Chapter 167
Chapter 167
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Teasing Teacher Ashley
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"Camellia...?"
"Yes, Teacher. Long time no see?"
Ashley, who hadn't fully grasped the situation yet.
She was looking at me with slightly shaky eyes.
She must have known that academy break had started.
But was it surprising enough for this reaction?
"Uh, um, that...."
"What's wrong?"
"No...."
"...?"
Seeing Ashley's reaction, I couldn't help but let out a puzzled sound from my head.
This wasn't like Ashley at all.
Usually, conversations with Ashley were... pretty slow and drawn out.
She had that unique way of speaking, always sleepy, like she was perpetually exhausted, but today, for some reason, it was different.
Rather than sleepy, she seemed more awake... but aside from that, it wasn't her typical response.
"So... when did you get here...?"
"I arrived yesterday. I meant to greet you then, but somehow it's turned into now."
"...I see."
It had been a while since I'd seen Ashley, but some things about her hadn't changed.
A single semester wasn't quite long enough for massive changes anyway.
She still slept a ton, and her looks were still pretty.
Her appearance was always so at odds with her usual behavior.
Could someone who slept all day really have a figure like that?
Of course, I wasn't very active either, and still had a good figure despite that.
But even so, not on Ashley's level?
"Hmm...."
"...What's up?"
"Oh, just... seeing you after so long makes me happy?"
"Ah.... That.... I see...."
That was true.
Ashley's sky-blue hair, tangled from sleep even after all this time, was still pretty, and so was her figure.
Not quite my absolute favorite type, but definitely a body you could call pretty—attractive, even.
If anything, "sexy" might fit better than just "pretty"....
"Pfft...."
That's a bad line of thought.
"Have you been well, Teacher?"
I cut off the naughty thoughts at a reasonable point and continued the conversation while sitting on the bed.
Ashley was a bit less sleepy than before, so talking wasn't hard.
"No.... Not really...."
"Really?"
"...Yeah."
Not well, huh.
I had a pretty good idea why she'd say that.
Because unlike before, Ashley couldn't pull her salary-Lupin antics anymore?
It wasn't even just Lupin-level; she'd basically pirated her entire paycheck.
I had no resentment toward Rozalin assigning Ashley more work.
If anything, Rozalin had normalized Ashley's overly cushy lifestyle?
"Madam kept giving me work.... Giving me work.... Piling it on...."
"Oh my."
"......."
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
As she spoke, Ashley stared at me with her dazed eyes.
What was her deal?
It felt like she wanted to say something.
"No, nothing...."
"You clearly want to say something?"
"...No."
"Hmm...."
There was definitely something.
Hmm....
I could have let it slide, but seeing Ashley after so long, and her being more... off than expected.
Her reactions were kinda cute, I guess.
More normal than before, maybe.
So I didn't want to just drop it.
"Teacher."
I'd been half-reclining on the bed casually, but now I scooted a bit closer inward.
Ashley was still lying on her own bed, so naturally, the distance between us shrank.
Though not as close as when I'd woken her up before.
"...Why?"
"Are you trying to say something? You've been avoiding my eyes a little since earlier."
"That's.... not it."
"Really?"
"...Yeah."
"Hmm...."
Ashley was around the same age as Rozalin.
Both in their early twenties... freshly adults a few years back, but their vibes were worlds apart.
It showed now, too.
"You don't want to tell me?"
"It's not that...."
"Then what?"
"I said it's not...?"
The closer I got, the more she seemed embarrassed.
If I got this close to Rozalin, she'd actually like it.
Of course, our relationships differed—mother-daughter versus teacher-student—but the reactions were clearly different.
Her face was a bit flushed, and she couldn't meet my eyes....
"Pfft.... You're cute?"
"D-Don't say that...."
"Like that?"
She always had that sleepy, dazed expression.
But now, she was definitely different from usual.
Really different....
"Hehe.... Teacher."
It reminded me of how Lize or Grace reacted.
Seeing Ashley's cute responses sparked my playful side without me realizing.
I didn't usually get this mischievous with others....
Did it only happen with pretty girls?
Well, the people who triggered it were mostly pretty women anyway.
"Teacher...."
I brushed aside the hair slightly covering Ashley's pretty face.
I hadn't asked permission or anything... but as I reached out, she didn't refuse or show dislike?
"Eek...."
"You're sensitive?"
"W-What...?"
"Oh, 'keen senses' might be more accurate...? Same difference though...."
Just watching her reactions made me think that.
Sensitive.
Earlier, a light lick on the ear had her jolting awake like crazy.
Now, just lightly touching her face... and she was reacting so cutely?
It made me think she had sensitive senses.
I'd heard in class that skilled mages were often sensitive to mana.
Ashley was probably much the same.
"Even so, saying it like that...."
"But you are really sensitive. Like right now... if I just lightly touch your ear."
"Eek...."
"See? You react."
Seriously.
I just lightly brushed her ear with my finger.
Even that feather-light touch got a reaction, which was pretty amazing.
Her little twitches were honestly fun to watch.
"W-Wait.... Why keep touching my ear... Hn, ah, Camellia...."
"Yes, Teacher."
"Stop tickling my ear...."
...Something about this.
Hmm... it's kinda hot.
I was just lightly tickling and brushing her ear.
But to get reactions this fun?
"Was it that ticklish?"
"...Yeah."
I pulled my hand from her face and checked.
Her face and ears were way redder than before.
Not just from tickling—embarrassment played a part too.
"We've known each other a while now, but I never knew you had this quirk."
"......."
No response to my words.
Must be pretty embarrassing?
Yeah, getting toyed with by a much younger girl... I got it.
"Hehe.... Now I have a way to wake you when you're sleeping in?"
"Ah...."
"Should've done this sooner if I knew."
"That's...."
I knew Ashley was attractive.
But I had no idea she was this fun to tease.
Magic lessons never involved physical contact, let alone tickling.
"...You shouldn't do that to your teacher."
"Pfft.... Really?"
"...Yeah."
"I carried you to bed once when you were asleep, remember?"
"That was with magic."
"Then magic tickling's fine?"
"...Don't mess around."
A mix of sternness and embarrassment crossed her face.
Honestly, this reaction was even better.
Ashley, who only knew magic and sleep, apparently oblivious to how her responses fueled my interest.
"And... you don't do this to others, right...?"
"Why?"
I smiled in reply.
"...Never mind."
"If we're splitting hairs, this is the first time I've tickled you like this?"
"...Huh?"
"I haven't done it to anyone else. Really."
Well... I'd done other stuff plenty, but not tickling?
I'd hugged Lize tight like a pillow to sleep, stroked Karen's hair during a lap pillow, shown Grace some skin?
But no tickling, for sure?
"......."
"Why?"
"Still... be careful."
"Hehe, you think I'd do this to just anyone?"
"Sigh...."
"I don't even have many close people anyway?"
"That's not what I— sigh...."
Ashley looked super frustrated.
But seeing that just made me want to tease her more.
I'd teased her properly once, though.
So I spent time chatting with Ashley in her room after so long.
Stories from the academy, club time, professors' old-man lectures, first-years' magic class blunders.
We talked for ages.
After, I watched servants clean the garden, then handled dorm papers with Lize.
Sunset came past 6, and Rozalin arrived at my room after dark, work running late.
"Mmm.... Sorry to keep you waiting? Garden cleaning took longer than expected."
It was later than we'd planned.
But I didn't mind.
"No, I was busy with my own stuff too. These papers? All sorted today."
"Hehe, good then. Still sorry I'm late?"
"No, I just wanted some time with you, Mother?"
Time dragging a bit didn't matter much?
I just wanted alone time with Rozalin after so long—and nightfall suited me better.
"Shall we head out then?"
"Yeah, let's."
I followed Rozalin out of the room, out of the mansion.
A date after so long... too grand. Just a rare alone dinner out with Rozalin.
I couldn't help but smile.