Chapter 75

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Translated by Sylph

Read only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net.
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In the end, Evi left the library without having been able to study at all.

Even that was because she was told it was time to close the library; otherwise, she would have stayed there until the curfew.

‘I wanted to keep looking at it.’

She thought of the Royal Genealogy she had left back in its place because the librarian said she had to leave now.

‘To think I can’t even borrow it.’

She had asked if she could borrow this book once the library officially opened later.

At Evi’s question, the librarian had answered with a sorry face.

“Only professors can borrow this. And only when it’s necessary for class. In fact, entering and seeing it like this also requires permission. But since it seems you did it without knowing, it’s okay for you to just go today.”

Having said so, the librarian hung a cord brought from the side in front of the door once Evi left the room.

It was truly a place one could only enter after receiving permission.

‘When can I see it again next time?’

Classes about the imperial family were said to be starting from the second semester.

There was still a long time left until the second semester began.

‘I guess I’ll have to keep waiting until then.’

If not that…

‘The librarian said professors could borrow it.’

Then could she ask Professor Malles or Professor Sian to borrow it for her?

‘I don’t think Professor Malles would do it.’

Even now, he was a professor who praised mathematics, saying, “Mathematics! Mathematics is the truth of the world! The rest are merely shams!”

Why would he help in borrowing the Royal Genealogy?

He would likely say what use there was in looking at people who were already all dead, and ask to research one more mathematical formula during that time instead.

‘As expected, I should ask Professor Sian.’

Professor Sian was in charge of foreign languages, but still, it didn’t seem like he would tell her to only do foreign languages like Professor Malles.

‘Then I should show it to Professor Sian right away.’

I’ll flip to the portrait of the current His Majesty the Emperor and tell him that His Majesty really looks like the professor.

‘Then the professor will also be very surprised, right?’

He might be even more surprised than her. While doing so, he might even brag to other people that he and His Majesty the Emperor look a lot alike.

Then Evi suddenly wondered if Professor Sian might be the Emperor.

And a few seconds later.

“There’s no way.”

Director Seraphina also knew Professor Sian. So she said she even delivered letters on his behalf.

‘An adult like the Director doesn’t lie.’

While thinking that if Seraphina heard that, she would mutter, ‘I wanted to live like that…’, Evi continued her thoughts about Professor Sian.

‘He even took me to the seasonal festival.’

Pitying her for being left alone in the dormitory, he had taken her outside and shown her all the events.

‘They said His Majesty the Emperor is busy.’

There’s no way such a person could go out and play with a student.

While thinking it wouldn’t be him, there were still strange parts.

She kept thinking of the appearance of him crying at the graves when they first met.

It might be because they were close people, but…

“The professor is the professor.”

Evi agonized for a long time and then shook her head.

‘Should I return to the dormitory?’

However, there was still much time until the curfew, and she wanted to study outside a bit more before entering.

‘Irene isn’t there either.’

Thinking so, she hated returning to the dormitory even more.

The main building closed early, so she could no longer enter Professor Malles’s classroom either.

She wasn’t inclined toward the dormitory, the cafeteria had many people, and other buildings had many students making noise in the hallways.

In the end, there was only one place Evi could go.

‘I should go to Professor Sian’s office.’

It was a place where no one else came except for herself and Sian anyway.

‘It would be good if the professor came today.’

Since the foreign language exam was next week, it would be good if she could ask about things she didn’t know well.

“If I’m going to Professor Sian’s office…”

Evi thought of the cardboard box she had secretly hidden under the bookshelf.

That box was now quite full. Her heart fluttered when she thought of the box that was filled faster than she expected.

‘I can send it soon.’

She wanted to send it as quickly as possible.

Wasn’t that why she worked hard to fill the box?

‘I should also look around today before I go.’

At that time, she saw a student throwing their notebook into a trash can in the distance.

At that sight, Evi’s face brightened.

Once the student who threw away the notebook left the spot, Evi looked around and then approached the trash can cautiously.

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After quite a while, Evi arrived in front of the professor’s office carrying a bag that was so full it wouldn’t even close properly.

Knock, knock.

She knocked just in case, but as expected, no answer was heard.

‘It seems the professor only comes in the evenings.’

While other professors busily went around the Gifted Center from the morning, she had never seen Professor Sian’s appearance.

Evi went inside, put down her bag, and sat in front of the bookshelf.

Then she leaned over, took out a book from the bottom shelf, and then took out the cardboard box she had put inside it.

Unlike the day she first put it in, when it made a rattling sound, it was now heavy enough that Evi had to lift it with strength in both hands.

“Good. If I put in the things I brought today, I can send it now.”

The moment Evi hugged the box with a satisfied face.

Bang!

The door opened roughly, and a group of students entered.

She pointed a finger at Evi, who was looking in surprise, and said.

“That thing stole yours! I saw it!”

* * *

Clois’s office was quiet.

The Minister of State, who had come to make a report, received the last document Clois handed over.

“The meeting will be held in two days, so you’ll be able to rest a bit too.”

“It is thanks to Your Majesty. Lately, thanks to you reviewing things quickly, I have gained time to take a breath.”

“That’s a relief. Then sit for a bit before you go.”

At the command that looked like a suggestion, the Minister of State hesitated for a moment.

Then Clois gave a bitter smile.

“You must have something to say to me?”

“…”

“Today’s documents were things that wouldn’t have been a big problem even if you had sent them through the servants. But the fact that you brought them means didn’t you have something you wanted to say to me using these documents as an excuse?”

“…I cannot deceive Your Majesty’s eyes.”

The Minister of State, who was about to say no, let out a short breath as if he had been caught, bowed his waist, and sat across from Clois.

“So. What kind of thing were you going to say that you were watching my reaction all day like this?”

The Minister of State was a person who knew how to clearly distinguish between public and private matters.

Also, as he was a person who did not speak lightly, he was also someone whom Clois deeply trusted.

To think that such a Minister of State was hesitating and agonizing this much.

“I dare to speak.”

He said while lowering his head.

“I am worried that you are pouring too much affection into the child at the Gifted Center.”

The Minister of State, who poured out the words he had been keeping in his heart all at once, squeezed his eyes shut.

“…”

At the Minister of State’s words, Clois said nothing.

After quite a while, Clois, who had been keeping silence as if he might never speak again, opened his mouth.

“You, how did your children turn out?”

“I have one daughter and two sons.”

“They must be cute.”

“Cute? My eldest daughter is already over forty. My sons are also well over thirty.”

At the sight of the Minister of State shaking his head as if he was fed up, Clois let out a small laugh.

“Still, wasn’t there joy in raising them?”

“It would be a lie to say there wasn’t. Especially when the firstborn was born, every day was hard but joyful.”

The Minister of State had a distant face as if recalling those times.

The corners of his mouth were redrawing the smile of that time.

Clois looked at the Minister of State’s expression for a long time and then said.

“When I said to reopen the Gifted Center, you opposed it until the end. And you tried to delay that day as much as possible.”

“Your Majesty, that is…”

“I know. That you did so because you were worried about me. That you were worried that I, whose heart was still not settled, would crumble if I saw children who would be about that age if Evbien were alive.”

“That is correct.”

“Still, I thought I would be able to overcome it now. I believed that no matter how foolish I might be, I wouldn’t do something like trying to find my daughter’s appearance in another child.”

“…”

“Your worry was right.”

“Your Majesty.”

Clois calmly admitted his mistake.

“The Gifted Center, no, the child for whom I am the guardian is having too great an influence on me.”

“…”

Naturally, he knew. After the Gifted Center was reopened, hadn’t the Emperor’s atmosphere changed?

At first, he was sharper than usual, so the ministers didn’t dare to bring up the story of the Gifted Center in front of the Emperor.

But as time passed, Clois’s atmosphere gradually changed.

The sharpness that felt like he might cut someone at any moment disappeared and he gradually became softer.

Light returned to his lethargic eyes and they began to show vitality.

At first, he didn’t know the reason. But the moment Seraphina came and went frequently and the story of a ward came out, he realized.

That there was a child who had revived the spirit of the dying Emperor.