Chapter 21

“……”

Meanwhile, there was a child who was not sleeping and was listening to this confession.

It was Sislin, who took the bed next to Annette.

Red eyes glowed quietly in the dark. The boy quickly closed his eyes without a sign.

Then, he pretended not to notice Heinrich’s sniffling and crying behind his back.

***

The next day.

Two notices were posted on the bulletin board this morning.

「Vivian was sent to the Temple of the Forest with 45 penalty points.」

The first announcement was not interesting because everyone knew it, but the second announcement caught the attention of children.

「There will be a level test tomorrow. Trees, please be prepared.」

“Wow, level test tomorrow!”

“I hope I will be level 4 this time.”

“Sasha, what level are you now?”

“I’m level 5 now…!”

A young child like Julien would not be graded. The rest were all given a level, except for Sislin, who had never participated.

So this would be his first level test.

Sislin was reading the announcement. He was not with Annette, who was sleeping in. Then suddenly, he looked to the side.

Heinrich, whose eyes were bulging like the body of a blowfish, was also reading the announcement.

Sislin peered into those eyes and asked quietly.

“…Can you see the writing?”

Heinrich, whose eyelids became puffier, barely blinked and responded sensitively.

“I can see enough to hit you?”

“Why are your eyes like that? Did mosquitoes only bite your eyes?”

“Don’t pick a fight. I feel bad today.”

Sislin kept his hands in his pockets and just stared at Heinrich.

Slowly, Heinrich’s ‘horns’ popped out.

“Hey, why are you looking at me like that, you bastard?”

“Why did you do that?”

“…What did I do?!”

Unlike Heinrich, who jumped, Sislin spoke quietly.

“You are the one who informed Vivian, the hideout.”

Heinrich’s face turned pale for a moment. Soon, Heinrich asked sharply.

“Did you hear that?”

Sislin’s red eyes narrowed.

“If you didn’t want to be caught, you shouldn’t have told anyone. How clumsy.”

Realizing that Sislin had heard the confession he repeated alone last night, Heinrich’s face turned red and he took Sislin to an empty place.

Sislin was like a gentle wave in front of the big cat who was clenching its jaw.

“Thanks to you, I could have been beaten up by Madam Mimosa, and maybe thrown back into the cave. It would have been a disaster without Annette.”

Heinrich was startled.

‘What, why are you talking so well, you bastard?”

He had never heard him talk this much. It was better when there were fewer words from him. Then at least it wouldn’t upset him.

“Oh, so what do you want me to do?!”

“Because of you, I almost got into trouble.”

Heinrich felt like his conscience, which contained the regret he felt while crying all night, was hurting again.

So he had no choice but to feel a little sorry for Sislin.

And he got even more angry.

“I’m not sorry at all, you know?”

He stomped his feet.

“I’m not sorry at all to a bastard like you! You bastard!”

It was very strange to hear himself say, ‘I’m sorry’.

“…Hmm.”

Sislin’s eyes narrowed.

Heinrich’s face turned red as if it would burst if poked. Gritting his teeth, he clenched his fist.

“If it reaches my sister, I will kill you.”

He grinded his teeth, turning his gums purple.

Then Sislin threw those words out.

“I won’t tell her.”

“……!”

Sislin just stood still, not taking his hand out of his pocket.

On the other hand, Heinrich’s pupils trembled.

‘Why? If it were me, I would definitely tell.’

Because, if Annette found out, of course, she would hate Sislin. Then he would be able to monopolize Annette again, wasn’t it a golden opportunity?

Heinrich’s tiny head couldn’t quite understand, so he asked again.

“…Why aren’t you talking?”

Then, Sislin frowned and answered as if it was a silly question.

“I am not as cheap as you.”

Heinrich uttered, “Ugh.” He felt resentful when he heard it, but there was nothing to refute.

So he was more upset.

Sislin continued speaking with a calm face.

“And, if I say it, Annette will be sad.”

“……!”

The answer suddenly hit Heinrich’s chest and passed.

Soon after, Sislin disappeared without saying that he was going to leave.

Heinrich, who was left alone, felt a sense of failure and strangeness.

‘What? You’re a beast that lived in a cave not too long ago.’

‘You talk like you love my sister more than I do, and that you feel bad.’

But he definitely felt that he loved Annette as much as he did.

That was why he did it for Annette.

It felt strange and peculiar, it was something complicated.

“If I say it, Annette will be sad.”

“Damn, shit!”

Heinri kicked the dirt with his foot.

“Damn! All you did was to pretend to be cool all by yourself? How annoying!”

He spoke as if he was going to let it go.

He was pretending to be generous!

“Who are you to hide my secret… What are you?”

He was just grunting and getting angry like that, and Julien came running from afar.

Julien, with red cheeks and twinkling big sky-blue eyes, said,

“Where did Sisl, Heinri?!”

“…It’s not Heinri, it’s Heinrich.”

Heinrich rolled his eyes and opened his mouth in annoyance.

“The beast…”

“No.”

Then he stuttered, hesitating as if he was making an embarrassing confession, and then pointed his finger to the place where the Sislin had disappeared to.

“‘Sislin’ went that way…”

Oddly enough, Heinrich felt a little sorry for calling him a ‘beast cub.’

***

In Madam Mimosa’s room–

She was talking to someone through a communication device. That ‘someone’ was a long-time supporter of the Forest, Jay.

“Yes, Jay. As you said, we will conduct a level test tomorrow.”

A voice was heard from the other side, saying, “It went well.” Then he continued asking questions about Sislin. Madam Mimosa listened quietly and answered.

“Yes, Sislin was almost discarded. But Annette is taking care of him now.”

[Has Sislin improved a lot?]

Jay asked.

“Yes, that’s why Sislin is also growing into a Tree in the Forest.”

Although the child had awakened a powerful ability, he was so sensitive that he could not be used at all.

Actually, Madam Mimosa knew beforehand that someone was taking care of such a Sislin.

There was obviously blood in the trap set for catching Sislin, so she had suspicions when the child’s ankle was fine.

It couldn’t be a coincidence that one healing potion disappeared from the infirmary.

Madam Mimosa was able to find out who the culprit was when she later found Annette caring for Sislin in the hideout.

When Viscount Puterio came, it was also the clever Annette who led the summary trial to her advantage.

“You have removed all the fuzz from the peaches as requested. Thanks to you, he can eat his meal safely without allergic reactions. Thank you for your consideration, Madam Mimosa.”

This was what the secretary, who had come to check the dishes before the summary trial, told Madam Mimosa.

And she found evidence that Annette stole a basket of peaches from the food ingredients warehouse that day.

‘She’s clever…’

In fact, the summary trial was not that important.

At the time, Sislin was in a state of improvement, so if she lost the trial, she would just pay 50 million gold.

Because the value of Sislin couldn’t be compared to 50 million gold.

However, it was very interesting that Annette cared for Sislin so much.

Madam Mimosa said to Jay.

“Annette is creating synergy by taking care of Sislane. I’m really looking forward to it.”

[However, if Annette is not awakened, it is of no use. You know that, Madam.]

Jay spoke in a slightly lowered tone.

[Don’t forget that Annette is the most important person in our Forest.]

“…Absolutely. She is very special.”

A small smile crept over Madam Mimosa’s wrinkled lips.

“I saw the child’s talents clearly at every moment with my eyes that have an ‘incantation’ embedded in them.”[TL/N: Raws states ‘주물(주술이 걸린 물건)’ which directly translates to ‘casting (things with magic spells)’ – I made an adjustment based on my understanding, and so that it wouldn’t be a mouthful.]

Madam Mimosa recalled the first time she and Annette had met.

To be precise, the first time she encountered the child’s ‘color of soul’.

High-purity talent.

A bright light that burned fiercely.

The light was a very soft color, but it was so dazzling and beautiful that it could not be defeated by any darkness.

She knew at a glance.

That child was the child she had been waiting for all her life.

That child was the lumber that would become the greatest Awakened in the history of the Forest.

But even with that great talent, Annette had only been living quietly in the Forest.

Was it because she was such a model student that there was little to be worried about? 

Usually, children with great talent have a ‘unique’ side like Heinrich or Sislin, but Annette always smiled and liked to take care of the children in small ways.

She didn’t ask for or want anything.

Then, for the first time, after meeting Sislin, Annette requested something from Madam Mimosa.

“I’ll take responsibility and fix it. Madam.”

Annette set out to fix Sislin’s water trauma, and even managed to clear his false accusation of being a thief.

On the outside, Madam Mimosa continued to give Annette such chances because she was a diligent model student and she believed it. But the real reason was…

‘I am curious… Very.’

How would that precious child grow?

“As you may know, Annette is a special child above level 1.”

She didn’t know how to express it, but she was always so excited that her heart beat when she thought of Annette.

“And if things go well tomorrow, Annette will finally be at the peak of the Awakened. All Awakened will be squashed at the child’s feet.”

[Do you plan to do a ‘forced awakening’ in the level test tomorrow?]

“Yes, I decided to hurry it up.”

If you couldn’t break an egg by yourself, you have no choice but to roll the egg shell off the cliff.

Madam Mimosa lifted her teaspoon and gently stirred her teacup.

The blood-red tea created a small whirlpool in the teacup.

She rolled her eyes and whispered.

“If she continues to live without awakening… from our point of view, that child is as good as dead.”

[I agree, Madam. But what if she really dies when awoken forcibly?]

The cold face of Madam Mimosa immediately revealed deep desire. Then she had a cruel smile that could not be compared to anyone else.

She answered quietly after swallowing a sip of tea.

“Well… If she dies tomorrow, isn’t that also her fate?”

No matter how beautiful the flower buds that do not bloom could be, they would eventually wither and become impurities that needed to be cut off.

[I look forward to tomorrow.]

After that answer, the communication was cut off cleanly.

The cool golden eyes of Madam Mimosa reflected in the communication device.

She looked out the window and whispered softly.

“I’m looking forward to tomorrow too.”

Ame: While I still can, here’s another double update!