Teacher by day, Farmer by passion - Chapter 254

Chapter 254: Farm life [4]
Inside a quiet room, Lily sat gracefully, a gentle smile played on her lips yet somehow, the combination of a maid apron and a dainty teacup made the atmosphere feel more ominous than welcoming.

Across from her, four nervous girls from the Fairy Pavilion stood stiffly like soldiers awaiting judgment.

Their eyes darted around the room, avoiding Lily’s gaze as if it might burn.

“Well,” Lily said sweetly, crossing one leg over the other, “what brings you four beauties here today?”

The way she emphasized “beauties” made it sound less like a compliment and more like a warning.

The girls didn’t feel praised, in fact, they felt an overwhelming urge to run.

One of the younger ones already had tears welling in her eyes.

After a moment of silence, the eldest of the group finally found the courage to speak, though her voice trembled like a leaf in the wind.

“Is… is this how your sect treats visitors? Our Fairy Pavilion was the one who gifted you a serene mountain to settle on…”

But the longer she spoke, the quieter her voice became.

Lily’s calm smile hadn’t changed, but her eyes were locked onto the girl with an intensity that felt more like a predator sizing up prey.

“C-could we just… talk to your sect master, please?” the girl finally squeaked, her confidence fleeing entirely.

Lily leaned forward, setting her teacup down with precision.

“Oh, I know what you’re thinking,” she said with a grin far too wide to be friendly. “You think you can just flutter your lashes, bat your eyes, and seduce our sect master to get what you want.”

Her smile sharpened.

“But that’s not happening. Not on my watch, I won’t allow dirty tricks.”

The four girls exchanged a single, desperate thought in unison:

To hell with seducing! We’re terrified of you, you crazy old witch! I don’t know how strong you are but our pavilion sacred beast told us to avoid you… Please just go bully someone your own size!

Then—BANG!—the door slammed open so hard it shook the scrolls on the wall.

Ace stormed in, slightly winded, his usually composed expression showing a hint of panic.

His hair was a bit tousled from the run, and his sleeves were still dusted with corn husk.

Right behind him was Shane, red-faced and panting like he had sprinted through ten mountains and back.

“Master, we made it, they’re still alive!” Shane wheezed, gripping the doorframe for support.

Ace scanned the room. His eyes flicked from the trembling girls, one already in tears, to Lily…

Right on cue, the younger girl who had been holding back her tears let out a sob of relief and cried, “We’re saved!”

She wasn’t wrong. But judging by the slight twitch in Lily’s smile, she wasn’t entirely right either.

Lily gently set her teacup down with a soft clink, her eyes never leaving Shane.

“Oh dear Shane,” she said sweetly, “I wonder how Master managed to arrive so quickly…”

The sugar in her voice didn’t fool anyone, especially not Shane, who froze like a spirit rabbit caught in a soul lantern.

He knew exactly what that tone meant.

“M-Master! Grand Elder Lily! I—I have to cook for the disciples! I’ll take my leave.” he blurted out, bowing three times in record speed before scurrying out like his life depended on it.

Ace sighed and gave Lily a look.

She returned it with a radiant smile, as if nothing at all had happened.

Scratching his head, Ace walked over and took the empty seat beside her.

“Master,” Lily said in a pleading tone, her hands folded neatly in her lap, “why did you come? I was handling this very well.”

Ace reached over and gave her a gentle pat on the head.

“Yes, yes. You’re doing amazing, but you’re scaring the kids.” He tilted his head toward the girls across the table. “Look at them.”

Lily turned slowly to face them.

All four girls, who hadn’t expected Ace to say it so bluntly, immediately stiffened, and then let out nearly synchronized squeaks of panic.

One even clutched her chest like her spirit had almost left her body.

“What brings you four here today?” Ace asked, his tone calm but curious.

The four girls exchanged nervous glances, clearly pushing one unfortunate soul forward as their sacrificial speaker.

The same girl from earlier swallowed hard and stepped up, voice trembling. “S-Sect Master Ace, my name is Rose, and these are my junior sisters. Our pavilion master sent us to… to inquire about the ‘item.'”

Before Ace could respond, Lily curled her arms around him and rested her head gently on his shoulder, smiling sweetly.

“”Don’t worry, Master,” she whispered into his ear, her voice smooth as moonlight over a grave, “I won’t let them try to seduce you.”

Ace, unfazed as ever, simply sighed and pulled out the lacquered black box, placing it on the table with a quiet thud that made all four girls jump.

“Tell your pavilion master that the item has been acquired,” Ace said, eyes briefly flicking toward them.

“But she needs to come in person to retrieve it. It’s far too dangerous to be left in your hands. You’ll die.”

Gulp.

Four synchronized gulps echoed through the room like frightened frogs in a thunderstorm.

“Ah—ah… o-okay…” Rose managed, her face pale as if she’d just walked through a ghost ward.

“Th-then w-we’ll be going now?” she added, inching backward, never taking her eyes off Lily as if the woman might sprout fangs and wings at any moment.

“Yes, yes,” Ace said with a wave of his hand.

The girls didn’t need to be told twice.

They scrambled out of the room so fast, it was almost like someone had tossed a demon-summoning talisman behind them.

As the door closed behind the fleeing girls, Lily huffed.

“Really now… I was being gentle.”

Ace looked at the teacup, then at the door hanging slightly off its hinges.

“…Next time, maybe just serve cookies?”