Seeing her student’s shocked expression, eyes vacant, drool dripping from the gap between the gag and her lips, Fiona was hardly surprised.
After all, she had felt the same shock when she first saw her.
She never imagined that teacher and student would meet again someday.
Apart from Linka, the only one in the Holmud Empire who occasionally came to mind was that eccentric sister.
But that woman was too stubborn.
She had parted ways with Fiona early on and they never met again.
Back when Fiona first arrived in this world, struggling in the Beginner Village (starting village), that so-called sister wasn’t even as kind to her as the old woman selling baked cakes at the east end of the village.
She rarely showed up, and as an elder sister, she never gave Fiona any help.
Later, the next thing Fiona heard was that her sister had a bounty on her head—and a high one at that.
She must have committed some serious crime.
And then nothing more.
Why did Fiona think of this sister, who was practically a stranger?
Probably because of the mystery she left behind.
Even now, Fiona was still curious: what kind of person was her sister?
Why was she wanted?
And why did she completely disappear?
But compared to her, Fiona cared more about her student Linka.
The days she spent teaching Linka magic were among the few in the Holmud Empire that truly brought her joy.
Since they had recognized each other, there was no need for pointless preamble.
So Fiona gave her a meaningful look, then immediately reached out and tore off the chains binding Linka’s hands and feet.
To be fair, the way the chains were tied was quite thoughtful—they held Linka securely while keeping her as comfortable as possible, without being too tight.
With the chains gone, Linka could remove the disgusting gag herself.
At that moment, Linka’s emotions finally burst forth. She grabbed Fiona’s hands.
“Teacher!”
“Is it really you?!”
“I thought…”
“I thought I’d never see you again!”
Warm skin…
Familiar magical aura…
She wasn’t mistaken!
The person standing before her was her teacher!
Fiona’s substitute disguise had been quite successful, so in Linka’s perception, her mentor was still the same mentor, with not a trace of demonic corruption.
But faced with her student’s heartfelt outpouring, Fiona’s heart felt heavy.
Because what she was about to do was weave a false truth with lies.
Although Linka had lost her value after being demonized, Fiona had to hide everything to ensure the plan went smoothly.
Even her own daughter, Cassia, was no exception—Linka would get the same treatment.
So all Fiona could do now was calm her student’s emotions as much as possible, helping her gradually accept the reality of demonization.
With a gentle pull of her right hand, Fiona began to tidy her student’s messy hair.
“Don’t be nervous, Linka.”
“I am your teacher, and you’re safe now. Everything will be fine.”
The teacher’s words worked.
After Fiona’s delicate reassurance, Linka’s gloomy mood lifted almost immediately.
The presence of her teacher gave her a backbone, snapping her out of her lifeless state.
She believed that with her teacher here, everything really would be fine!
But when she tried to speak, she forgot what she wanted to say.
Maybe she was too excited.
So she just nodded firmly.
Seeing that her beloved student’s emotions were stabilizing, Fiona sat back down in the chair opposite Linka and began the storytelling session.
Before starting, she handed Linka a steaming cup of matcha-colored hot drink.
“Drink a little first.”
“This is a herbal beverage I prepared. It can lift your spirits and help you forget some worries.”
Although Fiona was a shield defender, due to daily needs, she had delved into healing magic and had a solid understanding of pharmacology.
Back when she was incubating an egg for the first time, she had been so nervous that she accidentally developed a condition similar to postpartum depression.
With Elise’s care and attention, the symptoms had eased considerably.
But to recover quickly and avoid any negative impact on Cassia before she hatched, Fiona opted for medicinal support.
The hot drink she gave Linka was the same medicinal tea Fiona had brewed back then to relax the mind and bring joy.
Its effects wouldn’t be immediate—if a single sip could erase all worries and send one’s thoughts soaring like a fairy, the nature of the drink would change.
Although Linka wasn’t fond of the liquid with its strange aroma, since it came from her teacher, she didn’t think twice and took a small sip.
Sweet!
But not cloying.
Very smooth and delicious, like a top-tier dessert milk tea.
Most importantly, it really did improve her mood.
“Eh!”
“Teacher…”
“This really does seem to have an effect!”
“I feel much better.”
Seeing Linka’s improvement, Fiona smiled and officially began the evening’s conversation.
“If you’re feeling better, you must have a lot of questions.”
“I’ll give you the floor now. Ask whatever you want, and I’ll answer as best I can. Once you have no doubts, we can start the checkup.”
After drinking, Linka’s mood had eased considerably, and she remembered she had a lot to say to her teacher.
“Teacher…”
“I never thought I’d be reunited with you.”
“How have you been all these years?”
“And the empire’s bounty on you…”
“I want to know what really happened during that punitive expedition back then.”
Even though the Holmud Empire had since lifted the bounty on her teacher and whitewashed her reputation, clearing her name in name only, Linka knew there was an untold truth hidden behind that facade.
Moreover, her teacher’s movements didn’t seem restricted.
After all, she was a hero—yet the demons had arranged for her to perform Linka’s medical examination.
Fiona was also dressed decently, not like a prisoner at all.
“As you can see, I’m now a physician in the dungeon. As for the empire, it has nothing to do with me anymore.”