IBDEML 08

Chapter 08

Klein was seriously dumb.

A fool who couldn’t even tell left from right.

“Why are you in Class 1? You don’t even know where the left side is?”

“L-Lopez…?”

Thankfully, this was before anyone got hurt.

“Come slowly this way.”

“My… my legs…”

Klein’s legs trembled pitifully.

I let out a small sigh and carefully approached him, keeping a distance so as not to provoke the dog.

Standing cautiously in front of Klein, I unwrapped the cloth I was holding.

Inside was a chicken drumstick.

Before the excited dog could leap for it, I threw it as far away as possible.

―Woof! Woof!

The dog immediately ran toward the food.

Seizing the chance, I slipped my hands urgently between Klein’s armpits and tried to lift him out of the forest—but… failed miserably.

“Phew!”

H-He’s heavy.

I had unconsciously assumed that since I’m an adult, I could lift him.

Because of the recoil from using my strength, I ended up hugging Klein closely as I fell.

Klein was horrified.

“Hey, crazy! What are you doing!”

“I thought your legs couldn’t hold you, so I tried to carry you to escape…”

“You idiot! Who do you think you’re hugging!”

Klein shakily stood, took a deep breath, and instead grabbed me in a hug.

“Uh?”

The kid is really strong?

“If I’d known you’d do this, I should have run away earlier.”

“…I was alone back then.”

Ah, so my presence at least reduced his fear a bit.

“Don’t ask! Just shut up!”

He acted irritable but quietly ran while holding me.

Carried by Klein, we safely reached the playground in front of the orphanage.

Anna rushed over, sensing something was wrong when she saw our messy state.

“What happened to you two…?”

“Damn it! There was a dog!”

Klein shouted at Anna in frustration.

He was usually arrogant, but this was different…

It seemed like fear of the dog made him yell without thinking.

“What if it bit us! What if it left scars!”

Hearing the word “scar,” Anna visibly flinched.

Klein’s angry voice drew the children who had been in the forest out slowly, one by one.

“There really was a dog…?”

Watching Anna hesitate, Klein got angry again.

“Left forest! Why aren’t you catching it!”

Anna, biting her nails, panicked at his shout and rushed into the forest.

‘Why just run in?’

She should at least prepare herself. What if she got bitten…

“Clain, what’s going on?”

Medina came running frantically from afar.

She alternated her gaze between me and Klein, looking panicked.

“Lopez? Why are you two…?”

Klein, still huffing, only then realized he was hugging me.

I broke the awkward silence first.

“Now that you’ve noticed, can you let me go?”

Klein’s face turned red and he flung me off.

“Ah!”

He flinched at my scream.

“No, I…”

“Sister!”

Bill came over, struggling with his small hands to help me up.

“What’s happening? Why are you with him…?”

“There was a dog in the forest…”

Klein bit his lips tightly.

He probably felt ashamed revealing his weakness to Medina, trembling visibly.

It was clear he didn’t want to show such vulnerability.

Of course I wouldn’t say anything…

“Klein saved me from being bitten.”

“…Huh?”

Klein blinked, looking at me.

“Thank you.”

I gave a calm reply, shook off my clothes, and went into the orphanage.

Since I went unguarded, Anna was probably in danger.

It was time to deal with her inside the orphanage as well.

Bill kept glancing between Klein and me entering the building.

Medina approached the stunned Klein.

“Amazing! You saved Lopez!”

“Ah…”

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

“…No.”

Klein was bewildered.

Given all he’d done so far, he couldn’t even complain if Lopez used this as leverage.

But Lopez had kept it secret and even thanked him.

‘…Why?’

He could have hated me for this.

Wasn’t this the time to scold me?

Klein stared at Lopez’s retreating figure.

‘What on earth is her plan?’

“Clain!”

“Ah.”

“What’s wrong? Were you really scared?”

Medina’s worried face was full of concern.

He fiddled with his arms awkwardly while looking at her.

While holding Lopez he felt warm, but now that warmth was gone, and he felt cold.

“Lopez was right. That was really dangerous.”

The other children whispered to each other.

The misunderstanding that Lopez was just nagging was cleared, but they still hesitated to admit it.

Medina placed her arms on her waist and scolded the others sharply.

“You have to admit your mistakes! Megan-sensei taught you that!”

“….”

“Go apologize to Lopez.”

Hesitant, they finally went inside the orphanage at Medina’s words.

“Damn it! Where’s this dog…!”

Anna ran, her feet sweating.

She needed to quickly remove the evidence before the headmaster saw…

She drew her cane and gritted her teeth.

Megan spotted us.

I deliberately messed up my hair and ran at Megan, accidentally bumping into her leg.

“Ah!”

“Oh my! Lopez! Are you okay?”

“Te-Teacher…?”

Megan was startled seeing me nearly in tears.

“What happened? Is something wrong?”

Seeing Megan gently wipe the tears from my eyes, I shouted.

“A-Anna-sensei is in danger!”

Hearing Anna’s name, Megan’s face stiffened briefly, then relaxed.

“Tell me calmly.”

“W-We were doing treasure hunting… and a dog appeared outside! A huge dog! It tried to bite me, but Klein helped me escape…”

“Wait… it tried to bite you? Are you hurt? Let me see!”

Megan examined me anxiously.

I shook my head to reassure her.

“No, luckily. Other children are safe too.”

“Good, that’s a relief.”

Megan finally asked about Anna.

“Did you tell Anna-sensei there was a dog?”

“Yes… I did tell her before the treasure hunt, but she didn’t believe me…”

“So she didn’t even check?”

I nodded and sniffled, then suddenly remembered the main point.

“B-But that’s not the important thing. Anna-sensei is alone in the forest…!”

Megan patted my head with a shocked expression.

“You should get the children to a safe place first, not go into the forest to remove evidence.”

She bit her lip in frustration.

“First, Lopez, tell the school nurse what happened, then gather Class 1 students in the classroom. Can you do that?”

“Yes, teacher!”

Hearing my answer, Megan ran up to the fourth floor, probably to report to the headmaster.

I finally wiped my tears.

The rest depended on how Megan acted.

She cared deeply for children and truly wanted to protect them.

Though she couldn’t stop all the abuse, she intervened when possible.

Megan wasn’t entirely kind though.

She was generous to the kids, but cold to malicious people like Anna.

She was just waiting for the right moment, and I had just shown her it.

In the novel, Megan never got a chance and was expelled, but this time things would be different.

Soon, the headmaster and some teachers went into the forest with nets and tools.

Now my part was done.

“Lopez-sister… where are you?”

Ah, the green-haired child appeared.

I hurriedly hid.

‘Lopez’s hair!’

Even hiding, he could see everything.

Lopez really is a fool!

Bill laughed excitedly.