“Oh, no problem.” Seraphina held back an inexplicable urge to laugh, trying her best to appear calm. “You should eat while it’s hot.”
She unwrapped the oiled paper around the pastries, revealing the golden treats inside that gave off a mouthwatering sweet aroma, then poured a cup from the pot of herbal tea and pushed it to the other side of the table.
This almost role-reversed scene made Movira hesitate for a moment before she slowly walked over and sat down at the table.
She picked up a biscuit but didn’t eat it right away, instead fixing her gaze on Seraphina’s face.
“Have you eaten?”
“Mm, I just ate with Dekalorin in the cafeteria,” Seraphina replied. “She said she still remembers your tastes—these are all things you like. Give them a try.”
After confirming that Seraphina had indeed finished eating, Movira lowered her head and began to eat in small bites.
The room immediately fell quiet, with only the faint sounds of chewing.
This silence didn’t bring any sense of oppression; instead, it evoked a warmth, mixed with the awkwardness Movira displayed.
She must be very unaccustomed to this situation of being taken care of, even having someone bring her breakfast—it completely overturned the image she had always maintained.
Seraphina suddenly spoke up. “You… don’t need to feel embarrassed.”
These words hit Movira’s weak spot directly, causing her body to tremble sharply, as if her inner thoughts had been exposed.
Seraphina’s tone was calm, even carrying a soothing intent. “It’s no big deal to oversleep occasionally, and… you do look like you need the rest.”
“I’m not… embarrassed…” Obviously, Movira’s denial was hesitant and lacked conviction, with no persuasive power at all.
“Alright.” Seraphina blinked, not poking through her facade. “If you say you’re not, then you’re not.”
Movira sighed heavily in her heart. She didn’t even know why she had become so cautious, as if the one who was ill wasn’t Seraphina, but… herself.
Seraphina watched as Movira slowly finished eating, and that sense of embarrassment seemed to fade with the food going down.
Movira set down the teacup, having regained much of her composure. “Thank you.”
She kept her head low, her voice subdued—these two words carried a special weight coming from her mouth.
“It was nothing.”
The room fell into an unusual tranquility. All the struggles, fears, and distances of the past finally shifted quietly toward the right path in this simple breakfast.
However, this serenity didn’t last long before a light but urgent knocking sounded at the door.
“Seraphina… Professor, are you there?” An unfamiliar voice came from outside, carrying respect and urgency in its tone.
“It’s from the registry office.
Seraphina and Movira both froze, exchanging a glance and seeing the surprise in each other’s eyes.
… We hope you can come over to handle an matter.
“The registry office?” Seraphina frowned. She had just left her name on the consultation wall—how could there be issues needing handling so quickly? And it sounded so urgent…
The voice outside continued to explain. “It’s like this, Professor. The consultation letters under your slot have already piled up a bit. The registry office hopes you can come process them as soon as possible, so they can be recorded into the academy’s knowledge base.”
Piled up?
“Alright, I got it. I’ll head over right away.”
Despite her doubts, since they had said so, Seraphina could only go see what was going on.
Seraphina immediately tried to stand up. Perhaps due to haste, or maybe because her body hadn’t fully recovered, her foot gave way, and her whole body uncontrollably staggered forward.
“Be careful!” Movira reacted quickly, extending her arm to steadily catch Seraphina around the waist and support her.
In that instant, it was as if Seraphina had suddenly returned to the past—this momentary strength was gentle yet unyielding.
She leaned against Movira, catching her breath. “Thanks… I’m fine.”
However, her slight attempt to break free was rejected by Movira, who didn’t loosen her hold but looked at her face, which still lacked a healthy color. “Your body hasn’t fully recovered yet. You can’t walk too fast.”
Movira pondered for a moment, her gaze turning to the wheelchair in the corner. “Sit in that to go.”
“That… maybe not.”
Seraphina subconsciously refused. After all, who would go handle official business in a wheelchair? It made her feel like a sickly person, especially when facing a crowd of strangers at the registry office—she wanted to project authority, not this fragile appearance.
“Alright, Seraphina, this isn’t a situation where you can be willful.”
Movira’s voice was low and carried a bit of force. “Your health is the most important.”
These words made Seraphina a bit dazed. She seemed to see the old Movira again, but it wasn’t quite the same—this assertiveness seemed…
… a bit gentler, and she liked it more.
In the end, she compromised, nodding. “… Alright.”
Movira said no more, quickly pushing the wheelchair over. Then, unexpectedly, she didn’t help Seraphina sit down right away but first walked to the coat rack.
“Since you’re appearing as a ‘professor,’ your demeanor must undoubtedly be impeccable.”
As she spoke, Movira took down Seraphina’s magic robe with its dark patterns and draped it over her, carefully smoothing out the wrinkles on the shoulders.
Seraphina thought that was the end of adjusting her appearance as she sat in the wheelchair.
However, Movira didn’t stop her movements but took out a pair of glasses from her bosom that Seraphina had never seen before.
The frame was wound from dark gold metal, with the left temple extending into a mithril chain adorned with a magic crystal, showing a magical sheen under the light.
“Close your eyes.” Movira leaned down, her voice arriving before her actions, gently placing the glasses on Seraphina’s nose bridge.
The cold metal touch made Seraphina’s eyelashes tremble lightly, and the intricate chain dangled down, its end just resting on her shoulder.
“Huh? I’m not nearsighted.”
Seraphina felt puzzled by Movira’s action, but the other didn’t answer the question right away. Instead, she moved a small mirror in front of her.
The reflection of herself in the mirror left even Seraphina stunned for a moment—the eyes behind the lenses were accentuated by the frame, adding a touch of ascetic scholarly air.
“Who said you have to be nearsighted to wear glasses?” Then, she covered Seraphina with a blanket. “Alright, everything’s ready. Are you prepared to face those students’ questions, Seraphina… Professor?”
“You… what are you saying! You know this professor title is just for show!”
When Movira pushed Seraphina to the registry office, the gazes it attracted were even more intense than in the morning.