Seraphina lowered her eyes once more.
So this was it… It was because of her that Movira had just…
Although the shame still burned strong, the gratitude she felt was just as real as the warmth that had chased the cold from her dream.
Her thanks slipped out squeezed between her teeth, so soft it was barely audible.
Her cheeks still carried a faint blush. Her fingers fidgeted restlessly, rubbing at the bedsheet beneath her in a perfect picture of shy, maidenly embarrassment.
Seeing her like this, a faint smile flickered through Movira’s eyes.
She knew this incident was no mere interlude. It was like dropping a small pebble into the delicate pond of their relationship, creating ripples far different from before.
Afterward, Movira said nothing more. She simply adjusted her position to let Seraphina lie more comfortably, then gently patted her back and spoke softly.
“Mm, rest a little longer. Today you should focus on recovering your strength and getting your body back in good shape. There’s a meeting tomorrow.”
Seraphina did not resist. Or rather, her body’s instinctive craving made her choose to comply.
She gradually relaxed, leaning back against Movira’s embrace and savoring the gentle warmth that kept flowing from Movira’s palm into her lower abdomen.
Before long, lying down grew boring. She thought about sitting up to move around a bit.
In the early morning room, only the sound of their steady breathing could be heard. The room remained quiet for more than ten minutes until Seraphina felt she had rested enough.
She propped herself up on her elbows, attempting to rise.
However, perhaps the weakness after what had just happened had not fully passed, or her posture was simply wrong. The arm supporting her suddenly went soft. Her whole body pitched forward uncontrollably, crashing straight into Movira beside her.
“Ah!”
A muffled groan escaped both of them at the same time.
Seraphina felt the softest part of her chest slam solidly against Movira’s hard jawbone. A sharp pain exploded inside her.
The pain nearly brought tears to her eyes. “Hiss—ah—it hurts so much!”
This sudden impact caught the relaxed Movira completely off guard. Her chin was struck by a soft, yielding force, followed immediately by an even richer scent—one carrying Seraphina’s distinct milky fragrance—that surged into her nose.
“S-Sorry!”
Seraphina clutched herself in pain and instinctively rubbed the aching spot.
But the moment her fingertips touched it, her movements froze. Her fingers had brushed against a slightly raised curve! A completely new sensation came through the thin nightgown. Previously this area had been utterly flat, but now… there was a faint, raised arc!
A burst of confusion momentarily pushed the pain aside. Seraphina lowered her head, carefully feeling the area through her nightgown, then gave it an incredulous light pinch.
“Ah!”
The instant she touched it again, it felt like an electric shock. A current shot straight into her brain.
“Don’t touch it randomly!” Movira quickly grabbed Seraphina’s hand.
“But… but it seems a little swollen here! How strange…”
Seraphina pointed at her chest, her eyes full of bewilderment like a lost fawn.
“Sister… what’s going on?”
Movira spoke in the calmest, most natural tone she could manage, though that milky scent had left her slightly dizzy.
“Mm… This is probably your body growing?”
“Growing?” Seraphina’s eyes widened instantly. She repeated the words in disbelief. “Growing… and it’s growing here?”
Her voice grew quieter, ending with a note of disappointment.
Growing on the chest… Doesn’t that mean this body’s female characteristics are becoming more and more obvious step by step? She originally… shouldn’t have been like this…
This realization struck her like a cold stone smashing into her already chaotic mind.
Just as Seraphina was about to sink back into distress, Movira swiftly reached out and gently covered the back of Seraphina’s hand where it rested over her chest.
“Seraphina.” Her voice grew softer and even gentler. “Don’t think about those things, okay?”
She looked into the other’s violet eyes, where the sparkles seemed much dimmer, her tone carrying deep earnestness. “Just let nature take its course. Thinking too much will only make you suffer more.”
Seraphina remained silent, her gaze downcast and dejected. After a long while, she finally nodded, her response sounding like a helpless sigh.
“Mm.”
But Movira could see clearly that the answer was filled with reluctance.
It was nothing more than another evasion.
Yet Movira knew that right now, this seemed to be the only way. It was shameful, but it worked.
Forcibly ripping open the scar would only make her seal away her heart again after it had finally started to open.
Movira deliberately lightened her tone to change the subject. “Alright, stop overthinking. Think about what you want for breakfast this morning instead. I’ll go buy it.”
Seraphina had no appetite and answered listlessly. “Anything… is fine.”
Movira helped Seraphina sit up properly. Then, as if remembering something, she turned to the bedside cabinet, picked up a book, and handed it to Seraphina.
It was exactly the book Seraphina had seen in the library the day before.
“Eh?” Seraphina took the book in surprise. “This book… Sister, when did you borrow it?”
While straightening her clothes, Movira replied, “Oh, yesterday when I went to buy dinner, I stopped by the library and picked it up on the way.”
“On the way?” Seraphina blinked, recalling the positions of the cafeteria and the library. Weren’t they in completely different directions?
She was about to ask when Movira had already stood up.
“Alright, you stay here and read obediently. I’ll be back soon.” Without waiting for a reply, she turned and quickly left the room.
Watching the door close behind her, Seraphina shook her head and set her doubts aside for the moment.
Being alone in the room was indeed a little boring, but fortunately she still had this book.
She lowered her head and flipped through the pages. The soft rustling of paper filled the room as she found the part she had not finished reading yesterday.
The words on the pages told the story of that princess. However, since no one had ever actually seen the princess, the tale ended abruptly, concluding only with the words “whereabouts unknown.”
For some reason, as she read, Lina’s figure kept appearing in Seraphina’s mind.
Speaking of Lina, Seraphina could not help feeling a wave of longing and worry. She had already been away from the Demon Realm for quite some time—nearly half a month.
Although Movira said everything was fine there, she still could not stop wondering whether any trouble had arisen in the Demon Realm.
Could Lina really handle everything by herself?
And Ailinuo…