Ch.235235 – Sleep Well, Little One

<235 – Sleep Tight, Baby>

The Chairman tapped his finger on the support request sent by April, a smile on his face.

“Keeping the hero in check… So an evil villain has appeared to threaten a good child’s daily life.”

‘Are you really the one saying that?’

The Chief of Staff cursed the Chairman in his mind.

Of course, while keeping his head bowed.

The Chairman was the type who could read one’s emotions and innermost thoughts to depths unknown even to oneself if their eyes met for even a moment.

“Oknodie’s butler was definitely Jona, wasn’t it? A child with an iron will as unbending as steel.”

He remembered.

The sight of Jona in a frenzy after losing his ‘young lady.’

The image of him crawling on the ground to recover the corpse, not caring that his clothes were getting soiled with mud in the pouring rain.

A strong and capable dog that rarely obeys needs a sturdy leash.

That’s why he attached more fragile dolls to him.

With one loss came anger.

With the second loss came despair.

With the third loss came pleading.

Only after the fourth did he choose obedience, finally ceasing to bare his teeth at his master.

But he knew.

Even if he didn’t lunge, didn’t bark, didn’t bare his teeth, even as he lowered his body and bowed his head.

He knew that cold killing intent and desire for revenge existed on Jona’s face as he bowed his head.

“Jona Wiheomhae. Can you trust him? If he enters the Academy, he might try to hide with Oknodie under the Academy’s protection.”

The Chief of Staff offered his advice.

The Chairman was an unsettling and frightening presence, but he didn’t hold back on offering necessary counsel.

If he didn’t, he would find himself ousted from his important position without realizing it, becoming someone who could never face the Chairman again.

The man who was once considered the next Head Butler.

Just like Jona Wiheomhae had been.

“Hoho. The Chief of Staff’s loyalty is quite admirable. As a reward, let me tell you something good.”

The Chairman picked up the teacup on the table.

Chamomile tea.

A healthy tea that calms the mind and reduces inflammation and stress.

The Chief of Staff had personally selected it.

It was with the intention of hopefully bringing that madness-filled mind back to the realm of normalcy, even if just a little.

The masterpiece chamomile tea that he had carefully chosen was held in the Chairman’s hand and then placed next to a potted plant by the window.

“The Academy is the only den where those children can escape from me. But if that den tries to harm them, then the opposite will happen.”

“Do you mean to make them flee from the Academy and return to the Foundation’s embrace?”

“It’s human nature to want to escape an environment when under stress.”

Splash.

The clear chamomile tea from the cup was poured into the potted plant.

Crunch, crunch.

The plant in the pot, having its leaves eaten by small insects, trembled its stem.

“A clear mind is a symbol of health, but what is it really like? Would a child who survived alone in a plague-ridden village feel joy if they forgot their madness and regained their sanity?”

“…I think they would be more tormented.”

“They would suffer greatly, like this friend here. The act of objectively recognizing one’s situation and facing reality is more painful for those in difficult circumstances.”

Tap. Tap.

After cutting off a few leaves with pruning shears, the Chairman applied disinfectant to the sap-oozing stem and painted it with wax.

After meticulously finishing his brushwork, he put down the bonsai tools with satisfaction and returned the empty teacup to the table.

“It tastes good. Would you pour me another cup?”

…You didn’t even drink it.

Struggling to suppress his fear, the Chief of Staff carefully tilted the teapot himself to fill the teacup.

“The world cannot accept a child of the Foundation. Especially one with the position of top scholarship student. Oknodie. The more exceptional she is, the more stress she will face.”

Because they fear the Foundation.

And Oknodie, who will become a person of the Foundation, even more so.

The Chairman poured the contents of the second teacup into the fish tank this time.

Gulp, gulp.

The fish that had been nibbling on seaweed trembled as if having seizures and then crashed against the walls of the tank.

After a brief moment of self-destructive behavior, the fish soon forgot what it had been doing and floated around the water before starting to nibble on the seaweed again.

“When that time comes, aren’t you curious about what will happen to Jona and Oknodie? Will they become bonsai trees that suffer and bleed until wax is applied, or will they become dull fish that forget their pain? Ah, by the way, I personally prefer bonsai trees to fish.”

Because a dull fish doesn’t know where its home is, but a bonsai tree knows it cannot escape.

The Chief of Staff thought, as the Chairman’s gentle and calm laughter sounded just like someone who had drunk chamomile tea.

The chamomile tea was a complete failure.

This man’s madness had seen through his shallow intentions and was completely playing with him.

He was even starting to become afraid now.

What would this madman look like if he truly found “sanity”?

Was that even madness to begin with?

“…What will you do with the lower scholarship students of the Foundation whose identities are presumed to have been exposed?”

“If the tail has been revealed, we must plant a new tail.”

The calmness on the Chairman’s face deepened.

The comfort of the smile drawn on his lips was even more so.

“There was an assassin maid who took care of Oknodie during her training, wasn’t there?”

“Yes. Leaf Life.”

“Leaf Life… Ah. I remember. The last sprout harvested while burning the fields of the Rozania Elf Territory.”

A child with hair that held the freshness of green.

But there were limits to that potential.

Because in this era, those who are not pure humans can never rise to mainstream positions.

“I feel uncomfortable and worried about sending an endangered species to a dangerous area, but if we coddle them too much, they won’t grow properly, will they?”

“…I think so.”

“Then let’s send Leaf to the Academy first. As a maid for now.”

“What will you do with the previous tail?”

“Hoho. Chief of Staff. Do you know? You look like you need a cup of chamomile tea right now.”

“……”

“I’m joking. Don’t be so angry.”

The Chief of Staff swallowed a sigh that was about to escape due to deep worry.

His stomach felt like it was going to ulcerate.

Perhaps he really did need chamomile.

But what difference would it make if his mind was calmed?

The Chairman’s will was firm.

If he didn’t take action, the Chairman would do it himself.

That would be an even more desperate future for the tail who had been diligently playing the role of a spy.

“I will issue the disposal order.”

Let’s at least show mercy so they can die as a human.

The Chief of Staff, carrying the order to kill, conveyed the instructions to the secretariat.

Remove the old tail and attach a new one.

It’s a simple task, nothing difficult.

Even merciful at that.

The Chief of Staff thought.

Indeed, he didn’t need chamomile tea after all.

* *

The mosquitoes had sucked so much blood that a blood stone was inadvertently created.

Unlike the beginning of the semester, perhaps because students had increased their mana by living, eating, and sleeping in mana-rich areas, the blood stone was small but its radiance was more intense.

“Blood magic isn’t really my style.”

And the blood stone trend is already over.

What am I going to do with this?

While spinning the blood stone on my finger, I felt a burning gaze.

“Baby.”

“No. Baby shouldn’t eat things like this. No no.”

What is this child trying to become by coveting such things?

I just put the blood stone in my pocket.

If I keep it, I’ll find a use for it somewhere!

But somehow, Baby Mandrake’s expression seemed full of resentment and dissatisfaction.

“Baby!”

“Oh come on. I said no. Why are you being so stubborn?”

“Babyyyy!”

The angry Baby Mandrake extended its fine roots outside the bottle and pointed at the trash can.

Inside was the pouch that had contained the blood-fried powder I had received from Senior Yumi.

“You saw…?”

“Baby.”

You eat blood too, so why can’t I!

Give me some too!

Baby Mandrake was throwing a tantrum over food.

But not a chance.

“Something like this would be terrible for Baby. I absolutely won’t give you any until you’ve grown up!”

“Babyyyy.”

Baby Mandrake thrashed about, hitting the surface of the bottle with its fine roots.

While I was at it, I poured the water from the bottle into a cup and added new special nutrient solution.

“Hmm. Let’s see how much our Baby has grown this time.”

Gulp, gulp!

I took a refreshing shot of the water containing Baby’s miraculous energy.

The abundant energy flows down my esophagus into my stomach.

With this much energy…

My total mana has increased by another year’s worth!

“Hmm. The growth rate is less than last month. Should I trim the fine roots and eat them next time?”

Baby, who had been splashing the water vigorously, suddenly stopped moving.

Shiver.

Baby Mandrake trembled and immersed itself in the nutrient solution.

It must be feeling cold because the water suddenly changed.

“Should I pour some hot water for you?”

Bubble, bubble.

Bubbles rose from inside the bottle.

The mouth on Baby’s root moved slightly.

[Baby]

It says this is just right.

“If you eat a balanced diet without being picky from now on, I’ll let you eat blood stones later. Listen well, don’t be picky, eat a lot, and grow up big and strong. Understand?”

Already excited at the thought of eating, it trembles again.

Just like a phone set to vibrate mode.

Oh right.

If I’m going to collect blood at the sports festival tomorrow, I should go to sleep soon.

“Sleep tight, Baby!”

I turned off the lights and lay down on the bed.

For some reason, I feel like I’m going to dream about chewing on a crying Baby Mandrake tonight.

I hope Baby grows up quickly.