Condemning herself. As Sefina recalled those unbearable memories, a deep, brief agitation gave way to despairing numbness.
For a moment, Sefina’s body went stiff as a stone statue. Her wine-red eyes stared blankly at the ceiling, and deep in her pupils was a near-collapse of focus. One could tell that Sefina was already a little drunk.
Similar things had happened before with Mia, with Ellaria, and with Versie…
But in those accidental or forced situations, she could at least numb herself with “accident” and “force majeure,” shifting the blame to the magic crest or the circumstances.
Sefina could pretend it was merely a disaster in which her body was out of control, while her reason remained pure, forced to be stained with dust.
But this time…
‘AAAAAAH!!!’
Sefina’s inner world screamed silently, then seemed to completely collapse.
This time, it was her own self. Under the magic crest’s influence, she had voluntarily cast aside all reserve and resistance, toward her own student…
This was completely a signal of sexual invitation! It was she herself who had torn away the last fig leaf…
Regret, shame, and self-loathing wrapped around Sefina’s heart, making it almost impossible for her to breathe.
Sefina wished she could take a sharp knife on the spot and gouge out that patch of magic crest on her lower abdomen, along with the flesh beneath it! Make it disappear completely!
But the cold voice of remaining reason told her it was futile. The magic crest had long since become completely entangled with her; cutting flesh and scraping bone could not eradicate it, and would only bring greater pain and worse consequences.
Just as she was drowning in this overwhelming negativity, almost suffocating–
A hoarse and languid murmur came from beside her: “Mmm–Teacher…”
It was Kefi. She had just woken up too.
Sefina felt as if ice water had been poured over her head. Her whole body shuddered violently, then she turned her head one notch at a time.
Kefi was lying right beside her, her long brown hair spread messily over the pillow, sleepy-eyed, her pale blue eyes still covered with a layer of mist and slowly focusing.
Her cheeks still retained a trace of red, and her breath was within inches of Sefina’s own.
‘She’s still here?!’
‘That means… that out-of-control entanglement in the evening… continued until both of them were exhausted and fell asleep, and the two of them had only just woken up…’
‘AAAAAAH!!! Oh god!!!’
Facing this kind of thing directly, Sefina really wanted to die right now!!!
Sefina felt her cheeks were hot enough to fry an egg. She did not even dare look into Kefi’s eyes, only wanting to immediately bury herself deep in the blanket, or disappear completely from this world.
Kefi seemed to have fully woken up. She blinked and looked at Teacher Sefina, who was so close.
The teacher’s face was full of flush and shyness; clearly she did not quite dare face what had happened in the evening.
But a clear blush also swept across Kefi’s own face. After all, doing this kind of thing was also very shameful…
What was unexpected to Sefina was that Kefi did not panic and dodge away, nor did she show an awkward or embarrassed expression.
On the contrary, she shifted slightly, and then… stretched out both arms, gently embracing Sefina’s stiff body from behind, pressing her cheek against her thin back.
This embrace did not carry much lust; it was more a kind of attachment and a strange sense of satisfaction.
After being embraced, Sefina froze as if struck by electricity. Kefi’s body warmth came through the thin pajamas, and the feeling of skin against skin made countless details from last night strike her mind even more vividly.
But what shook her mind even more than the touch of skin was the meaning contained in this embrace.
Shame and guilt, like two great mountains, crashed down and crushed her last bit of composure.
She was no longer the Teacher Sefina who could remain calm and composed on the podium.
In front of Kefi, she had completely exposed her most unbearable and least self-controlled side.
Fragments of memory grew clearer. She even vaguely remembered that at a certain moment when her consciousness was completely ruled by instinct, it was she who had actively drawn close and begged Kefi to “help” her…
What happened after that, even in her heart, Sefina did not dare recall in detail. It was enough to make her suffer social death 10,000 times.
Her throat felt as if something were blocking it. After sobbing for a long time, Sefina finally forced out a few words haltingly:
“Hug… Kefi, I… I just lost control… and got you dragged into this unbearable thing.”
The words after that, Sefina was too ashamed to speak, and had no strength to say them. Every word was like a red-hot branding iron, burning her throat and heart.
Now she, with the flush on her cheeks not yet faded, eyes wet and misty, hair disheveled, clothes in disarray, curled up in her student’s embrace.
Sefina’s shame was about to explode, and what frightened her even more than shame was the future after this.
The magic crest had undoubtedly entered the second stage.
According to the descriptions in the ancient records and last night’s personal experience, once it broke out, she would be completely unable to suppress it with reason, and even unable to resolve it herself.
She would only instinctively crave the touch of others… What was she to do from now on?!
Every time the magic crest broke out, would she have to be like this time, losing reason and clinging to the nearest person, begging them to help her…
Just imagining that scene made Sefina feel her vision go black, and she wished she could end herself immediately.
Just then, Kefi, who was holding her from behind, heard her broken apology, and her arms tightened slightly.
“It’s all right, Teacher.”
Kefi’s voice was very soft, sounding calm, even carrying a trace of gentleness.
“There are… there are also my own reasons.”
Kefi had indeed mixed in a little selfishness.
Ever since she learned that her mother and younger sister had long ago died tragically in the Church’s conspiracy, Teacher Sefina had become the warmest light in her world, the only harbor she could rely on and trust with all her heart.
But beneath this dependence, deeper feelings had already quietly grown.
She was afraid of graduation, afraid of parting, afraid that in the future the teacher would have new students who would occupy the teacher’s time and attention, while she could only retreat to the position of a “former student.”
Kefi greedily wanted more, wanted a closer relationship that would not be easily diluted by time and distance.
For example… lovers.
Thinking of these two words, Kefi’s heartbeat also sped up slightly, and her cheeks grew warm, but deep in her heart, she had already imperceptibly accepted and yearned for this possibility.
Therefore, when Teacher Sefina was tormented by the magic crest until her reason collapsed, and in that helpless and longing posture “begged” her, the dependence and love in her heart, along with that little bit of selfishness, overcame her shyness and hesitation, prompting her to respond to the teacher…
At this moment, the two held each other, yet simultaneously fell into silence.
How should they face the completely changed reality after this night? Who would speak first next? And what should be said when they did?