"Boss, do you not like it?"

I didn’t know what kind of reaction Jane was expecting, but she looked at me nervously.

Meanwhile, I just stood there, mouth agape, unable to comprehend the situation.

…This is really the house? Really?

"You didn’t steal this, right? Or threaten someone for it?"

"What are you saying?! Steal? No way! We bought it fair and square!"

"…This mansion?"

"Of course! What do you take us for? We paid full price! We’re legitimate businesspeople now!"

Jane straightened her back proudly, declaring that they had purchased the land legitimately.

But I still couldn’t believe it.

The organization I knew used to live in a rundown, abandoned building, where the kids quietly stared at the floor with empty eyes.

Not… a mansion with a fountain.

"How?"

"Well, it’s a long story…"

"We took some money from bad people."

"Hey, Colin! Why would you say that?"

"What, were you going to try and gloss over it? Do you really think the Boss wouldn’t figure it out? Does it look like she’s asking because she doesn’t know?"

"Tch…"

I wanted to tell Jane that, yes, I really didn’t know. I was genuinely asking.

…But the atmosphere wasn’t quite right for that, so I kept quiet as the boy approached me, holding out his hand.

"Long time no see, Boss. Glad you’re back."

"…Yeah. Looks like you’ve grown up quite a bit in the time we’ve been apart."

"Thank you for the compliment."

That wasn’t a compliment.

It felt odd. This kid used to be so innocent and sweet…

What on earth had happened in that short time to turn him into someone who looked like they’d been through everything?

"…Can you explain exactly how you ‘took’ money from these bad people?"

"Of course."

Colin’s explanation was brief and to the point.

After I left, several people noticed the organization growing quickly and assumed there were weak points to exploit.

So, they dealt with those people and took all their assets.

"…Legally?"

"Absolutely! We paid the previous owner a fair price and bought this mansion! We still have plenty of money left to cover taxes!"

"Oh, I see…"

"Those guys were loaded with gems and gold! They were like treasure goblins!"

I wondered if it really counted as a legal transaction if they used money they’d stolen from criminals.

For a moment, that thought crossed my mind, but I quickly decided to stop thinking about it.

What’s done is done, and the house is already bought, so what can you do?

As long as the kids are happy, that’s what matters, right?

Yeah, that’s it… definitely.

It’s not like I stopped thinking about it just because I didn’t want to. Nope. Not at all.

"What’s that you’re holding, by the way? Looks like you brought something unnecessary."

"Unnecessary?! Are you crazy? This is a gift from the Boss to the kids!"

"…! I’m so sorry!"

"Uh, no… It’s fine…"

Where on earth does this unwavering loyalty to me come from?

I don’t remember doing all that much for them.

I thought about asking, but decided against it.

The last time I brought it up, I got roped into a three-hour conversation I couldn’t escape from.

I had no desire to go through that again.

"Boss is here!"

"What? Really? Don’t lie!"

"No, seriously! Look over there!"

"…It’s true! Booooss!"

Suddenly, kids poured out from the mansion, their excited voices ringing out as they rushed toward me.

In an instant, the once-quiet garden was filled with children, transforming the place into a lively, bustling scene.

"Have you all been doing well?"

"Of course, Boss! We’ve been studying every day, just like you told us!"

"Praise us! Give us some praise!"

I scooped up the kids who were holding their arms out, hoping for a hug.

How cute.

In my previous life, I couldn’t stand kids.

But seeing these children made those thoughts disappear.

They don’t cause trouble, they listen well, they’re adorable…

Who wouldn’t love kids like this?

There was no way the people who used to exploit them had a human heart.

Of course, those people weren’t around anymore. But that was their own fault.

Speaking of which, there was something I wanted to ask the kids.

"By the way, why do you all call me ‘Boss’?"

"Jane told us to!"

"Yeah, yeah! She said you’re the Boss!"

"…Jane?"

"Eek."

So you’re the culprit. No wonder they all call me ‘Boss.’

I turned to Jane, who, as if sensing her impending doom, paled noticeably.

"We’ll talk later."

"…Yes."

"And here’s your gift. It’s a whale plushie. What do you think?"

"Wow! It’s huge!"

"Can we really have this?"

"Of course."

Amid the joyful scene, I couldn’t help but think back to my students.

…It felt just like when Orca used to cause a ruckus.

"Boss?"

"It’s nothing. Now, how about you show me around your home? Can you give me a tour?"

"Leave it to us!"

"…Damn it."

Orca trudged down the hallway.

The parts that had been burned were now fully restored, and the academy was running its classes as usual, filling the halls with a heavy silence.

But Orca didn’t bother attending class. There was no point anymore.

"Orca."

"…What do you want?"

"I noticed you’ve been attending class regularly for a while now… You should come back. The teacher’s looking for you."

"Go by yourself. I’m not coming."

Tsk.

Orca clicked her tongue loudly enough for everyone to hear.

It reminded her of the old days.

The class rep was always like this.

Whenever Orca tried to skip class, the rep would show up out of nowhere, nagging her to come back.

Back then, Orca had just brushed it off, thinking it was a nuisance.

Then, when she eventually started attending classes because of her agreement with the counselor, the rep stopped bothering her.

…Damn it.

Orca scowled.

No matter what she did, it was always the teacher, the teacher, the teacher.

Everywhere in the academy, she couldn’t escape thoughts of that teacher.

"Get lost. I’m not in the mood for class today."

"But Orca, even if you don’t feel like it, class is—"

"I said, get lost. Didn’t you hear me?"

If they kept pushing, Orca wasn’t going to stay quiet.

With that clear threat, she waved the arm emanating dark energy threateningly.

The class rep sighed and finally stopped trying to convince her.

"I thought you’d changed, but I guess you’re back to your old self, Orca."

"I’ve always been like this."

"Yes, you have. If the counselor were still here, they’d have taken care of—"

"Don’t mention that person again if you don’t want to die."

"…My apologies. I’ll leave you alone then."

As the rep walked away with their head down, Orca flipped them off behind their back.

Hmph. As if I’d ever attend such boring classes again.

If it weren’t for the teacher’s request, I wouldn’t have bothered with those incomprehensible, dull lectures.

…Yeah, if it weren’t for the teacher’s request.

"…"

Unable to contain her frustration, Orca slammed her fist into the wall.

No matter where she went in the academy, all she could think of was that teacher.

Had she really come to depend on them that much?

Even when she tried to laugh at herself for being weak, it wasn’t as easy as it used to be.

"…Where should I go?"

She’d gotten rid of the class rep, but wandering the halls aimlessly wasn’t an option.

Orca tried to think of a place she could go, but only one came to mind.

The counseling office.

The place where the teacher always welcomed her.

"Damn it."

To be honest, that was the best place for her.

No one else really went there, she was already familiar with the room, and it was a good place to rest.

After thinking it over for a while, Orca finally started moving.

There was no other motive. She just wanted to rest. That’s what she kept telling herself.

It didn’t take long to reach the counseling office.

When Orca pushed the door open, she stood there, staring blankly at the empty room.

That was where she used to play chess with the teacher. And that’s where the teacher would always light incense to help her sleep.

She’d expected it, but the absence of the teacher’s presence was even more glaring now.

…It was lonely. If she was being honest, she wanted the teacher to come back.

The mention of hypnosis and everything else had made her angry—no, furious at the time.

But still…

But still…

What if it wasn’t true? What if the teacher wasn’t really like that?

Thinking back, they didn’t seem like the kind of person to do something like that.

Sure, it crossed her mind that maybe her thoughts had been altered by hypnosis or something like that, but now that she reflected on it, she wasn’t sure about any of it.

After all, she was just a fool possessed by a demon, ignorant of such complex matters.

The only thing she was certain of was that she wanted to see the counselor again.

She didn’t know why they were always kind to her, but she had appreciated it.

That’s why she missed them.

She wanted to see that slightly clueless smile that always made her laugh.

Whenever she came to this room, the counselor had always welcomed her with open arms.

She had never realized how big the counselor’s absence would feel until now.

Orca sat in the spot where they used to light the incense and lit it herself.

The familiar, luxurious scent filled the room, accompanied by a wave of longing.

And a dull ache in her chest.

Without saying a word, Orca walked over to the bed and pulled the covers over her head.

She wanted to see the counselor.

No matter how much they scolded her, it would be fine.

Even if they hated her, that would be fine. Even if it was all a lie, she didn’t care. She would apologize if that’s what they wanted.

She just wanted to see that smile one more time.