The trembling Duke’s Daughter.
Sefina curled her lips and glared unhappily at the Duke’s Daughter, who was shaking with laughter.
The cold wind tousled her blue hair, and her cheeks were slightly flushed from the earlier emotional upheaval, standing out starkly against the snow.
Versie laughed for a good while before gradually stopping.
She wiped the tears of laughter from the corners of her eyes and looked at Sefina with sparkling ice-blue eyes.
“When did you find out?”
Sefina spoke again with displeasure:
“…What do you think?! Who goes around touching a ‘stranger’ all the time? It would be strange if I didn’t figure out who you were!”
She was referring to back in Oselenka, when Versie came to the office under the guise of “asking questions,” but always took the opportunity to make ambiguous moves—
Like pretending to accidentally touch her hand, or standing too close, and once even almost kissing her.
Those actions, if they were just normal student-teacher closeness, would be far too overstepping.
But if it was someone who already knew the other’s true identity, deliberately teasing and testing, then it made perfect sense.
Versie playfully stuck out her tongue, completely tearing off her obedient student mask to reveal the little demon nature underneath.
Then, she made a move that made Sefina’s eyelid twitch—
She reached out and gently patted Sefina’s head.
Just like Sefina usually did to her students.
Versie’s movement was gentle, with a soothing intent.
But in this situation, it somehow felt like the roles were reversed.
‘This girl… was actually comforting her instead?!’
At this point, Versie stopped teasing her teacher.
She withdrew her hand, and her ice-blue eyes returned to their usual clarity, though the corners of her mouth still held a pleased curve.
She tilted her head slightly and asked:
“So, teacher, is there something else you need my help with again?”
In the afternoon, fine snow began to fall quietly again.
In the familiar café on the street corner, the fireplace was burning brightly, the wood crackling softly, the warm air mingling with the rich aroma of coffee.
In the innermost booth, Versie sat elegantly on a soft sofa, with a steaming cup of black tea in front of her.
She had taken off her heavy wool coat, wearing only an off-white turtleneck sweater, her ice-blue hair cascading smoothly over her shoulders.
Sefina sat across from her, her off-white coat draped over the back of the chair next to her.
She held a warm coffee cup in both hands, her wine-red eyes lowered as if organizing her thoughts.
“So, teacher, what is it you want to see me about? Now that we’re here, it should be convenient to talk in detail.”
Versie spoke first, her voice sweet, with a slight rise at the end.
Sefina looked up without much hesitation.
Since they had already laid their cards on the table, there was no need to beat around the bush.
“Actually, it’s nothing much. I just want you to help find a safe and discreet place for a few of my students. The reason I came to the Western Continent this time is to deal with those leftover issues from before, and it might be a bit dangerous to take them along.”
After her words, the booth fell silent for a few seconds.
Versie’s smile seemed to fade a little.
She pouted slightly, and within her always composed and elegant demeanor, there now appeared a hint of childlike petulance.
Then she let out a soft “hmph,” very quiet but clearly audible in the silent booth.
Then, in a tone that carried a hint of passive-aggression, she said:
“What’s this? So teacher came to see me for the sake of your other students. I thought maybe you came to visit me, but every time you come, it’s to ask me for something. Do you see me as just a tool?”
Sefina’s hand holding the coffee cup tightened slightly.
She looked at Versie’s face, deliberately feigning grievance, but felt a genuine pang of pain in her heart.
‘That’s right…’
Thinking carefully, ever since she fled the Western Continent, almost every time she contacted Versie, it was to ask for help.
When she needed to settle Lisika and the others, when she investigated the Former Saintess, and now.
Versie, this outwardly “good girl” who was actually so mischievous she deserved a punch, always agreed and handled everything perfectly without a word of complaint.
‘But she herself seemed… to have really rarely considered Versie’s feelings.’
This Duke’s Daughter, always so composed, was actually just a teenager girl.
She came to Oselenka alone, approached her as an exchange student, and behind those seemingly mischievous tests and entanglements, there might have been deeper emotional needs.
She must also want companionship and reliance… just like the other students.
Sefina lowered her head, blue hair falling over her cheeks.
She was silent for a moment before speaking softly:
“I’m sorry… I’ve been neglecting your feelings.”
Sefina’s voice was much softer than usual, carrying a hint of genuine apology.
Then she put down her coffee cup, took something out of her small bag, and gently pushed it onto the table in front of Versie.
Versie was momentarily stunned, her gaze falling on the long, cloth-wrapped object in plain cotton.
“This is the reward I promised you last time.”
Sefina’s voice was still very soft.
“I wanted to give it to you together…”
Versie reached out and picked up the package; it felt soft in her hands.
She unwrapped the cloth, revealing a scarf inside.
It was made of wool, a gentle off-white color interwoven with a few strands of ice-blue thread.
The knitting was fine and neat, and the edge was delicately embroidered with a small snowflake pattern.
She stared blankly at the scarf, her ice-blue eyes widening slightly.
“Did you knit this yourself, teacher?”
Versie’s voice carried disbelief.
Sefina nodded, the tips of her ears turning slightly red.
“Mm… I knitted it myself.”
She didn’t say how many late nights in Oselenka she spent learning from a book tutorial after grading assignments to knit this scarf.
Nor would she admit that she had specially chosen those ice-blue threads because she thought they matched Versie’s hair color.
Versie’s fingers gently traced the delicate pattern of the scarf, the soft texture seeming to warm her heart directly.
‘So… teacher actually cared about her quite a bit after all.’
Knitting a scarf by hand really took a lot of time and effort.
This wasn’t just a gift bought casually from a store; it was a handmade item that truly took time and care to create.
The little bit of feigned grievance from earlier was instantly swept away by a warm feeling rising from her heart.
Versie’s lips curled up uncontrollably, her ice-blue eyes sparkling as if stars had fallen into a lake.
Joyfully, she picked up the scarf and carefully wrapped it around her own neck.
The soft wool touched her skin, warm and comfortable, carrying a hint of Teacher Sefina’s scent—cool and clean.
“It’s very warm…”
Versie said softly, her voice unable to hide her happiness.
She had thought that now she could generously say, “I forgive teacher, and I’ll help with the students’ matter.”
But before the words left her mouth, Versie suddenly thought of something else.
‘With such a good opportunity, why not push her luck a little more?’
A sly glint flashed in her ice-blue eyes, and then she quickly lowered her eyelids to hide the smile that was about to spill out.
She deliberately pouted, pulled the scarf down a bit to expose half her face, and said in a tone feigning displeasure:
“Hmph~ Is teacher trying to get rid of me with just a little scarf?”
Sefina looked up at her, a trace of helplessness flashing in her wine-red eyes, but more than that, there was a lingering hint of guilt.
From the day she was wanted on the Western Continent, Versie had done a lot to help her escape.
Using the Duke’s Family’s power to protect Lisika and the others, assisting in investigations, and even risking herself to stay in contact despite knowing her identity…
But it seemed she had rarely repaid her.
Aside from occasionally inviting her for coffee under the alias “Holmes,” or now, knitting a scarf.
“If you want my help, you have to promise me one thing.”
Versie suddenly changed the subject, leaning forward slightly, her ice-blue eyes fixed directly on Sefina.
Sefina looked at her and instinctively asked the two words:
“What?”
The corner of Versie’s mouth curved into a triumphant arc, her voice light and clear.