The Forger Family's Future?

"All right, little Anya, what... is your answer?" A knowing smile curled Karen's lips.

Five pairs of eyes focused on Anya's flushed little face.

Twilight clenched his hand at his side, fine beads of sweat forming on his forehead. He didn't know the answer to that question.

Yor's eyes held nothing but cold killing intent, directed at the fat man lying on the floor.

Meanwhile, Anya's round eyes darted from one face to another.

Karen tapped a finger against the cool tabletop, making a crisp sound. "Don't be afraid. Just tell us what you're thinking."

"Then-Anya thinks he's a bad guy!!" Anya shouted, her face turning bright red.

The room fell silent the instant Anya spoke.

The three people other than Karen and Yor all thought the same thing: Too blunt.

Clap, clap, clap!

Karen suddenly stood and clapped vigorously, laughing heartily. "Hahahaha! Of course he's a bad guy. If he weren't, why would I hit him?"

"All right, that's all my questions. Mr. Henry, Mr. Walter, do you have anything else to ask?" Karen sat back down and crossed his long legs again.

Henry and Walter exchanged a glance, then shook their heads in unison.

Afterward, the Forger family left, and school staff carried the unconscious Murdoch away.

Karen replaced the fat bastard as the third interviewer.

His questions focused on the children's well-being, overlapping somewhat with Walter's, though he asked in greater detail.

Dusk deepened, and as the last ray of sunlight vanished below the horizon, Karen closed the final file.

He stretched his stiff shoulders and back, let out a long yawn, and walked away, his footsteps ringing crisply against the floor.

He was heading back to catch up on sleep.

"Mr. Karen, wait a moment." Henry hurried after him, clutching some documents. His bow tie was crooked, but his eyes burned with unusual intensity behind his lenses.

Karen stopped and leaned against a corridor pillar, raising an eyebrow. "Mr. Henry, what is it?"

Henry took a deep breath, his Adam's apple bobbing. "I wanted to ask why you acted without any hesitation."

Karen threw his head back and laughed until tears filled his eyes. He wiped them away. "Because I felt like it. Besides... is hurting a child's feelings something a teacher should do? Teachers are role models for children. I may have been a little rough, but... what I did was right."

Those words struck Henry like a bolt from the blue.

Of course he knew how deeply Murdoch Swan's words could hurt a child who had lost her mother, yet he hadn't had the courage to stand up.

Now, admiration entered his gaze as he looked at Karen. The man's crooked tie and casual stance seemed more radiant than the appearance Henry took such care to maintain each day.

"Elegant. Truly elegant-"

Henry removed his glasses and wiped the corners of his eyes. "Mr. Karen, thank you for your guidance. I, Henry Henderson, have learned a valuable lesson from you today. If you hadn't been here, I doubt I could have found the tremendous courage to act as you did."

"No, you certainly would have..." Karen gazed at the lights of the teachers' dormitory in the distance, remembering the punch Henry had thrown in the original story.

He patted Henry on the shoulder. "Because you... are a teacher Eden Academy can truly be proud of. I'm going back to sleep."

Karen loosened his tie and casually stuffed it into his pocket, then strolled away with his hands behind his head.

The setting sun stretched his shadow long, gradually separating it from Henry's upright figure.

After a long while, Henry's low murmur echoed through the corridor. "That's right. I'm a respected teacher at Eden Academy. An elegant man like me could never stand by and watch Mr. Swan throw his weight around!"

"How could someone qualify as an educator if all he did was flatter those in power?"

He lowered his head and straightened his slightly crooked tie, his gaze resolute. "Mr. Karen, you may be an assassin, but I feel... teaching suits you better."

Silence hung over the Forger home, as though the air itself had frozen.

The weather outside looked poor, with rain seemingly on the way, making the mood even more oppressive.

Their examiner had actually been beaten up. Although none of them had done it, something like that happening... surely couldn't have left a good impression.

The corners of Anya's eyes were red, and tears streamed down like beads from a broken string. Her voice caught in her throat. "I'm sorry, Father. Was the last thing Anya said wrong?"

Twilight slowly shook his head. That fat man Murdoch really was a bad person. There was no doubt about that.

The final outcome would depend on the school's judgment.

"It's all right, Anya. If the teachers at that school are like that, you wouldn't want to go anyway, would you?" Twilight gently reassured her, a trace of exhaustion in his voice.

Anya walked over to Twilight and clutched the fabric of his trousers at his thigh, resting her little head against his leg. "Anya... wants to go to school."

If she couldn't get into school... they wouldn't be able to stay together...

"Anya... ah." Twilight sighed helplessly and reached out to stroke her head, gently passing his hand over it again and again.

In the kitchen, Yor was making tea, her brows knitted and her expression troubled.

The water in the kettle bubbled away. She kept telling herself it didn't matter, but it had already begun to affect her.

I'm only worried it might interfere with my work... yes, that's all.

But only she knew what she truly felt.

She brought out the freshly brewed tea. "Didn't Mr. Karen say Anya was right? Maybe the result won't be that bad."

Yor forced a faint smile, trying to lighten the mood.

Anya perked up too, hope rekindling within her. "That's right! The man with glasses and the man with a monocle are both good people."

Yor quickly nodded. "Exactly, exactly. We have to believe in them."

Twilight watched them, taking in Anya's hopeful gaze and Yor's attempt to seem cheerful, and ripples stirred in his heart.

It had been... so long since anyone had encouraged him. Ever since he became a top agent, the only things keeping him company, day after day... had been missions.

Anya's words, "I want us to stay together forever," echoed in his ears again.

A spy must never trust anyone but himself. Whatever he does, he must consider the worst possible outcome...

But...

Maybe he could...

Just a little...

The corners of his mouth lifted into a gentle smile. Right now, he was a husband and a father. Looking troubled in front of his family... didn't suit that role.

"You're right... let's leave the rest to fate. For now, let's treat ourselves."

The family happily raised their teacups in a toast, and a crisp clink rang through the room.

Just then, the doorbell suddenly rang.

Ding-

"Anyone home?"

Karen had hurried over after getting some sleep. He had already learned from Henry how the school intended to handle the incident.