The Former Empress Roughly Hides Her Abilities - Chapter 74
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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【Chapter 74】
That winter was exceptionally harsh.
Half the orphans were bedridden with colds, and half had injured limbs that kept them lying down.
On top of that, the fallen snow had cut off supplies.
Meanwhile, Ensilen only showed mild allergic reactions and remained healthy alone.
“There’s no choice. You’re the only one who’s fine, so help out a bit.”
And so chores like cleaning and laundry became Ensilen’s responsibility.
On ‘that day’ too, Ensilen was carrying laundry when she saw the entire orphanage being devoured by flames and dropped what she was holding.
Unfortunately, the nearby well had frozen, so she had gone down to the stream and witnessed the scene late.
Ensilen rushed over and grabbed the door handle, then quickly let go.
‘It’s hot…’
When she tried to push the door, it was firmly stuck on something and wouldn’t open.
“Everyone wake up! The building is on fire! Can’t you hear me?”
However, there were no responding voices or signs of people.
‘Is no one there?’
They might have judged the fire uncontrollable and fled, abandoning the building.
If so, that would be fortunate in this misfortune, but the fire still needed to be put out.
If the orphanage disappeared, there would be no way to escape the snow and wind.
“S-sister…”
“Asil?”
The child who had come to show his face secretly from his parents froze in place.
The burning building had that kind of power.
“How did you get here… No, that’s not important right now. Did the Duchess come with you by any chance?”
“No… I came alone…”
Behind Asil were only a carriage and one coachman.
The coachman had parked the carriage on the road far from the orphanage and was urging Asil to return quickly.
‘I can’t expect help from that coward.’
However, Ensilen was someone who found solutions rather than being swallowed by circumstances.
“Return to the Duke’s Estate.”
“What? Me, alone?”
“You can bring people to help with the carriage you came in.”
“What about you, sister?”
“I’ll be here.”
“B-but you might get hurt… Wouldn’t it be better if we both went to call adults?”
“Having two people ride the carriage is inefficient. If the number of passengers increases, the weight increases and the carriage speed decreases.”
Even in this situation, Ensilen calculated efficiency.
“S-still.”
Asil couldn’t easily take a step.
It seemed like that fire that had devoured the orphanage would greedily consume even the only hand that had saved him.
Young Asil didn’t know how to express his emotions specifically.
Dropping tears and expressing anxiety was all Asil could do.
“Go and bring people. When the fire is controlled and the situation is resolved, I’ll visit the Duke’s Estate and see that library you bragged about so much.”
Ensilen spoke thinking his level would be similar to the other orphans.
“R-really? Will you really come to our house?”
Asil brightened for a moment, but soon became dejected and watched Ensilen’s expression.
“Should I really go first? You’ll come if I wait, right? You will, right?”
“….”
“I’m scared…”
The hand holding Ensilen was damp with cold sweat.
“If I don’t go, you can come to me. Why do you only think about waiting? Your thinking is biased.”
“Uh…”
As if he hadn’t thought of that, Asil made a bewildered sound.
But that was only for a moment.
“Can I really go?”
He watched her expression carefully and bit his lower lip slightly.
“You found me annoying.”
Ensilen was a little surprised.
While other orphans only felt uncomfortable with Ensilen’s expressionless face, Asil had noticed there were subtle differences in those expressions.
At that moment.
Ensilen broke her lifelong rule of living alone.
Once she decided to change her resolution, she could reach a conclusion quickly.
‘It wouldn’t be bad to go with one person.’
Ensilen took off the ring she was wearing on her finger.
She didn’t know how long she’d had it, but since it was her only possession, it was certainly something she shouldn’t give away easily.
“Take this.”
“A-are you giving it to me?”
“It’s not a gift. Just keep it until I come to get it.”
And.
“I’ll become famous soon, so you’ll be able to find me easily.”
As long as Asil had the ring, he wouldn’t be able to turn her away at the door, even if only to return it.
Ensilen had essentially given him a leash.
“Then I have to wait here. I’ll definitely come back…!”
“Yes.”
Asil looked back several times before finally leaving.
Ensilen was watching the child disappear when she heard a crack and the sound of a window breaking.
‘This is the thermal stress phenomenon I’ve only read about in books…’
She crouched down covering her head to avoid the fragments, then looked through the open window.
She looked back unconsciously, without any particular thought.
‘Were there people?’
She could see short forms lying side by side in the acrid smoke. They were orphans.
‘Damn it.’
Ensilen climbed through the window into the interior.
The flames that met oxygen grew larger. Smoke blacker and thicker than what she’d seen from outside rushed into her lungs.
She thought she was walking forward, but didn’t realize she was actually going in circles in the same spot.
Ensilen reached out randomly and groped the floor.
“I saw them, I definitely saw them…”
“….”
“Here, there were people here…”
But she couldn’t find what she was looking for.
Her head throbbed and her vision blurred.
Ensilen put strength into her trembling legs.
‘I need to stay alert at times like this.’
She couldn’t wait for a savior who might never come.
‘The only thing in this world that can save me is myself.’
So at least I need to stay…
‘Alert, but…’
After everything became crushed and blurred.
“Are you coming to?”
When Ensilen opened her eyes again, she was at the Medical Center.
* * *
“Do you remember anything?”
The snow-white noblewoman introduced herself as Duchess Novantium.
She was a woman who was white, neat, and seemed like she would smell of sunshine.
“Do you know who I am?”
“No.”
If I had seen someone like this, there’s no way I wouldn’t remember.
Ensilen shook her head, and the woman swallowed a sigh.
“What happened to the children?”
“I’m sorry. I, I came too late…”
That answer was enough.
Ensilen didn’t ask any more.
“If there’s anything you want, don’t feel burdened and tell me.”
For reasons unknown, the Duchess felt guilt toward Ensilen, and said she could stay here as long as she wanted.
However, Ensilen wanted opportunity instead of relying on shallow sympathy.
“Please write me a letter of recommendation.”
In her cleared mind, one thought circled.
‘I need to go to the Academy.’
The fastest way for an orphan with nothing to become famous was to compete with peers of similar circumstances.
‘I don’t remember why I need to become famous.’
Only the thought that she had to filled her mind.
“Yes, I understand.”
And the memories flowed again.
“Do you know how the Empire became prosperous? By gathering talent. No natural resource is more important than talent. So, how about staying at the Academy to nurture future students? Use your talent for the right cause.”
The day Ensilen graduated from the Academy as valedictorian and decided to become an assistant professor.
“…?”
She discovered a child crouched in front of her house.
The child, who seemed to be about twelve or thirteen, was dirty and had blackened feet as if having walked a long way.
But from his clean hands and fair skin, she could tell he was a noble.
‘But why is he here?’
“…Don’t you know why I came here?”
His speech was also formal, befitting a noble child.
“Should I know?”
“…Well, I suppose you don’t necessarily need to know.”
That was Ensilen’s remembered first meeting with Asil.
“More than that, I’ve come a long way, so could you let me sleep here? It’s cold outside.”
Even though I was busy enough just feeding myself.
I couldn’t heartlessly turn away a child who had lost everything and come to me.
‘Maybe it was because that winter was too cold.’
Afterward, Asil often asked the same question.
“…You remember who I am, don’t you?”
“You’re Asil, a student at the Academy, top of the entire third year, and my student.”
Ensilen didn’t know why he repeated the same question.
“Was there some other answer you wanted?”
“There was… but now that seems sufficient.”
Asil pulled Ensilen’s hand and buried his face in it.
Like a young boy acting spoiled.
“Anyway, we met again, didn’t we.”
That smile felt suspicious, but she didn’t probe deeply.
‘Is he that happy about entering the Academy?’
“Strange child.”
* * *
As fragments of memory surfaced, things she hadn’t questioned in the past became curious.
You came to find me only after losing both your status as a ducal family member and the warmth of family.
Betting everything on one dimly erased promise from childhood, you walked and walked the long road to find me.
‘But I couldn’t remember anything.’
What did you think when you saw me like that.
Were you disappointed. Were you desperate.
Or were you happy.
I wanted to ask.
“You…”
‘Were you okay.’
Was it bearable even when I knew nothing.
“What’s wrong?”
Did he feel my staring gaze.
Asil turned around.
“…!”
Words wouldn’t come out as if something was stuck in my throat.
Like a drowning person flailing, just as I was about to strain my throat.
My consciousness sank into darkness again.
And my vision cleared once more.
I could see the ceiling of Asil’s house that had become familiar after seeing it for several days.
“You slept for a long time.”
“You slept for a whole day.”
The warmth covering my hand made me realize where I was.
‘This is reality.’
“…Asil.”
“Yes, it’s me.”
Only when I saw you answering as if you had been waiting did I realize.
That you had wandered and waited through the time when I wasn’t here again.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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