Seraphina was still somewhat hesitant. She worried that doing this would affect Movira’s rest.
“Forget it… Your body isn’t well. I’m afraid it would add to your burden.”
“I really don’t have any issues!” Movira interrupted her. She used force with her hands and pulled Seraphina directly toward herself. “I’m just a little tired. Hurry up and get in here.”
Seraphina did feel a bit cold. She went along and slipped into the bedding. But she still kept a certain distance from Movira. She only occupied a small spot at the edge of the bed.
Movira looked at her cautious appearance. It was both amusing and heartbreaking. She simply extended her arm and pulled Seraphina over. She held her tightly against herself.
“Why are you hiding so far away? I already told you it’s fine!”
Seraphina let out a startled cry. In the next second she found herself enveloped in a warm embrace.
Movira adjusted her position to make Seraphina more comfortable. She casually tugged at the pillow—which still had sharp edges—and tucked it under Seraphina’s pillow.
At that moment her fingertips touched something hard. She pulled it out.
“Hmm? What is this?”
Movira drew the object out directly.
When the exquisitely covered book, which exuded an unmistakably ambiguous aura, was exposed to the air, Seraphina’s face flushed bright red in an instant!
Like a cat with its fur standing on end, she pounced forward.
“Ah! Don’t look!”
She reached out to snatch the book back.
But Movira was faster. She easily avoided Seraphina’s attempt to grab it.
This sudden reaction piqued Movira’s curiosity. Seraphina could not get around the other’s arm. Her efforts to snatch it were hopeless. Embarrassed and anxious, she felt as if her whole body were burning up.
She saw that Movira had already opened the cover. The parts that made her blood surge had already been seen by the other woman!
She could only whimper and suddenly turn away. She buried her scalding cheeks deep into the bedding. Only her trembling back remained visible. She no longer dared to look at Movira’s expression.
The illustrations on the book pages left Movira stunned. She instantly understood what kind of book this was.
With this, Seraphina’s strange behaviors from the past few days suddenly made sense!
It’s over. It’s over. I’ve been discovered!
Movira looked at the book in her hand, then at Seraphina who wished she could bury herself completely. She pondered the book’s origin in her mind.
The academy’s library and the manor’s study would never have something like this. That meant someone had given it to her…
Saint Eustacia? No, she definitely would not. The truth became clear—it was Dekalorin!
It seemed reasonable too.
At this moment Seraphina’s mind was in complete chaos. Thinking of that woman who always seemed afraid the world was not chaotic enough and acted all cynical every day, giving her such a book… it did seem plausible.
She felt as if her life had come to an end. She just wanted to bury herself in this bedding forever and never come out to see anyone again! Especially not Movira.
Movira gently pushed Seraphina’s tense back. Her voice was kept very calm.
“Seraphina, this book… who gave it to you?”
Seraphina did not answer immediately. She was engaged in an intense internal struggle. Her brain was a complete mess, and she could not organize her words.
Movira waited patiently for a while. But the other still did not respond. She reached out her hand and gently grasped Seraphina’s shoulder. She used a bit of magic to turn her whole body around. This forced them to face each other.
What met her eyes was Seraphina’s flushed red face. Her gaze was unfocused as if her soul had left her body. Her eyes seemed filled with the words “What should I do?” She looked completely overloaded.
Movira could not help but sigh. She reached out to tidy the strands of hair on the other’s forehead and repeated the question.
“Tell me, okay? Who gave this to you?”
She needed to confirm whether her inner guess was correct. That way she could also ensure the right person took responsibility!
Seraphina’s eyes finally regained some focus. Under Movira’s seemingly calm but impossible-to-refuse gaze, her lips trembled a few times. Her voice was very small.
“It… it was given by… Dekalorin.”
After confirming her suspicion, Movira continued to ask.
“Why did she give it? When did she give it?”
Faced with the successive questions, Seraphina’s eyes began to wander again. Her face turned even redder. The scene from that time slowly resurfaced in her mind.
In the face of this brief silence, Movira did not urge her. She simply looked at her quietly. Those eyes made Seraphina feel completely exposed. She finally gave in.
Even carrying a hint of “might as well” grievance, she confessed intermittently.
“She… she seemed to say, ‘Knowledge that’s beneficial for the body… When I’m alone… look at it yourself. And… and she said not to let you see it…’.”
“When did she give it?” Movira seized the last key point.
“It… it was when you went with Saint Eustacia to discuss that… agreement…”
Seraphina’s voice grew lower and lower. This time she had spilled everything. It made her feel relieved. But the worry that followed made her tense up again. She did not know what method Movira would use to “punish” her.
Movira understood in her heart. That was nearly a month ago. That meant Seraphina had been secretly reading this book for a whole month?
But since she had already read it, Movira thought there was no point in pressing further. Seeing Seraphina looking so scared, as if she wanted to shrink back again, she could not bear to ask anything else.
She extended her hand and pulled the other into her embrace once more. She gently stroked her back in a soothing manner.
“Alright, it’s fine. I won’t do anything to you.”
Seraphina still had not recovered. Her muffled voice came out.
“You… you’re not angry? I read… that kind of book.”
“What’s there to be angry about?” Movira kept her voice soft. It was as if she were afraid of scaring the girl in her arms again.
“I already told you. Physical needs or curiosity about those things are very normal. It’s not shameful, and there’s no need to avoid it. It’s actually me who was negligent. I should have been the one to teach you these things.”
Seraphina lifted her head. Her eyes were a bit red. She looked at her with a doubtful gaze.
“Re… really?”
“Mm, it’s true.” Movira gave affirming words and gently stroked the other’s cheek. “Although Dekalorin’s method wasn’t appropriate, understanding these things is indeed part of growing up. But her approach was too direct.”
Seraphina’s tense spirit finally slowly relaxed. However, the blush on her face still had not faded. She gently leaned into Movira’s embrace.