BDEFML 09

Chapter 9

Anna was expelled without money, unlike in the novel.

Headmaster Watson said he heard about the dog but ignored it, which almost caused the children to get hurt. Because of that, he coldly drove Anna out.

Considering that this problem could have been ignored but was blown up to expel her, Megan must have played a big role.

The dog was never captured in the end, so going into the forest was forbidden for a while.

‘It ended somehow well…’

Honestly, there was a way to not interfere with the novel’s plot.

But I was here now, and I couldn’t ignore children who might have a miserable childhood.

I also had a not-so-good childhood in the orphanage.

Even if not that, my conscience kept pricking me with a sense of adult responsibility.

So I wanted to help as much as I could while I was here.

I wanted these children to keep happy childhood memories, unlike me.

After thinking for a while, I stood up, and Bill who was beside me clung to me.

“Lopez sister, where are you going?”

“To the incinerator.”

I was in charge of throwing away that smelly trash today.

I shook my butt while holding the trash bin, meaning I wanted him to let go.

But Bill didn’t release the hem of my skirt obediently.

“The incinerator smells very bad.”

“Sister, didn’t you wash?”

“I am not the incinerator.”

And I do wash at least once a day.

Giggle.

After thinking about it, Bill seemed to see me as some unknown strange creature.

His gaze felt like he was exploring me.

It would be good if I could meet his expectations, but if he got disappointed and cried because I was just ordinary, I would feel unfair.

Especially since I hadn’t done anything that would make him expect something.

“Stay here.”

“Umm.”

Only then did Bill reluctantly let go of my skirt.

I took off my indoor slippers and tried to change into shoes to go to the incinerator.

If my shoes weren’t soaking wet.

“When did I wash these?”

I couldn’t remember.

…Guess I’ll just wear them.

If I walk around in indoor slippers, I’ll get scolded.

Then Klein grabbed my wrist and turned me around.

My waist, which was bent to put on shoes, stopped awkwardly.

What was this suddenly?

Did he want attention like last time?

“Why?”

“Wear this slipper.”

It was an outdoor slipper.

He threw it toward me, then tried to return to the class but stopped, turning his back and asking me.

“Why were you there at that time?”

“In the kitchen, looking for a place to eat the chicken drumstick I secretly stole.”

Since it was a question I expected, I answered naturally like flowing water.

I wasn’t there to save you.

I just happened to find it.

“….”

“I can’t let the cook know I was the one who stole the chicken drumstick.”

Then Klein went straight back into the classroom without answering.

It was strange seeing his red ears through his silver hair.

I silently wore the outdoor slippers he gave me.

It is proper manners not to ignore a child’s kindness.

If I rejected it, the wound might remain, and I might become an adult who hesitates to help others even when I want to.

‘I can’t let him grow up to be such a person because of me.’

Even in harsh environments, children can change depending on the people around them.

I dragged the slightly large slippers and carried the trash bin toward the incinerator.

The incinerator smelled like trash, so children rarely stayed near it.

But today, there was a child I had never seen before, crouching beside the big trash bin.

The child’s hair was so covered with dust that the hair color couldn’t be distinguished.

Hearing my footsteps, the child raised his head, and even his face was black.

His bangs covered his eyes so heavily that I couldn’t tell what he looked like.

He just looked quite gloomy.

‘It’s definitely a Class 3 kid.’

If it were Class 1 or Class 2, there was no way he would look like that.

“What? Why is a Class 3 kid here?”

“There’s an incinerator nearby. Maybe he thought it was his house and came here?”

Children passing by whispered and laughed.

The words were somewhat harsh, so I spoke sharply.

“Apologize quickly before I turn that incinerator into your house.”

“Ah! Lopez is talking to us!”

I also forgot that my reputation was at rock bottom.

The child who was watching the scene from the corner seemed calm even after hearing those words.

Instead, he glanced at me and stuttered.

“E-even if you take my side, there’s nothing to gain.”

It wasn’t that I saved him for that meaning, but before I could explain, the child quickly disappeared.

‘A Class 3 kid.’

Since the main characters were all gathered in Class 1, there was almost no information about Class 3 in the original story.

That meant I had no information about that place, since I was destined to be demoted to Class 3.

‘Where can I get information about Class 3?’

I fell into thought.

‘Even if I ask, the kids won’t answer me.’

Should I secretly go to Class 3?

What if the Class 3 children think I came to observe them?

‘Anyway, I’ll be demoted soon, so I’ll observe the situation closely then.’

I couldn’t risk being caught spying and becoming more hated.

“Ahhh!”

Klein grabbed his hair.

The children in the classroom looked strangely at Klein suddenly screaming, but he didn’t care.

His face, buried deeply, turned bright red.

‘I must have gone crazy…!’

Why did I give her slippers!

Did she misunderstand that I like her?

If she keeps clinging to me, it will be troublesome!

“Hey Klein, why are you suddenly like this?”

Klein ignored Medina’s question and asked the Class 1 kids sideways.

“Who poured water on Lopez’s shoes?”

“What?”

Medina covered her mouth in shock.

Other kids had pointed at Lopez before, but she didn’t expect they would bully her this directly.

She thought not interfering would be more comfortable for Lopez, so she stayed quiet, but this was wrong.

Lopez had already politely apologized for her mistake, and Medina accepted it.

Then the matter should have ended there.

It shouldn’t be something a third party interfered with to bully her.

“Kids! I forgave Lopez. If it’s because of me, don’t do that.”

Then Darwin clicked his tongue.

“It’s not because of you. We have suffered a lot from Lopez!”

“Yeah! Do you know how annoying she was? What’s wrong with paying her back like this!”

The voices supporting him grew one by one.

Seeing the confused Medina, Klein stood in front of her like protecting her.

“Don’t say anything bad to Medina. That’s not what I asked!”

Under Klein’s sharp gaze, they quietly closed their mouths.

At the same time.

“Uwaaaah!”

Lopez dumped the trash bin violently as a celebration of driving Anna out.

Chester, who happened to pass by and saw that scene, bit his lip to hold back laughter.

The unexpected sight perfectly hit young Chester’s taste.

‘It’s not funny.’

I’m not laughing right now.

Chester even hypnotized himself to erase Lopez from his mind.

The Class 3 child I met at the incinerator never appeared again after that day.

‘Instead, something strange stuck to me.’

Feeling the gaze again today, I quickly turned back.

Behind me, Chester was removing a leaf from Medina’s hair.

He seemed to be secretly looking at me and smiling.

Well, it must be my imagination.

What did I do that he would smile at me?

I must be getting sensitive.

I looked forward again and almost fell in surprise.

“Don’t walk without looking forward?”

“I was just looking behind for a moment…”

Sorry.

I tried to avoid Klein who was blocking the front, but unintentionally, we tilted in the same direction.

Seeing this, Medina walking behind us laughed quietly.

“What are you two doing?”

“No, this guy—!”

While Klein paused, I tried to run away quickly, but suddenly water poured over my head.

Splash!

The sudden water attack soaked my body completely.

It was poured so hard that my body almost swayed.

When I looked up, a child laughed and shouted.

“Sorry! I saw a dirty kid passing by, so I tried to wash her!”

After the children’s mocking voices disappeared, silence fell.

‘Dirty kid passing by…’

Not something a child should say.

I usually let other bullying pass, but this time I felt strongly that I couldn’t ignore it.

Because they crossed the line.

It didn’t bother me much, but if I let this pass now, those children wouldn’t grow up properly.

Then other children might also get hurt by sharp words.

Now that Anna was gone, I didn’t have to worry about getting punished when children were scolded, so it was time to discipline them properly.

This matter… yes. I should tell Megan.

After Anna was expelled, Sunflower Orphanage removed the discipline teacher.

And they newly created a position called “counseling teacher” and assigned Megan to it.

‘I heard the voice. It wasn’t our class kids.’

If it was Class 2…

I should go see Lisa once.