The Teacher of Budding Villains Suffers Today, Too - Chapter 44

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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 44
Theo, Noah, and Eckard’s guardians had been summoned to the School.
Regardless of other concerns, this was a matter directly tied to safety. There was genuinely much that needed to be discussed seriously with the children’s guardians.
For that reason, Crown Prince Lucas had also been summoned to the School.
‘It’s been a while since I’ve seen him, but it’s not for a good reason. My heart feels heavy.’
But life rarely flows the way one wishes. Rachel held her hands clasped respectfully in front of her as she waited for the guardians to arrive.
Eckard’s parents, arriving first, promptly acknowledged their child’s wrongdoing and apologized.
From the way they said they would spend some time with Eckard, it seemed they were having a serious conversation with the boy about this matter.
She preferred this earnest approach to glossing over everything lightly. Rachel found herself genuinely grateful for the situation.
‘The real problem now is Theo and Noah.’
Theo and Noah were showing signs of remorse. But remorse and a guardian conference were two different things. Rachel gave a moment’s thought to how Lucas might react.
He seemed likely to respond in a sensible way. She only hoped he wouldn’t be too harsh on the children.
“Headmaster, the Crown Prince has arrived.”
At Colo’s words, Rachel rose promptly. At the same moment, Lucas entered the Reception Room.
“Rachel.”
“Your Highness.”
Rachel greeted him with proper courtesy, then offered him a seat. Once Lucas had sat down, he drew his hand across his brow and let out a sigh.
“I wanted to begin by saying I’m sorry.”
There was no hint of insincerity in Lucas’s apology—only earnestness. Rachel made a dismissive gesture. This was not something Lucas should apologize for.
“Not at all, Your Highness. Such things are entirely natural as children grow and develop. My real concern is that the children show a certain desensitization to matters of safety.”
Rachel laid bare her genuine worry. Above all else, she wanted to ensure the children’s safety was properly maintained.
The School had to be the safest place of all. Yet it seemed her earnest desire might be shaken.
“I’m truly grateful that you’re showing such concern, Your Highness.”
As a Crown Prince, the fact that he took such interest in his younger siblings must itself be taxing.
And yet he carved time from his busy schedule to care for the students more attentively than any guardian could.
“If there is anything I should do to help in guiding the children, you need only speak.”
“Your continued interest is more than sufficient.”
It was pure sincerity, without the slightest falsehood.
After that, Rachel spoke alone for over twenty minutes about the children’s instruction—how she taught them and the progress they had made.
Perhaps her earnestness had reached him. Lucas smiled faintly and rested his chin on his hand, as if he had something he wished to say.
“I’ve heard your account well enough,”
“I hope it was helpful.”
“Then perhaps we might speak of something else for a moment.”
“Something else?”
“It’s been quite a long time since I saw you.”
Lucas was right. Since his return to the Imperial Palace, she had not laid eyes on him once.
“Did you not find yourself missing me?”
She had not imagined such words would come. Lucas asked directly, and Rachel found herself taken aback. Yet his words made her pause and consider.
‘Did I actually… miss him a little?’
She pondered what had filled her mind during his absence.
‘…I suppose I did miss him somewhat.’
To have grown accustomed to seeing someone daily, only to be parted from them, inevitably brought longing. Wary, Rachel offered an awkward smile.
“As headmaster, I am always mindful of all the guardians.”
She recited the most exemplary answer she could manage. Lucas’s brows drew slightly together.
“That’s not what I was asking for.”
“Pardon?”
“Whether you wanted to see me.”
Lucas pressed again. His gaze had never been more solemn than it was now. How could she evade such a question? Rachel slowly began to open her mouth.
“…I think I did miss you.”
Unable to declare outright that she had missed him, Rachel felt her ears flush slightly.
“Is that so?”
Lucas smiled with a soft laugh and rose to his feet, moving closer to her side.
When Rachel started slightly, Lucas laid his hand gently over hers. His warmth transmitted through her palm entirely.
“I had been curious about what you thought of me.”
At Lucas’s piercing gaze, Rachel found herself at a loss for what to do with her eyes. All she could manage was an awkward smile.
“Perhaps in time you will know.”
Lucas spoke quietly.
“But I wish to know now.”
He drew the hand he held toward his face. Not knowing what he intended, Rachel simply watched in bewilderment.
Her hand brushed lightly against his lips, then withdrew.
“…!”
Rachel’s eyes went wide in shock. Her gaze found Lucas’s in the same moment.
She had no idea how to respond. All she could do was stiffen and wait for Lucas to speak.
Knock, knock.
A knock broke the brief silence. As Rachel spun around in a panic, Lucas slowly lowered her hand.
“Y-you can come in.”
At Rachel’s words, the tightly closed door swung open. She couldn’t have been more grateful to whoever had ventured in to clear the air.
“Professor.”
It was Theo who appeared in the doorway. A child who rarely sought her out—and in that instant of wondering what could have brought him here, Theo noticed his brother.
“Theo, did you come to see your brother?”
“I came to see both you and my brother.”
“What for?”
She could understand him coming to see his brother, but there was no reason for him to visit her. Rachel stared at Theo with wide eyes.
“Just… I wanted to see how you both were doing.”
How they were doing? Lucas had been standing right here moments ago, and she and Rachel saw each other every day. Yet Theo spoke as if his words made perfect sense.
“Well then, I should be going.”
With that, Theo closed the door again. Something about the whole exchange felt distinctly odd.
Rachel furrowed her brow slightly, turning his words over in her mind, searching for meaning.
“Theo’s always been perceptive. Whatever this is.”
Lucas spoke up from behind her.
‘…No.’
Only then did Rachel realize that Theo had been observing something unusual between her and Lucas.
‘How am I supposed to… what do I even…’
She did have feelings for Lucas, the Crown Prince. Not that she could freely indulge them in their current circumstances. Regardless, being caught in an intimate moment by one of her students left her mind in turmoil.
“I, I have something I need to attend to. I should go.”
Escape seemed the wisest course of action. Rachel rose from her seat hastily, as if she had urgent business elsewhere.
Fortunately, Lucas didn’t try to stop her. She was grateful for small mercies.
Rachel slipped out of the room with a quiet exhale of relief, her thoughts tumbling in all directions.
‘Did Theo see how close His Highness and I are?’
When she thought about it, there was nothing particularly wrong with that. She and Lucas shared a certain camaraderie; they’d confided in each other over various worries. Couldn’t that be called intimacy?
‘But it’s not… more than that.’
They were simply close. The idea that he might be seeing something more left her feeling strangely indignant.
“…Or is it?”
Rachel stopped mid-stride.
Until moments ago, she’d convinced herself that her connection with Lucas was merely the camaraderie that came from their shared concern for the children.
But her mind changed rather quickly.
‘He wouldn’t kiss the back of just anyone’s hand…’
She found herself reading significance into his gesture without meaning to.
In an instant, countless memories of moments spent with Lucas flooded through her mind. Rachel instinctively pressed her hand to her mouth.
“…Really?”
Does His Highness the Crown Prince truly hold an interest in me?

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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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