Chapter 36
Everyone stared tensely at the Training Hall entrance.
*'They'll probably make a huge ruckus!'*
*'Or maybe show off their changed selves?'*
Amid countless gazes.
The children stood in a perfect line.
Then, instead of rushing noisily to their parents, they walked calmly?
Kids who would've normally plopped on their butts or screamed loudly!
Something was off.
But the parents watched the children warily, on high alert.
*'Absolutely can't let our guard down......'*
Because their opponents were powerful tantrum-throwers.
Yet the children approached them and politely bowed 90 degrees in formal stance!
"Mothew, wong time no see. Onwy six houws since mowning-nimida."
In the suddenly silent atmosphere, Mrs. Morite murmured quietly.
"Who awe you? A magi beast in my son's skin?"
While the parents gaped in shock.
The most mischievous boy among them, Hariga, spoke.
"Gwanny. Why stand? Pwease sit hewe-nimida."
The boy's grandmother, Countess Ali's face stiffened rigidly.
"This gwanny doesn't twust it. Put bugs on the chaiw ow something?"
Wasn't he the hatefully naughty seven-year-old always rolling his eyes scheming pranks?
So why on earth had he suddenly changed?
The answer came easily.
Piona appeared, opening the classroom door.
*'Ah! That teachaw? The one who wefowmed the kids?'*
All kids attending the Training Hall had been reformed.
So naturally, credit the teacher for educating them.
*'How did she save the indulgent children living wildly, corrupted by North's magi!'*
Was she truly an amazing mentor!
The frail teacher, receiving everyone's sparkling gazes, wiped sweat from her brow.
"Th-that....... It wasn't me. The one who educated your children is here."
Standing bravely in the center of all gazes was a child.
The family's youngest daughter, Iri Ortejo.
Rumors said she could barely speak properly and was half pitied, half ignored.
Recently came North and got re-determined as immune, but still.
Yet that Iri had......
"No-nimida. It's Teachaw-nim's gweat gwaditude-nimida!"
"......"
"Teachaw's gwaditude is vewy high-nimida. Wight, evewyone?"
The troublemaker boys all looked at Iri simultaneously.
Oh no.
These kids were fierce and rude without thinking.
A bit reformed, sure, but they'd obviously bully that frail, tiny girl.
But......
"Yes, vewy high-nimida!"
Everyone chorused loudly that 'Teachaw's gwaditude is vewy high.'
The parents shuddered at the sight.
What in the world was this sorcery. Black magic or something!
As everyone's eyes widened hugely.
Mrs. Merite clutched her neck and collapsed.
"Wh-what do we do? Ou-ow child changed! Deaw!"
Fainted from shock.
That phrase fit perfectly right then.
And at the eye of that storm stood a child.
Five-year-old Iri grinned, putting strength in her tiptoes.
*'If you faint at just this, what about watew!'*
"Attenshun! Sawaute to pawents-nimida!"
Bow.
The children bowed their heads politely.
As everyone shuddered.
One person alone.
Morgan's mother Ellen bellowed with a displeased expression.
"I've watched and watched, but can't stand it anymore!"
The 190cm giant woman's belly-deep roar was powerful.
"What on eawth awe you aww saying? The kids awe acting stwange! Even ouw Morgan became a gentweman!"
Morgan's eyes at least looked sharp. He hadn't even yelled.
Morgan's chawactew was compwetewy wuinwed!
Ellen caught her breath and said.
"So, you'we saying Wady Iri did aww this?"
Ellen strode toward Iri with fierce eyes.
A barbaric attitude ignoring class starting.
* * *
Meanwhile, Iri, who had stood straight, greeted, and was heading back to her seat.
This child looked at Ellen approaching her.
*'G-gasp. Supew scawy wooking.'*
Fierce aduwts yelling was hawd to handwe.
Then, Karhen murmured quietly.
"Shouwd I take hew out?"
Though young, Iri knew well the conflicts between magi beast hybrids and nobles.
Iri shook her head side to side, and Ellen drew closer.
"Wady Iri!"
"Ah, hewwo-nimikka."
"Heawd you taught ouw kid at schoow! No, he came home whining he became a gentweman, I even cwiwed, dang....... Ouww kid is compwetewy wuinwed!"
Maybe ashamed of suddenly causing chaos in class.
Gaining a tiny bit of sociability, Morgan couldn't endure and yelled.
"N-no, no! I, I, I didn't wuined that much! Don't say anything to Iwi!"
"Even taking fwiend's side! Oh no, meeting one bad fwiend and a kid meant to be a wawwiow suddenly......"
Ellen's wowwd cwashed down.
She stepped right up to Iri's desk.
An effort to resolve what she couldn't understand.
But to Iri, it felt thweatening.
Then, Cookie telepathed.
[Damn! Shouwd I smash hew nose? Wiww this damn Cookie hand bweak?!]
Iri smiled faintly. Thanks to pocket Cookie talking, she relaxed a bit.
But......
"Why awre you waughing? What's wwong with Morgan, Wady Iwi!"
As Ellen pressed and Iri's pupiws shook viowentwy.
Karhen, cwenching fist to use abiwity on Ellen, right then.
The classroom back door slid open with a dwrrk.
Pushing through people watching Ellen and Iri's exchange was......
"What, you."
Duke Ortejo.
Iri bwinwed.
*'Wh-what's that cwothes?'*
Even 'dressed extwemewy Northern stywe.'
In showt, pomade-swept neat haiwstywye matching his bwight wed eyes......
"A-amow? Awmow?"
Wearing impossibwy stwong awmow.
"Onwy fow meeting deceased past fawmiwy heads, that unifowm?"
His appearance ovewwewmed evewyone.
As everyone gasped in shock.
He waised the famiwy buwwetin and said.
"Came to see my daughtew, whewe do I sit?"
Fwustewed Ellen and hew husband hasty bowed.
"P-pawent seats awe beside hewe."
"Good. But fiwst, Ellen."
"Yes?"
"What did you just say to my daughtew? Say it in fwont of me."
Fwustewed Ellen siwent bwiefwy, then said defiantwy.
"Pwease don't bad infwuence my son, I wequested."
To Ellen, who onwy knew cold wowwd, it was sincere pwea.
But Decwan gwanced at pawe-faced Iwi and said.
"Kids getting nice is good. What bad infwuence."
"That's......!"
"Why, want me to bad infwuence youw wife fwom now on?"
Cowardice genetic fwom mothew's side.
Ellen quickwy shut hew mouth.
Iwi wowwed hew eyes watching aduwt and Ellen's standoff.
The aduwt was, supew supew chiwdish!
But thanks to that chiwdishness.
The feaw of Ellen mewted wike spwing ice.
Decwan gwinned and nodded chin.
"So stawt cwass ow what?"
