“Is this a staff?!” In Seraphina’s mind, staffs were all long, wooden things that looked like fire pokers.
“Of course it is. It serves the same purpose as a sword, and it can also function as a staff.”
But just as Seraphina’s hand was about to take it, the magic sword suddenly emitted a buzzing hum, and the blade trembled slightly, as if resisting her.
Seraphina’s hand froze in midair.
Movira’s expression darkened rapidly, and she stared coldly at the magic sword. “Resisting? Resist again, and I’ll snap you in half and melt you down!”
Sensing her anger, the magic sword immediately quieted down and even主动 leaned toward Seraphina’s hand, as if trying to please her.
At the same time, Movira quietly erected a barrier with no aura at all—like an inverted bowl—over the monsters, sealing off every possible escape route and leaving them at the mercy of Seraphina’s “judgment.”
“It’s done.” The last monster dissipated into the air, and Seraphina stopped, breathing a little heavily. Though she felt somewhat tired, her face was beaming with a satisfied smile.
She looked down at the docile magic sword in her hand, her eyes full of curiosity.
“It seems to like you quite a bit.” Movira stepped forward, also looking at the sword in Seraphina’s hand.
(Magic sword: Yes, yes.)
Seraphina lifted her head to look at Movira, her eyes sparkling as she flashed a brilliant smile. “Yeah, this sword is amazing! Um… here, you can have it back.”
…
“Good. It’s about time we head back.”
As Seraphina and Movira made their way back along the path, they happened to run into Dekalorin, who was hurrying over.
“I’m heading to deal with the rumors about that abandoned lab in the northwest corner. But… it looks like I don’t need to anymore.” This path led straight there.
Moreover, the faint blush on Seraphina’s face hadn’t fully faded, which let Dekalorin guess what they’d been up to.
“Yeah, just a few low-level monsters playing tricks. We’ve cleaned them up, and there’s no lingering aura that you humans fear.”
Dekalorin nodded, the corners of her mouth curving up. Her gaze flickered back and forth between Movira and Seraphina, who was trailing slightly behind her, while she used magic to send a message only to Movira.
“Not bad, Movira. You’ve finally gotten it and taken someone to one of those ‘perfect for something to happen’ places?”
After secretly saying that, she nodded again. “Good that it’s resolved—it saves me the trouble. Oh, right, I was planning to notify you on my way back, but since we’re here, I’ll say it now: There’s a meeting at the academy in a few days. You two need to attend.”
Without waiting for a response, Dekalorin prepared to leave—she was quite busy that day. “I won’t disturb you. I have things to do, so I’ll go first.”
As for the meeting she mentioned, Seraphina could guess even without being told; it was probably about granting her an honorary professorship.
Back in the warm room, the brief excitement from the morning’s “adventure” gradually faded, and Seraphina’s body, which hadn’t fully recovered from the past few days, already felt exhausted.
“I’m a bit tired. I’ll nap for a while.” As she spoke, she couldn’t help but cover her mouth and let out a small yawn.
“Okay, rest up then.” Then, as if remembering something, she added calmly, “Oh, right—your monthly cycle… it’s probably in the next few days. Be careful not to catch a chill, and don’t overdo it.”
Seraphina’s face instantly flushed red. Having such a private matter brought up so bluntly made her feel extremely embarrassed. “I know, I know!”
Her voice was as faint as a mosquito’s buzz, and to cover her awkwardness, she couldn’t help but whisper back, “Then… what about yours, Sister? When is it for you?”
“Mine?” Movira hadn’t expected Seraphina to turn the question back on her, but she quickly came up with a response. “During a time you wouldn’t notice.”
This vague, teasing answer made Seraphina glare at Movira in annoyance and mutter softly, “…If you don’t want to say, then don’t… why be so roundabout? I’m going to sleep!”
Her exhausted body was desperately craving the comfort of the bed.
However, when she actually lay down and closed her eyes, the immediate sleep she expected didn’t come. Instead, she tossed and turned, unable to drift off.
She was clearly dead tired, yet her mind felt strangely alert. It was as if something crucial was missing beside her, leaving her unable to settle into sleep.
She flipped around on the bed for over ten minutes, trying every sleeping position, but she still couldn’t find a comfortable one.
Finally, a bit frustrated, she opened her eyes, and her gaze was drawn—as if by some force—to Movira, who was quietly reading a book in a chair not far from the bed.
The golden light of approaching noon filtered through the glass, gilding Seraphina’s profile with a soft edge.
In that moment, Seraphina seemed to understand what she was missing.
It was that feeling of being completely enveloped in warmth and security… even though she’d resisted it so much before.
Forget it! Who cares! The urgent signal from her body to rest had crushed her last shred of hesitation.
“Sister…” Seraphina’s cheeks heated up again. The inner struggle lasted only a few breaths; she gently bit her lower lip and still spoke up.
“Hm?” Movira looked up from her book and met her gaze.
Seraphina quickly averted her eyes, trying her best to hide her face—she knew exactly what state she was in.
Her fingers fidgeted with the corner of the quilt under the covers. “Um… could you come over here?”
Movira was a bit puzzled but set down the book and walked to the bedside.
“What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell somewhere?”
“No, it’s not that…” Seraphina’s face was so red it felt like it might bleed, and she buried nearly her entire face in the bedding. “You… lie down…”
This request made Movira’s heart pound uncontrollably. She noticed Seraphina’s already flushed earlobes and had a rough guess in mind.
She lay down on her side as asked, and the moment she settled, Seraphina quickly scooted over, her soft, warm body drawing close.
But right after, Seraphina pulled back a little, as if scalded.
Then Movira heard a murmur tinged with complaint. “Sister, how could you forget to take off your coat again? It’s poking me…”
Before the words finished, a pair of slightly cool small hands reached over and began unbuttoning her coat, just like last time.
Movira remained still, letting the other party peel open her coat and push it aside.
Once done, Seraphina seemed satisfied and leaned in again—this time fully burrowing into Movira’s embrace.
Seraphina’s mind was a whirlwind of confusion; she didn’t even know what she was doing, just seeking physical fulfillment.
She even took the initiative to pull Movira’s arm over, wrapping it around her waist, and adjusted to the most comfortable position. “Mm… this is better…”
Little did she know, these escalating actions had fully ignited the long-suppressed thoughts in Movira…