Chapter 297: Stars

Morning.

The faint light of dawn spilled through the gaps between the trees, stamping mottled dots on the ground like a tranquil sea of stars fallen into the mortal world.

The leaves of the evergreen shrubs were parted, and from the dense thicket, a small head snuck out furtively.

Sharp eyes swept across the silent camp like a hawk.

The embers of the campfire still sent up a wisp of bluish smoke. Beside the felled deadwood lay last night’s leftovers, piled up by who-knows-who.

Good. No one.

Ariel carefully crawled out from the bushes and tiptoed toward the carriage she shared with Liya.

“What are you doing?”

The sudden voice made Ariel’s heart stop.

She snapped her head around and saw Muen walking out of the woods as well, looking at her with a strange expression.

“You—what about you—sneaking around like that, what are you doing?”

Hands on her hips, Ariel put on a show of bluster.

“Washing up.”

Muen pointed at his dripping hair.

“There’s a nice river over there, so I took a bath while I was at it.”

“I—I was going to wash up too!”

“Is that so.”

Borrowing a strand of dim light, Muen sized Ariel up.

Just like him, Ariel was soaked all over, as if she had just gone for a swim in the river.

There’s basically no dew in winter, so she did it on purpose to wash off the scent of magic beasts on herself?

Truly cautious—though she probably doesn’t know she’s already exposed.

However...

Muen glanced downward, then shook his head with a trace of regret.

Her clothes were drenched and clinging to her skin, yet the curves showing through were still that disappointing. Obviously the real deal; naturally, there was no way any miracle of “take off the clothes and you’ll see meat” would happen.

“W—what are you looking at!”

Noticing the pitying look in Muen’s eyes, Ariel crossed her arms over her chest in shame and anger.

“Ahem, nothing.”

Muen shook his head, didn’t expose her, and changed the subject. “There’s still a while before we set out. You can rest a bit more—no need to get up this early.”

“Hmph, that’s none of your business.”

“Alright, chalk it up to me caring too much.”

“Wait.”

“Hm?”

“You...”

Ariel stared at Muen, watching the droplets slide little by little off the tips of his golden hair, and asked in puzzlement:

“Why are you up so early too?”

The sky wasn’t yet light. Everyone was still fast asleep; only the Pink Bear over there wriggled his body and muttered something.

“Morning run.”

Muen said it as a matter of course: “Although for me now, just running doesn’t do much for training, it can at least wake me up a bit.”

“Morning run?”

Looking at the sky that hadn’t fully brightened, Ariel was stunned. “Now?”

“What are you talking about.”

Muen took out a towel, casually wiping his hair as he said,

“I’ve already bathed, so of course I’ve finished the run.”

“......”

...

...

Ariel quietly slipped back into the carriage. Lifting the curtain, she saw Liya still curled up asleep on the sofa, and couldn’t help letting out a sigh of relief.

Good—she didn’t notice.

“What a dopey little dummy.”

Looking at Liya’s face in sleep, cute as a baby’s, Ariel couldn’t help but smile.

But soon she drew back that smile.

She recalled Muen’s words just now, her expression somewhat complicated.

“That guy... suddenly getting stronger really isn’t without reason, is it?”

Ariel clenched her fists.

“Last night’s harvest wasn’t bad, but it’s still not enough.”

“I have to work even harder!”

“Tonight I’ve got to push too!”

“For... protecting Liya better.”

...

...

Liya slowly opened her eyes and looked at Ariel in front of her.

To put on the appearance of being in cultivation—though the big, comfy sofa was enough to let her lie down—she was still sitting cross-legged, back held straight.

But if you got a little closer, you could hear her even, soft snores.

She must have been exhausted last night.

“In the end... which one of us is the idiot.” Liya murmured under her breath.

For someone good at Holy Light Arts like her, how could a negative-effect spell like a sleep charm possibly work?

“Rest well.”

Liya raised her hand. Pure holy light blossomed in her palm and, like a gentle breeze, slowly sank into Ariel’s body.

...

Day broke, and the camp grew lively again.

Everyone got up, exchanged greetings, and discovered that although it was a long journey that should have felt exhausting, they had slept unexpectedly well.

So they all expressed their thanks to Muen, who made it possible, and at breakfast he gave a grand wave of his hand and, like doing a magic trick, brought out a huge amount of exquisite ingredients, as well as luxuries like coffee and black tea—turning everyone’s gratitude almost into worship.

On the way, the sharp-eyed upperclassman Fanny noticed Ariel hadn’t shown up, so she asked Liya about it.

Liya only explained that Ariel was cultivating, which earned heartfelt admiration from the others: “As expected of the academy’s most legendary second-year top seat.”

The journey began anew. The carriages kicked up dust and headed all the way south.

Muen could clearly feel the gradual rise in temperature. The surrounding vegetation grew denser and thicker, as if, with the carriages’ advance, winter had been shaken off behind them and warm spring had come along instead.

And this spring breeze that drifted in with the slow roll of the carriages made people feel all the more at ease and at peace.

...

Night again.

It was still laughter and clamor before the campfire, only this time no one asked after Ariel. Instead Liya, squeezed by the two old hands Fanny and Vicky for “a little bit of music,” was egged on to give them a song.

Unable to refuse, Liya, keeping time with everyone’s claps, began to sing a folk tune from her hometown a cappella.

The song was very beautiful, and Liya, her little face flushed red by the firelight, was so lovely it made one’s head spin and spirit drift.

The only thing that puzzled Muen was—she was clearly better at violin, so why didn’t she play it?

...

Late at night.

“Crap, I almost overslept!”

Ariel’s eyes flew open. Only when her gaze focused on the sleeping Liya in front of her did she swallow down the exclamation stuck in her throat.

After making sure she hadn’t woken Liya, Ariel quietly got up and slipped out of the carriage.

All around was silent and empty. Only the still-burning campfire seemed to be telling of the liveliness just now.

But liveliness belonged to others and had nothing to do with her.

“...Smells so nice.”

Ariel stretched, feeling the fatigue melt away from her body, strength flooding her limbs.

“A luxury sofa really is different. So this is what it feels like to have money...”

Ariel muttered sourly, then lifted a hand and smacked her own cheeks, driving those inexplicable thoughts out of her head.

“What are you thinking? What’s there to envy about being rich by family background? One day, I’ll get all this by my own strength!”

“But for now, focus on what’s in front of you.”

“Last night’s harvest was good, but tonight I have to reap even more than yesterday!”

Pep talk finished, Ariel turned into a streak of shadow again and slipped into the dense woods.

After she left, another figure slowly stepped out from behind the carriage.

“So she still went again?”

Muen rubbed his forehead, withdrew the alchemical field flickering off him like electric arcs—used to mask his presence—then walked to another carriage and lightly tapped on the window.

A moment later, a small head slowly poked out.

“Is this really okay?”

Leaning against the carriage with his arms folded, Muen asked:

“Why not tell Ariel you’ve already gathered enough money, so she doesn’t have to run out at midnight to hack up magic beasts? Those poor beasts struggle with the law of the jungle by day, fighting each other, and at night they still have to be dragged off by some psycho beauty swinging a two-meter-long great cleaver to massacre them. It’s very pitiful.”

“...Pfft.”

As if the joke hit her funny bone, a dainty laugh floated out into the night.

But the laughter soon stopped. Liya lowered her head and said softly:

“I was going to say it, but then I thought about it and decided to forget it.”

“Why?”

“ Because with Ariel’s personality, if I suddenly pull out that much money now, it’ll only provoke her and make her actions even more extreme. By then she really might turn into that... whatever beauty you said.

So it’s better to let her go vent a bit first. When we get to Ailierze, I’ll give her a surprise.”

“I see.”

“A—and also.”

Liya paused, then continued:

“Before, I could still find excuses to fob her off, but in a place like this, if I suddenly take out that much money, even if Ariel is dull, she’ll notice something fishy.

I...I don’t want her to discover this.”

“Aren’t you afraid she’ll run into danger?” Muen asked curiously.

“After all, this is the wild.”

“No.”

Liya shook her head hard. “I believe in Ariel.”

“True enough.”

After all, it was that Ariel. Going out at midnight to slaughter magic beasts was probably the most trivial thing in her brilliant protagonist life.

What danger could she possibly run into?

Thinking of this, Muen looked up at the clear sky and suddenly smiled faintly:

“About forcing you to make that kind of unreasonable promise yesterday, I still haven’t apologized. So... since I can’t sleep anyway, do you want to go look at the stars together?”

In this world without light pollution, even in winter, the whole sky of starlight was still dazzling. With such a sky reflected in his eyes, even Muen couldn’t help inviting the beauty beside him.

“Stars...”

Liya subconsciously lifted her head too, gazing at the river of stars.

But who knows what she thought of—her pretty face suddenly flushed red, and she ducked back into the carriage.

“W—who wants to look at the stars with you! You scoundrel! Pervert!”

“Eh?”

Muen stared at the tightly closed curtains, a little dumbfounded.

Did he say something wrong?

“So Liya is still angry about last night after all?”

Muen sighed.

But just as he thought his invitation had failed and was about to slink away, the curtains were quietly pulled open at one little corner.

“Um... um...”

In the utterly silent night, Liya showed half her faintly visible little face and asked in a shy whisper:

“Could you wait °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° a moment? I was just lying down, so my hair... is a bit messy.”

“And, I want to change clothes.”

...

“Tsk, I’m telling you, little brats in puberty are nothing but trouble!”

The Pink Bear was still sprawled in the carriage’s front compartment like a slovenly old man. He saw who-knows-what, cursed as he rolled over, then, full of interest, leafed through the little yellow book he’d extorted from Ariel.

“Huh?”

But as he flipped, he suddenly lifted his head in puzzlement, looking in the direction Ariel had disappeared:

“I feel like there was something I needed to tell that little brat?”

“Ah, forget it. If I can’t remember, it’s nothing important. Let her be.”

The Pink Bear scratched his butt and lay back down.