Just as Ellaria was about to have an intimate encounter with the floor, Sefina reacted with lightning speed.
She spun around sharply, both hands shooting out swiftly and steadily to grasp Ellaria’s slender shoulders, pulling the unbalanced girl tightly into her embrace.
A faint, cool fragrance belonging to Teacher Sefina instantly enveloped Ellaria, making her dizzy mind go momentarily blank.
“Mm!” Ellaria crashed into a soft yet steadfast embrace, avoiding a humiliating fall to the ground.
But due to inertia, the soy sauce bottle in her hand slipped free and flew out of her grasp. With a crisp “crack,” it shattered solidly on the kitchen’s tiled floor.
Dark soy sauce splattered everywhere, like an irregular splash of ink. Several drops landed right on Sefina’s originally flawless white tights, leaving a few glaring black stains from her right shin to her ankle.
“Are you alright?” Sefina steadied herself, looking down at the still-shaken Ellaria in her arms, her tone clear and full of concern.
Ellaria’s feelings were a tangled mess at this moment. To lose composure and nearly fall in front of her teacher, to knock things over and dirty her teacher’s socks—she felt utterly embarrassed and frustrated.
But… but this feeling of being firmly caught by her teacher, tightly held in her arms, hearing such concerned words so close by… It was so warm, so safe, even… so heart-fluttering.
A rush of heat involuntarily surged up her cheeks, reddening the tips of her ears.
Only when Sefina’s voice once again rang clearly in her ears did Ellaria snap out of her dreamy, chaotic thoughts.
Like she’d been scalded, she hurriedly broke free from Sefina’s embrace, straightened up, lowered her head, and spoke with guilt and shame in her voice:
“I-I’m fine! Thank you, Teacher… I’m so sorry! It was my clumsy hands, I’ve troubled you again…”
Seeing her like this, Sefina let go and said calmly, “It’s alright, as long as you’re not hurt.” Her gaze then shifted to her right leg, frowning slightly at the glaring black stains on her white socks.
“It’s just…”
“Teacher, your socks…” Kefi had noticed as well, and pointed at Sefina’s leg with concern.
Sefina sighed softly, her tone tinged with helplessness: “Looks like I’ll just have to take them off. I really can’t let anyone see me like this.”
Attending a dinner party in soy sauce-stained socks would indeed be improper.
Ellaria, upon hearing this, lowered her head even more and apologized softly again, “Sorry, Teacher…”
Sefina, seeing her so remorseful, instead reached out and gently stroked the top of Ellaria’s golden hair in a soothing gesture:
“It was just an accident, don’t worry about it.”
The sudden gentle touch made Ellaria freeze, her heart thumping as if something had slammed into it. The blush on her face not only failed to fade, it grew even deeper.
At the side, Shalina Teacher hurried over to smooth things over, “As long as no one’s hurt! Teacher Sefina, why don’t I get you a new pair of socks? Though I don’t think I bought the kind of thick tights you wear, only some slightly thinner stockings—will that be okay?”
Sefina nodded, “That’s fine, as long as there’s something to change into. Thank you.”
“It’s no trouble.” Shalina said, hurrying upstairs. In no time, she returned from her wardrobe with a brand new, unopened pair of pantyhose and handed them to Sefina.
Sefina took them and hesitated when she saw the color. They were pure black stockings, completely different from the white she usually favored.
Shalina explained a little awkwardly, “Um… I only bought black ones, since white doesn’t really go with my usual style…”
“It’s fine.” Sefina shook her head. “As long as I have something to change into, thank you.”
She did always prefer white—clean and fresh—but right now, she didn’t have the luxury of being picky. Oh well, she’d just treat it as a chance to try a different style.
Holding the black stockings, Sefina walked into the bathroom. She took off her right sock, now soaked in soy sauce and basically beyond saving, and put on the black stockings Shalina had given her.
Shalina’s size seemed a bit larger than hers; they fit a little loosely and were noticeably thinner, letting her feel the slight chill in the air more clearly against her skin.
Sefina instinctively drew her legs in a little. As for the old socks…
She glanced at the stained white tights now tossed in the trash can, thinking: So much soy sauce—these will probably never come clean.
Rather than wasting time and effort, it’d be better to just buy a few new pairs.
Feeling the slight chill around her legs, Sefina adjusted her skirt and opened the bathroom door.
As she stepped out, three pairs of eyes in the living room instantly locked onto her, especially her legs.
Kefi blinked and silently assessed: Teacher Sefina in black stockings… It feels so different from usual.
Although the pure, cute vibe of her usual white socks was missing, the dark color made her legs look even more slender and shapely. Actually… it looked pretty good, with a unique charm.
Mia’s gaze was even more direct; she stared almost unblinkingly at Sefina’s legs wrapped in black stockings, her eyes shining unusually bright. Her throat involuntarily bobbed.
Teacher in black tights made her legs look slimmer and longer, and… this sense of mystery made them look… even tastier… I really want to pounce and take a bite, just to see what they taste like!
She quickly shook her head, forcibly pushing down the dangerous thought.
Ellaria’s eyes also fell on Teacher Sefina’s legs at first. The black stockings really gave off a different vibe, making her heart skip a beat.
But her gaze soon drifted toward the bathroom, and an uncontrollable thought sprang up:
Did Teacher’s old socks… get thrown out directly? Does that mean I could… No, no!
Ellaria! What nonsense are you thinking again?! She pinched her palm hard, her just-fading blush surging back with a vengeance.
Shalina Teacher came forward, eyeing Sefina, and asked, “How is it? Do they fit? Are they too thin?”
Sefina nodded, her voice calm: “They’re alright, just a bit loose, but wearable. Thank you, Teacher Shalina.”
“As long as they fit.” Shalina breathed a sigh of relief and said, “There’s just a bit of cleanup left in the kitchen. I can finish it by myself. Teacher Sefina, why don’t you go rest on the sofa for a bit? Dinner will be ready soon.”
Seeing this, Sefina didn’t refuse, “Alright then, thank you for your trouble.”
She walked to the sofa in the living room and sat down, ready to rest for a moment.
However, Mia, like a kitten drawn to the scent of fish, immediately scooted over to sit close beside Teacher Sefina.
Her gaze lingered subtly yet persistently on Sefina’s legs wrapped in black stockings, while her “appetite” and reason waged a fierce tug-of-war in her heart.