Chapter 88

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Translated by Sylph

Read only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net.

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“To Ruska’s house?”

“Yeah! I talked to my older brothers last time, and they said you seemed interesting and invited you to come over once!”

As Evi showed interest, Ruska’s voice grew louder.

“The Lagselve estate is not far from the capital. We have a townhouse too, but I’m going back to the estate, and we have a really big ranch and many farms. The ranch has the best horses in the Empire. My father and brothers love riding horses.”

“Horses?”

“You don’t like them? Are you scared by any chance?”

“No. I like them!”

When she lived in the inn’s shed, she would quietly crawl into the attached stable when the cold winter came.

It was filled with the smell of hay and horse manure, so it couldn’t be called a good environment.

Still, if she approached the gentle horses among them and slept close to their bodies, she could forget the cold for a while.

For several years, she hadn’t had a chance to go near horses. If she went to Ruska’s house, would she be able to touch them?

“Then will you stay at our house for the whole summer vacation? There are many rooms, so you can stay as comfortably as you want!”

“Hmm, but…”

“Why? Are you going back to your hometown by any chance?”

“No. I don’t think I’ll go this time.”

At first, she had thought about going. But there were many things she had to study to prepare for the second semester.

Furthermore, places like the library that was officially opening and the Imperial Palace museum. There were many places she wanted to see.

‘They said the Gifted Center will gather the students staying during vacation to tour the capital too.’

In that case, she would be able to go around the capital comfortably and safely.

Of course, she missed the orphanage.

She wanted to see the friends she shared a room with and the Director and other teachers after a long time.

But the biggest reason for not going was, after all, money.

‘They said the carriage fare costs a lot.’

Furthermore, for her to leave, her guardian, the Director, must come and leave with her.

‘But the orphanage is busy in the summer.’

There were many things to plant in the fields to prepare for winter, and since it was hot and everyone sweated a lot, there were many fabrics to wash.

Everyone moved busily every day until the sun set. No matter how much she thought about it, there would definitely not be the temporal or financial leisure for that in the busy summer.

Knowing that, she couldn’t pester them to come and pick her up.

So Evi sent a letter in advance saying she would stay here during this vacation.

‘I haven’t told them about His Majesty the Emperor yet.’

If she wrote that and sent it, the Director would surely be surprised and come running.

While Evi was thinking about the orphanage, Irene pulled her into a hug and glared at Ruska.

“What are you talking about! Evi decided to come to our house first. Right? Last time we went out, I told you to go out together next time. Evi, do you remember?”

Come to think of it, there was such a time. Since Irene had said they should definitely go out together next time while feeling sorry for going out alone.

When Evi made an expression that she remembered, Irene smiled as if to say ‘see?’ and waved her hand at Ruska.

“So, wait your turn for the stable. I’m going to take Evi shopping and go to the riverside near the capital to play in the water. And we’re going to play and have a BBQ party every night in the garden of our Terence family’s townhouse.”

“Wow, BBQ! Sounds delicious. I’m going too.”

“Go ahead… No! Don’t come!”

“Why, I’m going too! Invite me!”

“Why should I!”

When Ruska readily said he would go at the word ‘BBQ’, Irene waved her hand even more roughly as if telling him to get lost.

While the two were bickering, Arcel met Evi’s eyes and smiled with his eyes curved, which was rare.

Arcel’s smile, smiling so brightly, had destructive power.

Thinking that it was excessively dazzling, while Evi couldn’t look straight at him, Arcel said in a sweet voice.

“Speaking of which, Evi, you wanted to see the next volume of the travelogue you read last time, didn’t you? The entire series of that book is in our house library. Furthermore, foreign books are scheduled to arrive during the vacation period by chance. If you visit our house, you’ll be able to see them just in time…”

“Oh, then I…”

Before Evi could shout ‘I’ll go!’ as if possessed, Irene, who noticed something strange, hurriedly grabbed Evi and shouted at Arcel.

“Where is there such a thing as cutting in? This is a foul!”

“Boo, that’s mean, Arcel. To use a beauty trap.”

Ruska also joined in attacking Arcel. Arcel backed away while clicking his tongue, but he didn’t stop smiling toward Evi.

Evi’s heart raced.

Anywhere would be fun. Furthermore, summer vacation was long.

“Then I’ll try going to all of them!”

The three were quiet for a moment at Evi’s answer, then nodded. And said at the same time.

“Still, our house will probably be the most fun.”

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The argument that followed about whose house to come to first ended immediately when a rumbling sound was heard from Evi’s stomach.

“We only talked about playing without even eating.”

The four who quickly tidied up the table rushed to the serving counter together.

And as always, they brought back a lot of various foods and began to eat excitedly.

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After the meal was over, they scattered as it was a day for taking different classes.

Left alone, Evi thought about going back to her room.

Because as soon as the three who were always beside her disappeared, she saw people starting to approach her.

It was a scene repeated every day since it became known that Professor Sian was the Emperor.

Evi purposefully turned her body as if she hadn’t seen them and walked quickly.

She knew well by now that once she was caught by such people, she would have to talk for a quite long time before escaping.

While heading toward the library with hurried steps, Evi encountered several staff members.

Every time they saw Evi, they all smiled brightly and greeted her.

Since the Ezriella incident, there was no staff member in the Gifted Center who didn’t know Evi anymore.

The same was true for the professors as well as the staff.

Among them, there were those who had looked at Evi as if they were displeased when she entered the class and never looked at her again.

Even those people now all smile at her.

Evi felt a sense of unfamiliarity with the world that suddenly changed its expression. She was also afraid.

In the past, everyone used to reveal their true thoughts in front of her without hesitation.

They easily discarded the courtesy or common sense they maintained in front of others and easily revealed the hatred and contempt they held.

Evi didn’t dislike that.

Because she could be cautious of those who showed their original appearance in that way, it was rather safe.

But now that the Emperor was behind her, people all wore thick masks.

So it was difficult to tell whether this person disliked her or not.

Still, Evi had her own way of identifying the other person.

“Is this not Evi Alden?”

When she came close to the library, the history professor saw Evi and recognized her.

When Evi bowed her head, he stroked Evi’s hair as if she was commendable.

Then he said to the person next to him.

“You must have heard of it. Recently, His Majesty the Emperor volunteered to be the guardian of a child in the Gifted Center. This child is that very child. She takes my class.”

“Ah, this child…”

While doing so, the history professor continued to talk about the matters related to the Emperor using Evi to his guest.

In the end, Evi opened her mouth first.

“Professor, I have something to look for, so I think I should be going.”

Then the history professor made a disappointed expression.

As if he was missing a piece of accessory that decorated him.

“Right, go ahead.”

But even so, he couldn’t continue to hold Evi.

Because if he did, if this child met the Emperor later, she might say something bad about him.

The history professor smiled and greeted her until the end, and Evi quickly went into the library.

Even inside the library, there were people who approached. So she had to find a quiet space in the corner.

While passing through the library lobby with hurried steps, Evi saw a welcome face.

“Professor Malles!”

“It’s Evi.”

Professor Malles, who was alternating between looking at the ceiling and a blueprint, was with a guest who seemed to be an outsider, just like the history professor she had met a moment ago.

When Evi approached, he said to the guest.

“This is the child I told you about. The child who finally makes me teach math that is like math.”

Then Professor Malles leaned down and checked Evi’s cheeks.

“Oh dear, child. Now the swelling has all gone down. You’re really not hurting anywhere, right? You looked tired because of the exam period, and it didn’t seem to heal at all.”

Evi smiled broadly at the voice worrying about her.

This was exactly what was different.

The people who thought of Evi always spoke words of worry and thought for her before bringing up the story of the Emperor.