The warm water flowed down like a gentle rain, slowly washing away all of Sefina’s exhaustion and grime.
Bathed in the comforting stream, she could almost feel every cell in her body joyfully leaping, her mind and body completely soothed.
At this moment, Sefina felt as if she had been revitalized, filled with new life and energy, like she had been reborn.
She dried herself off and picked up the clothes Ellaria had prepared for her in advance.
The nightgown was made of soft silk, a clean white, simple in design, but when Sefina put it on her petite frame, it still appeared a bit oversized.
The hem nearly covered her knees, the shoulder seams slipping slightly, exposing a small patch of fair shoulder.
Still, this was far better than wearing her filthy old clothes.
The undergarments were unopened and pure white; though not a perfect fit and leaving a bit of space, they were decent enough as a temporary replacement to maintain dignity and comfort.
***
Standing in the bathroom, Sefina gently dried her damp blue hair with a new towel Ellaria had thoughtfully prepared.
The air was thick with post-bath warmth and the faint scent of soap as she quietly pushed open the bathroom door and stepped into the fresh air outside.
Ellaria, who had been waiting outside, immediately came over, her emerald green eyes full of concern:
“Sefina-sensei, how are you feeling now? Is your body any better?”
Sefina nodded. Though her wine-red eyes still held a trace of fatigue, her expression had regained a bit of its former clarity.
“Mm, much better,” Sefina replied softly, her voice no longer as weak and frail as before.
The hot shower had indeed washed away much of her weariness. At the very least, she could now stand steadily and think clearly.
Compared to her state in the classroom earlier, when she’d nearly lost all strength, the difference was like night and day.
Seeing this, Ellaria smiled with relief, as if a burden had been lifted from her heart.
“That’s good. Sensei, please go rest—you can sleep in my room tonight.” She pointed toward the bedroom. “I’ll just sleep on the sofa.”
Sefina instinctively shook her head, “How could I? I’ll sleep on the sofa instead….”
After all, she was the teacher; how could she take a student’s bed? Out of courtesy, Sefina much preferred to sleep on the sofa herself.
“No, no!” Ellaria quickly waved her hands, her tone rather firm.
“Sensei, you’ve exhausted yourself today and your body is weak. You have to rest well. The bed is much more comfortable, so you should sleep there. It’s settled!”
Before Sefina could object again, Ellaria added, “Just leave your clothes aside for now. I’ll wash them together after I shower. With a bit of wind magic tonight, they should be dry by morning.”
Seeing Ellaria so thorough and insistent, Sefina felt a warm gratitude and decided not to refuse any further. The familiar awkwardness and embarrassment seemed to melt away a little.
“…Alright then. I’ll trouble you.”
“It’s no trouble at all!” Ellaria beamed, leading Sefina toward her bedroom.
As she opened the door, a faint, elegant scent unique to Ellaria greeted them.
The room was tidy and inviting, decorated in the same warm tones as the living room.
Ellaria carefully made the bed for Sefina and adjusted the bedside magic lamp.
“Sensei, please get some good rest. Good night.”
“Good night, Ellaria,” Sefina replied softly.
***
The door closed gently. Sefina walked to the bed, lifted the soft velvet quilt, and lay down.
Both the bedding and pillow carried Ellaria’s delicate fragrance—not overwhelming, but ever-present, wrapping gently around her.
Sefina turned on her side, subconsciously clutching the edge of the quilt and burying half her face in it.
She recalled tonight’s perils and embarrassment, Ellaria’s timely appearance, her unwavering concern and careful care…
A gentle warmth quietly flowed through Sefina’s heart.
Other than Teresa, it had been so long since anyone had cared for and worried about her like this.
This pure kindness from her student, after all the troubles she’d faced, brought Sefina a rare sense of comfort and ease.
Sefina closed her eyes, her body sinking deeply into the soft bed, her spirit relaxing completely.
Mm, so comfortable… Sleepiness washed over her once more, and she soon drifted into a light slumber.
Yet, Sefina had no idea what was transpiring in the bathroom just a door away—a scene utterly at odds with the “warmth” she felt.
Ellaria locked the bathroom door behind her, leaned against the cold door panel, but did not turn on the faucet immediately.
Her gaze, as if drawn by a magnet, fixed firmly on the laundry basket—
On Sefina-sensei’s just-discarded, “sweat-soaked” clothes.
This was… this was the very thing she had secretly longed for—clothes soaked with Sensei’s scent.
A powerful impulse surged up in her mind, her heart pounding wildly in her chest, blood rushing to her head, her cheeks burning.
Ellaria almost held her breath, stepping forward uncontrollably, reaching out to touch the soft fabric—
No, no!
Reason sounded a sharp alarm at the last moment!
Ellaria, what are you thinking?! How could you do such…
Such a perverted thing?! You’re the Princess of the Empire! Where is your decorum and dignity?!
Desire’s flame and reason’s icy water raged inside her, battling furiously.
But that surge of adolescent impulse, like a feather, kept teasing her heart.
Ellaria froze in place, her body trembling, locked in a war between reason and emotion.
On one side was the composure and propriety she strove to uphold as a noble princess. On the other, a deep-rooted desire stirring within her.
After a fierce and painful struggle, Ellaria’s hand still trembled as she reached out and picked up that slightly damp “fabric” from the laundry basket.
Then, she buried her face deep within it, greedily drinking in the scent.
The smell was complicated—not pleasant, even somewhat strange, but to Ellaria in that moment, it was electrifying.
She slid helplessly to the cold tile floor, her left hand quietly searching along her inner thigh—
About twenty minutes later.
When the urge finally ebbed like the tide, Ellaria’s reason returned at once, even with a cruel clarity.
She looked at her disheveled clothes, at the “evidence” tossed aside, and a tidal wave of self-loathing and guilt washed over her completely.
I…What have I just done?!
Absurd! Filthy! Shameless!
She couldn’t even bring herself to look at her own flushed face in the mirror.
Ellaria jumped up, went to the sink, and, facing the reflection that disgusted her so much, slapped herself hard across the face!
The sharp “smack” echoed through the silent bathroom.
The stinging pain on her cheek was nothing compared to the mountain of self-condemnation within.
“I really am… a hopeless pervert…”
Cursing herself inwardly with the harshest words, Ellaria scrubbed at the clothes—Sefina-sensei’s and her own—almost desperately, as if trying to wash away all “evidence”, turning the faucet and scrubbing so hard it nearly broke the skin on her hands.