A sudden tightness gripped Ellaria’s heart as she looked at the black eye mask before her, her mind in utter chaos.
Teacher… the teacher is really asking me to do this!
After all, she was still a princess of the Empire. Though her status was complicated, privately playing such… such games with her teacher…
Wasn’t this utterly damaging to the royal dignity?!
But…
Why was her heart pounding so fast it felt like it would burst out of her chest? Why were her cheeks burning like they were on fire? Why…
Why did she find herself unable to utter a single refusal when faced with those calm yet unyielding wine-red eyes?
Teacher… teacher…
Ellaria repeated those two words in her mind over and over, as if that alone could lend her some courage, or at least… some excuse.
She felt her fingertips trembling slightly.
Sefina saw Ellaria just staring blankly at the eye mask without making any move, and the guilt in her heart deepened.
As expected… she was still afraid of her, still held grudges against her, too scared even to accept such a small gift.
So Sefina lightly jumped down from the edge of the desk, the soft sound of her small leather shoes landing on the floor echoing faintly. Step by step, she walked toward Ellaria.
“Tap—tap—tap—”
The crisp footsteps were especially clear in the quiet office, each step striking Ellaria’s heart like a hammer.
Ellaria’s heart: She’s coming… the teacher is going to personally… personally put it on me…
Ugh… so embarrassing… I… am I really going to be… that by the teacher…
Ellaria trembled as if resigned, then, as if performing some strange ritual, she unconsciously extended her hands slowly toward Sefina, wrists together, as if waiting to be bound…
Her long lashes fluttered violently, her cheeks flushed like ripe apples.
Sefina looked at Ellaria’s outstretched hands with some confusion, unsure what the gesture meant.
But she didn’t think too much and simply took up the Ice Silk Eye Mask, gently and tenderly helping Ellaria put it on.
The cool, silky touch instantly covered Ellaria’s eyes, blocking out all light and bringing a comfortable darkness.
It’s on. The eye mask is on. Everything before her went pitch black…
The teacher’s breath was so close… next… next must be the silk binding… my heart can’t take it…
She kept her hands extended, her heartbeat like a drum, nervous but carrying an inexplicable anticipation, waiting for the next “step.”
However, the expected binding did not come.
Instead, Sefina’s voice remained calm, even carrying a hint of concerned inquiry:
“How does it feel? Still comfortable?”
“Ah?!” Ellaria couldn’t help but exclaim.
W-why is she asking how I feel?! The teacher not only binds me, but also… wants me to say such an embarrassing thing?!
Teacher… teacher, you’re so mean… bullying me like this…
Asking me to say “I’m excited being blindfolded and waiting to be bound”… she might as well kill me; I couldn’t say that even if I wanted to!
I’m a princess, with royal dignity, but right now…
Ellaria froze there, neither withdrawing nor keeping her hands extended felt right, her cheeks burning hot enough to fry an egg, her whole body practically steaming.
***
The next second—
“Hm?”
Sefina seemed to finally notice Ellaria’s extremely awkward gesture, and asked puzzled:
“What are you reaching for? Why aren’t you speaking? Is the eye mask uncomfortable? Or are you allergic to the material?”
As she spoke, Sefina reached out gently and removed the eye mask from Ellaria’s face.
The sudden return of light made Ellaria instinctively squint, her emerald eyes still lingering with a trace of lingering shock and shyness, meeting Sefina’s gaze filled with pure curiosity.
“Ah?!”
Ellaria let out a startled sound, realizing the foolishness of her outstretched hands at once.
Wait! Could it be the teacher just… just wanted to give me an eye mask?! Not to… do that?!
Seeing her like this, Sefina was even more sure something was wrong and patiently explained:
“I noticed you’ve had dark circles lately, probably because you haven’t been resting well, right? This is an eye mask I made myself, made of Ice Silk, filled with some calming herbs inside. Wearing it while sleeping should help you feel more comfortable and rest better.”
Ellaria:
S-So… it’s just that…
So the teacher only wanted to give me a sleep aid eye mask, not some weird silk-binding play prop…
What on earth was I thinking just now!
Ahhh!!!
A massive wave of shame instantly engulfed her like a tsunami!
Recalling her overly dramatic inner monologue and her foolishly outstretched hands waiting to be bound…
Ellaria wished she could immediately use time magic to go back a few minutes and strangle herself!
“Um! Teacher… I, I, I just suddenly remembered I have something extremely urgent! I have to go first!”
Ellaria babbled incoherently, grabbing the Ice Silk Eye Mask on the table—which suddenly felt scorching hot—along with the magic book she’d been holding, clumsily hugging them both to her chest.
She practically flew out, as fast as the wind, dashing out of the office in an instant, forgetting even to close the door, leaving only a trail of panicked footsteps behind.
Sefina raised her hand to call after her: “Wait, I also prepared—”
But alas, the girl had vanished without a trace.
Sefina’s hand fell helplessly, looking at the empty doorway with a resigned sigh.
“Sigh… I guess she’s still really afraid of me. It’s all my fault for being too harsh last time, scaring her into this state… I can’t even have a proper conversation with her.”
Sefina had actually wanted to invite Ellaria to try the new Tiramisu she had in the fridge, thinking she’d like it…
Looks like she’ll have to make it up to her next time.
Oh well, that’s fine for now. Sefina shook her head, tidied the office a little, locked the door, and left.
She had other matters to attend to, and no doubt “that person” had already been waiting for quite some time.