Chapter 59

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Translated by Sylph

Read only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net.
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If she had written down when she would come, he would have come here at that time.

In any case, what was certain was the fact that Evi would visit this place again.

Then, parts of this professor’s office, which he had thought were fine until just a moment ago, began to look lacking.

‘The chair is too high and hard.’

As it was, wouldn’t there be nowhere for a young child to sit when she came in?

‘The curtain color is also gloomy.’

No matter how well the sun shone, wouldn’t she think it was scary when she came in if the curtains were such a dark color?

‘The books aren’t good either.’

It was full of books for academic purposes with only letters.

At the very least, shouldn’t there be some picture books in foreign languages?

Clois picked up a pen and started writing down things he thought were more necessary for this room.

Things that the person who would visit here again would be happy with.

* * *

The Terence family’s townhouse in the capital was a place where the gazes of those passing by would unconditionally linger at least once.

Excluding the Imperial Palace, the mansion with the largest area in the capital possessed both elegance and splendor.

And now, numerous carriages were flocking to that mansion.

Irene was looking at the people continuously pouring in from the second-floor balcony with a bored expression.

“It’s the seasonal festival, so they should just go out to play; why are they all coming here?”

While Irene was grumbling at seeing more people than expected, the door to the room opened and Irene’s older sister, Ines, entered.

“Irene. Are you really not going to come down?”

Without even looking back, Irene rested her chin on her hand and said bluntly.

“I didn’t know you would be here, Sister.”

“It’s the first outing since my sister entered the Gifted Center; could I not come to see you? Thanks to that, I’ve heard many stories about your life at the Gifted Center.”

Irene’s shoulders flinched at the words ‘life at the Gifted Center’.

“You’re truly living as you please even after going there.”

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

“I felt it last year too, but the noble kids in the capital are hypocritical, gloomy, and annoying. The kids from the South would be better.”

Ines sighed and shook her head at those words.

“I’ve told you so many times since you were young that you have to live facing that hypocrisy for the rest of your life. So? Do you plan to quit the Gifted Center? If so, I won’t stop you. I’ll try to persuade Father.”

While saying that, she lightly patted her sister’s shoulder.

“When you were born, the priestess said it, didn’t she? That whatever you do, you will live happily and satisfactorily by the side of the greatest power.”

The South was a place where folk beliefs were more strongly influential compared to the central region where the capital was located.

The Terence family was the same.

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

The partner was a woman who was almost a commoner, and moreover, not a Southerner.

That was a problem, but it was also because they worried that if a new child were born, a division might occur over the succession.

However, when Irene was born, the priestess of the island who happened to visit the Terence family saw Irene and said.

“She is a child of immense greed; she will stand in the position closest to the greatest power. Although she will experience dangerous things on the way, she will live happily for the rest of her life based on the firm trust at that time.”

It was a supreme blessing. Since then, even the family members who had felt antipathy toward Irene began to cherish her.

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

Wasn’t that why Irene continued to be mentioned as the future Crown Princess?

Irene sighed at Ines’s words about the old story.

“Sister, do you like me because of the priestess’s words too?”

“No. I like you because you’re my small and cute sister.”

At the affectionate words, Irene turned around and threw herself into her sister’s arms.

“I know you came because you were worried about me.”

She was an older sister who had already begun to take over their father’s work.

Such a busy person wouldn’t have come here just because she had time to spare.

“Because you adore me, think I’m pretty, and love me.”

“Seeing how you say such things shamelessly, you are indeed my sister.”

Ines laughed with satisfaction.

“Sister, about my roommate…”

“I know. You mean Evi Alden, right? I was actually curious because her name appeared seventeen times in the letter you sent.”

“About Evi, can she come home with me during the vacation?”

“Do as you wish.”

Ines looked at Irene as if something unusual had happened.

Although Irene did her tasks well, she was uniquely prickly toward those around her.

So even though there were many children around her, she didn’t call any of them a friend.

To think there was a child Irene cherished so much.

‘I heard she’s a commoner from an orphanage.’

She was a child who would have no connection to power for the rest of her life, like what the priestess had mentioned.

But what did that matter?

“Since she’s your first friend, of course you should invite her.”

* * *

Thud!

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

“Hey, Ruska! Get your head in the game!”

From behind Ruska, who was sprawled out on the floor, his second brother looked on as if it were a strange occurrence.

“Why are you so distracted? Is it because you miss Arcel?”

“Are you crazy? Why would I miss that guy!”

“Then why are you like that?”

“I keep worrying about Evi…”

“Evi? Who’s that?”

When his second brother questioned him, Ruska, realizing he had made a mistake, shut his mouth.

Of course, his brother wasn’t one to let it go.

“It’s a girl’s name? Who is it? Who?”

“It’s not what you think, Brother. Evi Alden. A 7-year-old kid.”

“Ho-oh, go on.”

“What do you mean go on. She’s a child from an orphanage, and I made a slip of the tongue before I came out. I asked her why she didn’t go out to play when she would be inside the Gifted Center with nowhere to go… She’s young… and it’s her first time in the capital, so she won’t be able to go out.”

“Hmm… then you just go back to the Gifted Center early.”

“Huh?”

“You said it was bothering you that she’s staying alone? Then go back early and take her to the seasonal festival or something.”

At those words, Ruska’s eyes sparkled.

“Am I allowed to do that?”

“Yes. Since it’s a waste of time to spar with a brother whose mind is elsewhere anyway.”

At those words, Ruska grabbed his practice sword and rushed toward the mansion in a hurry.

Watching his brother’s receding figure, his second brother murmured.

“I think it’s the first time that guy has moved like that because of someone other than Arcel…”

* * *

Evi walked down the darkening road.

After visiting Professor Sian’s office yesterday, she had pondered all day today.

‘Is it okay to go today too?’

Seeing that he wasn’t in the office yesterday, she didn’t think he would be there today either.

So she had been in her room all day, looking at books or studying, but as afternoon came, she kept wanting to go there again.

‘As I thought, I hate it being too quiet.’

Even the children who hadn’t gone out yesterday seemed to find this silence hard to bear, and they had all gone out.

Evi was the same. Was it because she had fallen asleep after reading a book about the seasonal festival yesterday?

Strangely, today she was especially full of desire to go out and see the festival.

Evi, who couldn’t focus on anything all day, eventually went to the dining hall a bit early for dinner.

Even in the dining hall, there were almost no staff, and there were only packaged sandwiches.

There were so few people remaining in the Gifted Center that almost no one was even taking those.

Evi, who came out having taken one sandwich, looked at the dormitory and sighed.

‘I just want to look around, even if it’s only for a bit.’

Since she had no money anyway, she didn’t think of wanting to buy anything.

She just wished she could go out and take a look.

Before she knew it, Evi had her back to the dormitory and was walking in another direction.

With the hope that she might at least be able to 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!”

Evi’s eyes widened as she saw a room with the light on.

‘That’s Professor Sian’s room!’

After confirming several times that the place with the light on was Room 408, Evi immediately ran inside the building.

“Professor!”

Evi even forgot to knock and opened the door wide.

“Evi?”

Professor Sian was truly inside.

It was the first time seeing him in the Gifted Center, not at the cemetery in the forest.

The moment she confirmed that he was not a phantom but a real professor inside the Gifted Center, Evi was so happy that she ran to him and clung to him.

“It’s really the professor!”

At those words, Clois couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Are there fake professors too?”

Then he flinched at the words he had uttered.

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

Evi clung to his clothes and then let go only after a long time. Then she took a sandwich out of her bag and placed it on the table.

“You haven’t eaten yet, have you? Here, have this, Professor.”

“What about you?”

“I can just take another one on my way back. I’m bored anyway, so I’ll stop by one more time.”

“Bored?”

At those words, Evi answered in a slightly weak voice.

“Because everyone went out. They say they’ll be back starting tomorrow morning.”

“You… ah, do you need a guardian to go out?”

Among the children of the Gifted Center, children under 10 years old could only go out if they had a guardian.

At those words, Evi’s shoulders slumped down.

“Yes… the Director is far away…”

At that moment, Clois blurted out without even realizing it.

“How about going out with me?”