Chapter 17
— — —
“It’s a secret, Sister.”
……A secret from me, Heinri? He’s never done that before.
Heinri winked playfully.
Then, he clasped his hands behind his head, leaned back, and wore an inscrutable smile.
‘Sometimes, Heinri, I have no idea what you’re thinking.’
Just when I thought I knew everything about him, if that boy truly decided to hide his heart, there was nothing I could see.
“I’m hurt.”
I said, sounding petulant.
“Even I am allowed to have secrets I can’t tell you, Sister.”
Heinri spoke with nonchalance, but my heart grew all the more complicated.
‘Heinri, is it really you?’
If it is you, then I must find out all the more.
For the sake of your future.
“…….”
I quietly clenched my fist over my knee.
In any case, this situation of merely doubting Heinri would soon end. The true culprit’s identity would be revealed. That is, if the little devil committed a “second” theft.
I waited quietly like an angler with a cast line, and the opportunity arrived immediately.
* * *
It was around the afternoon of the next day that Robert shouted that his toy had gone missing.
The item was, as expected, found in Sislein’s “locker.”
I wondered if Sislein would be able to endure being suspected again, but the boy accepted the situation calmly, as if he had already anticipated it.
Sislein was more reliable than I had expected.
“Too bad, Annette.”
Julius acted as if he were actually enjoying this situation.
“What did I tell you? I said a troublemaker would keep causing trouble. You were so bold as to claim you’d reveal the real culprit, and now look how ridiculous you’ve made yourself.”
What is this? This man is secretly quite childish. ……He is genuinely keeping a 12-year-old in check.
I smiled brightly and said,
“I still believe in Sislein, Teacher. And I also believe that the ‘ring’ will become mine.”
I meant that I believed he would become my slave.
Julius gritted his teeth, letting out a “Grr,” and turned away with a cold expression.
“Do as you please. For now, I must inform Mrs. Mimosa of this. ……She is not one to show mercy a second time.”
With that, Julius left the room.
Then, in the slightly chilled atmosphere, Robert opened his mouth.
“Did Sislein really take my toy……?”
“No. It wasn’t me.”
Sislein replied, his red eyes beneath his black hair opening calmly.
However, Robert whispered in a trembling voice and hung his head low.
“……But…….”
I knew the words that would follow. ‘My item was found in your locker.’
Robert was the child who had taken Sislein’s side during the first teddy bear theft, saying there was no way he would do such a thing.
But after losing his own precious item and seeing the incident repeat itself, he could not easily defend Sislein this time.
‘That reaction is normal.’
Because that toy was the one Robert cherished most.
The little devil was deliberately stealing only the children’s “most precious” items to frame Sislein.
To ensure he was isolated among the children.
“…….”
One time could be called a prank, but the second time was a habit and kleptomania.
Since it wasn’t easy for anyone to defend Sislein, the classroom atmosphere was unusually heavy.
“Sislein said it wasn’t him. Let’s trust Sislein.”
I added.
Just then, a cheerful voice cut through, reversing the mood.
“Hmm, so Annette is on his side again this time. Aren’t you being a bit too protective?”
It was Vivian.
A pretty little lady with a pink dress, platinum blonde hair, and turquoise eyes. But right now, her eyes were narrowed in a hateful way.
“You never know, right? Didn’t they say he’s from a slave background?”
Her long eyelashes lowered languidly.
“I heard that slave children’s eyes light up the moment they see something expensive.”
“……Vivian!”
“What? I’m just repeating what I heard.”
Vivian crossed her arms and glared at Sislein.
“It’s a disgrace to the ‘Tree’ that a child like that is one of us. How are we supposed to live in The Forest with a child who steals?”
‘She really does hate Sislein.’
And immensely so.
It could just be that she’s a model student who dislikes children who steal, but I felt a much deeper, vivid hostility.
It was probably because of Heinri. She had been openly showing her dislike ever since the water play last time.
I tried to hold back as much as I could.
“Vivian, it’s not even certain yet, so could you watch your mouth?”
“Everyone!”
Vivian said, addressing the children who were hanging their heads.
“From now on, keep your precious items in a box under your bed and lock it. ……Because he might steal again.”
“……!”
I slammed my hand on the desk!
A tremendous force burst out before I could stop it, sounding almost like a thunderclap.
Vivian looked startled.
“Apologize.”
When I said that while glaring at her, the little lady stuttered as if flustered.
“W, what?”
“For calling him a slave and treating him like a thief, apologize right now.”
“I have nothing to apologize for?!”
Just as Vivian retorted, trembling with her turquoise eyes, the teacher walked in.
Even after sitting down, I kept my eyes fixed on Vivian with intensity, and every time our eyes met, Vivian would flinch and look at her book, pretending not to notice.
I kept shooting laser-like glares at Vivian and fell into thought.
‘So you did the same thing again.’
Yes, you dug your own grave.
Thanks to that, I can use this method. If anything, I’m grateful.
Reporting the hideout could be dismissed as mere whistleblowing, but there was a clear malice in contacting the slave trader and framing him as a thief.
The little devil’s intention in framing him as a “thief” was clear.
To isolate Sislein from The Forest.
Even Robert, who had defended him at first, could no longer do so once his own item went missing.
Then, who would be the target the little devil would drool over most in this situation?
‘It would be me, wouldn’t it?’
If even I turned my back on him, Sislein would be completely alone.
If an opportunity arose to pull me away from Sislein, I was certain the little devil would never let it pass.
* * *
I went to see Mrs. Mimosa before she could come to the classroom.
As soon as Mrs. Mimosa saw me, she said,
“I cannot defend him a second time. Sislein must be punished according to the school rules. He must go to the ‘Temple of The Forest’.”
The Temple of The Forest.
It was a place where only children with truly wicked natures were sent, and the “rehabilitation” teachers stationed there were famous for being ruthless.
No matter how much of a troublemaker a child was, they would turn into an angel after spending time there.
They said you could hear children crying day and night.
“But, Sislein is not the culprit, Madam.”
“How can you be so sure?”
Her cold, golden eyes pierced me. I was nervous, but I answered as calmly as possible.
“He was caught once for putting the stolen item in his locker, and yet he put it in the locker again.”
The woman’s eyes narrowed.
“If it were me, I wouldn’t get caught a second time; I would hide it under my mattress or in a secret place. But he deliberately put it in the locker. As if he wanted to be ‘caught’ immediately. As if he wanted everyone to find it.”
“……Hmm.”
Mrs. Mimosa seemed to be listening to my story quietly.
‘It’s a good thing I’m a model student.’
She’s actually listening to a mere 12-year-old child.
My reputation had taken a hit from the hideout incident last time, but my image as a sound student was still valid.
Moreover, I had regained some trust by resolving the “water trauma” last time.
“You have a point, Annette.”
My face brightened instantly.
“However.”
……However?
“It wouldn’t be fair to overlook Sislein’s actions twice. Usually, in cases like this, they receive severe punishment.”
“This is the last time. If you give me just one more chance, I will catch the child who did this wicked thing right away!”
Mrs. Mimosa stared at my desperate eyes for a moment without a word.
Then, with a slight wrinkle between her brows, she sighed lightly and asked.
“……Do you have a plan?”
“Yes! Madam!”
I clenched both fists tightly and nodded vigorously. My eyes were sparkling.
“To catch the culprit, I need ‘two’ items. However, they must be things the children have never seen before.”
“Things the children have never seen?”
Mrs. Mimosa’s expression became quite intrigued.
* * *
I received Mrs. Mimosa’s authorization and went to the supply room.
And I borrowed two items.
They were a fountain pen and a compass, respectively.
“Both items are old, so the ‘Trees’ of today have never seen them.”
Mrs. Mimosa said they were items that had never been exposed to the children.
I looked down at the two items and muttered.
“……This will be your fatal trap. You wicked thing.”
I had discussed the plan with Sislein beforehand, and Sislein had vacated the area at the right moment.
Finally, after the day’s classes were all over.
I walked to Sislein’s locker in a state of tension.
I took a small breath.
Depending on the item inside, the culprit would be determined.
I closed my eyes, counted to three in my head, and then—! I swung the door open.
‘It’s the compass.’
I had expected it, but a great shock hit my head.
……It was you, the little devil.
* * *
I dragged Vivian to the auditorium without hesitation.
All the Trees and teachers were already gathered there at Mrs. Mimosa’s summons.
Heinri, Reina, Robert, and even the other children of The Forest. Of course, Sislein was there too.
Vivian struggled and shouted.
“Let go! Why am I the culprit? Sislein stole it!”
I loosened my grip on Vivian. Vivian fell down ungracefully.
Vivian, whose breathing was ragged with rage, glared at me intensely.
“Confess, Vivian. Even now.”
I said to her calmly. Vivian shrieked as if it were absurd.
“Sislein is the one who stole your compass, isn’t he? Wasn’t it in Sislein’s locker?”
Then, she crossed her arms and glared at me with her characteristic nervous expression.
“Are you taking your anger out on me because you can’t believe Sislein stole your precious item? Annette, you’re the worst.”
I leaned in toward the furious Vivian, bringing my face close to hers.
And as I said one thing……
Vivian’s face contorted horribly, as if she had been struck by a shock.
“……?!”
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