Soon, the enticing aroma of food wafting from the kitchen grew richer and more appetizing.
Before long, everyone gathered around the table, ready to enjoy dinner together. A fairly lavish dinner was set out on the table.
Needless to say, with Versie’s guidance and assistance from the sidelines, tonight’s dinner had been elevated to a whole new level, and today’s meal looked truly special.
Versie skillfully steered the conversation, chatting about the customs and culture of the western continent, while the kitchen buzzed with lively activity.
Sefina, clutching her unfinished nun’s habit, retreated back to the sofa in the living room, and by the warm glow of the fireplace, continued her “battle” with needle and thread.
Versie approached with that flawless, friendly smile, settling down beside Sefina.
“What?”
Sefina didn’t look up, her tone flat, her hands moving steadily with the needle and thread.
Versie softened her voice, speaking in a slightly pitiful tone: “Teacher, I’ve come to find you again.”
She’d fallen for that same act of feigned weakness once, twice, but she wouldn’t be fooled a third time! There was no way she’d fall for it this time! The moment she let her guard down, that little demon’s tail would show, and she’d push her advantage with a sneak attack!
This girl always played pitiful first to win sympathy, and the moment she felt any compassion, she would immediately…
This time, she absolutely would not let her guard down or feel the slightest bit of unwarranted pity!
Seeing that her teacher was ignoring her, Versie didn’t get discouraged and instead turned her gaze to the garment in Sefina’s hands:
“What is teacher busy with?”
“Fixing clothes. The nun’s habit is too big.”
Sefina replied tersely.
“Oh~~”
Versie drew out the word, a glint of knowing amusement flickering in her ice-blue eyes.
“After all, teacher has such an adorable loli figure, petite and delicate, so a standard-size nun’s habit wouldn’t fit at all.”
The word “loli” struck like two fine needles, precisely piercing Sefina’s sensitive nerves. Her movements halted, and she jerked her head up, her wine-red eyes glaring at Versie as she demanded, word by word:
“Who are you calling a loli?!”
Versie covered her lips with a light laugh, her eyes sparkling with even more mischief: “Teacher looks so cute when she’s a little upset.”
She thought to herself that her teacher was indeed especially sensitive about her height and figure.
Versie simply ignored Sefina’s glare and casually changed the subject, her smile unchanged:
“Teacher, I’d like to stay here for the night. Is that okay? You wouldn’t have the heart to kick me out, would you?”
Sefina let out a cold snort, turned her head back to her needlework, and squeezed out two hard, stiff words from between her teeth:
“Suit yourself.”
In the end, Sefina didn’t say anything to send her away. Deep down, she felt that doing so might be a bit hurtful.
Fine, she admitted it, she was being a tiny bit soft-hearted, but only a tiny bit!
After all, Versie had been a lot of help, and besides… it was already dark outside.
“Yay!”
Versie let out a small cheer, her face breaking into an unguarded, joyful smile.
Time slipped by quietly as Sefina focused on her sewing and Versie occasionally murmured light conversation.
By the time Sefina finally snipped the last thread and held up the much better-fitted nun’s habit for a close inspection, the night outside the window had grown deep.
She let out a long yawn, weariness washing over her.
Time for bed.
The three little ones had already tidied up, said their goodnights, and returned to their respective rooms.
Feliel had also quietly gotten up earlier and gone back to the bedroom assigned to her.
At this moment, the only ones left in the living room were Flovi, still sitting upright by the fireplace, Sefina, organizing her sewing kit, and Versie, who remained as energetic as ever.
“Master, I’ll go rest now.”
Flovi let out a small yawn and reported flatly.
“Mm, go ahead.”
Sefina nodded. It was indeed getting late, and everyone should go to sleep.
Flovi stood up and left the living room with her usual steady gait.
Now, only Sefina and Versie remained.
Sefina packed up her things, stood, and looked at Versie, who was still sitting on the sofa with no sign of moving, her tone cold:
“Versie, why aren’t you going to sleep yet?”
Versie raised that beautiful face, her ice-blue eyes looking especially innocent in the glow of the dying embers in the fireplace:
“Teacher, this villa, I recall, only has six rooms in total, right?”
Sefina’s heart suddenly skipped a beat.
Versie continued in that matter-of-fact tone, speaking slowly:
“There are seven of us now, right? Teacher… you wouldn’t really let me sleep on the living room sofa, would you? On such a cold night…”
Sefina felt her forehead begin to ache again.
Seeing Sefina’s silence, Versie immediately switched to a pitiful expression, her voice soft and clingy:
“Teacher~~ The fireplace in the living room won’t be stoked at night, and it’ll really get cold… What if I catch a cold? What if the cold turns into a fever, and I need teacher to take care of me…”
Sefina looked at that pitiful face, caught in a fierce internal struggle.
It really would get cold in the living room in the latter half of the night during winter… and letting a guest sleep on the sofa did seem inappropriate…
But then, was she supposed to let this girl with “ulterior motives” share a room with her?
Heaven knows what she might do in the middle of the night!
The “lesson” from the Cafe Booth’s Private Compartment last time was still fresh in her memory!
Yet, under Versie’s soft, pleading gaze and seemingly reasonable request, Sefina’s mental defenses began to crumble bit by bit.
Finally, as if giving up the struggle, she let out a heavy sigh and glared at Versie with her wine-red eyes, a warning in them:
“Come on up, then. But behave yourself! If you dare get handsy, don’t blame me for punching you!”
Sefina’s threat sounded a bit blusterous.
Versie’s smile instantly bloomed like a flower, and she nodded rapidly, agreeing with utmost cheerfulness:
“Mm-hm! I’ll be a good girl, teacher can rest assured!!”
In Versie’s eyes, though, her teacher’s flustered, annoyed warning was practically the same as acting cute.
What would happen?
Heh, did she even need to guess~~
Versie followed Sefina upstairs with a light heart, stepping into the bedroom that belonged to Sefina. The door closed softly behind them, sealing off the silence of the hallway.
And on Versie’s face, a sly smile had already quietly appeared.