CICN 60

Chapter 60

“Wow…”

On the road leading into the capital’s main boulevard, Ebi couldn’t keep her mouth closed.

Under the darkening sky, a glittering street stretched straight ahead as if it reached the ends of the earth.

Lining the street were shops with display windows full of goods, and between them, countless people walked by smiling and chatting.

Ebi was spellbound by this new world she was seeing for the first time.

“Ebi?”

“Y-Yes!”

Startled out of her daze by Professor Sian’s voice beside her, Ebi quickly came to her senses.

“Keep your head together and follow along.”

“Yes, sir.”

Ebi replied brightly and grabbed the hem of his coat.

Still, her eyes couldn’t stop darting around at everything.

It’s like another world.

She thought of the festival in Elam. In the central plaza of Elan City, the festival filled the night with lights.

People dressed in their best came out smiling happily, chatting and playing.

From the poorhouse on the hill, looking down at the crowded square, she used to think it was the busiest place in the world…

But compared to the capital, it was nothing.

There were so many amazing and beautiful things.

Through the shop windows, she saw jewelry, clothes, and all sorts of goods piled high.

One store in particular caught her gaze—a candy shop surrounded by children.

Inside the cylindrical glass jars were colorful candies.

The shapes varied too: ordinary round candies, candy canes, flat lollipops on sticks…

Gulp.

Remembering the gift she once received at the poorhouse, Ebi swallowed.

She had loved that sweetness so much that she’d made the three pieces of candy she’d been given last as long as possible.

“Do you want one?”

Noticing how her eyes couldn’t leave the candy store, Cloys bent down to ask.

At his words, Ebi jumped back and shook her head hard.

“No! I don’t like them!”

It was an obvious lie—anyone could see it.

If she truly disliked them, she wouldn’t have been staring at them, swallowing like that moments ago.

Cloys smiled and started toward the candy store.

“I’m not going to eat any! Really!”

But then, as if simply declining wasn’t enough, Ebi’s face went pale and she urgently pulled him away.

“Ebi?”

“I really don’t like them! I don’t want any!”

Her face was filled with fear.

Why?

He was certain she’d wanted candy, and he thought that even if she refused a few times out of shyness, she’d eventually be happy if he bought her some.

But instead of hesitating out of modesty, she was acting as if she truly meant to stop him from buying any.

In the end, Cloys had no choice but to turn away from the candy shop.

Ebi kept her grip on his coat hem, forcing herself to look anywhere but the store.

I can’t look for too long.

If she did, she would definitely be scolded—just like before.

Even in the small town of Elam, there had been a candy shop, always crowded with children.

The kids from the poorhouse were no different.

When all the farm work was done and there was nothing else to do, they’d run to the town and stand outside the shop, drooling at the sight.

One day, Ebi had met a noblewoman who sometimes visited the poorhouse to make donations.

Pleased to hear that Ebi was clever, the woman had smiled kindly and said, “You should come work as a maid at my house someday.”

Because the lady had always treated her kindly, Ebi bowed politely.

“Oh, you’re…”
“Do you know this child, madam?”
“Yes, she’s from the orphanage I support.”

While the woman chatted with her friends, Ebi glanced back toward the candy store.

“Oh my, were you staring because you wanted candy?”
“It is rather pitiful.”

At their words, the donor had smiled briefly, gone into the shop, and bought an armful of candy to hand to Ebi.

“Take it and enjoy.”
“Th-thank you!”

Shocked and overjoyed, she had thanked the woman several times before running back to the poorhouse with the candy.

She had proudly shown it to the headmistress, expecting her to be pleased.

But instead—
“Oh dear, this is troublesome.”

Rather than happy, the headmistress clicked her tongue and told Ebi that next time, she should just say hello and return immediately.

A few days later, Ebi had found herself standing outside the candy shop again, only to run into the same noblewoman passing by.

It hadn’t been intentional. Elam was a small town, and the candy shop stood on its busiest street—most wealthy townsfolk walked that way often.

Once again, the same thing had happened.

That evening, the noblewoman came to the poorhouse.

“I thought she was a sweet, bright child, but she’s quite the sly one! What else could it mean, deliberately greeting me in front of the shop while glancing at it? Does this orphanage teach children to beg?”

She had jabbed her finger at the headmistress, ranting for a long time before leaving.

Ebi, having secretly watched it all, had a pretty good idea of what had happened.

I never asked her to buy it for me.

She had wanted candy, yes—but if she’d known she’d be accused of begging, she would never have looked at it in front of the woman.

When Professor Sian offered to buy candy just now, she’d been reminded of that shame and humiliation.

If she kept staring, he would eventually feel compelled to buy it for her. And if he thought she was deliberately acting pitiful to get it…

He’ll hate me.

Just like that noblewoman, who had looked at her with disdain and never returned.

So Ebi made a habit of turning her gaze away quickly, pretending she wasn’t interested, as if she’d never wanted it in the first place.

The problem was that in Elam, there hadn’t been many shops worth staring at. But the capital was different.

No matter how hard she tried, with every step she took, new wonders seemed to appear as if by magic.

Cloys noticed how Ebi kept stopping.

She would pause in front of something fascinating or delicious-looking—but whenever he opened his mouth to comment, she’d panic and tug him in another direction.

“What’s that over there?”
“Oh, that? You pull on the string, and if the stone tied to it comes up, you win the prize written on it. Want to—”
“No!”

Even as she said it, her eyes stayed glued to the other children pulling strings and winning wooden dolls.

Now Cloys was certain.

She wants to, but she’s holding herself back.

In that case…

He pulled a coin from his pocket and handed it to the shopkeeper.

“I’m not—”
“Ebi, I just want to try it myself.”

With that, Ebi couldn’t argue. If he wanted to do it, she couldn’t stop him.

Cloys pulled several strings, but like most street games, they were all misses.

When only one chance remained, he looked at Ebi and said,
“Looks like I’m not very lucky. Do you want to try the last one?”
“M-Me?”
“Yes. It’s the last try anyway—go ahead.”

He handed her the bundle of strings.

In truth, she had been clenching her hands as she watched him play, as if she were the one pulling the strings.

She had wanted to try it herself…

This should be fine, right?

When she hesitated, Cloys smiled and gently urged her.
“Come on, there are people waiting.”
“O-Okay!”

Looking down at the strings in her hands, Ebi chose one with the most serious expression she’d worn all day.

“Please…”

Though she had pretended not to care, she closed her eyes and prayed before looking at the result, making Cloys smile despite himself.

Perhaps her prayer was answered.

“Congratulations, young lady! You won!”

The shopkeeper held up a yellow stone tied to the string and brought over a squirrel-shaped wooden doll from the wall to give to her.

“Oh, this…”

Staring at the doll in disbelief, Ebi held it out to Cloys.

“You pulled it, so it’s yours.”
“But—”
“I was hoping for the biggest one over there.”

He pointed to the large human-shaped doll that could only be won with a gold stone.

“I don’t really want anything else. If you don’t take it, should I just give it back to the shopkeeper?”

At that, Ebi’s face crumpled and she shook her head.

It was the first time she’d ever played a game like this, and of course the first prize she’d ever won.

If she was allowed to keep it, she very much wanted to.

Hugging the doll tightly to her chest, she watched as Cloys turned away.

“Shall we see what else there is?”

The festivities had only just begun—there was still so much to show her.

For some reason, he felt excited, striding forward eagerly.

Then a noisy group of people bustled past him.

When their laughter and shouting faded and they had all gone by—

“…!”

ibi, who had been following right behind him, was nowhere to be seen.