(Please take note: Annette usually narrates the scene whenever she’s in it. But in this episode, the perspective/narration switches between Vivian, Annette and Julius. I don’t think it’ll be hard to understand the story, but just putting it out here!)
***
“Vivian. Only you know that the compass is my treasure.”
Annette’s bright green eyes, which were always friendly, were now calm, piercing through her.
She felt more dignified than any other teacher.
Vivian responded with a lot of bewilderment.
“…T-That! You said it was a compass to find your parents. That’s why it’s so precious…”
“That’s right.”
Annette’s eyes were bent.
“I only told you that story.”
“What does that mean…”
“The compass wasn’t even mine in the first place.”
“……?!”
‘Oh, I’ve been tricked.’
Vivian realized in an instant. The shock of that realization left her turquoise eyes blank, out of focus.
‘So, you’re saying that everything you said by the lake was a trap?’
***
A few hours ago–
Annette made a plan with two objects.
A fountain pen and a compass.
Although it was the first time she saw these things, they were going to become her most precious things from now on.
Annette first went to the lake with the compass, which was the place Vivian often went.
Vivian, as usual, came to the lakeside to get some fresh air, and found Annette.
‘What is she doing here?’
Vivian frowned upon seeing the older girl.
‘This is my own spot, how unpleasant.’
She was annoyed at the thought that this hateful child was in her spot.
The person Heinrich liked and constantly followed. She hated it even more because she didn’t know the reason.
‘Besides, she always pretends to be nice and kind to the kids.’
She didn’t want to be with Annette, but she couldn’t give up on sitting by the lake.
So she sat next to her.
“Hi.”
“Oh, Vivian, how are you?”
With pale green eyes under dazzling blonde hair, Annette smiled brightly as usual.
In her hand was a small compass.
At first glance, it looked like an old thing.
“…What is that?”
“Ah, this. If I go where this compass points, I’ll find my family!”
The ultimate hope of the children of the Forest had always been to meet their family.
It was the greatest wish of the Trees.
“Hmm.”
Vivian’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Annette held the compass with both hands as if it was precious.
“So I’ve been keeping it since I was a kid. If I lose this… I feel like I am losing my future with my family.”
Vivian’s lips twisted upwards.
“Ah, I see. You must cherish it!”
“Yes!”
Vivian then secretly followed and discovered the place where Annette hid the compass.
‘Stupid. It’s a valuable item, but are you just hiding it in your locker?’
‘You will regret it, Annette.’
Vivian laughed viciously.
***
Still a few hours ago–
“Sister, what is that?”
Heinrich looked at the box I was hiding under the bed and asked.
I intentionally put it in a secretive and deep spot so as to draw Heinrich’s attention.
“Um, this? Shall I show you?”
‘If I say it like this, he’ll be 100% fooled… I know Heinrich very well.’
Unsurprisingly, Heinrich sat down on my bed with his purple eyes shining like a cat following snacks.
“Sister, why are you hesitating? Is there anything you can’t show me? I’m even more curious now… Show me!”
I laughed softly.
Then I showed him the fountain pen.
“Voila!”
“Oh, it looks good?”
“Yes! This is my father’s fountain pen. It was in my cradle when my parents abandoned me.”
“It is a precious thing to you.”
“Yes!”
I showed the fountain pen off and gave more details.
“Actually, I showed it to the children several times, but Heinri hasn’t seen it right?”
It was intentional.
The trick was to say, ‘Not only you, but other children know about the existence of this fountain pen’.
Heinrich was quite quick-witted and clever, so I had to be careful with my words.
However, for some reason, Heinrich’s eyes were lowered in a sullen way.
“…Heinri? what’s the matter?”
“Your father left such a thing. I envy you.”
‘…Ah, I see.’
Heinrich’s father wouldn’t have left anything behind when he abandoned him.
For a moment, my heart was throbbing and hurting.
‘I’m sorry, Heinrich.’
I was just thinking of deceiving you, so I didn’t even think that far.
Seeing Heinrich drooping as if wounded, my heart was stabbed mercilessly, and I wanted to drop everything if he was truly the culprit.
‘But I have to do this.’
It was heartbreaking, but Heinrich must be deceived as well.
I decided to become a little devil myself in order to catch the little devil.
After a while–
I deliberately told Sislin to come into the classroom late during the outdoor class when the little devil was active.
Then, finally, at the fateful hour, I faced the locker with a trembling heart.
‘Did my plan work?’
If it worked…
‘If what’s inside is a fountain pen, then Heinrich is the culprit, and if it’s a compass, then Vivian is the culprit.’
I took a deep breath, counted to three in my mind, and opened Sislin’s locker with all my might.