The Teacher of Budding Villains Suffers Today, Too - Chapter 7

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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 7
“Noah, the teacher is coming in.”
He didn’t answer, but Rachel opened the door anyway. Noah was perched on the windowsill, gazing down at the Garden.
“Want to talk with me for a bit?”
Rachel approached his side and followed his gaze to the first-floor lawn, where students had gathered in small clusters.
Those who’d enrolled around the same time had grown quite close, giggling as they waited for Henry.
Only Theo, still struggling to adjust to the School, lingered apart from the group, tapping the ground absently with the tip of his shoe.
Just then Henry and Loca emerged into the Garden. Loca bounded toward the cluster with a playful grin, sketching a V-sign with his fingers.
But then he spun around sharply, his gaze shooting upward toward the window where Noah stood, and he shouted.
“Look at him cooped up in there! What are you, Rapunzel? Prince, won’t you rescue the maiden?~”
The mocking words drifting through the glass made Noah’s hand slam the window open.
“As if you’d ever have the guts to jump! Coward. So much for a prince—all you can do is curse. Can’t actually do anything….”
The rest of his words never came. A pen Noah had hurled was already flying toward Loca.
“No!”
Rachel cried out, but it was already too late. Everything happened in a heartbeat.
Henry moved with quick reflexes, shoving Loca out of the way just as the pen’s tip grazed his cheek before clattering to the ground.
“Good heavens….”
Under no circumstances—absolutely none—could a student be harmed.
That was the School’s iron rule. It was the foundation of honoring the guardians’ trust in leaving their children in their care.
“Loca! Are you all right?!”
Rachel leaned out through the window, her voice barely scraping past her throat.
Loca sat stunned on the ground, his mouth opening and closing soundlessly.
The atmosphere froze in an instant. No one could manage to speak.
“You…!”
A beat behind, Loca’s mind finally caught up to what had happened. He scrambled to his feet and rage erupted from him.
As he lunged forward as if all reason had abandoned him, Henry swiftly grabbed his flailing limbs.
“You! I’m not letting this go!”
“Henry, take Loca to the infirmary!”
“Yes!”
Henry hoisted the struggling Loca onto his back and disappeared into the building.
Rachel exhaled in barely relieved exhaustion and turned her attention to Noah.
“Noah.”
He gave no answer.
Even after throwing a pen at someone, Noah’s hands still trembled with rage—whatever was eating at him was far from settled.
“Let’s talk about this.”
“Why should I.”
Noah showed no willingness to engage in conversation.
‘Stay calm. Stay calm.’
Though Rachel had guided countless students through the years with seasoned discipline, Noah required a different touch. Soothing an agitated child came first.
“Shall we take a walk?”
Very slowly, Rachel touched her fingertip to Noah’s wrist.
He flinched—a telling sign that he too was genuinely startled by what he’d just done.
Rachel smiled awkwardly and wrapped her hand around his cold one.
“The Garden’s fresh air will help settle your mind.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
“It’s just a garden walk.”
“A walk like nothing! You’re just going to lecture me anyway!”
Clashing wills with a child this proud and defiant would only backfire. The right move was to coax gently, to nudge the conversation open.
“It’s your teacher’s wish. Okay?”
Rachel smiled with her eyes closed.
Planting the seed that he was doing this as a favor to her, not because she demanded it.
After an intense silent standoff, Rachel took the first step forward.
One step, two steps—walking slowly—and soon the soft sound of footsteps followed quietly behind her.
‘It worked…!’
With Noah following, half the battle was won.
When she opened the Entrance door, morning air rushed in. She could only hope the cool breeze would help clear Noah’s mind as well.
As Rachel strolled slowly outside, she turned around gradually. Noah, who had been walking behind with his head bowed low, suddenly looked up in surprise.
“Noah.”
Noah’s heart must be in turmoil. He’d thrown the pen in anger, but he would be troubled by the fact that he’d actually hurt someone.
If she could dig into this wound skillfully, she might be able to win him over.
“You must have been quite frightened.”
Noah frowned without speaking.
“I don’t need you to tell me. Your hands are shaking quite badly right now.”
Noah quickly hid his hands behind his back, but his trembling didn’t subside.
She wanted to give him a Qingxin Pill, but something like that couldn’t possibly exist in this world.
In the end, all Rachel could think to do was stroke his hand. She wasn’t sure how much help that would actually be.
“My grandmother used to hold my hand whenever I was frightened. Of course… I’m not your grandmother, but would it be all right if I held your hand?”
Noah had been about to ignore her with his hands clasped behind his back, but when Rachel waited without speaking, he quietly offered his hand.
Rachel took it and stroked it slowly. Noah, who had initially tried to pull away, soon grew calm enough that he no longer resisted.
“You weren’t the only one frightened. Everyone else was just as startled.”
……
“If you’re going to stay at school, you’ll have to keep seeing your classmates’ faces. With the mood the way it is now, things will be uncomfortable.”
She spoke in as measured a tone as possible, careful not to provoke his anger again.
Her effort seemed to work; Noah’s defiance appeared to soften somewhat.
Rachel tightened her grip on Noah’s hand.
“Admitting your own mistakes is a difficult thing. But I believe you can do it.”
It wasn’t empty flattery. Acknowledging one’s own faults truly is hard, and adding an apology to that makes it even harder.
“Find your courage and apologize to Loca.”
“…I don’t want to.”
Though she’d thought he was somewhat persuaded, Noah showed clear reluctance.
Yet Rachel did not give up.
She didn’t want to let a student abandon his school life before he’d even truly begun.
“I think you need a little time. Go to your room, sort through your thoughts, and come back. I’ll give you until noon.”
When she gently stroked his back, the boy shuffled away reluctantly.
Watching his drooping figure, Rachel’s mind began to spin with complications. Noah’s issue wasn’t the only problem.
‘Loca is an only son…’
Loca, the only son of the Duchy house of founding merit—and now his face bore a wound. This was serious; the parents needed to be informed.
Rachel sought out Henry to ask about Loca’s condition.
“Henry. How is Loca?”
“I’ve stopped the bleeding, but… he may be left with a scar.”
“A scar? He may be left with a scar?”
Rachel pressed her forehead. Not only was he injured, but he might also bear a permanent mark.
If God existed, she wanted to demand why He was testing her like this.
“Did he go to his room?”
“Yes. He was raging for a while, but he took a sedative just now and went to his room.”
Rachel climbed the stairs briskly and knocked on Loca’s door.
“Loca. Your teacher is coming in.”
No sound came from within. When Rachel quietly opened the door, she heard an irritable sigh.
“How’s your face?”
“Does that look all right to you, teacher?”
Loca had never possessed even a speck of courtesy to begin with. So that kind of response was hardly surprising.
If he was this sharp even after taking a sedative, she didn’t want to imagine how wild he’d been before.
“Let me see your face.”
In twenty-first-century Korea, she’d have photographed the wound with her phone camera. Unfortunately, that wasn’t possible in this world. To explain the injury realistically to Loca’s parents, she needed to examine the wound carefully.
“You know you have two hours of Etiquette Lesson today, right?”
“With my face like this, how can I attend…”
“You can skip today. You’ve had quite a shock, so rest in your room. Let me know if you need anything.”
Loca usually groaned at the mention of Etiquette Lesson. So the offer to skip it seemed like a great gift to him.
Loca, who had been displaying displeasure all over his face, reflexively smiled. Kids will be kids, after all.
“Is there anything else you’d like to say?”
“For you to leave, teacher.”
That was a fairly decent answer. For Rachel, who’d heard every insult under the sun from countless problem students, this was manageable.
“From now on, say ‘Teacher, would you please leave?’ instead.”
Instead of saying yes, Loca pulled the blanket over his head.
Rachel quietly left Loca’s room and called to Colo, who was standing in front of the door.
“Could you prepare the carriage? I think I need to speak directly with Loca’s parents.”
“Are you going to the Duke Philip’s residence?”
“Yes. I need to go explain the situation.”
The thought of meeting the parents made her nervous despite herself.
At least it was some comfort that Duke Philip and his wife had an excellent reputation.

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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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