Chapter 51 Is the Magic Wardrobe Humoring Me?
Evelyn's POV
The cheerful atmosphere from moments ago vanished in an instant. Hanging in the wardrobe was a dark green velvet nightgown.
Its color reminded me of a forest lake, mysterious and alluring under the soft lighting. The cut of the dress was exquisite, with delicate spaghetti straps that revealed the lines of my collarbones and a few pearls adorning the neckline. It wasn't overly revealing, yet it carried a subtle, age-appropriate sensuality.
What I loved most was the intricate vine pattern embroidered in silver thread along the hem. Those vines looked almost alive, winding upward before gathering at the waist into a delicate lily of the valley.
I reached out and touched the fabric. The moment my fingertips brushed against it, I was struck by how incredibly soft it felt.
After changing into the nightgown, I stood before the mirror, studying this somewhat unfamiliar reflection of myself.
The girl who once favored casual, comfortable clothes was gone. In her place stood a version of me with a touch of girlish allure. The deep green made my skin appear even fairer, and the surprise in my eyes brought my entire appearance to life.
"It really does look pretty good!"
I smiled at my reflection and spun around happily, the hem flaring slightly.
Still, wearing a dress in this season felt a little chilly. I muttered the thought my breath, and almost immediately, the room adjusted to a warmer temperature.
The entire room was soon filled with gentle warmth, the perfect temperature wrapping around me comfortably.
In that moment, I started to believe that perhaps the academy did like me. Just then, a knock sounded at the door.
When I opened it, Kane stood in the doorway holding bags of snacks. "Evelyn, I..."
He froze in place, staring at me in stunned silence as his words trailed off.
His gaze traveled from my hair to my face, then down to my bare shoulders and neck before finally settling on the dark green nightgown.
His eyes shone with amazement, free of their usual possessiveness.
"Kane?"
I shyly tugged at the hem of the nightgown, trying to cover something, though the dress was actually quite long, almost reaching my calves.
Kane didn't speak.
Instead, he pulled me back into the room, closed the door behind us. After setting the snacks and juice on the table, he reached for my hand, pressing his cheek against the back of it before softly kissing it.
"Evelyn, you're so beautiful!"
His voice was low and husky, filled with affection.
"Feeling better?" he suddenly asked.
"What?" I looked at him, confused.
Kane pulled me into a hug, resting his chin on top of my head. His voice held a note of self-reproach. "Those rumors... those vicious people... If I had noticed sooner, if I had been stronger, you wouldn't have been hurt."
"I'm not upset anymore, really. You're here, aren't you!" I shook my head and hugged him back.
Kane tightened his arms around me. "You can tell me about things in the future."
He whispered in my ear, his tone as steady as a vow.
I leaned against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart, and in that instant, I truly forgot all the unhappiness.
Outside the window, night had deepened, stars scattered across the sky.
In the warmth of the room, we curled up together on the sofa, sharing snacks and watching our favorite movie. Everything felt peaceful and beautiful.
The next morning, I was awakened by sunlight.
When I opened my eyes, the room was already tidy. I must have fallen asleep on the sofa, and Kane had carried me back to bed before leaving.
After washing up, I walked to the magic wardrobe. Perhaps sensing my good mood, the doors slowly opened to reveal a light blue dress with white daisies embroidered along the hem—fresh and cute.
"Looks like it really wants to cheer me up—another dress?"
I laughed to myself, changed into the dress, and walked out of the room.
Kane was already waiting at the door to take me to breakfast. His eyes lit up when he saw my outfit, and he naturally took my hand as he approached.
"Very cute today." he said, kissing my forehead.
We walked hand in hand toward the academic building. Along the way, people still pointed and whispered, but one cold look from Kane was enough to silence them.
My steps faltered as we reached the door of the Basic Potions classroom.
My previously relaxed mood sank once more.
I actually liked Potions—I enjoyed the wonderful reactions when different herbs mixed together. But the people in this classroom... those malicious stares, those whispers, made me feel suffocated and ruined my mood.
I didn't want to go in.
"What's wrong?"
Kane noticed my stiffness and stopped, looking at me with concern.
"Nothing... nothing."
I lowered my head, not wanting him to see how terrified I was.
I had promised to tell Kane about my troubles, but I also didn't want to remain forever as a helpless fledgling under his protection.
I knew he would rush into the classroom without hesitation and throw out anyone who bullied me. But I didn't want that.
I didn't want to miss class because of these jerks, neither did I want to look like the weakling who constantly needed saving.
But my feet refused to move, not even a single step.
Kane didn't speak. He simply looked at me quietly, as if he could see through my thoughts. Instead of persuading or forcing me, he just held my hand tightly, transmitting strength to me.
I took a deep breath, preparing to force myself to go inside.
"Bang!"
The classroom door in front of us slammed shut with a heavy thud.
I was taken aback. "What's going on?"
Students walking toward the classroom also froze, but when they pushed, it opened without issues.
I thought perhaps a gust of wind had blown it shut.
But when I tried pushing it again, it still wouldn't budge, as if it had been welded shut.
When Kane tried to push the door, the same thing happened. It was as if the door was deliberately blocking me, and the academy had now identified Kane as being on my side.
Once the hallway was empty except for the two of us, a thick book suddenly flew down and landed at my feet.
It was Defense Magic Basics.
I was stunned. The academy really did like me. Was it was helping me? Was it was expressing anger on my behalf, protecting me instead of letting me walk in and suffer?
A warm feeling surged through my heart. I crouched down and picked up the book.
The pages automatically flipped open, stopping at the 'Basic Magic Shield' page.
"Kane, this..."
I turned to look at Kane, feeling somewhat lost.
Kane looked at this scene and patted my head. "Looks like even the academy doesn't want you to suffer. It wants you to learn to protect yourself."
I took a deep breath, looking at the spell in the book.
Following the method Kane had taught me, I closed my eyes and concentrated, pushing away the vicious faces and cruel rumors that filled my mind.