Exiled Villainess Becomes Ruler (Republished/Edited)

Harsh Reprimand

Nearby, a massive tree with thick, gnarled roots created a natural seating arrangement.

"Let's sit over there," Eve gestured to the base of the tree, her voice heavy with unspoken tension.

The three kids followed her in silence. Eve settled at the base, laying out the assortment of peculiar fruits she had gathered on her lap. Kyle, Julia, and Mason arranged themselves around her in a tense, unspoken order.

"Now... how should I start this?" Eve began, her gaze fixed on the ground, her tone flat.

Her students braced themselves, their hearts pounding.

"What in the hell were you thinking?!" Eve's voice cracked as she suddenly faced them, her eyes blazing with fury.

The kids flinched, their faces going pale. This was the first time Eve had ever yelled at them like this, and it was terrifying.

"What you did was reckless! I can't believe you ignored my orders! I told you to stay behind, but instead, you followed us! Do you have any idea what could have happened to you?" Eve's voice was laced with anguish.

The three students stared at her, their eyes wide and unblinking, their bodies frozen in place.

"No response? Really? This should be obvious! YOU ALL COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED!" Eve shouted, her voice trembling with emotion. She rubbed her forehead, her shoulders slumping in defeat.

"We just wanted to prove that we're capable..." Kyle's voice broke, tears streaming down his face. His heart ached as he saw the pain in Eve's eyes.

Eve's gaze softened slightly, her anger melting into concern. She looked directly at Kyle, her eyes reflecting a deep, painful worry.

"Kyle," Eve said gently, her voice cracking, "you're not ready. I've told you this before."

She took a deep breath, struggling to regain her composure. "Let me make this clear, and I hope you understand: The four values of martial arts I've taught you are respect, confidence, patience, and self-discipline. Do you remember?"

The three students nodded slowly, their faces etched with shame.

"From what I've seen, you've only managed to grasp one of those values."

"One of the four?!" Mason's voice was laced with disbelief, his hands trembling as he clenched his knees.

"We... lack three of those values?" Julia echoed, her voice barely a whisper.

"What?!" Kyle shouted, his disbelief turning to panic. "No, you can't be serious, Eve!"

Eve's expression remained resolute. "The only thing you have is confidence. You've focused too much on that and neglected the others—respect, patience, and self-discipline."

Her tone softened, though her words still cut deep. "You're supposed to balance all four values, but instead, you've become overconfident and careless."

She looked at each of them with a mixture of sadness and frustration. "None of you have been able to beat me in a spar. You're not fully equipped to protect yourselves or others. That's why I insisted you stay where it was safe. Now, your parents are likely frantic with worry. If anything happens to you here, they'll blame me. They'll lose their trust in me. If something terrible happened to you, I wouldn't know how to cope. You're all precious to me. Do you understand how deeply I care about you? Have you taken my love for granted?"

The kids felt a pang of guilt so sharp it was almost physical. The sight of Eve's anguish was more painful than her anger.

"So now, it's too late to go back. We're too deep in the forest. I'm considering stopping the training..." Eve said, her voice trailing off as she turned her head away.

"NO, EVE! Please, I'm so sorry!" Kyle's voice broke into a desperate cry, his tears flowing uncontrollably.

"No, Eve! I'm sorry too! Please don't stop our training!" Julia begged, her voice choked with emotion, her face buried in her hands.

"Eve, I'm sorry! We'll never make this mistake again!" Mason sobbed, his voice cracking under the weight of his regret.

All three kids were sobbing openly, their remorse palpable.

"We're deeply sorry! We regret not listening to you! We'll reflect on our actions! Please, just give us one more chance!" Kyle's voice was raw with desperation, pleading for forgiveness.

"Please, just one more chance! We promise to listen and follow your guidance from now on!" he begged, his heart breaking with every word.

Eve remained silent, her back still turned. The silence stretched endlessly, and the kids' hope began to wane. They were ready to accept whatever consequences Eve decided.

"Okay, Eve..." Kyle said, his voice heavy with resignation, "whatever decision you make, I'll accept it. We've made things difficult for you. If you decide not to train us anymore, we'll understand."

"Yes," Julia agreed, her voice barely a whisper, "whatever you decide, we'll follow through."

"Me too," Mason added softly, "no matter what, we'll listen to you, Eve."

"Just know that no matter what, we will always love you. You're more than just our teacher; you're like a sister to us," Kyle said, his voice filled with sincere affection.

It was then that Eve finally turned around, her face streaked with dried tears. She had been quietly crying.

"Alright," Eve said softly, her voice trembling with both relief and lingering sorrow, "I will give you another chance."

Her words, though gentle, held the weight of the previous anguish. The kids looked at her, their faces a mix of relief and lingering regret, surprised that they had been given another opportunity to prove themselves.