Chapter 237: I Was the One Who Went First
'That shouldn't be possible, right?'
Kurtz thought about it carefully. Although Flamme's behavior today was indeed a bit strange, it was still within acceptable limits, and he had not done anything out of line.
The only affectionate thing they did was when she wiped the jam off his mouth; nothing else.
Moreover, she had been adopted and taught magic by him and Serie since childhood, and had never had much contact with other men, so naturally she did not know the proper boundaries when interacting with others.
The more Kurtz thought about it, the more he felt that this was the case. Of course, it was also possible that he subconsciously didn't want to interpret Flamme's many actions in that way.
Because if that were really the case, it would be a huge headache for him.
Serie cut off a small piece of steak, put it in her mouth, and chewed it slowly.
Her gaze occasionally swept over Kurtz across from her, but most of the time she focused on the food in front of her, as if the slightly oppressive scene from just moments ago had never happened.
She had wanted to sit next to that man, but unfortunately, Flamme beat her to it.
The elf's slowness made her merely feel a little annoyed by Flamme's preemptive strike, without giving it much thought.
Moreover, her thoughts had already drifted elsewhere.
The steak was delicious; Flamme had specially placed it for Kurtz, who then naturally passed it on to her.
Although she didn't know who chose this restaurant, she had to admit that they had excellent taste.
'But that's not important.'
Kurtz's almost instinctive behavior and kindness made her involuntarily recall the kiss that happened last night under the moonlight, an accident caused by her drunkenness.
Memories flooded her tongue like a tide, spreading along with the taste of the steak, accompanied by a fluttering sensation that made her heart beat slightly faster.
The touch of his lips, his unique scent, and the eyes that had reflected her image back then.
"Ahem".
Serie coughed softly, trying to dispel the images that had suddenly become incredibly clear in her mind. A faint blush rose at the base of her ears.
She subconsciously picked up the water glass next to her and took a sip, trying to suppress the inexplicable feeling rising within her. For some reason, her body felt warm too.
The temperature wasn't even that high at the moment.
Kurtz, who was sitting opposite her, noticed this subtle change.
He noticed that Serie seemed a little different than usual, and as if he had thought of something, he chuckled softly, his voice carrying a tacit understanding only the two of them could comprehend: "What? Not to your liking? Or are you thinking about something else? Like..."
His words were pointed, clearly alluding to what happened last night.
Last night, after the elf realized what had happened, she made up an excuse and returned to her room, thus putting an end to any further discussion.
Now seemed like a good time to bring up the matter again.
Serie paused, raised her eyes, and glared at him.
However, compared to her usual aloofness, her eyes now inexplicably held a hint of shyness, making them not only lack any intimidating power but also appear somewhat adorable.
Kurtz found himself really liking this side of Serie.
"No! Eat your food." She replied in a low voice, her tone stiff, and pushed a plate of untouched dessert toward him.
Flamme's fingers tightened suddenly around her spoon.
She saw it!
She clearly saw Lady Serie's momentary awkwardness and Kurtz's indulgent smile.
That was a realm she had never entered before and could never reach!
'Why... why is this happening?'
'I was the one who invited Teacher out shopping first. I was the one who sat next to the Teacher. I was the one who served him food...'
'But why did everything change as soon as Lady Serie appeared?'
'Teacher's gaze was no longer focused on me; even the food I had picked up ended up in Lady Serie's bowl.'
A sharp pain suddenly shot through her heart, making it almost impossible for her to breathe.
She felt like an unwanted outsider, sitting there awkwardly, watching their intimate behavior.
Just then, Kurtz picked up the berries that were garnishing the dessert Serie had pushed toward him, but instead of eating them himself, he held them to Serie's lips.
"Try this. It looks quite sweet." His movements were very natural, as if he had done it countless times.
Over the course of a thousand years, he had fed this sweet fruit to the elf countless times; this action was merely subconscious.
Serie was clearly taken aback.
She looked at the fruit so close to her, then glanced up at Kurtz, who was smiling.
Normally, she would probably slap his hand away in disgust, but then, unable to resist the man's insistence, she would be forced to accept being fed.
But at this moment, perhaps the memories of last night were still haunting her.
She hesitated for only a moment, then leaned forward slightly, opened her mouth, and gently bit the bright red fruit.
During this, her lips inevitably brushed against his fingertips.
This scene was witnessed by Flamme, who was sitting beside him.
For a moment, all three seemed to pause.
Serie quickly sat back down, chewed a few times, swallowed rapidly, and commented dismissively: "Not bad." However, the tips of her ears had somehow turned as red as the fruit.
Kurtz withdrew his hand, and the soft touch seemed to linger on his fingertips.
Flamme, who was sitting to the side, could no longer hold back.
She suddenly stood up, the chair legs scraping the floor with a screech, attracting surprised looks from several guests at the surrounding tables.
"I... I forgot that Frieren hasn't eaten yet! I'll go feed Frieren first!"
Flamme's voice trembled uncontrollably. She didn't even dare to look at Kurtz and Serie's expressions. With her head down, she spoke quickly: "You two eat slowly. I'm going back now!"
After saying that, she turned around, almost as if fleeing, and rushed out of the restaurant.
She was afraid that if she stayed even a second longer, the tears that were about to spill from her eyes would burst forth.
'Why... do I feel so bad?'
'It's only natural that Teacher Kurtz and Lady Serie have a good relationship, isn't it?
'But why does my heart ache so much?'
Watching Flamme's hasty retreat, Serie frowned slightly, seemingly puzzled by her strong reaction.
Kurtz set down his fork, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the table.
Judging from Flamme's reaction just now, things seemed to be developing in the direction he least wanted to see.
After all, he wasn't a slow-witted elf. Although he had spent a long time with a certain elf who was indifferent to feelings and had become accustomed to that indifference, it didn't mean that he had become like that himself.
'But when did it start?'
Kurtz was completely baffled.
[End of Chapter]
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