IBDEML 32

Chapter 32

Bill suddenly shouted as if he was about to cry.

“But they won’t give us the kind of love parents give—the kind that expects nothing in return!”

Why are you saying that to me…?

“Teacher Megan and Teacher Gale give that kind of love.”

They really do love us, so calm down, kids.

Lisa pressed her forehead against Lopez’s arm and muttered.

“Still… the teachers don’t care only about me.”

Since when were you all so good with words?

“There is love without expecting anything in return everywhere. Just like how sharing blood doesn’t always mean you are family.”

“….”

Is my explanation not enough?

Does it not touch your hearts?

I’m not a teacher, so I’m not good at speaking beautifully.

“I love Bill. He’s my precious little brother. I love Lisa and Sally too, because they are my friends. Arden, Rodney, Miles, Chester, and Klein… I love all of you.”

“But that doesn’t mean I expect anything back from you. I don’t like you because I want something in return.”

The children stared at Lopez with wide eyes.

“Even if we don’t share blood, you are my family.”

Lopez stroked Arden’s head and continued speaking.

“Kids, you’re still young. As you live your lives, many people will love you even if they’re not your parents. You’re all so lovable, of course that will happen. So don’t look so sad.”

“What if we still feel anxious?”

Arden leaned his face against Lopez’s palm and asked carefully. She thought for a moment, then smiled gently.

“Then I will love you even more.”

Those were all words Lopez herself had once wished to hear from someone when she was struggling.

If someone had said even one of those sentences to her back then, she would have definitely felt comforted.

But…

‘Why does the atmosphere feel a little different?’

Medina wasn’t here, so she had spoken freely, but…

Did I just raise a flag without realizing it?

If that’s the case, can I carefully take those words back?

The children’s eyes refused to leave her.

As if…

they had finally found someone to love.

05. Denial Phase of Falling for Someone (4):

Fine, I Admit It! I’ve Fallen for Them!

Medina found her father and had to leave Sunflower Orphanage.

Chester and Klein sincerely spoke to Medina, who looked truly happy.

“Goodbye, Medina. Congratulations!”

“Live happily.”

In the past, they would never have let Medina leave so easily.

They would have clung to her and tried to stay together somehow.

But now, to them, Medina was not someone they were obsessed with. She was simply their friend.

Medina hesitated and asked carefully.

“How about Chester and Klein coming with me?”

“Huh?”

“Us?”

“Yes! Father said it’s okay! You’re my closest friends, so I want you to come with me.”

Medina didn’t want to be separated from them.

The Emperor was a powerful supporter.

Even if he took them in just to support them, not adopt them, no one would complain.

Chester and Klein were smart and had great potential. If they received proper education under the Emperor, they could grow into remarkable people.

“You’ll come with me, right?”

The two of them had always hated being apart from Medina.

So Medina never imagined they might refuse.

But when she asked, Chester and Klein hesitated.

The answer “Of course” didn’t come out immediately.

The first person who came to their minds was Lopez.

‘If I leave… what about Lopez?’

In the end, they spoke honestly to the hopeful Medina.

“I’m sorry, Medina. I think I’ll stay here.”

Klein scratched his head awkwardly.

“You saw Lopez, right? If you take your eyes off her even for a moment, she gets hurt.”

“We should repay the help we received.”

Chester agreed with Klein.

After the teachers were kicked out and many changes happened, they had finally realized something clearly.

They did like Medina.

But it was more like admiration toward someone who first reached out to them when they were lonely.

The feeling of wanting to stay beside someone so amazing.

But their feelings toward Lopez were different.

They wanted to protect her.

Now that Klein and Chester had clearly realized these two different emotions, their expressions looked more mature.

Medina blinked in shock, unable to say anything for a moment.

Then she spoke hesitantly.

“W-well… you could just visit here often.”

“I need to stay next to Lopez. What if she gets into trouble when I’m not around?”

“You just reunited with your family. We shouldn’t interfere.”

Meanwhile, Megan looked surprised at how mature Klein and Chester sounded.

Their obsession with Medina was already well known among the teachers.

But now they had changed like this.

She looked at them with a pleased smile, happy about their positive change.

Medina hesitated, then spoke cautiously.

“Then… Lopez too…”

“Huh?”

“I-if Lopez comes too, then it’s fine!”

“W-wait…”

“I’ll go ask Lopez!”

Medina jumped down from the Emperor’s lap and ran toward the Moon Class.

Chester and Klein hurriedly chased after her.

The Emperor watched his daughter lovingly.

“At this rate, she might take everyone with her.”

Seeing the Emperor smiling warmly, Megan could only laugh awkwardly.

* * *

“Lopez!”

It was a secret that Lopez was so surprised that she almost jumped out of her chair.

Pretending to be calm, she waved at Medina.

“Hello.”

“Come with me!”

Lopez tilted her head at the sudden words.

“The bathroom?”

“No!”

Klein and Chester entered behind the excited Medina and looked at Lopez.

You two brats… what kind of trouble did you cause this time?

“I found my father. So now I have to go back to my real home.”

“Congratulations.”

“I asked Chester and Klein to come with me too.”

Of course Medina wouldn’t leave those two behind.

Lopez spoke sincerely.

“You made a good choice. Goodbye, you two.”

It was fun.

And let’s never meet again.

Since the original protagonists were leaving on their own, there was no reason for Lopez to stop them.

If the story changed like this, maybe they wouldn’t become crazy like in the novel.

Maybe they could grow up properly.

But Lopez’s satisfaction didn’t last long.

“I’m not going!”

“Me neither.”

“…?”

Why are you throwing away this opportunity? Are you idiots?

Klein and Chester looked annoyed when Lopez stared at them like that.

Medina spoke with drooping shoulders.

“If Lopez goes with me, I think those two will go too.”

“…No way.”

As if confirming it, Medina suddenly grabbed Lopez’s hand with shining eyes.

“Let’s go together!”

“I don’t want to!”

Lopez rejected immediately.

“I like it here.”

Even if she were crazy, she wanted to avoid interfering with the original story any further.

If she got involved the wrong way, she might accidentally become a villain.

Like Lopez who becomes jealous of the heroine.

And more importantly, she now truly needed to find a way back to her own world.

To be honest, if she was looking for a way, the Imperial Palace would definitely be a better place.

In the capital where the palace was located, there were the central temple and many guilds, so finding information would be easier.

But no one would easily accept a request from a child there.

And the royal family would definitely not allow her to move around freely.

They would watch everything she did.

‘What if they find out I was possessed and call me a demon or a witch… saying I devoured the real Lopez?’

She absolutely wanted to avoid something that terrifying.

“Yeah! Why are you trying to take Lopez with you?!”

At that moment, Bill hugged Lopez tightly and glared at Medina.

Lopez covered his eyes with her hand.

Don’t look so fiercely. Medina will get hurt.

“Then why aren’t Klein and Chester going? You don’t want to be separated from Medina.”

“We can’t leave because you make us worried.”

“If we leave you alone, you’ll just get hurt again.”

“Don’t worry about me. The kids here will protect me.”

So just go already.

Especially you, Chester. If you want to stay alive, you should go.

But the two boys, not knowing Lopez’s real thoughts, stubbornly refused.

“I don’t care! I’m not going!”

Stop acting like a child.

Ah… right, you are a child.

“Chester, how about you go at least?”

“Why should I? Is there a reason I should go? Why do you keep trying to send me away?”

Only after seeing Chester’s shaking eyes did Lopez realize her mistake.

‘He thinks I’m sending him away because I hate him.’

That’s not it…

She quickly corrected the misunderstanding.

“I just think it would be safer there. That’s all.”

At that moment Klein rushed forward.

“What the heck! So it’s okay if I stay somewhere dangerous?!”

“…I’ll just stay quiet.”

The two boys nodded as if that was better.

Lopez suddenly felt like hitting their heads.

Leaving the stubborn boys alone, she comforted the tearful Medina.

“You won’t completely stop seeing them. Just come visit sometimes.”

“…Huh?”

“It might not be easy because it’s far, but if you want to come, wouldn’t your father allow it?”

Medina wiped her tears.

“…You won’t forget me, right?”

When she asked Klein and Chester, they nodded without hesitation.

Only then did Medina finally smile brightly.

“Okay! I’ll come visit often!”

And just like that, the heroine left this place after finding her father much earlier than in the original story.