Morning had arrived.
Harp quietly got up from her seat and gazed out the window.
The snow-covered landscape remained as cold as ever, but the sky was much clearer than the day before.
She lightly brushed back her long hair and stepped forward, opening the door with a gentle movement.
Without hesitation, she made her way straight to the teacher’s room.
Last night, she, Liel, and Sua had come to a quiet agreement.
Afterward, they had all returned to their respective rooms, but Harp couldn’t help but be curious about Eve’s condition, lingering in her thoughts until the very end.
Upon reaching the door, Harp raised her hand and knocked lightly.
Knock. Knock.
She waited for a response.
Soon, a somewhat urgent voice came from beyond the door.
“…H-Harp? What’s the matter?”
It was unmistakably Eve’s voice.
But something about it was different from usual.
It carried a slight tremor, a softness tinged with something damp—something fragile.
Harp smiled faintly and waited.
A moment later, the door slowly creaked open.
And the instant it did.
A scent.
A sweet fragrance, entirely different from usual, rushed out in waves.
Eve’s usual soft, powdery scent, reminiscent of a baby’s gentle fragrance—now blended with an oddly rich and lingering sweetness that tickled Harp’s nose.
Harp narrowed her eyes slightly.
This was a scent she had never encountered before.
And the moment she inhaled it, a tingling sensation ran through her stomach.
A strange, indescribable feeling surged through her.
Unconsciously, she bit her lip ever so slightly.
And then, standing right before her.
Was Eve.
Her cheeks were flushed red, and for some reason, she looked exhausted.
A lingering drowsiness clung to the corners of her eyes.
Her hair was tousled and unkempt.
Her clothes were even more disheveled than usual.
No matter how you looked at her,
Yeah.
Harp slowly closed her eyes and then opened them again.
She took a short breath.
And she decided—she wouldn’t say anything.
Suppressing the smile that threatened to curl at her lips, Harp spoke quietly.
“Good morning, Teacher.”
Her voice was endlessly soft and calm.
Steam rose warmly from the breakfast table.
Outside the window, the snow still lay in thick layers, and the cold air was faintly present.
But inside the inn, the fireplace filled the space with a comforting warmth.
Harp slowly lifted her spoon, quietly observing the surroundings.
Amel, Alex, and Ellie were eating their meals as usual—nothing out of the ordinary.
But the children were different.
Liel, Sua, and even Harp herself.
All three of them were sneaking glances at Eve.
It couldn’t be helped.
Because right now, Eve was nodding off.
Her head bobbed slowly up and down.
Her eyes, half-lidded, kept drooping further.
Harp let out a small smile.
Eve probably hadn’t gotten proper sleep last night.
Because.
The way her fingers had turned the pages.
The deepening focus in her expression.
Piecing together all the signs, it was clear.
Even after the children had quietly slipped away, Eve had likely stayed up and read that book to the very end.
Harp lowered her gaze and, without realizing it, let out a quiet chuckle.
Eve was far more innocent than she had expected.
At that moment, Eve’s head slowly tilted forward—heading straight for the bread.
A soft, fluffy piece of bread was about to cushion her face.
In an instant.
Liel, Harp, and Sua.
All three of them moved at the same time.
“Ah—”
“Teacher!”
Swish.
Harp naturally reached out and placed a hand over Eve’s head.
Liel and Sua also moved almost simultaneously, supporting Eve’s forehead from the opposite side.
That was close.
She had nearly ended up with a clear bread mark on her forehead.
Harp let out a faint sigh.
Just then, Eve jolted awake with a startled flinch.
“H-Huh?! What’s going on?”
Her small head lifted as she blinked drowsily, glancing around with half-lidded, sleep-filled eyes.
“Was I… just sleeping?”
Harp observed her, noticing the faint flush on Eve’s cheeks.
Without saying anything, she simply gave a small smile.
“Mm, probably.”
At that moment, Alex, who had been chewing on his bread, chuckled.
“Haha, Eve. Are you nervous because it’s your first time on the northern front?”
Still groggy with sleep, Eve turned to look at Alex.
“N-Nervous? That’s not… really…”
She trailed off, leaning slightly as she rubbed her eyes.
Beside her, Ellie spoke gently.
“Hmm, you didn’t sleep well, huh? That happens. It’s a new place, after all.”
Harp tilted her head slightly.
Then, as she watched Eve’s still-drowsy expression, she quietly poured a cup of tea.
“Teacher, have some tea. It’ll help wake you up.”
Eve accepted the cup Harp handed her, still murmuring in a sleepy voice.
“Thanks…”
Harp smiled and returned to her seat.
And she said nothing more.
She simply watched Eve in silence.
Watching her slowly regain her senses as she sipped the fragrant tea in the warmth of the morning.
It was quite an endearing sight.
Eve still looked completely exhausted.
Even as she drank the hot tea, her head swayed slightly, and her eyelids refused to stay fully open.
And yet, despite her clear fatigue, she stubbornly remained at the table, unwilling to give up eating breakfast with the children.
‘This won’t do at all.’
Harp let out a quiet sigh.
Then, rising from her seat, she naturally made her way over to Eve.
“Teacher, let’s get you up.”
With a gentle voice, Harp lightly wrapped her hands around Eve’s shoulders, trying to help her sit up properly.
At that moment, Sua crossed her arms and stepped forward.
“I’ll help too!”
Hearing that, Liel, who was sitting across from them, also raised her hand.
“Me too.”
And just like that, the three of them began supporting Eve at the same time.
Sua held onto one of Eve’s arms, while Liel leaned against her from the other side.
Harp maintained balance, gently supporting Eve as they helped her up.
Since Eve was still half-asleep, she didn’t resist at all, simply allowing herself to be guided by the children’s hands.
That was when Amel narrowed her eyes and asked.
“Where exactly are you all taking her?”
Harp responded naturally,
“To the sofa by the fireplace.”
At that, Amel gave them an incredulous look.
“There’s still some time before we leave, but she can’t sleep for too long, you know.”
“It’s fine,” Harp replied with a small smile.
Still looking drowsy, Eve was slowly led to the sofa near the fireplace.
Her half-closed eyes fluttered as she swayed slightly, but once they carefully laid her down onto the large, cushioned seat, she stopped resisting.
And not long after.
Soft, steady breaths.
A quiet breathing sound filled the room.
“She really fell asleep right away,” Sua whispered, crossing her arms.
Liel gazed at Eve’s face in silence, biting her lip slightly.
“She must’ve been really exhausted.”
Harp stared at Eve’s peaceful expression.
Her soft hair had spilled gently to the side, and the flush that had previously colored her cheeks had faded into a serene calmness.
‘She’s sleeping well.’
But.
Something felt strange.
For some reason.
Harp, Liel, and Sua all found their faces heating up.
A subtle warmth spread through their bodies.
Their hearts pounded faster, and their breaths grew slightly heavier than usual.
It felt exactly the same as when they had read that book.
Harp couldn’t understand why.
Was it simply because Eve’s soft, steady breathing sounded so close?
Or was it the gentle scent that lingered around her?
Maybe.
It was the memory of having just leaned against her warmth.
With every breath they took, it felt as if Eve’s quiet warmth was wrapping around them.
Harp slowly closed her eyes, then opened them again.
Liel, Sua, and even herself.
All of them—were in a strange state.
None of them could quite put that feeling into words.
But all they could do was listen to Eve’s peaceful breathing and gaze at her in silence.
After a moment, the children slowly settled down beside her.
As if they were treasuring something precious, their expressions softened.
Soft, steady breaths.
The only sound that filled the quiet space was Eve’s gentle breathing.
Harp folded her arms in front of her chest and quietly narrowed her eyes, watching Eve’s face.
A face so endlessly soft.
As she slept, she looked more serene than ever before.
It was as if she was dreaming peacefully, free from any worries.
Sua, Liel.
And Harp, too.
They silently gazed at Eve.
She was merely breathing, yet their hearts quietly pounded.
It felt as if her warmth still lingered at their fingertips.
That gentle touch, that faint scent from just moments ago, continued to swirl softly in their minds.
A dull ache spread in the pit of Harp’s stomach.
What is this feeling?
Harp slowly inhaled.
But she couldn’t put this strange sensation into words.
Neither could Sua or Liel.
So they simply remained there, in silence.
By the fireplace, the three girls sat quietly, listening to the soft rhythm of Eve’s breathing.
Without saying a word, they stayed by her side.
“…Ah, youth.”
The only sound that broke the quiet was Alex’s muttered remark, having just finished his meal.
His voice echoed through the inn.