IBDEML 25

 Chapter 25

“Could you explain clearly what you mean by ‘I hid something’…?”

Meanwhile, the children, who had been peeking curiously at the sudden guest, brightened visibly as they spotted Megan.

“Teacher!”

“Teacher Megan is here?”

“Where have you been all this time?”

“Teacher Anna said Teacher Megan left because she didn’t like us!”

“Really? Was it because we didn’t behave?”

The children immediately swarmed toward Megan, clutching the hem of her skirt and holding on tightly.

Anna, as pale as chalk, glanced nervously at Jack.

“You say the strangest things.”

Jack’s brief taunt made Anna tremble uncontrollably, bowing her head in fear.

Jack was endlessly kind to children.

But conversely, he would never forgive anyone who harmed them.

It was widely known that anyone caught abusing a child by Jack would be tormented for the rest of their life.

Megan bent her knees to match the children’s eye level and spoke gently.

“No, I would never do that. Maybe Teacher Anna misunderstood something.”

Jack observed Megan from above.

Children had a sixth sense for who liked them and who didn’t.

They showed endless affection to those they liked, but were cautious around those they disliked.

Seeing how boldly the children acted toward Megan while keeping watch on Anna made the situation obvious.

Clearly, Anna had forced them into a position where they had no choice but to be cautious.

‘The management here is a complete mess.’

It was time to completely overhaul things.

The corrupt orphanage, the town inspector, and the few subordinates who had long known and silently allowed this—all were in her mind.

As she inspected the orphanage thoroughly, someone came running and accidentally collided with Jack’s leg, falling over.

“Ah!”

Jack’s sharp gaze softened when he recognized the child.

“Ah, I was blocking your way. Sorry. Are you okay?”

He smiled gently and helped the child to her feet.

The scruffy child, with tangled hair and a worn-out dress, looked completely neglected.

Compared to the neatly dressed children, she was an odd sight.

“L-Lopez!”

Megan hurried in front of Lopez.

“Teacher!”

Lopez’s face lit up with joy, and she hugged Megan tightly.

“I missed you!”

“Wh-why do you look like…?”

Megan stammered in surprise, and Lopez, glancing at Anna and Watson, hid herself in Megan’s arms.

Jack’s eyes instantly turned steely.

But then, skillfully controlling his expression, he picked up the necklace and document Lopez had dropped and handed them back, asking:

“From Class 3?”

“Yes… but how did you know?”

Carrington’s face turned pale upon seeing the familiar necklace and document.

He fidgeted nervously, clearly terrified.

Lopez clenched her teeth to avoid smiling and pressed the button on her necklace as if pretending not to notice.

“Oh my, of course. But this child is quite valuable.”

A voice played in the air, showing footage from the day the Phillips family visited.

“Since she was in Class 1, she could do more than other children.”

“For a humble orphan, she is quite pretty—she’ll be a remarkable beauty when she grows up.”

Everyone held their breath at the continuing voice.

Watson panicked.

‘Wait, why is this footage…?!’

Jack’s demeanor was growing increasingly fierce.

“A-ah, this is…!”

Watson tried to explain, but Jack stopped her and turned to Lopez.

“Whose things are these?”

“Teacher Carrington’s. I found them on the floor and wanted to return them…”

“Can this man take a look?”

Lopez handed the necklace to Jack obediently, while keeping a wary eye on Carrington, who looked terrified.

At that moment, the footage changed.

Thud!

“Ouch…”

In the video, Lopez was pushed by a man and bleeding from her forehead.

The knights held their breath, watching Jack carefully.

Jack was infamous for his ruthless nature when angry.

Especially when witnessing a child being abused, his behavior became exceptionally cruel.

As everyone swallowed nervously, Megan tried to rush forward, but Jack stopped her.

“Teacher, in front of the children.”

Megan bit her lip, inspecting Lopez’s forehead.

Thankfully, no scars remained, but she anxiously touched Lopez’s forehead repeatedly, feeling guilty.

‘How could anyone do this to such a small child…’

Megan struggled to suppress her feelings.

Jack glanced at her briefly, then turned to Lopez with a gentle expression.

“What’s your name?”

“Lopez.”

“Alright, Lopez. I’ll return the necklace and documents to Teacher Carrington.”

Lopez hesitated but handed over the items.

Jack quietly passed by the director and spoke softly:

“Everyone working in this orphanage, follow me.”

He couldn’t let the adults show their ugly sides in front of the children.

‘I knew bringing Jack would work.’

The Sunflower Orphanage had long been corrupt.

Watson had accepted bribes to overlook the abuse.

So giving the ledger to Megan ensured it would reach Jack, renowned for his fairness.

‘Just as expected.’

Now all the evidence had been handed over.

The rest was for Jack and Megan to handle.

‘Child abuse and even trafficking has been exposed—there’s no way to deny it.’

Especially the necklace—an artifact from video footage secretly recorded by Carrington to later blackmail Watson—was now in Jack’s hands.

Carrington, careless enough to leave such critical items on a desk, was predictable.

‘All the other Class 3 children have already spoken to Jack… and they answered exactly as expected.’

Lopez’s lips curled into a small smile.

Finally, today, every teacher at Sunflower Orphanage, except Gail and Megan, would be arrested.

They would face trial, and then serve prison sentences.

‘They’ll never work with children again.’

Watson and Carrington, the main culprits, would even if lucky enough to get out, inherit enormous debts.

All the money earned from trafficking would be confiscated, and fines would be at least ten times that amount.

‘And with the jewels I secretly took from the secret safe…’

They would now struggle even to pay the fines.

Lopez thought of the sparkling jewels and tried to close her mouth from grinning.

‘I’ll give half to Megan. The orphanage still needs funding… finally, I can safely find a way back to my original world.’

Even as Lopez exited after the last consultation, the hall buzzed with children’s chatter.

“What happened?”

“What’s that? Lopez’s forehead…”

“Scary…”

“Kids, go back to your classes!”

Fortunately, Gail arrived and guided the children back to their classes.

“Lopez!”

At that moment, Chester and Klein spotted her coming down the stairs and ran toward her.

Lopez flinched but quickly gathered the twins and Arden, rushing into Class 3.

“……”

“……”

“Hey? Lopez ignored me!”

Bill teased the two boys and slipped into Class 1.

Gail, left alone in the hallway with Klein and Chester, smiled awkwardly.

Chester spoke to her:

“Isn’t it safer for everyone to stay together right now?”

“……Huh?”

Gail still found this mature side of Chester unfamiliar.

“I thought something bad might happen if they were separated. Especially since there are only four in Class 3.”

“That’s right! Lopez already upset the director and that jerk Carrington!”

“……”

Although Gail felt the need to scold the use of bad words, she was also fuming inside.

It wasn’t the kidnapper’s fault this time…

Well, anything that hurt a child was a problem.

Since their concerns were valid, Gail quietly nodded.

“Then I’ll take the other children back to Class 1 first.”

“I’ll take Lopez!”

“Me too!”

“……”

As soon as he spoke, the two kids eagerly dashed into Class 3.