Chapter 22: No need to wash, just take it off!

Sefina’s words, “You can’t go back,” exploded in Kefi’s ears like a bomb, freezing her in place as her mind went completely blank.

“W-Why?”

Kefi’s voice trembled as she suddenly pointed toward the old-fashioned wall clock in the basement.

“Teacher, look! It’s clearly not even eight o’clock yet! Curfew isn’t until later. I-I should still have time to run back!”

Panic surged in her heart. Shower? Stay the night?

That was like cleaning a little lamb only to send it straight into the tiger’s den!

Kefi’s cheeks flushed visibly red, and even her ears felt hot.

Sefina glanced at the clock in the direction Kefi pointed but showed no change in expression. She said calmly,

“That clock is broken. The time has been stuck at seven fifty. Right now…”

Sefina slightly tilted her head as if listening carefully, then spoke with certainty,

“If the academy tower’s clock isn’t broken, it should be nine o’clock at night.”

“What?! Nine o’clock?!” Kefi’s face was full of disbelief. The curfew was clearly at eight-thirty!

Grasping at the last straw, she staggered up the stairs, rushed to the villa’s door, pushed it open, and anxiously looked toward the academy’s

Central Plaza,

where the enormous magical clock, the Super Grand Clock, stood—

The cold Magic Glow clearly outlined the positions of the hour and minute hands.

They pointed unmistakably at 9:05.

It’s ruined… completely over…

The curfew had long since passed, and the Defense and Alarm Magic Array in the Dormitory District must have already been fully activated.

Now if she tried to go back, not only would she be denied entry, but she would also be caught red-handed by the nighttime Magical Guardians on patrol. The consequences…

Kefi’s face instantly turned deathly pale.

It seemed that tonight… she really had no choice but to stay here…

Sefina had silently followed up at some point. Looking at Kefi’s despondent figure, she had no intention of comforting her, merely reaching out to pat Kefi’s shoulder with the same calm tone:

“Since you can’t go back, then hurry and take a bath. You’re all sweaty.”

Sefina’s indifferent words sounded like a demon’s whisper to Kefi, as if saying, “You need to be clean before you can be properly enjoyed…”

Kefi’s cheeks flushed bright red again, her legs trembling slightly, her heart pounding wildly, as if it might burst from her chest.

However, just as Kefi resigned herself and, with unsteady steps, was about to head to the bathroom—

“Wait.”

Sefina suddenly spoke again.

Kefi froze instantly, a faint glimmer of hope sparking in her heart!

Could it be that Teacher Sefina had changed her mind? Maybe she would secretly teleport her back with magic? Or mercifully allow her to rough it out in the living room for the night?

She stared blankly at Sefina with a flicker of expectation.

But Sefina’s gaze was firm as she urged with an unmistakable tone of command:

“Don’t rush to the bath. Take off your clothes first.”

Kefi: *(°=°)!!!! w(A°)w!!!

T-Take off my clothes?! N-Now?! Here?!

Without even washing first, just directly…

Ahhhh!!!

Kefi’s brain completely shut down. The color drained from her face only to be replaced by an overwhelming blush of shame.

She stared at Sefina in disbelief, her mind unable to process such a terrifying order.

But Sefina completely ignored the spectacular change in Kefi’s expression and her near-physical shock. Instead, she frowned slightly, clearly growing impatient, and said urgently,

“What are you standing there for? Hurry up!”

Kefi:(一)

Resentment, fear, shame, despair—all surged through her heart at once. Her eyes reddened, tears shimmering, on the verge of spilling over.

Not even allowed to wash?!

Going straight to… Teacher Sefina really is so scary!!!

Wuwuwu… I want to go home…

Seeing Kefi about to cry from fright, Sefina finally realized belatedly that her words had caused a massive misunderstanding…

She was rare in her momentary pause, then rubbed her temple with a trace of helplessness and added an explanation:

“If you don’t take off your jacket for me, how can I use your size to find you suitable pajamas?”

She paused, her tone tinged with a barely noticeable awkwardness.

“My pajamas… you probably won’t fit into them.”

The atmosphere suddenly fell silent.

Kefi:

Oh, so that’s it…

Because Teacher Sefina is so petite, her usual pajamas definitely wouldn’t fit me…

¤â¤â¤â¤…

How embarrassing…

Kefi’s expression instantly shifted from despair and fury to extreme embarrassment and awkwardness, her cheeks flushed so deeply they seemed to bleed.

She wished she could immediately disappear into a crack in the ground.

She put it on.

Flustered, she hurriedly took off her school uniform jacket, lowered her head, and handed it to Sefina with trembling hands.

“Th-Thank you, Teacher…”

Sefina took the jacket still warm with youthful body heat, said nothing more than a brief “Hm,” then turned toward her bedroom.

She planned to rummage through the wardrobe to see if there were any older pajamas in a larger size, possibly needing to use magic to alter them temporarily to fit Kefi.

Watching Teacher Sefina’s departing figure, Kefi covered her still-heating face, finally exhaling a long, quiet breath.

The huge stone in her heart at last fell away, and her vigilance instantly relaxed by more than half.

Looks like… I was just overthinking it… Teacher Sefina may be strict, but she’s actually quite considerate…

Kefi could finally relax and take a hot bath.

***

Some time later, on Sefina’s bed.

“Teacher… be gentler…”

Kefi was caught off guard by just the right amount of pressure and involuntarily whimpered.

“Mm… Teacher… this feels so good…”