CICN 127

Chapter 127

The place where Ivi and Clois stayed was, despite being an imperial villa, a rather modest one.

It was said that a past emperor had built it because he wanted to experience the life of commoners.

Of course, it was still very different from the life of actual commoners, but among imperial villas, it was one of the smallest.

Even with just two loyal maids, four knights, and Ivi and Clois, the place felt lively enough.

And as always, the noisiest spot was the kitchen.

“This is the one I caught!”

Ivi scratched the back of her hand and pointed to the largest fish in the basket.

“This one is His Majesty’s, and this one is Sir Hilde’s…”

Even though none of the fish had name tags, Ivi remembered perfectly who had caught each of the dozens of fish.

“But I helped you catch that one, didn’t I?”

From behind Ivi, Clois muttered somewhat discontentedly, crossing his arms.

Behind him, the knights looked even more displeased.

“Fishing is cowardly. The proper contest is to see who can hang from a tree the longest.”

“Exactly. Doing more push-ups—that’s a fair challenge.”

Amid the emperor and knights’ bickering, the elderly maid chuckled.

“Do you think there might be some edible berries in the forest? The ones we brought spoiled faster than I expected, so there’s nothing suitable to put on the pancakes.”

“Oh! I know!”

Ivi quickly grabbed a small basket from the table and ran outside.

“The person who fills their basket first wins!”

Hearing this, Clois hurriedly grabbed a larger basket beside him so he wouldn’t fall behind and followed Ivi outside.

“Ivi! We have to go together!”

The knights also hurriedly followed behind them.

“Your Majesty! You should come along too!”

They spent the day fishing, picking forest berries, having lunch, and swimming.

Experiencing a proper summer vacation, just as people described it, felt strange to Clois.

This was the kind of summer he had dreamed of long ago. Yet it was something he had never experienced in the past seven years.

The sound of the wind, the rustling of leaves, even the chirping of birds.

It had been ages since he had savored such peace.

Clois pulled out an old classic from the small bookshelf and suddenly realized how quiet the villa was.

He looked around and noticed that the constantly chattering child was nowhere to be seen.

“She must be taking a nap.”

After swimming, Ivi had eaten a lot of snacks and soon dozed off.

Seeing this, Hilde decided it was better for her to nap and carried her upstairs.

Clois, lost in thought for a moment, then went up to the second floor.

When he reached Ivi’s room, he saw her sleeping soundly through the open door, which had been left open for ventilation.

He had intended to just look at her face and leave, but before he knew it, he quietly sat in a chair by the bed.

Among the clothes Irene had sent ahead, Ivi wore yellow pajamas covered in little chicks, looking exactly like a big chick as she slept.

Resting his chin on his hand, Clois’s gaze fell on the magical stone on the bedside table.

“To think she’s still carrying this around.”

The magical stone he had given was not small by any means, even though a child could carry it.

He had assumed she had left it at the gifted academy and just brought it for fun.

But seeing it among the luggage Vanessa handed over had surprised him greatly.

“I’m glad I gave it.”

It held a memory of Lilian.

Whenever it came to anything related to her, he had always cherished it, yet he had never felt reluctant giving it to Ivi.

It was as if it was going to where it belonged.

It wasn’t just the magical stone. Even the small wooden squirrel doll beside it.

Ivi had visited the homes of Irene, Arcel, and Ruska. Those children must have given her far better and prettier things.

Yet Ivi still treasured this simple wooden doll the most, and Clois felt a sense of pride at that.

He carefully covered Ivi with the thin summer blanket she had kicked off.

Perhaps she liked the feeling of being covered. Even asleep, Ivi smiled softly as if she were pleased.

That smile made Clois pause for a moment.

“Again…”

He closed his eyes briefly, letting himself think: how wonderful it would be if this child were his own daughter.

It wasn’t the first time he had thought this.

For some time now, he had treated Ivi as if she were his own daughter.

No matter how busy he was, if Ivi came, he would end his meetings and return to his office. Seraphina reported everything about Ivi—her grades, lessons, and even small details.

Once, he had even thought about adoption.

But it remained only a thought.

From the moment he had announced himself as her guardian, her life had already changed significantly.

Adoption? That would grant her a place in the imperial family, though not in the line of succession, carrying a weight incomparable to a guardian.

Others would scramble for such an honor, but Clois knew all too well how heavy and terrible that responsibility could be.

Would it be right to impose such a burden on her just because his heart ached for her?

Yet he could not let go of the desire.

He wanted to see Ivi living as his daughter…

After watching her sleep for some time, he resolved his troubled thoughts and turned them elsewhere.

“The seasonal festival isn’t far off.”

After this summer, when they returned to the gifted academy, a grand festival would be held before the children could settle down from their excitement.

Naturally, he had already made preparations through the head of his attendants.

“I want to give her wonderful memories.”

At the last seasonal festival, he had lost track of her.

Watching Ivi trembling, unable to cry, he had been powerless.

After giving her such a messy memory, he wanted to leave only good ones this time.

“With Irene Terins’ help, I could prepare the clothes just right.”

Irene had asked him for a week of her two-week leave. His reply had quickly confirmed that he would happily allow it. But she had included a condition:

[May I entrust Ivi’s seasonal festival dress to the excellent designer Madame Crevel? Ivi doesn’t know yet, but I want to make plenty of winter clothes as well. I hope you will allow this.]

Of course, the emperor would cover the cost.

Feeling the subtle insistence behind the request, Clois replied quickly, asking that she prepare the best possible clothes without holding back.

Thinking of that cheeky letter, Clois gazed at the sleeping Ivi again.

When he first saw her, she had been worryingly thin.

But over the past semester, she had regained her innate charm.

Chubby, rosy cheeks, a healthy complexion, and bright golden hair flowing beautifully.

Her hair, which looked just like his own, he absentmindedly twirled.

“Ugh.”

Perhaps ticklish, Ivi frowned and burrowed further under the blanket.

Clois chuckled softly and rose from his seat.

He had been about to go back downstairs but changed his mind and sat on the long sofa in the room.

It seemed the best place to quietly and comfortably read a book.