The Obsessive Male Leads Want to Eat Me Alive - Chapter 19

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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 19
“Ah, Anette.”
Julius laughed as though nothing were amiss, yet beads of perspiration gathered at his temples.
At that moment, Sisrain appeared beside Anette, arriving somewhat late.
The very boy Julius had been certain was a troublemaker.
For Julius, this was an extraordinarily uncomfortable situation, but he resolved to maintain his composure.
After all, he was the teacher, and these children were merely students of the Tree—nothing more.
‘Two little brats showing up. What could they possibly do?’
Julius subtly concealed his hand—the one bearing the Pluto Clan ring—behind his back.
Anette’s gaze fixed upon that hand with peculiar intensity.
The girl’s eyes, which had always been as soft as pudding, now gleamed like a hawk stalking its prey.
Then, with a sharp snap, Julius snapped his right fingers and redirected the attention.
“I suppose I ought to apologize first.”
He smiled gently, affecting the manner of a “magnanimous adult.”
Wasn’t an adult who promptly acknowledged his mistakes and apologized to children rather admirable?
Julius, who staked his authority and image as a teacher on such moments, placed one hand over his chest and bowed his head in apology—a gesture of remarkable dignity befitting a noble-born instructor.
It appeared not the slightest bit humiliating.
“I apologize to you, Sisrain.”
“….”
“I misunderstood you as a troublemaker and inflicted wounds that cannot be washed away. My heart aches for it.”
Julius’s deep blue eyes shone with apparent sincerity.
Sisrain simply gazed up at him with crimson eyes, offering no response.
That reaction irritated Julius considerably.
“My, when someone offers an apology, it is proper etiquette to respond with gracious acceptance, Sisrain.”
Nevertheless, Julius instructed the boy with gentle firmness—as befitted an excellent teacher.
Then Anette, who had been watching intently from beside him, spoke.
“Teacher, what about the ring?”
“…!”
Julius started visibly, though fortunately he did not let it show on his face.
‘This girl has a persistent streak. Troublesome little thing.’
His hand tensed around the ring, and his fist clenched involuntarily.
“This is not a ring for children to play with. It is quite dangerous, and it is a precious object to me.”
“If it is precious, you should have been more careful with it.”
Anette held out her palm with unwavering resolve.
“Give it to me. A promise is a promise, after all.”
Her pale green eyes held a lovely smile.
“All the children of the Forest heard you stake the ring on your promise. …You always said promises must be kept!”
Anette smiled brightly.
‘This cunning creature!’
Beside her, Sisrain opened his mouth as well.
“Please, Teacher.”
Just three words—”please”—but when a normally quiet child spoke them while staring at me with reddened eyes, there was an undeniable weight to them.
Moreover, there was something dignified about him, like a nobleman’s child. Though Julius didn’t want to admit it, he felt himself shrinking beneath that presence.
But he desperately clung to his composure, forcing a smile.
“Anette.”
“If you won’t give it to me, I’ll go tell the other children. That Teacher is a ‘liar’ who breaks his promises.”
“…!”
A crack suddenly splintered across Julius’s composed expression.
‘Damn it. If I lose my authority as a teacher…!’
He looked down at the ring on his finger.
For twenty years since that day when he was five—the day of the Pluto Clan’s ring bestowal ceremony—he had never once removed it from his hand.
He even wore it while sleeping.
His soul dwelt within that ring, and the Pluto Clan had offered it to one great enough to become their master.
A ring imbued with power—one that could summon him from anywhere by rubbing its stone.
Giving it to this little brat was unthinkable.
Julius stared quietly at Anette, whose head barely reached his waist.
Then, a brilliant idea struck him.
‘I could just give it to her and then secretly steal it back…!’
Why hadn’t he thought of that sooner?
These little ones wouldn’t even know how to ‘attune’ the ring anyway.
“Fine.”
Julius sighed and raised his eyebrows as if to say he was thoroughly exasperated.
“A promise is a promise, so I’ll give you this ring.”
“Yes!”
Anette’s expression brightened.
“But since it’s my precious possession, you must treasure it carefully.”
“I will, Teacher.”
“Though I imagine it will be quite large for you.”
Julius removed the ring with trembling hands and passed it to Anette.
“Oh, yes, it is rather big, isn’t it?”
Anette slipped the ring onto her index finger and beamed with pure joy.
Then she whispered to the stone.
“Pluto Vimeria.”
The incantation to attune the ring.
In that instant, Julius’s eyes widened to the size of apples. Simultaneously, he lunged forward desperately.
“How do you know that—no, stop, nooooo…!!!”
A brilliant light erupted from the ring.
In that moment, the ring resized perfectly to fit Anette’s finger.
“…I’m so delighted that the continent’s greatest mage will now obey my every command.”
Standing before Julius, whose soul had utterly departed his body, I smiled wickedly.
“Thank you, Teacher!”
“….”
Blink, blink. Julius’s eyes fluttered vacantly, as though his very soul had been extracted from his body.
‘Did that ring just devour his spirit?’
I waved my hand back and forth in front of Julius.
Fortunately, he seemed conscious—the cold sweat pouring down his face was proof enough of that.
Listen here, Teacher.
The best part is yet to come.
“Sisrain, your teacher is right. Since he’s apologized, shouldn’t you give him an answer?”
“….”
Slowly—
Sisrain’s small hand came to rest gently atop Julius’s head as he remained hunched over, petrified.
Then, with tender strokes, those small fingers brushed through Julius’s hair.
“I forgive you, my brother.”
“…!!!”
“From now on, be more thoughtful in all things.”
Sisrain and I joined hands and gracefully departed from that place.
Julius’s anguished cry—lectured on the harsh realities of life by an eleven-year-old—echoed behind us moments later.
“Pfft!”
Sisrain and I looked at each other and laughed with unbridled joy.
Our steps felt light as air.
* * *
“Sister, where have you been… Oh!”
The moment I spotted Heinrich in the Dormitory, I rushed forward and pulled his small frame into a tight embrace.
“Sister…?”
Heinrich, momentarily flustered, soon wrapped his arms around me in return.
“What’s gotten into you?”
His words were dismissive, yet his voice brimmed with excitement, and his ears had flushed crimson.
The warmth of Heinrich’s body in my arms was familiar and infinitely precious.
Heinrich squirmed as though he had no choice.
“Geez, Sister really does love me too much, don’t you?”
“Fool.”
I had doubted you… I finally released Heinrich. His eyes widened as he studied my face.
“Why are you about to cry? …What’s wrong, Sister?”
My eyes had grown wet without my realizing it, burdened by the guilt I felt toward Heinrich.
Heinrich, suddenly alert, reached up and gently touched my cheek.
“Who made you cry? Tell me. I’ll kill them for you.”
“…It’s not like that, Heinrich. I actually have something I need to confess to you.”
“Confess?”
I sat Heinrich down and calmly explained everything that had transpired.
How I had suspected him, and even tested him using a fountain pen because of it.
As Heinrich listened calmly, his expression revealed nothing of what he was thinking.
Beneath his silver hair, his violet eyes—like the dawn sky itself—simply gazed at me.
After laying out the entire sequence of events, I lowered my head.
“I’m sorry, Heinrich.”
“”
“I’m truly sorry for suspecting you. You have every right to be angry with me, disappointed in me. Whatever you feel, I’ll accept it all.”
Heinrich observed me quietly for a moment, then pointed at himself with his index finger and spoke.
“But I’m the most suspicious one?”
“…What?”
“Hearing your story, I think I’m the most suspicious too. …Well, my usual conduct has been rather questionable.”
‘He’s doing this on purpose so I won’t feel sorry…’
Feeling the warmth of his kind and gentle heart, I became even more emotional.
Oh, my sweet little Heinrich, soft as mochi.
How could I have suspected such an angelic, adorable, and precious child!
“I’m truly a terrible sister.”
“No, you’re the best sister in the world.”
“I misunderstood you for doing something wrong…”
“Doing wrong things… I shouldn’t do them. Because you dislike it.”
Heinrich embraced me first, and his tenderness felt remarkably mature.
“And I have no reason to be angry with you. No matter what happens, I will never be angry with you.”
“…Heinrich.”
“So don’t worry, sister.”
At Heinrich’s angelic response, my heart ached all the more.
My dear boy, I’m sorry. I will never doubt you again.
I held Heinrich close, embracing him tightly.
And shortly after.
Before heading to the Forest Cathedral, Heinrich went to Vivian’s room at her final request as she packed her belongings.
With tears streaming down her face, Vivian clenched her fists and glared at Heinrich.
Then she cried out.
“Heinrich, I’m going to tell Anette everything you’ve done!!!”
“”
Heinrich’s violet eyes turned cold in an instant.
Like ice itself.

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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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