After a while, a familiar soft sound came from outside the wooden door, and Sefina returned.
She was carrying some dry firewood in her arms, and in her other hand she held a small cloth bag containing ingredients traded from a kind neighbor—a few potatoes, some meat that looked fairly fresh, a few eggs, and a piece of rye bread wrapped in oil paper.
The townspeople were quite warm-hearted, generously sharing these supplies, and even gave an extra small packet of salt and some dried herbs.
Pushing the door open and entering, the warmth had not yet gathered, but the scene inside was different from when she left.
The fireplace was still cold, but the dusty wooden table and several chairs in the center of the living room had been wiped clean, revealing the original dark wood grain. Ellaria was rolling up her sleeves, carefully wiping the windowsill with a damp old cloth.
Her movements were light and earnest, and a few strands of golden hair on her forehead were damp with a thin layer of sweat.
On the sofa, Mia was sitting, letting Kefi lean on her shoulder. Kefi had her eyes closed, her breathing light, her brows slightly furrowed even in sleep.
The tear tracks on her face had dried, but they still held a heavy sense of exhaustion and fragility, a stark contrast to the usually gentle and smiling girl.
Mia held her shoulder with one hand, while the other unconsciously patted her arm gently, her azure eyes full of worry. Upon seeing Sefina return, they brightened slightly, and she said soundlessly with her lips:
“She seems to be asleep.”
Sefina nodded, signaling her to keep quiet.
She first gently placed the firewood by the fireplace, skillfully set up a few thin kindling sticks, moved her wand slightly, and a small flame leaped out, precisely igniting the dry bark.
The bark made a reassuring “crackle,” and the orange-red flame gradually rose, greedily licking the firewood. The long-missing warmth began to spread through the cold room.
Next, Sefina carried the ingredients into the small kitchen next door. The kitchen was also dusty, but the basic utensils were fairly complete. She quickly washed the pots, prepared the ingredients, and started cooking.
Soon, the stew pot emitted the gurgling sound of potatoes and meat tumbling in the broth, while in another small pot, clear egg soup began to steam with the scent of herbs.
The aroma of food gradually spread, mixing with the scent of firewood, finally injecting a trace of vivid life into this long-dead house.
Sefina brought the tender and flavorful stewed potatoes and meat, the clear soup with egg blossoms, and the sliced rye bread to the table. Simple dishes, but the portions should be enough to fill four girls.
Seeing this, Mia gently shook the girl leaning on her shoulder, her voice very low, with careful coaxing.
“Kefi, Kefi… time to eat. Teacher Sefina made delicious food, it smells so good.”
Kefi’s eyelashes fluttered, and she slowly opened her eyes. Those gray eyes were still somewhat hollow, as if covered with a lingering mist. Her focus moved slowly, looking at Mia, then turning to Sefina and Ellaria, who were setting out bowls and chopsticks at the table.
It seemed to take her a few seconds to understand the situation, then she slowly straightened up.
Sefina finished setting the table, walked to the sofa, and crouched down in front of Kefi, meeting her gaze. Kefi’s face showed no expression—neither sadness nor joy—only a silent blankness.
Sefina reached out, very gently stroked Kefi’s slightly disheveled hair, and said in a gentle voice:
“Let’s eat, okay? Have a little at least.”
Kefi’s gaze landed on Sefina’s face, lingered for a moment, then she nodded extremely slowly. The movement carried a numb compliance, but her eyes still lacked any spark of appetite. Sefina understood in her heart.
Having just endured such a shock of truth, her emotions were like a field ravaged by a storm—devastated and scarred.
Losing appetite was only natural. People always need to look forward, but climbing out of the abyss takes time.
She believed in Kefi’s inherent resilience, but at this moment, what she needed was not urging, but companionship and waiting.
The four of them sat around the table. The firelight flickered, casting dancing shadows on the walls, and the steam from the food rose gently. The atmosphere was heavy with silence, only the soft clink of utensils.
Mia looked at Kefi, who was sipping her soup with her head down but still had a vacant look, then at Sefina and Ellaria eating quietly, and tried to lighten the mood. She cleared her throat and spoke in a slightly more lively tone than usual:
“Um… speaking of which, you remember the potion lab class the day before yesterday? That idiot Harold mixed the wrong ingredients again, and the potion exploded in his face, turning him into a little yellow face in front of the whole class!”
Ellaria immediately understood, gently put down her spoon, and forced a gentle smile at the corner of her mouth, chiming in:
“Yeah, I remember. Harold was so embarrassed he almost cried, and in the end the potion class teacher had to clean up his mess.”
Mia let out a “pfft” laugh and continued:
“And also, and also…”
They talked back and forth, sharing trivial funny stories from the academy, about friends, small accidents in class, trying to weave a soft net with these ordinary topics to gently catch Kefi, who was falling.
Sefina did not join the conversation; she just ate quietly, her gaze occasionally falling on Kefi.
From time to time, she picked up the tender meat and potatoes and put them into Kefi’s bowl, also tore the bread into small pieces, soaked them in the soup, and pushed them in front of her.
Kefi ate the food Sefina gave her like a puppet, one bite after another, but very slowly, chewing with difficulty, her appetite clearly much smaller than usual.
She drank a bowl of soup for a long time, and only ate a few pieces of the stew. Sefina did not force her. Being able to eat a little was already a good start.
Dinner ended in an atmosphere that was hard-won but still couldn’t hide the oppression.
Outside the window, snow began to fall again, first as fine grains tapping the glass, soon turning into feathery flakes dancing in the pitch-black night sky, completely covering the already blurred world outside into a chaotic pure white.
The fire needed more wood, so Sefina went to bring in some more firewood. Then, she walked to the bathroom.
The bathroom was very small, with an old-fashioned cast iron bathtub. She scrubbed the bathtub carefully, then used Fire Magic to heat several large pots of water. Steam gradually filled the air, bringing warmth to the cold bathroom.
Sefina walked back to the living room and spoke softly to Kefi, who was curled up in the corner of the sofa. At that moment, Kefi was hugging her knees, staring blankly at the fire.
“Kefi, why don’t you take a bath first? You’ll feel better after washing. Get some rest early.”
Ellaria and Mia had already helped roughly organize three rooms. This house was actually Kefi’s late father’s inheritance, and their family of four had indeed spent a short time here. Kefi’s father was a carpenter in the town and died young.
After his death, Kefi’s mother took her two daughters back to her parents’ home on the western continent, and soon after was chosen as the Sheng Nü.
In Kefi’s memory, most of the details of “ordinary life” in this home came from the illusion woven by that demon tool.
Hearing this, Kefi slowly raised her head, looked at Sefina, then at the direction of the steamy bathroom, her eyes hesitant, but finally stood up slowly and walked unsteadily toward the bathroom.
Sefina followed behind her. Hot water steamed in the bathtub, with clean towels and change of clothes placed nearby. Kefi stood by the bathtub, looking at the warm water surface, but made no move.
Sefina quietly watched her for a few seconds, sighing inwardly. She stepped forward, her voice even softer, with a tentative tone:
“Is it… still too hard? If you don’t have the strength…”
Sefina paused, her tone calm and natural.