The train to the western continent slowly started moving with a long, drawn-out whistle.
Wheels grinding against the rails, producing a rhythmic clatter.
Outside the window, the snowy landscape of the eastern continent’s border rolled past like an ink painting constantly being rewound. The carriage was well-heated, cutting off the bitter cold, and the soft seats made one drowsy.
From this remote town to the core capital of the western continent, even by train, it would take about a day and a half.
With such a long journey ahead, how to pass the time?
Just as each of them was staring out the window, lost in their own thoughts—
The figure with long white hair in the front seat suddenly moved.
Flovi stood up, turned around, and faced Sefina in the back seat. Her face still showed little expression, her golden eyes locking onto Sefina like a scanner.
Then, with extreme naturalness, she pulled a delicately bound paperback from her waist pouch and, reaching over the back of the seat, handed it directly to Sefina.
“Master, this is the sequel to that novel you liked last time. The one you read during our last trip to the western continent—the story about a student-teacher yuri romance.”
The air in the carriage seemed to vanish in that instant.
Sefina: “…”
Ellaria, Mia, Kefi: “!!!!!”
Ellaria whipped her head around to look at the cover of the book in Flovi’s hand.
Though the angle was a bit off, the distinctive illustration style and title…
The more she looked, the more familiar it seemed!
She herself had bought this book at a bookstore in the academy!
And the content was exactly as Flovi described—a story about the forbidden yet beautiful romance between a female teacher and a female student!
She turned her head again in disbelief to look at Sefina in the seat beside her.
Ellaria’s heart skipped a beat.
She had read this book!
There, her teacher’s usually calm, wine-red eyes widened slightly, the habitual composure on her face already shattered.
Replaced by a complex expression mixing shock and embarrassment, her cheeks even flushing a faint red at a visible speed.
That expression could only be described as “life is over.”
Ellaria felt her worldview had taken another small shock.
So… Teacher Sefina actually reads this kind of book in private?
And she even “likes” it?
At that moment, only one thought was frantically flashing through Sefina’s mind—
Having Flovi come meet her was absolutely the dumbest, most wrong decision she had made recently!
She should have let this airheaded, tactless maid go ahead with Feliel!!!
At the same time, Kefi and Mia, sitting in the row behind Sefina and Ellaria, were also drawn by the commotion up front. They stood up curiously and leaned over to look forward.
Mia had only been joining in out of curiosity, but when her eyes swept over the cover and title of the book in Flovi’s hand, she froze as if struck by lightning, her blue eyes wide as saucers.
Th-this… this is…
Isn’t this the novel she secretly wrote?!
She had used Teacher Sefina as her model, blended in all sorts of unspeakable fantasies, added some fictional plots to boost sales and readability, and… a bit of descriptive writing!
Last time, Teacher read her book?!
And… what’s more, Flovi said Teacher “likes” it?!
Mia’s brain instantly overloaded, and her face turned bright red in an instant.
Half of it was because, as the author, she had discovered that her teacher was actually her reader.
The other half…
Because Mia thought, if Teacher likes this kind of book, does that mean…
That deep down, Teacher doesn’t actually dislike—maybe even has some interest in—the theme of “student-teacher romance”?
Oh my god!!!
Kefi hadn’t read this book and didn’t know the author was right there, but she keenly caught the rare look of extreme embarrassment and stiffness on Teacher Sefina’s face.
The awkwardness of desperately trying to maintain composure while having nowhere to hide made Kefi’s eyes flicker slightly.
Teacher…
She actually reads books about female teachers and female students falling in love?
Does that mean…
Sefina felt her cheeks burning so hot they might catch fire, the corners of her mouth twitching uncontrollably.
She wanted to use a high-tier magic to teleport herself and Flovi to the other end of the continent right now!
Flovi!
You… you idiot! Airhead!
Don’t say that in front of my students!!!
She screamed inwardly.
What would they think of her now?
A teacher who seems stern and proper on the surface but secretly indulges in student-teacher yuri novels?
A perverted teacher who might have improper intentions toward her students?!
Wait, that accusation is too serious!
But anyway, her image was completely ruined!
She wanted to argue, to say “It’s not what you think,” to say “I just read it casually.”
But…
Flovi’s phrase “You liked it last time” cut through all her weak excuses like a precise knife.
She did kind of like the novel’s delicate emotional portray and character development, but being exposed so bluntly at this moment was no different from a public execution!
Three gazes, like searchlights, left Sefina nowhere to hide.
At that moment, only one thought filled her mind:
It’s over. I can’t explain myself.
Sefina sighed inwardly, and with a tragic sense of resignation, she tremblingly reached out and took that “hot potato” from Flovi.
As her fingertips touched the book cover, she could even feel them trembling slightly.
Sefina lifted her eyes and shot Flovi a glare mixed with reproach and helplessness.
Flovi seemed to completely fail to receive the complex message in her master’s eyes, calmly withdrawing her hand, nodding, and then turning to sit back in her seat, leaving Sefina alone to face this awkward, frozen air.
‘Fine, fine…’
‘What’s done is done. The more I explain, the worse it gets.’
‘More explanations will only make me look more guilty.’
Sefina thought like an ostrich, simply placing the book on her lap, her gaze drifting out the window as if studying the snowy landscape, trying to ignore the almost tangible curious stares from beside and behind her.
But the silence didn’t last long.
Ellaria, sitting next to her, seemed to have gone through a fierce internal struggle, finally gathering the courage to lean in slightly and ask in a voice only the two of them could hear:
“Teacher… do you… really like this book?”
Her voice carried the soft shyness of a young girl, mixed with uncontrollable curiosity, and… a hint of faint expectation.
Sefina: “…”
Sefina’s body stiffened almost imperceptibly, her eyes still fixed on the rapidly retreating trees outside the window, but the tips of her ears reddened a bit.
‘This…’
‘How am I supposed to answer this?!’
Admit it? No way!
Wouldn’t that confirm the label of “teacher who likes reading student-teacher yuri novels”?
Deny it? But the book is right on her lap, and Flovi’s words still ring in her ears. Denial seems so weak and pointless.