At this moment, Ellaria stood before Sefina like a child who had done something wrong, at a complete loss.
The blush on her cheeks had not yet fully faded, her eyes flickered away, not daring to meet Sefina’s gaze, and she did not even dare to utter a single word.
Her heart was fluttering wildly in her chest, and her mind was filled with the scene of her leaning down just now, nearly… kissing her teacher.
‘Teacher Sefina must have seen it! Will she think I’m a… a perverted student who harbors indecent thoughts about her teacher?’
Sefina, however, had no time to worry about Ellaria’s adolescent feelings.
The crisis of the magic tattoo backlash was like a sword hanging over her head, and the effects of the perception weakening potion were fading with every passing second.
She did not even give the red-faced Ellaria a second glance. Forcing her weak body to move, she quickly returned to the laboratory where she had previously mixed the magic potions.
The situation was critical and had to be dealt with immediately!
Fortunately, Sefina had always been cautious. Before deciding to try a potion with unknown effects like the “tranquility mixture,” she had planned ahead and prepared a corresponding neutralizer just in case.
She stepped quickly toward a storage shelf marked with a special symbol and took out a small crystal bottle. A clear, colorless liquid sloshed inside.
Pulling out the cork, she did not hesitate for even a moment as she tilted her head back and drank the neutralizer in one gulp.
The cold liquid slid down her throat, bringing a hint of coolness, but it was followed by an even more obvious sense of dizziness.
The perception weakening potion had dulled her awareness of her own state, and even her sense of balance was affected to an extent.
After finishing the neutralizer, Sefina breathed a small sigh of relief, but it was not a complete one.
This was only a temporary measure. It would take time for the neutralizer to take full effect, and the duration of the perception weakening potion was not long.
If the neutralizer failed to completely calm the magic crest’s backlash before the weakening effect vanished… then that tidal wave of magic tattoo backlash from before would likely sweep over her again! And this time…
Sefina looked at her fingers, which still throbbed with pain and could not bend flexibly.
With her Tenosynovitis, she could hardly even manage the most basic self-relief.
What worried her even more was that the backlash this time was unprecedentedly violent. She did not know if there were other unknown side effects besides a stronger sensation than usual.
For example, what if… what if one session wasn’t enough?
Sefina bit her lower lip hard, feeling that things had become exceptionally troublesome and difficult.
Just then, Ellaria managed to recover slightly from her extreme shame. Like a startled fawn, she timidly crept from the direction of Sefina’s bedroom to the door of the laboratory.
Her voice trembled slightly as she asked tentatively, “Te… Teacher Sefina… how are you? Are you… are you okay?”
Sefina looked up at the sound and saw Ellaria.
The lingering blush on the girl’s face and those flickering emerald eyes filled with guilt and nervousness instantly brought that extremely ambiguous scene back to Sefina’s mind — Ellaria had been kneeling over her, slowly leaning down, her face getting closer and closer, her lips almost touching hers with obvious intent…
Sefina’s wine-red eyes couldn’t help but widen slightly.
She had always thought that the relationship between her and Ellaria was merely a normal one between teacher and student.
Although the Princess did occasionally show a tendency to want to be close to her — such as always following her obediently or watching her constantly — Sefina had only interpreted it as a student’s admiration and dependence on a mentor.
But that momentum just now… it clearly exceeded the boundaries a normal teacher and student should have!
That was… an impulse to attempt physical intimacy!
“Ellaria, you just now…” Sefina blurted out almost subconsciously, her tone carrying a hint of inquiry and disbelief.
Hearing those words, the color that had barely returned to Ellaria’s face instantly exploded into a deep crimson again, making her look like a boiled shrimp!
‘It’s over, it’s over! Teacher really remembered! She definitely realized my scandalous intentions just now!’
‘What do I do? What do I do? This, this, this…’
‘Aaaaaah!!! This is so embarrassing! I want to find a hole to crawl into!’
Ellaria stammered, her lips trembling for a long time, but she could not get out a single complete word. She could only lower her head and stare at the tips of her shoes, wishing she could vanish on the spot.
She did not know how to explain it.
Was she supposed to confess that she really harbored those… those unspeakable, indecent thoughts toward her beloved teacher?
She could not do it!
Seeing Ellaria looking like she wanted to shrink into a ball and wither away from shame, Sefina swallowed the questions she had intended to ask.
Considering the girl’s strong self-esteem and the overwhelming embarrassment she was feeling, Sefina’s heart eventually softened, and she did not press further.
However, during this silent interval, Sefina suddenly noticed something strange — her senses, which should have been dull and numb due to the perception weakening potion, seemed to… regain a bit of clarity?
The dry heat suppressed deep within her body seemed to show signs of flaring up again.
‘Oh no! The effects of the perception weakening potion are about to wear off!’
But the effects of the neutralizer in her body did not seem to have fully kicked in yet; the embers of the magic tattoo backlash were still stirring.
She had to find a way to deal with it first! At the very least… she had to resolve it once to alleviate the strongest impact and buy time for the neutralizer…
But…
Sefina’s gaze fell once more on her aching fingers. Her Tenosynovitis made it impossible for her to even do that.
She bit her lower lip, a trace of helplessness flashing across her face.
Soon, an alternative solution flashed through her mind. Although shameful, it might be the only viable way right now.
She took a deep breath and tried to make her voice sound calm as she said to Ellaria, “Ellaria, you… help me keep watch outside. I… I have to go resolve the magic crest…”
Sefina’s words were laced with an unmistakable sense of bashfulness.
After speaking, she did not dare to look at Ellaria’s reaction. She retreated to her bedroom almost as if she were fleeing and locked the door with a *click*.
Outside the door, Ellaria was secretly rejoicing that Teacher Sefina had not continued questioning her. She patted her chest as if she had just survived a disaster, but she quickly fell into a new set of worries.
How should she face her teacher in the future? Was this matter just going to end like this? Or… should she find an opportunity to… to confess her feelings to her? But… but…
Just as Ellaria’s heart was in turmoil and her thoughts were flying —
*Creak —*
The sound of a door opening came clearly from downstairs!
It seemed like someone had come in!
Ellaria’s heart instantly leaped into her throat!
Could it be… Mia and Kefi returning with the medicine?
They were back…