Ah, I haven't even gotten out yet...!
Clutching the ledger and the jewels tightly against my chest, I hurriedly ducked behind a large potted plant.
The moment I hid, the director and Carrington entered the office.
“And another thing... it seems they're investigating Chester.”
...Damn.
I bit my lip.
The Phillips viscount and viscountess never appeared in the novel, so I had no idea...
That man looked exactly like the type who would happily sell information about Chester to the Duchess Ortega.
And if that happened, not only Chester but the entire orphanage could be put in danger.
...Why do I keep stumbling into things like this?
I grabbed my head.
I still intended to return to my original world.
But the thought of leaving behind children who were obviously headed toward disaster weighed on me more and more.
"...Why that child?"
"I don't know."
"Keep people watching the Phillips family. They're suspicious."
"Yes, Director."
Watson let out a tired sigh before asking Carrington,
"Any word from the inspectors?"
"Nothing so far."
"They should be arriving soon. We need to block any Class 3 adoptions until then."
As Watson approached, he stopped right in front of the flowerpot where I was hiding.
I curled up even smaller, afraid of being discovered.
After a brief silence, Watson spoke again.
"We'll have to bring Teacher Anna back."
"Teacher Megan won't stay quiet if you do."
"I'm the director here. The fact that she tried to challenge me in front of the Phillips family crossed the line. I tolerated it because the children followed her so well, but I think it's becoming a problem. We need to deal with it immediately."
Having apparently finished his business, Watson left the office with Carrington.
Click.
The door shut and locked behind them.
Things just keep getting worse.
The Phillips family wasn't enough?
Now Watson wanted to drive out Megan—the only person genuinely protecting the children.
And on top of that, he planned to bring Anna back.
My chest felt even heavier.
I absently rubbed the jewel in my hand.
...I can't escape yet.
Until I've gathered enough information, I'll do what I can here.
Pretending not to see those children was impossible for me.
Especially after seeing Arden trembling in fear.
And there were so many children here carrying painful histories.
Chester, whose stepmother wanted him dead.
Klein, who had been experimented on by illegal researchers because of his mana.
At this rate, my inability to mind my own business was probably going to get me killed someday.
Sighing, I hugged the ledger tightly.
For now, I'll use this ledger.
The inspectors needed to arrive before Watson managed to bring Anna back.
They'll come, right?
They appeared without warning, but the original novel said it happened around autumn.
Which meant it should be soon.
After listening carefully and confirming that no more footsteps echoed through the hallway, I cautiously opened the door.
I returned the emergency key to its original place and hurried back toward the dormitory.
The ledger and jewels were hidden deep inside a storage room that nobody except the Class 3 children ever entered.
How can I use this ledger most effectively?
Ideally, I'd use it to make Megan the new director.
That way I can escape with a clear conscience.
...Wait.
If Megan became director, would I even need to escape?
She would give us freedom.
She wouldn't keep us confined.
If I asked to go outside and explore, she'd probably agree without hesitation.
Gathering information would become much easier.
And I wouldn't have to keep risking my neck like this.
In that case, making Megan the director of Sunflower Orphanage was the best outcome for both me and the children.
As I left the dormitory and headed toward the playground, deeply lost in thought, I noticed Klein and Chester sprinting toward the forest.
At the same time, I heard two excited girls chatting nearby.
"Look at them running! They're trying to stop someone from confessing to Medina!"
"A confession?"
"There was a note in her shoe locker! I secretly told Klein and Chester about it!"
"Why would you do that?"
"Because they asked me to tell them if anything like this happened!"
"You took a bribe, didn't you?"
"I did not!"
Oh.
Wasn't that the trap used in the original story when someone tried to kidnap Medina?
Speed Teacher Megan!
I immediately looked for Megan.
She was nowhere to be found.
To make matters worse, Gale was missing too.
There's literally nobody who can help me!
After clutching my head for several seconds, I sighed.
As much as I hated the idea, there was only one option left.
Carrington.
I rushed into the teachers' office and reached toward him.
"Teach—"
Smack.
Before I could finish, he slapped my hand away and looked at me with obvious disgust.
"I'm busy. Go play somewhere else."
"It's not that. Medina's in danger."
Carrington immediately raised an eyebrow and stared at me suspiciously.
"And how would you know that?"
"Someone sent Medina a note. She went into the forest because of it—"
I tried to explain.
But Carrington cut me off before I could finish.
"I'll look into it myself. Go back."
"You need to go now—"
Without even looking up from his paperwork, he sneered.
"Can't you see I'm busy? Do you want me kicked out too, the way Anna was?"
What was wrong with these people?
A sigh escaped me.
There were people like Megan in the world.
And then there were people like Carrington.
Someone working at an orphanage who openly despised children.
If that was the case, there was no reason to stay on his good side.
His name was in the ledger I'd taken from the director's office.
"Teacher Anna ignored my warning."
I looked him straight in the eye.
"Are you planning to do the same?"
At my blunt question, Carrington finally looked up from his paperwork and rose from his seat.
His body was so large he could probably fold mine in half.
But I didn't back down.
I met his gaze head-on.
"You're not in Class 1 anymore."
"So?"
"That means I don't have to be careful with you."
The moment he finished speaking, he shoved me aside.
My small body rolled across the floor like a bowling pin struck by a ball.
Bang!
My forehead slammed into the leg of a desk.
A sharp burst of pain shot through my skull.
"Ow..."
"As you suggested, I'll go check the forest."
Carrington mocked me one last time before walking out and leaving me sprawled on the floor.
...That crossed the line.
I wiped the blood running down my forehead.
Did he really think I was that easy to push around because I'm a child?
I immediately marched over to Carrington's desk.
I grabbed the necklace he had left sitting in plain sight.
Then I opened the very last drawer.
I wasn't planning to go this far...
I took the documents hidden inside.
After stashing them securely in my secret hiding place, I headed into the forest.
With a wooden club in my hand.
There was no way I was trusting that bastard alone with the children's safety.
"Let Medina go, you bastard!"
Furious, Klein charged at the man.
No matter how strong he was compared to other children his age, he was still just a child.
He couldn't defeat a grown adult.
Thud!
The masked man casually struck Klein in the stomach.
"Kgh—!"
Klein doubled over, clutching his abdomen and gasping for air.
Seeing him collapse, Medina burst into tears.
"Kyaaah! Klein!"
"Medina!"
Chester grabbed a stone from the ground and tried to strike the man's leg.
But the man effortlessly shoved him away as well.
Chester rolled across the ground.
Finally, Medina broke down and pleaded.
"Please stop! Stop! Let Klein and Chester go! I-I'll come with you!"
"No, Medina!"
Klein reached toward her.
But Medina shook her head through tears.
"Stop it, Klein! You're getting hurt!"
If only I go with him...
Then they'll be safe.
Hearing that, the masked man grabbed Medina and lifted her up.
Despite their injuries, Klein and Chester staggered back to their feet and charged again.
"Let Medina go!"
"Don't touch Medina!"
The man glanced at the two persistent boys.
Then he swung his fist.
His intention was simple.
Knock them unconscious so they couldn't follow.
"...Huh."
At that exact moment—
Lopez suddenly stepped out of the bushes with her usual indifferent expression.
Klein's eyes widened.
"Hey! Move!"
But Lopez couldn't dodge.
And the man couldn't stop his momentum.
His fist slammed directly into her cheek.
CRAAACK!
"LOPEZ!"
"DAMN IT!"
Seeing her body sent flying backward, Chester and Klein turned deathly pale and sprinted toward her.
