CICN 103

Chapter 103

After about two hours of traveling away from the capital, Arsel finally spoke.

“We’ll be passing the front gate soon. But it’ll still be a long way before the mansion comes into view.”

Ibi didn’t understand him for a moment.

Wasn’t the house usually right past the front gate?

Even Irene’s house in the capital was huge, but once you passed through the front gate, the mansion sat directly beyond the fountain. Yet Arsel said they had to go much further?

Just as he said, the carriage soon reached the front gate.

The guards, who stood as rigidly and disciplined as those of the imperial palace, immediately recognized the family carriage and bowed deeply.

So Ibi, too, bowed politely and greeted them.

“Hello.”

The guards weren’t used to being greeted in such a way. Seeing Ibi smiling brightly and waving at them, they couldn’t help but smile back and wave before quickly straightening up again when they noticed Arsel.

The carriage picked up speed after passing the gate.

A forest?

Looking out the window, Ibi grew more confused.

The carriage rolled through forests, across plains, over hills, past ponds, and even across a small river.

Just when Ibi began to doubt whether what she’d seen earlier was truly the front gate, the distant silhouette of the Caelan Duke’s mansion finally appeared.

At that moment, Arsel turned to her again, as if to confirm something.

“Ibi, you haven’t forgotten what I told you, right?”

“Yes, Arsel!”

By now, Ibi was calling him by his name more naturally.

On the way here, Arsel had insisted she practice calling him without honorifics—just as she did with Ruska. Though, of course, it wasn’t easy.

“What’s that place for, Arsel-ni… ah!”

Realizing her mistake, Ibi quickly covered her mouth with her hands. But it was too late—Arsel’s eyes curved into a smile.

“You’re calling me like that again.”

By now, Ibi could tell the difference: whether his smile was genuine or not.

And this one was fake!

“That settles it. I need to set a penalty. From now on, every time you call me with honorifics…”

“…what happens?”

Ibi swallowed nervously. His low voice really did make her tense.

What kind of scary punishment was he planning?

She clenched her fists without realizing it.

“…I’ll give you something very, extremely, incredibly rare and expensive.”

“…Huh?”

That was the punishment?

Had the meaning of the word “penalty” changed in the Empire without her knowing?

“But then you’ll just lose out, Arsel-ni—mmph!”

“Ibi made the mistake, so let’s see… Since you’re always writing and studying so hard, I’ll give you notebooks made from the finest paper.”

Then Arsel gave her a sly smile.

“Would a hundred be too few?”

A hundred notebooks? The most Ibi ever had stuffed into her drawer at the Gifted Academy was five brand-new ones!

“N-no, that’s too much!”

“Then how about a thousand?”

Looking at his calm, serious face, Ibi was certain.

He’s not joking. He really means it!

“I wouldn’t even have space to store them all!”

“Really? Then maybe a hundred would fit?”

Without thinking, Ibi nodded.

“Since Ibi says it’s fine, then a hundred it is.”

Only when she started to nod again did she realize something was very wrong.

Wait—that’s not what I meant!

But it was already too late.

Even though she tried to be careful after that, she slipped up several more times.

Each time, Arsel would laugh and say—

“You spent a long time looking at that continental map in the library, right? I’ll give you one just like it.”

“Some rare sweets came in from a distant estate, made from crystallized honey. I’ll give you those too.”

“How about a jeweled hair ribbon?”

By the time the list of gifts reached ten items, Ibi finally managed to call him only by name.

Yet even though he got what he wanted, Arsel looked a little disappointed.

“Was it really that hard? Ruska managed to call me by name right away.”

And from the way Ibi and Ruska chatted so casually at the Academy, it was obvious she felt much more at ease with him.

So why was it so difficult with Arsel?

He didn’t realize it himself, but the usually composed boy now had his lips pushed out slightly in a sulky pout.

Maybe sensing that disappointment, Ibi hesitated, then spoke.

“But… Arsel always feels the most like an adult. The other Gifted students all say you’re the coolest, like you’re different from the rest of us.”

It was true. Even though there were older students than him, Arsel was more mature than anyone present.

Sometimes even more than actual adults.

The way he quietly asked questions and debated with professors during class had shocked Ibi at first.

He’s still a kid, but he talks just like an adult!

Even to her, it was obvious how calmly and skillfully he could carry on discussions.

And yet he was never rude—just persistent in wanting to know more.

That’s why when debates ended, the professors would get so excited and beg him to pursue further studies, insisting, “The Imperial Academy awaits you!”

Everyone always said he was perfect.

Sometimes, a few would grumble that he was annoyingly flawless.

But when Arsel caught them? Unlike other students who might argue, he would just glance at them once and walk away.

And even that made people admire him more, saying how grown-up he was.

“I see.”

But now, when Ibi told him the same thing, Arsel didn’t look pleased at all.

Before she could wonder if she’d said the wrong thing, the carriage began to slow down.

Looking out, she saw the Caelan Duke’s mansion looming closer.

When the carriage finally stopped, Ibi stepped down with Arsel’s escort.

Raising her head, she saw the mansion towering above them—magnificent even from afar, and overwhelming now up close.

Her heart thudded.

This is Arsel’s home.

Irene’s house had been enormous and beautiful, the grandest place she’d ever seen in the capital—other than the Imperial Palace itself.

So she had secretly thought to herself, Irene’s house must be the biggest and most splendid of all.

But Arsel’s house was on a different level from the very beginning.

So this is… a duke’s residence…

The weight of history seemed to hang over the grand structure. For the first time, Ibi truly realized just how extraordinary Arsel’s family was.

And it wasn’t just the building.

At Irene’s house, servants had all rushed out to greet her like a friend. Polite, yes, but warm and familiar.

Here, however, the staff stood lined up in perfect formation, as if they were dolls, each posture identical.

The sight reminded Ibi of something she’d forgotten—

There were plenty of people who hated me.

Since entering the Gifted Academy, she had met Irene, Arsel, Ruska, Principal Seraphina, Professor Malles, and even the Emperor himself, all of whom had cared for her warmly.

But that was the strange part.

She remembered others too—the innkeeper’s wife who scolded her for begging even after buying her candy, Limora and Izriella, and all the students who had looked at her with cold eyes.

In truth, there had been far more of those people.

Anyone who learned she was from the orphanage tended to avoid her.

So when she saw a noblewoman walking gracefully between the rows of staff, Ibi grew tense.

That must be Arsel’s mother!

Even without being told, she knew.

She’s beautiful, like an angel!

With black hair like Arsel’s and sparkling brown eyes, the woman was stunning—clearly the Duchess, a figure of high nobility.

Would she dislike Ibi holding Arsel’s hand?

Ibi fidgeted, trying to pull her hand away. But the Duchess stepped closer and opened her arms.

“Welcome home, Arsel.”

She embraced him warmly.

For the first time, Arsel’s calm face turned faintly red.

He looked embarrassed, yet he didn’t pull away.

“Yes, I’m home, Mother.”

Mother.

That word rang in Ibi’s ears.

She found herself staring with envy.

A mother who welcomed you home with a hug, calling your name.

Far more enviable than someone with piles of food, more enviable than someone with enough gold coins to swim in, more enviable even than someone who lived in the largest, most beautiful house in the world—

Ibi envied those who had a mother like that.

And then—

After patting Arsel’s back, the Duchess bent slightly and opened her arms toward Ibi too.

“Welcome, Ibi. We’ve been waiting for you.”

Before Ibi could react, the Duchess pulled her into an embrace.

Her arms were warm, soft, comforting.

The unfamiliar yet pleasant warmth made Ibi bury her face against her without realizing it.

All her worries about being disliked vanished instantly.

Maybe my mom hugged me like this too…

With that thought, Ibi clutched the Duchess’s clothes tightly.

Beside them, Arsel was watching with a radiant, genuine smile.