CICN 104

Chapter 104

The Duchess gave Evie a warm, firm hug before letting her go.

As the warmth faded, a flicker of regret crossed Evie’s face before disappearing.

“Evie, thank you for coming. You must be tired after such a long ride, aren’t you? Would you like to rest a bit?”

“No, I’m really fine. Arcel suggested we stop and rest a few times along the way.”

Truthfully, it had been tiring since she wasn’t used to long carriage rides.

‘Well, I did ride one when I came to the Academy for the Gifted…’

Carriages that went straight to their destination were far too expensive, so she had had to stop several times along the way, switching carriages in each city. Thanks to that, she hadn’t gotten motion sickness.

Besides, Irene’s house was inside the capital, so she hadn’t needed to travel long distances by carriage before.

That was why, at first, she had been excited to ride Arcel’s carriage. But as time went on, her chatter died down.

For some reason, her stomach churned and her head felt heavy.

Whenever that happened, Arcel, as if sensing it, would say he was feeling tired and had the coachman stop.

Thanks to him, Evie was able to step outside and look around along the way, which helped her recover.

“How can you be so spirited? Still, your stomach mustn’t be completely settled yet. I’ll have them prepare some cool sherbet for you. In the meantime, Arcel, why don’t you show Evie around the estate?”

“Of course. Come on, Evie.”

Arcel held out his hand. Evie naturally stepped forward and grasped it without hesitation.

The household staff, who had already looked surprised when she first arrived, widened their eyes even more.

Among everyone in the Duke’s household, the most difficult person for the servants to deal with was none other than Arcel.

He was only thirteen. Objectively speaking, still a child, and yet whenever someone stood before him, they straightened their clothes, worried about making the slightest mistake.

So when it was said that the young master was a candidate to be adopted by the Emperor, the servants only nodded knowingly, saying they weren’t surprised at all.

He was already famous throughout the Empire as a prodigy. They had never once seen him make a mistake; he was always calm, composed, and precise.

Because of this, no one but the Duke and Duchess treated him with ease. Yet this strange little girl had just taken his hand so casually, without a hint of fear.

What shocked the servants even more was Arcel himself.

Just like at the Academy, even outside, there were many who sought Arcel’s attention.

Especially in summer, when this mansion—famed for its beauty—often received endless guests from noble families.

“A sudden rain caught us on the road… We’re terribly sorry, but might you grant us the grace of sheltering here for a short while?”

Families with young daughters would knock on the Duke’s gates with such transparent excuses.

“My daughter may be lacking, but if she could accompany the young master even briefly as a companion, it would be our greatest honor.”

They would brazenly push their children forward, to the point where even the servants secretly clicked their tongues.

Every time, Arcel handled them politely enough.

But when those girls tried to force their way closer—reaching for his hand, attempting to link arms—Arcel never allowed it.

Snap! He would slap their hands away so sharply it made a loud sound, yet he would continue the conversation with an expression of perfect calm, as if nothing had happened.

No anger. No warning. Just as casually as swatting away an insect.

Until now, the only person he’d allowed near him was Luscaa. And even then, it was just during sparring—when Luscaa dragged him by the arm, Arcel would only sigh in annoyance and kick him away.

He had never allowed anyone to linger beside him.

‘So who in the world is this girl?’

Not only did Arcel offer his hand first, but he treated her with such familiarity.

Smiles spread across not just the Duchess’s face but also those of the servants, unable to hide their delight.

This young guest was truly being welcomed wholeheartedly into the Duke’s household.

“Wow…”

As soon as she entered, holding Arcel’s hand, Evie let out a gasp.

“It’s a library.”

Inside the mansion was a library as vast as the Academy’s.

Three stories high, stretching into an entire annex.

Though quiet, it was not empty—people browsed shelves, carried books, and sat at desks copying notes.

Evie instantly liked it.

‘Everyone’s free to read here!’

In her old school, she had to sneak into the library, avoiding glares and scowls from others who clearly didn’t want her there.

The Academy was no different. Though meant for all students, noble children resented commoners entering the library.

If she dared to stay and study, they openly gave her cold looks, whispered insults loudly enough for her to hear, or sneered at her presence.

As long as the staff didn’t catch them, they got away with it.

Even at the Academy, the invisible wall of class stood tall.

So she assumed the Duke’s library would likewise be reserved only for family.

But instead, it bustled with use, more like the research halls she’d once seen during a palace tour.

“Surprised?”

“Yes. There are so many people.”

“My father runs a lot of research societies here. That’s why we keep every new book published in the Empire, sorted by field.”

When Arcel became known as a genius, people had said it was no wonder—like father, like son.

His father, Duke Kaelon, had also been famous as a prodigy from childhood.

He’d studied at the Academy, competing with Clois, another genius of his generation, for first place.

After becoming Duke, Kaelon not only advised the state alongside Clois but also established private research institutes in his domain, lavishly funding costly projects.

“There’s even a small city nearby. It’s practically like an academy itself—full of scholars working on unusual studies. They often hold academic festivals here.”

Arcel’s voice carried a faint pride.

Hearing it, Evie felt happy too.

‘Arcel rarely talks about himself.’

He always listened carefully when she spoke about the orphanage. Not just listening—he asked about her friends, how many children lived there, what rooms they stayed in, what the headmaster was like.

He was genuinely curious about her life.

He didn’t know it, but every time he asked, it made her so glad—because it meant he wanted to know her.

‘So I wanted to hear about Arcel too…’

But he almost never shared anything, and she thought maybe he just didn’t like to. It had left her feeling a little disappointed.

“Before I entered the Academy, I used to join those research meetings often. And…”

Evie listened intently, not missing a word.

‘Arcel knew everything about what I liked and disliked.’

So she wanted to know the same about him—what he liked, what he hated.

After showing her the library and explaining various parts of the estate, Arcel suddenly turned his head toward a building across the way.

“Evie, have you ever played an instrument?”

“That child has come?”

Duke Kaelon handed his bag to the head butler as he received a brief report of the day’s events at the mansion.

When he heard that Arcel’s guest had arrived, his eyes widened.

Because he had spent so much time in the imperial palace, he knew very well who Evie Alden was.

‘She’s the child His Majesty openly declared his ward and cherished so dearly.’

He had known Arcel was close to her, but he hadn’t expected him to bring her all the way to the mansion.

And not just that—Arcel had even gone himself at dawn to fetch her from another household.

‘I’ve never seen Arcel so desperate before.’

Having never met the girl in person, the Duke’s curiosity was piqued.

“So, where is she now?”

“She’s still in the annex. It seems the young master is playing instruments with her in the lady’s music room. Ah—there they are, returning now.”

At the butler’s words, the Duke looked toward the passage connecting the annex.

There they were—Evie and Arcel, walking back hand-in-hand.

They were laughing and chatting happily about something, so bright that the Duke had to rub his eyes.

Was my son ever capable of smiling like that?

Then suddenly, he felt a strange sense of familiarity.

“That girl…”

A name flashed through his mind.

Lillian Shell.

The child looked just like her.