CICN Chapter 3

 

 

Was it the power of the shooting star, or was it because she had prayed to her parents for the first time?

A few weeks later, she received the news of her acceptance.

She couldn’t believe it as she held the acceptance letter in her hands, staring at it over and over again.

Then she noticed the Emperor’s name written at the bottom.

Clois.

 

“Clois…….”

 

Even though it was a name she already knew well from school, Ivy couldn’t help but keep looking at it on the paper until she fell asleep.

 

ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚

 

While the director enthusiastically boasted about Ivy, the carriage arrived in front of the palace.

People were bustling along the normally quiet street in front of the palace, where only authorized people could pass.

 

“Wow, it seems like everyone in the empire is here.”

 

The director gripped Ivy’s hand tightly, his mouth agape in amazement.

It was Ivy’s first time seeing so many people gathered in one place, so she held onto the director’s hand and looked at the crowd.

In front of the palace gate, countless carriages and people dressed in their finest attire filled the area.

 

“Oh, my son. If you ever miss Mom, just write a letter. I’ll arrange a visit right away. No, maybe I should just request a visit every day.”

“My daughter. Dad believes you’ll do better than anyone else in the gifted academy.”

“Goodbye, big brother! I’ll study harder next year to get in too!”

 

The area in front of the gate was bustling with families sending their children off to the academy.

Ivy and the director stood slightly apart from the crowd, waiting for someone from the academy to come out.

 

‘I heard someone will come out to guide us if we wait here by the gate.’

 

As the appointed time arrived, people wearing the Gifted Academy uniform came out of the imperial palace with the guards and shouted.

 

“We will now move inside. Please follow our instructions! And we reiterate that no one except the Gifted Academy students will be allowed to enter!”

 

With that, the children waved goodbye to their families and approached the staff.

However, some children were scared to go alone and clung to their parents, crying.

Amidst the chaos, Ivy looked at the director and said, 

 

“I’ll go now.”

 

She is only 7 years old.

Among the children entering the academy, she was the youngest.

Yet Ivy showed no signs of fear, let alone crying.

She’s always been like that.

Unlike children who cried several times a day, Ivy had never cried once.

Even when the director met her at the inn, the innkeeper remarked, “That one doesn’t even cry; she’s a stubborn little girl.” while deliberately pinching her.

A child who doesn’t cry.

The director knew why Ivy had become like that.

When a child cries and no one listens, she quickly learns to give up.

Having learned to give up before coming to the orphanage, Ivy was even more dear to the director.

Ivy always showed a bright side and displayed remarkable talent once she started attending school.

At the same time, she tirelessly looked after the other children at the orphanage and helped the adults with their tasks.

It was admirable yet heartbreaking.

She could have thrown tantrums and cried more like a child.

The director hugged Ivy, spreading her arms wide.

 

“Ivy, we will always be thinking of you. If anything difficult happens, just contact us right away. We’ll come get you immediately. Okay?”

 

Suddenly being hugged by the director, Ivy smiled and returned the embrace.

 

“I understand. Thank you, Director.”

 

With those words, which were so tender even in the moment of parting, the director patted Ivy on the back.

 

“It’s time to go inside. Everyone, get ready!”

 

With that, the director let go of Ivy and stood up.

Although Ivy didn’t cry, the director’s eyes were red.

 

“You must go now.”

“Yes, I’ll write to you often!”

 

With a smile, Ivy waved her hand and walked towards the staff.

Watching Ivy’s retreating figure, the director prayed.

May Ivy do well at the academy.

And may she grow up to be a child who can cry.

 

ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚

 

The entrance to the palace proceeded quickly.

Except for a few children who suddenly didn’t want to go and were crying and clinging, everyone followed the staff’s instructions and went inside.

With a tense expression, Ivy tightly held her bag to her chest.

Although she pretended to be composed for fear that the director would worry, it was inevitable to feel nervous standing inside the palace, surrounded by nobles.

There was a boy nearby who kept glancing at her.

 

‘That girl must be the commoner, selected by the Emperor himself.’

 

The boy was the youngest son of the minister, who had crumpled Ivy’s documents.

When his father returned home after the meeting, he cursed several times at the child who had submitted the application form without knowing anything.

The boy bit his lip.

To anyone’s eyes among the children who entered, Ivy had the most shabby appearance.

To the noble boy, she looked nothing short of a beggar.

 

‘It’s ridiculous to see her smiling and giggling just because she got lucky to be chosen.’

 

It made him angry to think that his father had been worried for some time that he had fallen out of favor with the emperor because of this.

Moreover, didn’t he unnecessarily praise her intelligence?

 

‘There’s a chance she caught the Emperor’s eye.’

 

Of course, it’s unlikely that the emperor would take a commoner as his adopted child, but it would be annoying if she became the emperor’s favorite.

Unlike noble children, a destitute child has no one to rely on.

Then, no one would object, even if he harassed her. After all, everyone here is a competitor, aren’t they?

 

‘There was quite a discomfort among others when the rumor spread about a commoner child coming in.’

 

Already, besides himself, people who recognized the commoner child seemed to furrow their brows and deliberately walk away.

Perhaps other nobles would be grateful for getting rid of the annoying child.

The boy smirked as he grabbed the bag Ivy was holding in her arms.

 

“Oops!”

 

Suddenly being dragged, Ivy instinctively clutched the bag tighter.

However, she was no match for the strength of the boy, who was much taller and stronger than her.

Just as Ivy was about to fall.

Thwack!

With the sound of something being kicked, the boy who had been trying to snatch Ivy’s bag groaned and slumped down. Then Ivy’s body, which had been swaying, straightened up.

Ivy realized that someone had prevented her from falling.

 

‘Who caught me?’

 

When Ivy turned her head, she saw someone with blue eyes looking at her.

 

“Are you okay?”

 

The person who caught Ivy was a boy with black hair and blue eyes.

 

“Um…?”

 

Ivy looked at the boy for a moment, momentarily forgetting what the situation was.

The blue eyes she was gazing into were cold, but the color was as beautiful as his calm black hair, and his skin was fair and clean.

His slightly longer hair was neatly combed over his well-groomed eyebrows.

A face that makes one think of the word beautiful rather than handsome.

However, the even lines within his beauty made it impossible to mistake him for a girl.

Ivy, who was staring in surprise at the one who caught her, quickly regained her composure and stood up straight.

 

“Yes, yes, t, thank you.”

 

The clothes he was wearing were simple without any particular decoration, but even Ivy, who knew nothing about luxury items, could tell that the boy’s attire was much more luxurious than those of others.

Furthermore, even his demeanor exuded a sense of elegance just by standing there.

Realizing that he was a nobleman far beyond her reach, Ivy quickly bowed her head.

At that moment, a lively voice came from the spot where the boy who had been bothering her had fallen.

 

“Arcel! What should we do about this?”

 

Upon hearing that voice, Ivy learned that the name of the boy who had helped her was called Arcel.

The boy called Arcel withdrew his gaze from Ivy and addressed the boy with red hair, named Ruska.

 

“Ruska, we have no right to punish anyone inside the palace.”

 

When he heard this, Ruska, the boy with red hair, clicked his tongue in disappointment and casually kicked the fallen boy with his toe.

And suddenly, there was a groan.

It seemed that Ruska had kicked the fallen boy.

Realizing this fact, Ivy’s face turned pale.

 

‘This is inside the Imperial Palace.’

 

One shouldn’t be causing a disturbance in such a place.

If the fallen boy were to make an issue out of this, she might get kicked out even before entering the academy.

Of course, the boy who fell was at fault, but she doubted they would listen to a commoner like her.

 

‘What should I do?’

 

As Ivy froze in fear, the fallen boy stood up and turned to face the two boys who had assisted her.

 

“Oh, Arcel? Arcel Caelan? And if it isn’t Ruska… Ruska Ragself?”

“To know our names, what an honor.”

 

As Ruska replied sarcastically, the face of the fallen boy turned pale.

 

‘Oh, my goodness. Of all times!’

 

Arcel Caelan and Ruska Ragself.

They were names that any student entering the academy at this time would definitely know.

They were the ones most likely to become the Emperor’s adopted children.