Ever since that incident, an invisible wall seemed to have risen between them.
She was afraid—afraid that her question would give Movira the wrong idea… that it would make her think it was okay to close the distance again in a perfectly natural way.
Just thinking about that possibility made Seraphina’s cheeks burn, and the memories of those intimate sensations from before came flooding back unbidden.
She shook her head vigorously, trying to dispel those unbearable memories.
But… who else could answer the question that had made Seraphina so curious, and even strangely eager to know?
Just treat it as… an academic discussion, she tried to convince herself. They were in a library, after all. Discussing the contents of a book was the most normal thing in the world!
Just like how she used to discuss official business with Lina—strictly professional, without any personal feelings involved.
Yes, that was how it should be!
Seraphina took a deep breath, trying to calm her slightly racing heartbeat.
This was purely out of curiosity about the truth behind this piece of history. Nothing more. She dressed the upcoming conversation in an acceptable outer layer. She kept repeating this justification in her mind, as if her gaze wasn’t evasive but was looking straight at Movira.
Finally, she decided to ask. When she raised her head again, she didn’t realize that, deep down, she was actually even more eager than Movira to break the stalemate.
Her throat felt strangely dry. She coughed lightly, trying to make her voice sound natural, though she could hear the faint tremble in it herself.
“Movira…” It had been so long since she had spoken the name directly that it felt somewhat unfamiliar.
“The book says that five years ago, a country near the border called the ‘Debysger Duchy’ was wiped out by the demon army. Is that true? It happened… so recently.”
The moment the question left her lips, anxiety inevitably took over her mind. She waited for the answer, yet feared the interaction that would follow.
She stared intently at Movira, unwilling to miss even the slightest change in her expression. If she sensed anything off, she would turn and run!
At least… that’s what she told herself.
Movira lifted her eyes from the page and looked at Seraphina. Her gaze was calm, but if one observed carefully, a trace of delight could be seen within it.
“Wars on the scale of destroying an entire country haven’t happened in a very long time. There have been no records of any in nearly half a century.”
“But… there is indeed constant friction between the Demon Realm and the humans, yet wars large enough to annihilate a nation…”
Seraphina thought about walking over with the book to show her but ultimately gave up, deciding to convey it verbally instead.
“It clearly records that after the demon race launched a surprise attack, that country basically offered no resistance before… it disappeared!”
Movira seemed long accustomed to this.
“They’re used to blaming every disaster on the demon race and the Demon Realm. This isn’t the first or second time. A lot of internal human power struggles, natural disasters, or even the atrocities committed by their own nobility… whenever they need a convenient scapegoat, they unanimously choose… the Demon Realm.”
This answer made something catch in Seraphina’s throat, as if something had gripped her windpipe.
“My god… Does the Demon Realm have its own historians? People who record history, I mean.”
“Hm?” Movira was momentarily stunned by the question, as if she had never considered it before. “The Demon Realm… doesn’t believe in things recorded by pen and ink. Their existence is meaningless. Those papers would eventually be burned to ashes amid the iron and blood of past conquests.”
“Mm…” Seraphina lowered her head. This answer left her feeling somewhat downcast as well.
“You really like history?” Movira asked softly after a long pause.
This question had clearly gone beyond the scope of academic discussion. Seraphina shouldn’t have answered, yet she found herself nodding almost involuntarily.
“Yeah. A people without history is tragic… not knowing where they came from, nor where they’re going. Also… look.”
Seraphina pinched one page of the book and held it up vertically. Under the sunlight streaming in from the window, the girl revealed a faint, gentle smile—one she herself didn’t even notice.
This scene left Movira momentarily dazed. Only when Seraphina spoke again did she snap out of it.
“Every thin page we turn records the magnificent lives they once lived. Although… this book isn’t entirely accurate, that’s the principle behind it!”
Movira gazed at Seraphina’s profile, which looked exceptionally soft in the sunlight, even carrying a kind of scholarly immersion.
It was as if a ray of light had illuminated her heart, suddenly making everything clear.
Her hobby is history? What else does she like?
This thought rippled across the surface of her heart. Perhaps this was a way to get closer to her?
Along with the surprise came a wave of guilt… How had she only realized something so simple until now?
After saying those words, Seraphina herself felt a bit dazed.
The sunlight filtering through the book pages also shone into her somewhat chaotic thoughts. Having just been immersed in her feelings about history, her tone had unconsciously grown soft and intimate.
Why?
She and Movira actually shared a common topic. They were currently communicating like… companions? Or even deeper… sisters? Under their current relationship, it was almost like…
This realization rose unbidden from within her once again, causing a blush to instantly bloom across Seraphina’s cheeks.
They had already done… those kinds of things. Could they still be called that?
If not that kind of relationship, then what were they?
Seraphina didn’t dare think any further. She quickly lowered her head, almost burying her entire face into the book. Her fingers tightened unconsciously, and her heart kept pounding wildly in her chest.
The following period of time was particularly torturous for Seraphina.
The words on the page seemed to have turned into twisted symbols, refusing to enter her mind.
She tried to silently read the text aloud in her head. “This country was instantly destroyed by the demon race… The imperial, imperial family… members were all executed. Only one princess managed to escape, but… for some unknown reason…!”
She had no idea what she was even reading anymore. She simply felt restless and uneasy.
The deliberate distance she had worked so hard to maintain now felt on the verge of collapsing after those few unintentional words!
After a long while, Seraphina finally couldn’t take it anymore. She closed the book in her hands. “I… I’m a bit tired. Let’s go back.”
Movira looked at Seraphina’s lowered brows and the reddened tips of her ears and immediately understood what was happening.
“Alright.” Movira was pulled out of her own thoughts.
She stood up and picked up Seraphina’s book as well. “I’ll return the books.”
Seraphina didn’t dare look at her. She simply kept her head down and responded with a soft “Mm.”
After returning the two books, Movira quickly walked back to Seraphina’s side. She had already stood up, but her gaze remained fixed elsewhere, leaving Movira with only the sight of her deliberately distant back.