✯ Chapter 2 ✯

At Masha’s words about being abandoned, Hannah flinched.

“W-What?”

Before she knew it, she had become the heartless adult who was leaving the children behind.

Well… was that actually true?

She was trying to save her own life by running away, but didn’t that also mean she was abandoning the children?

“M-Masha…”

“Are you really leaving?”

Ian quietly spoke up.

Even Ian, who usually showed no expression, looked gloomy.

“See? I told you the new teacher wouldn’t like us either!”

Jeremy kicked the door in anger.

Just like that, Hannah had become the guilty one.

If I leave the temple like this…

She had a terrible feeling that one day, after they grew up, they would come back to take revenge for being abandoned.

Especially Jeremy.

She could almost imagine him suddenly remembering his miserable orphanage days and tracking her down just to stab her.

“Uh… well…”

She was completely at a loss.

Then Hannah noticed large tears rolling down Masha’s cheeks.

The children’s shoulders had all slumped sadly.

These children…

The villains Hannah knew were nothing like this.

These were just small, hurt, helpless children.

Not the terrifying villains she remembered.

“Teacher…”

No matter how pitifully they looked at her…

No matter how hurt they seemed…

She needed to turn around and run.

But…

Suddenly, a voice echoed inside her head.

“Big Sis!”

Ten years ago.

Thinking back now…

That day had been strangely unforgettable.

“Big Sis! Big Sis! Come to the supermarket with me!”

Normally, she would never refuse her younger sibling’s request to go to the supermarket together.

But that day…

She had been unusually tired.

Too tired to walk across a single street with them.

Her sibling kept crying and begging.

Annoyed, Hannah coldly told them to go alone.

And that day…

Her sibling left.

To a place they would never return from.

That memory became a wound that never healed.

For a long time afterward, even seeing children about the same height as her sibling would make Hannah run over, hug them, and burst into tears.

“Big Sis… won’t you come with me?”

Those words had remained like a knife in her heart ever since.

Because of that…

Hannah had always been especially soft toward children around her sibling’s age.

“Are… are you really leaving us…?”

Masha asked again, tears filling her eyes.

Hannah hurriedly answered.

“…No.”

It was because, at that moment, the children looked exactly like her younger sibling.

That was why…

She couldn’t bring herself to leave them behind.

“Teacher isn’t going anywhere. My room was uncomfortable, so I was just moving somewhere else. Don’t worry. Okay? Masha, don’t cry…”

Whenever children cried, Hannah felt as if her own heart was shrinking.

Before she knew it, Masha had already run over and hugged her.

“Teacher… please don’t leave us… hic… please don’t.”

“I won’t leave.”

In the end, Hannah gently stroked Masha’s head and gave Jeremy and Ian an awkward smile.

She knew these children weren’t really her sibling.

Maybe they were nothing more than fictional characters from a novel.

But she simply couldn’t ignore crying children.

And once she started thinking of them as pitiful children…

She cared even more.

Maybe she was just too soft-hearted.

Maybe she was foolish.

But at least for now…

She couldn’t abandon them.

I’m digging my own grave.

Still, the little bit of reason she had left tried to comfort her.

If things had turned out this way…

Then maybe she should at least raise these children to become kind people.

Observation Notes (Several Days)

Masha

Cheerful personality. Loves eating. Occasionally becomes violent when angry. Listens well. Likes physical affection. Loves frilly dresses and dolls.

Jeremy

The perfect example of the terrible fours and the unbearable sevens. Mischievous. Enjoys bothering other people. Often says shocking things.

Examples:

“Bastard.”

“Idiot.”

“Crazy.”

Various swear words.

Ian

Quiet. Always expressionless. Hates dirt with a passion. Spends a fortune on children’s gloves. Obedient when given instructions, but never looks enthusiastic. Acts like a little old man.

After several days of observing them, Hannah realized that each child had a completely different personality.

Maybe that was why they fought all the time.

Still…

She couldn’t understand why they never became close.

If the three of them had worked together, setting the continent on fire would’ve been much easier.

Well… children usually grow up while fighting…

But these three keep fighting even after they become adults…

Hannah pulled carrots from the vegetable garden while watching the children during free time.

Masha was happily swinging on a swing.

Jeremy was beating a sack with a wooden stick he had somehow found.

Ian sat alone on a bench beneath a tree, reading a book with a towel neatly spread under him.

Shouldn’t children their age be playing together?

Why does each of them play alone?

Strangely enough, they had never gotten along, even as children.

Whenever Jeremy used rude words he had learned somewhere, Ian looked at him with complete disgust.

The only one who enjoyed watching them argue was Masha.

Mostly because she liked calling them idiots.

Tap. Tap.

Hannah worked faster, pulling carrots from the ground.

She needed to gather vegetables before dinner.

“Teacher, would you like some help?”

Masha twisted her body shyly as she stood in front of Hannah.

“Oh, Masha. Will you help me?”

Hannah quickly handed her a small shovel.

“What’s for dinner today?”

Masha asked while digging with her tiny little hands.

“I was thinking of making beef stew. With lots of vegetables.”

“Hmmm… You don’t have to put in so many vegetables.”

“I’m adding them because all of you are picky eaters.”

Especially Jeremy.

He was by far the pickiest.

At Hannah’s words, Masha puffed out her lips.

“Well… I guess that’s okay.”

She shrugged proudly, as if she were doing Hannah a favor.

“But Teacher…”

“Hmm?”

“Why don’t we study inside? Why do we come outside every day?”

The answer was simple.

Hannah didn’t know enough about this world to teach them anything.

Of course, she couldn’t admit that.

“I just have a different way of teaching.”

Even she thought that sounded shameless.

“A different way?”

“Yes. Instead of making you open books and memorize difficult things, I want you to grow up healthy while spending time with nature.”

It sounded convincing enough.

But the real reason was simply that she didn’t know anything.

Besides…

Admitting she was ignorant in front of these children required incredible courage.

Adults never reveal their weaknesses!

“Oh! I see!”

Masha smiled brightly while holding up a freshly dug carrot.

…Sorry.

It’s just because I’m the ignorant one.

Hannah silently promised herself that tonight she would definitely study this world’s history and knowledge.

“What are you doing?”

Jeremy suddenly appeared and lightly kicked Masha in the back with his foot.

His hands and face were covered in dirt.

Pushed forward, Masha caught herself with her hands on the ground.

Her eyes slowly moved to Jeremy’s muddy foot.

After a brief silence…

She stood up with a smile.

“Where exactly do you think you’re kicking with those dirty feet?”

She was smiling.

But her words were sharp enough to cut.

Uh-oh…

When she talks like that…

Still holding the shovel, Hannah swallowed nervously.

This was a bad sign.

“You’re covered in dirt too.”

Jeremy laughed while brushing off his hands.

Masha dusted herself off and stood straight.

“That’s true.”

“Right?”

“As long as we’re both dirty…”

Jeremy nodded.

The next second—

Masha grabbed him by the collar and slammed him into the ground.

“Agh!”

Hannah was the only one completely shocked.

“Then you might as well roll around in the dirt properly!”

Masha grabbed Jeremy’s hair.

“Ow! Hey! Let go!”

Jeremy struggled wildly beneath her.

Hannah immediately rushed over to separate them.

“You reckless idiot! Why do you always get on people’s nerves?!”

Masha had a surprisingly advanced vocabulary.

Especially when she was angry.

Hannah grabbed Masha’s arm.

It didn’t move at all.

She was unbelievably strong.

“M-Masha! Stop! We don’t hit our friends!”

“That’s right.”

Masha nodded.

“We don’t hit our friends.”

For a brief moment, Hannah thought her words had worked.

Then—

“But it’s okay to beat up pathetic idiots who don’t know their place!”

Hannah’s face immediately turned pale.

Masha swung another punch.

But in an instant—

Jeremy reversed the situation.

Now Masha was the one rolling on the ground.

“You think you can beat me with strength?”

“Jeremy!”

Dear God…

For someone who didn’t even believe in God, Hannah found herself praying desperately.

“W-Wait! Both of you!”

No matter how much she tried to stop them, it was useless.

She could only panic helplessly.

Just then…

Ian quietly walked over.

“Oh, Ian! Are you here to help?”

Hannah honestly believed Ian had come to help.

It was an innocent misunderstanding.

Ignoring Hannah’s desperate expression, Ian simply stood there with his usual blank face, watching the fight.

If anything…

He looked like a neighbor enjoying someone else’s house being on fire.

As Masha and Jeremy rolled around, dirt flew toward him.

Without hesitation, Ian lifted the book he had been reading and blocked the dirt.

His reflexes were excellent.

Then he frowned slightly.

“…”

A tiny bit of dirt had landed on the cover of his book.

Most people would simply brush it off.

Tap.

Ian calmly threw the book at the fighting pair.

“Agh!”

Someone screamed.

Hannah couldn’t even tell which one had been hit.

Then Ian slowly removed his white gloves.

He threw those at them too.

As if they were a trash can.

Without even looking back, he dusted off his hands and calmly walked toward the building.

“…”

Watching him leave, Hannah pressed a hand against her forehead.

“Right… What was I even expecting?”

She had thought today might finally be peaceful.

How naïve.

Every single day felt like a battlefield.

With a deep sigh, Hannah turned back toward the fighting children.

“Stop fighting!”

At this rate…

Dinner was going to be late again.