The Obsessive Male Leads Want to Eat Me Alive - Chapter 15

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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Chapter 15
“How can you trust the word of a thief?”
Julius asked Sisrain with a cold expression.
‘Hmm, Professor. Sisrain just found the courage to speak up—please let him have this moment.’
I held Sisrain’s hand firmly as I looked up at Mimosa and Julius, speaking earnestly.
“Without concrete evidence, suspecting Sisrain would be terribly unfair to him.”
Julius furrowed his brow in rebuttal.
“What could be more certain proof than stolen items being found in Sisrain’s locker, Anette?”
I directed my response to Mimosa instead.
“You know as well as I do that someone else could have done this.”
Mimosa’s golden eyes fixed upon me with icy coldness.
I was reminding her of the fact that there was a child deliberately tormenting Sisrain.
So she would consider the possibility that this incident might not be Sisrain’s doing at all.
“….”
Mimosa’s eyes narrowed shortly after.
‘Will my words work?’
If Sisrain were branded a thief and this situation escalated, it would play right into the little demon’s hands.
I didn’t want that to happen.
I was swallowing nervously when, at last, Mimosa spoke softly.
“I think it would be best to close this matter here.”
“…!”
Julius’s expression twisted. In contrast, I broke into a wide smile.
‘Thank goodness!’
Without any way to expose the little demon right now, we would have been truly wronged if we’d let this stand.
It seemed that ever since the ‘water trauma’ incident, she’d come to trust me somewhat. You could say the groundwork had been well laid.
Mimosa continued speaking calmly with her characteristically stern expression.
“After all, the items have been recovered, and Reina has stated she doesn’t suspect Sisrain.”
“…That’s absurd! Mimosa.”
Julius immediately bristled in protest. His blue eyes darkened ominously.
“That’s impossible. This is a clear theft, and once a thief steals, they’ll do it again.”
Julius’s cold gaze pierced Sisrain like a needle.
I bit my lip inwardly.
‘Please, Professor… just let this go!’
“A miscreant who has committed theft once cannot break the habit. Kleptomania is an incurable disease, is it not? We must nip it in the bud before―”
“Enough.”
Mimosa’s stern and frigid voice cut Julius’s words short.
Her expression had frozen like ice.
Her distinctive golden eyes looked like a lioness about to tear out her prey’s throat, and I flinched in surprise.
Julius, meeting that gaze head-on, had gone rigid like prey itself.
“Are you questioning my judgment, Julius?”
“I… I was merely…”
“Do not forget that I, Mimosa, make all decisions regarding The Forest, Julius.”
Julius pressed his lips together firmly. Soon after, he lowered his head in resignation.
“Yes, I understand, madam…”
With that, the situation was neatly resolved.
“The rest of you should go rest now.”
The moment Mimosa finished speaking to the children, she left the Classroom.
The children’s atmosphere brightened immediately.
Julian also exhaled in relief, bringing his small fist to his lips as he chuckled softly.
“Finding the bear was so fun.”
“Yeah, the treasure hunt was amazing!”
“It was even more fun because the treasure appeared so quickly! Really!”
The children each uttered their own remarks, bobbing their small heads before returning to their seats.
However, Julius alone remained in place, not leaving.
He gazed at Sisrain with his deep, blue eyes and spoke in a low voice.
“Sisrain, never forget that your teacher is always watching you.”
“…”
Julius did not forget to deliver his warning coldly and sharply.
‘He’s convinced Sisrain is a hundred percent a thief.’
Even though the matter was already settled, he lingered to say such things. It was truly excessive.
“A child who cannot cure their thieving habit and remains a disgrace to The Forest is worthless, Sisrain.”
“What if that’s not the case?”
“What did you…?”
At my sudden interjection and question, Julius’s eyebrows twisted.
I responded calmly without wavering.
“If Sisrain isn’t the thief, how will you apologize and compensate for falsely accusing him?”
His mouth twisted.
“…You’re truly reckless, Anette. Very cunning and reckless. Is that how you speak to your teacher? There are limits to how much I’ll overlook because you’re a model student.”
As he said this, his expression suggested he wanted to strike me once.
But a teacher should examine such matters more thoughtfully, shouldn’t they? Not by branding a child.
The Forest had many wonderful teachers, but Julius clearly was not one of them.
He looked down at me with an expression of utter disbelief.
He would surely think these small children could do nothing to him. He was a teacher, after all, and they were merely children.
I disliked his attitude of underestimating and making hasty judgments.
‘Was there anything about Julius in the original work?’
I racked my brain quickly.
To begin with, the original novel 【The Mansion’s Dogs】 didn’t have much content about The Forest.
The original’s focus was on the relationship between Heinrich and Sisrain and ‘revenge’. Naturally, Mimosa’s role was limited too, and Julius was hardly…
Just a mage counted among the continent’s strongest (the original never explained why such a mage taught children in The Forest), and true to his role as a ‘Noble Etiquette’ instructor, he despised problem children.
And…
‘Huh?’
At that moment, a rather useful piece of information surfaced in my mind.
“Problem children rarely cause just one issue, Anette. Besides, kleptomania is like a disease—they’re destined to live as thieves for the rest of their lives.”
“So you’re certain that Sisrain is a thief?”
“Unfortunately, yes.”
He spoke with a smile, yet his face showed no trace of regret whatsoever.
“Then please wager that ring you’re wearing on your words, sir.”
“…!!!”
I smiled innocently, like a child who knew nothing, and pointed to the ring adorning his finger.
‘It must be the Pluto ring.’
Julius actually came from the Pluto Clan, a lineage with formidable magical talent, and that ring contained their very essence—rubbing the stone allowed him to summon them from anywhere.
The Pluto Clan served whoever possessed their ring as their master.
To maintain his authority, he had to protect that ring for life.
Otherwise, he would become nothing but a slave.
“…Do you know what ring this is?! This is everything to me!”
His reaction confirmed it with absolute certainty.
I furrowed my brows and spoke.
“Hmm, sir. So you slandered Sisrain without even being certain?”
“…What, what did you say?”
“You’re not certain, which is why you won’t wager the ring. Otherwise, what reason could you possibly have for refusing?”
“That’s—”
Confusion flickered across Julius’s face.
“You shouldn’t carelessly slander someone without being certain, sir. Isn’t that right, everyone?”
I deliberately spoke loudly, like a tactless twelve-year-old, ensuring the other children could hear.
The children’s bright eyes had already turned toward me.
Julius made a low sound and scowled. If he backed down now, he’d become a reckless, powerless teacher—that much was obvious.
And that was something Julius absolutely could not tolerate.
“Fine! I am certain of my judgment. If the real culprit is someone else, I’ll give this ring to you, Anette.”
Oh, how delightful.
I opened my eyes slightly.
Julius lifted the corners of his mouth and declared confidently.
“But you won’t find the real culprit, will you? As I said, problem children cause multiple issues. If Sisrain truly isn’t a thief, I’ll apologize to him and become that child’s ‘older brother.’ That’s how certain I am!”
“….”
I smiled wickedly.
My expression startled Julius so much he flinched.
‘Then let me become the younger sister of a twenty-five-year-old at age eleven, sir.’
Then, my face brightened instantly as I beamed and replied.
“Yes! It’s a promise!”
“….”
Julius’s expression momentarily betrayed that he’d been caught in a trap.
But it was already too late.
‘Hmm, this is quite the windfall. A powerful mage I can summon anywhere at will.’
And on top of that, she has no choice but to obey my commands.
When I eventually part ways with the children and settle into my ‘original story retirement’ life, she’ll prove to be an invaluable asset.
I rubbed my nose with satisfaction.
‘I’m actually starting to look forward to the moment I catch the real culprit.’

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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