"What do you mean?" I asked, curious. "Are you saying there's a world you need to take care of? You're… leaving?"
Miria watched me for a second longer, a smile on her lips. "Yes. And I don't want to go without finishing this part of your education."
I was a little shocked by the new information. I knew there would be times when Miria wouldn't be with me, but I didn't know it would be this soon. We had done so little together. Still, I couldn't complain. That would just make me a jerk—literally.
"When will you leave?" I asked, frowning slightly, shifting my weight on the chair to face Miria to my left. "How long will you be gone?"
Miria's smile deepened a little. "I could leave right now if I wanted to… and I won't be gone long, don't worry. I won't take too much time away from you."
Her reassurance softened my frown, but didn't erase it. I wanted her to stay a little longer, but I couldn't say that out loud. Miria had been doing what she's been doing for who knows how long—for me to ask her to delay it just for me felt wrong. But I still didn't understand why she was so insistent on teaching me this language before leaving.
"But still… why the rush?" I asked again—the same question that started all this. "I can keep learning at a healthier pace when you return."
Miria frowned slightly, moved her hand off my shoulder and rested it on her thigh. She shifted her weight from the chair's armrest to the other leg, leaning slightly, her elegant black robe swaying along her curves as she crossed her legs. Only after all that did she speak—firmly.
"That won't work and it won't help you. We'll do as I say."
My face tensed into a frown, but I quickly reined it in. If she wanted to play the high queen commanding without a proper explanation, I would play the sly thief, exploiting the weaknesses and using her control over me to my advantage. So, I placed my hand on her thigh, massaging it while also enjoying its softness. I looked her in the eyes with a playful smile.
"If that's the case, then I'll take my sweet time learning."
Miria stared at me for a long moment, her gaze shifting between my face and my hand on her thigh. She smiled, blushing, and moved her hand to gently hold my jaw. Her touch was soft and tempting. And for a moment, I thought I might get lucky… but only for a moment.
"In that case, I'll prepare a room just for you… so you can focus better. I'm afraid I'm a major distraction, and I'll do my best to stay away from you." With those words, Miria took my hand from her thigh and tossed it aside gently with a sweet smile. Her hand on my jaw moved to my shoulder as she prepared to stand up.
But before she could, I wrapped my arms around her waist, holding her in place. She looked at me, amused, before saying, "Oh~ do you have something to say?"
I did my best to suppress my complaints and looked at her smug smile. To say I wanted to wipe that smirk off her face would be wrong—I just wanted to kiss her, despite everything she was putting me through. But nothing in life is easy. One has to fight to get what they want. In my case, I have to study to earn what I want.
"I'll do my best, teacher."
Miria kept looking at me. She didn't make any effort to escape my hold on her. That was a good sign.
"I guess I can trust my student and my lover a little. So fine, I'll forgive your disrespect this time— just this time." She raised her head proudly, as if the decision really cost her something.
I let out a relieved breath and slowly loosened my grip around her. Somehow, I dodged a bullet there, and I reminded myself to stop trying to outsmart her with silly tricks. She's smarter and wiser—I need to remember that.
Miria put her hands back on my shoulders and shifted her focus once again from me to the book. But before she could say the words I knew she was about to repeat, the same ones from the past few days, I spoke first and asked a question she had avoided before. "Miria, can't you at least tell me why the rush to teach me this language?" I tried to sound as sincere as possible, hoping it might soften her heart a little.
Miria, as always, judged me with those beautiful red eyes before sighing and saying, "There are two reasons. One I won't tell you—you'll have to wait for my return to find out. The other…" she shifted slightly in her seat, a hint of embarrassment finding its way to her attractive face. "…is that it'll be all I'll think about if I don't finish it. I don't want to be burdened by that."
I looked at Miria a moment longer, waiting to hear her say it was a joke. But she didn't—which meant she was serious. Without even thinking about the first reason, because that one was obvious enough, the second revealed a new side of Miria I didn't think she had: Miria was a perfectionist.
Thinking about it was one thing. Seeing it was another. There were hints I'd noticed from time to time—the strict, repetitive routine we followed together, her hobbies, and in general, the relationship I shared with her. But I always overlooked it because of the wild persona she embodied in bed.
And how could I be blamed for that?…
Miria in bed is something you remember. And that's how I had built her image in my head—based on that one thing.
'I'm a horrible person,' I thought to myself. And I was right to judge myself. I could say the blame wasn't all mine, but I still felt the guilt eating at me.
"I'm sorry." And so, I apologized, my head facing the ground.
Miria looked down at me, clearly confused. But in the end, she sighed and lifted my chin with her hands so I'd face her. "I won't ask why you're apologizing; I feel like it's something stupid just from the look on your face." She said that and closed her eyes with mine. "Now, do you have any more questions? Our time is ridiculously short."
I turned her question over in my mind for a moment, searching for any questions—and I had many. But I wouldn't ask them just yet. For now, I had to focus and do my best to take in Miria's lessons. Maybe later she'd be pleased enough to satisfy my curiosity… or maybe me. Who knows?
"Let's get back to work for now," I said. "I feel weirdly excited."
Miria smiled softly at my words, her hands gently caressing my face. And in a surprising gesture, she pulled me toward her and kissed my forehead. Before I could say or do anything, her attention had already returned to the book that had been ignored for a while now, lying on the table.
"I'll hold you to your words, my dear Lian."