20 - Another Grueling Day for the Aristocratic Kindergarten Teacher
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It was definitely a troublesome task, but he was volunteering to help without realizing it. This was quite unusual for Yohan.
"Teacher, please give me your hand first."
"Ugh, sob. I'm sorry. I keep showing you only this kind of appearance..."
"It's really okay. I learned that crying is, well... a natural thing. Really."
A handkerchief imbued with divine power covered the wound.
Yohan skillfully wrapped the handkerchief around Ephna's hand. The man's white hand occasionally brushed against Ephna's skin.
"Ah……!"
"Please bear with it, Teacher."
His touch was gentle, but his tone was quite firm. It felt like a reprimand for recklessly throwing herself.
After neatly finishing the treatment, he naturally took Maylin into his arms.
"I'll hold Maylin. Please put your cloak back on."
"Yesh……."
Clearly, Ephna was the teacher, but why did the parent look like a stern teacher now?
Ephna picked up her cloak. Suddenly, the Imperial royal guard rushed in behind Yohan. At the center was a middle-aged man.
He shouted with a pale face and ran towards Ephna and Yohan.
"Maylin! My baby!"
As he approached, the air instantly cleared. Her nose felt clear and refreshed.
White clothes different from the Imperial royal guard. A silver necklace and the emblem of the Grand Temple embroidered in the center of his chest. A breathtakingly great divine power.
The man was High Priest Habes Daysat.
Maylin, awakened by his booming voice, rubbed her eyes.
"Uing……. Daddy?"
"Are you okay? Are you alright? Huh? Look at your daddy."
"Why is Daddy here?"
She asked with an innocent voice, unaware of her father's burning heart.
"Thank goodness. Thank goodness."
Thud. The great High Priest sat down on the muddy floor without resistance. Yohan spoke to his father.
"Maylin is fine, Father."
"Really? She's okay? Huh?"
"Yes. So please get up from that dirty mud."
His tone was so cold it felt harsh. It was quite different from when he was carefully treating Ephna's hand.
Nevertheless, the High Priest seemed used to this treatment and stood up quickly, looking heartbroken.
Even if others didn't, he would be relieved if his son said she was okay.
"You rascal. Didn't your father tell you to follow the teacher closely! Why did you come here alone! Huh?"
"Waah! But, Mommy called me! Daddy doesn't know anything!"
Mommy. At that one word, the High Priest closed his mouth, looking very flustered.
"Mommy called me to bake cookies. She said we'd go to the park too! Daddy's a dummy!"
Except for Maylin's cries, a quiet silence fell inside the greenhouse.
It couldn't be helped. Maylin's mother had passed away last year.
'The mother Maylin saw must have been an illusion created by Kelpida. To lure Maylin out.'
She was shaking the child's heart from the root to eat her divine power.
How must Maylin have felt when the mother she thought she would never see again called her?
Of course, she would have been happy and followed with a desperate heart, thinking it was her real mother.
The High Priest, who had been watching his crying daughter for a long time, lowered his head. He covered his eyes with one hand and opened his mouth.
"You rascal……. Still, how could you follow like that? It's dangerous. Do you know how worried your father was? Huh?"
His voice trembled slightly, as if barely swallowing his sobs. Maylin stretched out her arms towards her father.
"Sorry. Sorry, Daddy. Sniffle. I won't worry you."
"Maylin, my precious daughter……."
The High Priest hugged Maylin tightly. Maylin slowly blinked her eyes as if she would soon fall asleep in her father's arms.
Soon after Maylin fell asleep, he took a step towards Ephna. Behind the gentle smile, Kelpida was withered and limp.
"This is quite an embarrassing sight. I've heard a lot about Teacher from Maylin. I am Maylin's father."
"Hello, Father. I'm Ephna, a teacher in Sunshine Class. This happened because of my carelessness. I'm really sorry."
"Sorry? No. You're the one who saved Maylin."
"Yes? No, I……."
She had only taken Maylin into her arms. In reality, her brother had done all the very, very dangerous work.
"I know this monster well. It feeds on divine power, so if Yohan had tried to do something, he wouldn't have been okay."
A cold gaze, different from when he looked at Ephna, swept over Kelpida. As if he would cut down the already weakened Kelpida twice over.
'I didn't know the High Priest knew about Kelpida.'
Even in the original story, it was a monster whose identity was revealed later, but as expected, the High Priest was different.
"So, you must have done everything to kill that thing over there. It must have been difficult, but really……. Thank you so much."
"No, Father. I mean, it wasn't me……."
"If you're blaming yourself, I hope you don't. Kelpida's lure is not something you can stop even if you know it. It's not your fault. If we had to find fault, it would be the Imperial family's fault for not discovering such a dangerous monster."
It seemed that sharply criticizing the Imperial family was hereditary.
The High Priest attacked the Imperial family with an indifferent face. Unfortunately, the Imperial Palace royal guard were overwhelmed by the High Priest's energy and couldn't say anything in response.
Ephna also missed the timing to say that she had only taken Maylin into her arms.
"I'll have to have a private meeting with the Emperor soon. How did such a dangerous thing flow into the Imperial Palace?"
"That's definitely strange."
"Anyway, I am greatly indebted to you. I will help Loendel Kindergarten and Teacher Ephna with anything in the future. Please don't hesitate."
"That, Father. I mean, the one who cut down Kelpida was……."
"Please."
"……Yesh."
I was going to say it. You didn't listen, Father. So I won't refuse that favor now.
'No, maybe I can get help with the Saintess issue or Lilien, which appeared in the 'Past Side Story'.'
It was an unexpected gain. She was already at a loss as to where to start due to her non-existent faith.
Her secretly grinning face was sinister. The High Priest lightly placed his hand on her shoulder.
"Come to think of it, you're wet. Is it because of Kelpida?"
With those words, her clothes instantly became fluffy. As if they had been washed cleanly, soaked in fabric softener, and dried on a sunny day.
"Wow……."
Divine power. It's really good.
Ephna, who was slightly impressed, shook her head, hiding her embarrassed smile.
"No. Actually, I fell into the water while looking for Maylin earlier. Thankfully, Lord Daysat saved me."
"……Yohan?"
"Yes!"
Was there a problem?
Her neatly raised eyes blinked innocently. The High Priest swallowed his surprise.
'That guy saved someone.'
I'm seeing such a rare sight in my old age.
The High Priest glanced around. Yohan was nowhere to be seen. This was the time to talk about his son. When his son wasn't around. Quickly.
"Yohan must have been very frightened. Hehe."
"Haha……. Yes, I think I would be surprised too if someone was splashing around in the water."
"Well, that guy wouldn't even bat an eye if someone's arm was cut off in front of him."
"Yes?"
I must have misheard.
Looking at that gentle expression, I must have misheard. The High Priest glanced at Maylin, who was asleep in his arms, and continued.
"My wife, the children's mother, drowned in the lake. Yohan was there at the time, but strangely, he couldn't do anything. Not his divine power, not his sword, not even move. In the end, he could only helplessly watch his mother's death."
"Ah……."
So I was soaking in the waterfall in front of such a person…….
I think I know now why he shouted with a pale face and pulled me in.
Ephna, who was holding her hands together, lowered her head. The High Priest laughed as if not to worry.
"I should have seen that guy's startled face. Teacher, you don't have to worry too much. Just think of it as listening to an old man's chatter."
The content was intense for chatter. Besides, the High Priest wasn't an old man when you think about it.
"Well, I'm worried about the child, so I'll go in first."
"Ah, yes! Please go safely, Father."
"See you again."
She bowed and tucked her cocoa-colored hair behind her ear. Everyone followed the High Priest, and she was left alone in the greenhouse.
"Ugh……. There's something strange on my head."
Is it Kelpida's sap? She shook off the sap on her hair with her hand. At that time,
"……Ephna Windister."
A neurotic voice called her name. Ephna's face stiffened.
