that suddenly came and lifted her head.

Soon, Evi’s eyes grew round with surprise.

It was because the person standing in front of her was Irene.

“Ah, L-Lady Irene?”

At those words, Irene frowned slightly.

“I wish you would just call me Irene. More than that, I can sit here, right?”

“Ah, yes. Y-yes! Please sit!”

At the voice that seemed to be stinging, Evi hurriedly nodded and offered the seat.

Irene quietly sat down with an elegant posture.

Evi watched her while feeling tense.

She could no longer feel the savory smell of bread that had made her mouth water until a moment ago.

‘Why? How?’

Only numerous question marks were floating in Evi’s head.

It was a time when no one had come yet. Of course, just because it was Irene didn’t mean there was a reason she couldn’t eat at this time.

But sitting in front of her in this vast cafeteria was something anyone could see was on purpose.

Her hands trembled before her eyes due to tension.

Why did Irene come at this time on purpose and sit in front of her?

‘I enjoyed the two days we briefly went around together last time.’

But since it was a situation where it was difficult even to encounter each other’s faces while being in the same room, there was nothing she could particularly do.

Moreover, what if she, who didn’t know the etiquette of nobles, even committed a mistake?

So Evi, after agonizing, had put the flowers she obtained from the garden in the morning into the vase at the entrance.

On days when there was math class, she also took care of flowers to put on the professor’s desk.

‘I didn’t do anything else besides that…’

Was she perhaps offended by that?

At that moment, Irene opened her mouth.

“Aren’t you going to eat? Do you dislike omelets?”

“Ah, no! I like them! I’ll eat well!”

Evi hurriedly pushed the omelet into her mouth.

And while watching such an Evi intently, Irene bit her lip hard.

Her gaze reached the small mouth that was munching and swallowing the omelet.

Watching that sight, Irene thought.

‘She’s too small after all. And cute…’

She recalled the moment she first saw Evi.