Chapter 31: Teacher, you’re really so soft and fluffy.

“Ugh… Ahh…”

My body swayed uncontrollably.

My head grew heavier, and my legs wobbled, refusing to obey me.

No matter how much I tried to steady myself, my body seemed to melt, like I’d collapse at any moment.

“Teacher, you must be really tired. You’re stumbling so much,” Harp said, concern clear in her voice.

“Y-yeah…”

My body felt completely out of sorts.

Why was this happening? Had all the exhaustion I’d been suppressing finally caught up with me at once?

“Mm. Looks like it…”

Unable to stand on my own anymore, I leaned against Harp for support.

Sweat had started to bead on my forehead, and I clumsily wiped my damp cheeks as I glanced up at Harp, mumbling my thanks.

“Thanks, Harp…”

If she hadn’t been there, I probably would’ve crumpled straight to the floor and fallen asleep right there.

And everyone knows sleeping on the floor is a one-way ticket to a stiff neck and regret.

At my words, Harp bowed her head slightly, her expression strangely unreadable.

Her hands remained firmly on my arm, holding me steady.

“Um, Teacher.”

Harp hesitated for a moment before, as if deciding something, gently grasping my hand.

“Your hand… it’s warm.”

“Well, yeah. I’m a kid,” I replied absentmindedly.

“A kid…”

Even in my dazed state, a random thought floated into my mind.

Was it because Harp was holding onto my hand that I felt so warm?

No, this was too much.

I was overheating, like I needed to dive into cold water just to cool down.

“Harp, I’m so hot… I want to wash up. No, I need to wash up.”

“H-huh?!” Harp stammered, clearly caught off guard.

Harp’s face flushed bright red, as if she’d transformed into a tomato.

She stammered in panic.

“Y-you want to bathe… now?”

“Yeah, I feel so hot and stuffy. Oh, Harp, do you want to come with me? I don’t think I can manage alone…”

“Ah, uh… um… t-that… but, oh no… I might faint… uh…”

Harp lowered her head, mumbling incoherently.

Watching her like this was frustrating.

I was hot, tired, and just wanted to get clean as soon as possible.

“Harp, are you okay? Why’s your face so red?”

“N-no! I’m fine! Perfectly fine! It’s just… when you said you wanted to bathe with me, I was… um… just a little surprised!”

“Hmm… okay, then. Let’s go.”

“R-right now?!”

“When else would we go? I can’t stand it anymore; let’s go already.”

I grabbed Harp’s hand and started pulling her toward the bath.

As she was being dragged along, Harp fidgeted, her hand squirming in mine.

She looked like she wanted to say something, and after a moment of hesitation, she tightly shut her eyes and blurted it out.

“Teacher… uh, do we have to go right this second?”

“Yes. If we don’t, the sweat will just make things worse.”

“You get so… proactive when you’re like this… A-anyway, let me… let me check things first!”

“Eh?”

“I-I mean, just in case! I need to make sure everything’s ready! You know, mentally prepared, I mean… um, yeah!”

Harp suddenly stepped in front of me, blocking my path, and bolted toward the bathroom, waving her hands furiously.

“Teacher, please wait here for just a moment! I’ll be right back!”

“Okay, hurry back.”

I didn’t expect Harp to run off so urgently.

Her face was bright red, and her breathing was uneven… she must’ve been really hot, pretending otherwise all along.

But still, what exactly did she need to check?

Maybe Harp went to fill the bath with warm water or something.

Huaaah…

I let out a series of yawns while waiting, and soon, Harp peeked her head out from behind the door.

“Um… Teacher?”

“What is it?”

“There’s a… small problem with the bathroom…”

“A small problem?”

Curious, I pushed the door open and was immediately met with a shocking sight.

“…What the heck is this?”

The bathroom was a complete wreck.

The bathtub was shattered into pieces, the walls were cracked with deep fissures, and the floor was strewn with splintered wood and chunks of brick.

In the middle of the destruction stood a massive axe blade, its sharp edge embedded in the remains of the bathtub as if to greet us cheerfully.

“Harp, don’t tell me…”

“Yes… This is from… um, last time. I was chopping wood with the axe and… well, this happened.”

“…And the so-called Alex who promised to fix this mess?”

“Just… left. Didn’t come back.”

“Ah.”

That bald idiot.

Promised to fix it and just ran off? Seriously?

“…We’ll get back at him for this later.”

“Absolutely, Teacher.”

Stupid Alex.

What a useless idiot.

Because of that bald guy, look at this mess.

Now I can’t even shake off this uncomfortable feeling.

“Ugh, I guess I can’t bathe tonight. Nothing we can do about it…”

“I’m so sorry, Teacher… I should’ve been more careful…”

“Harp, it’s not your fault. Don’t beat yourself up. The real culprit here is that bald idiot who promised to fix it and just disappeared.”

“…”

“Let’s just go to bed for now.”

Harp nodded quietly and followed behind me.

I wanted to comfort her since she looked so downcast, but I wasn’t in the right state of mind to manage much.

Instead, I simply held her hand tightly.

“…Ah.”

Her face flushed red again.

She must’ve really been overheated this whole time.

What a despicable bald guy.

Leaving Harp feeling like this was unforgivable.

Tomorrow, when I see him, I’ll make sure to stamp his forehead with the fool seal.

Twice! With a loud bonk!

“Bed!”

“Yes, bed!”

The moment we returned to the room, I flopped onto the bed with a swoosh.

It had been so long since I lay on a proper bed, and my tired body felt like it was melting into the blankets.

“Ah, dear bed, let’s stay together forever… Huaaah…”

“Um, Teacher, can I… lie down with you?”

“Hmm? Of course. You worked hard today too, Harp.”

“…Yes!”

At my response, Harp’s face lit up with a bright smile as she climbed onto the bed next to me.

Then, Harp flipped the blanket open and nestled close beside me.

“Uh…”

“What’s wrong, Teacher?”

“Nothing.”

The proximity was… well, a little too close, and it made things warmer than I’d like.

But it wasn’t unbearable, so I let it slide.

“Teacher, rest well tonight. Don’t worry about anything.”

“Mhm. Harp, you did a great job today.”

“You too, Teacher…”

I was so exhausted that as soon as I closed my eyes, I sank into a deep, dreamless sleep.

I wasn’t sure how much time had passed when I woke up.

The room was quiet in the early dawn, with only the occasional tap-tap of cold night winds against the window breaking the silence.

But then, I felt something wriggle under my blanket.

Half-asleep, I opened my eyes.

“Harp?”

Pulling the blanket slightly aside, I saw Harp’s red eyes glowing softly in the dark.

“Teacher… are you okay?”

“Huh? Okay about what?”

I rubbed my sleepy eyes and looked at her.

Harp had her face buried against my chest, letting out a faint sigh.

“Just… it’s warm being near you, Teacher. Tonight is colder than I thought…”

Her body was trembling slightly as she spoke.

“Mmm, you’re right. It really is cold tonight.”

The strong night wind seemed relentless, making the already chilly room feel even colder than usual.

There was nothing to combat the cold here but our bodies and a blanket.

This was a medieval world, after all.

Even indoors, we were no match for the biting chill of a night like this.

It was no surprise Harp sought out warmth, trembling and burrowing closer to me.

In this room, I was probably the warmest thing around.

“Is it okay?”

“Of course it’s okay.”

I adjusted my position slightly so Harp could settle in more comfortably.

“If you’re cold, come closer. It’s warm under the blanket.”

After a moment of hesitation, Harp snuggled fully into my arms.

Her small body radiated a faint warmth that mingled with mine.

“It’s so warm… Teacher, you’re always so warm. I really like that about you.”

I couldn’t help but smile as I gently stroked Harp’s head.

“You’re warm too. That’s because you’re a little one.”

“Hehe, right. Because I’m a little one.”

Harp let out a soft chuckle and gave me a gentle smile before closing her eyes.

Her breathing gradually steadied, becoming slower and more even as she relaxed.

“Teacher…”

“Yeah?”

“…I’m glad.”

“Glad about what?”

“That you’re here with me. That the first person I met in this village was you… I’m really, really glad it was you, Teacher.”

I was silent for a moment before speaking softly.

“I feel the same way, Harp. I’m so glad you’re here with me too.”

Harp nodded, satisfied, and nestled deeper into my embrace.

I gently patted her small back and whispered softly.

“Harp, holding each other like this… it feels like I’m warming up too.”

“Hehe, that’s because Teacher is so soft and fluffy.”

“…Fluffy?”

“Hehe.”

Fluffy, huh? That was such a Harp-like, adorable way of putting it.

“Let’s get some sleep. Starting tomorrow, we’ve got a long journey ahead to the capital. It’s going to be tiring.”

“Okay.”

“Good night, Harp.”

“Good night to you too, Teacher.”

And so, feeling each other’s warmth, we drifted off to sleep again.

The quiet and warmth of the room wrapped around us, soothing our bodies and minds.

It was a soft, cozy, and oh-so-fluffy night.