Chapter 287: Sleeping Together.

Although something about the arrangement felt a little strange, Ace's concerns weren't unreasonable. In the end, everyone accepted his suggestion and reassigned the rooms.

After shrinking to his miniature form, Budno bounced excitedly around the bed.

"I'm sleeping here!"

He stood at the head of the bed and pointed to the gap between the two pillows.

With soft pillows on either side and a narrow space between them, he would feel wonderfully safe and snug.

Budno was delighted with his chosen spot.

He hopped down between the pillows and rolled around happily.

Suddenly, a hand reached toward him, gently pinched one of his tiny wings, and lifted him out.

"It's not safe to sleep there," Ace said.

"Huh?"

Budno stared blankly.

A moment later, he found himself deposited between the wall and one of the pillows.

"If you sleep in the middle, one of us might roll over and crush you with our head."

Ace shifted the pillow outward, closing the gap between the two pillows while leaving Budno more room beside the wall.

Budno sat on the bedding and looked around dejectedly.

"All right..."

He took a spare miniature pillow, a little cushion, and a tiny blanket from his storage pouch, arranged them neatly, and obediently lay down.

"Sperien, you sleep on the inside!" he called, waving to Shu Li, who had just emerged from the bathroom after washing up.

Shu Li had changed into comfortable pajamas. Hearing Budno call to him, he glanced at the bed and asked curiously, "Why aren't you sleeping in the middle?"

Budno innocently repeated Ace's explanation.

"Because one of you might crush me with your head."

"Oh, I see..."

Shu Li didn't think anything more of it. He pulled back the covers and climbed into the bed on the side nearest the wall.

The inn's beds were rather small, and even two people would be a tight fit. Shu Li pressed himself as close to the wall as possible to leave Ace enough room.

Turning his head, he spotted Budno and reached out to poke him with a finger.

"What?" Budno mumbled, hugging his little cushion as he prepared to sleep.

Shu Li suppressed a smile.

"You'd better not snore."

Budno swatted his finger away with a tiny hand.

"Don't worry. I'm very well-behaved when I sleep."

Shu Li had his doubts.

Anyone who had ever shared a bed with Budno knew just how terrible his sleeping habits were.

That was why, whenever they camped outdoors, the others gave him a little tent all to himself.

Budno always felt terribly wronged by their rejection, but the moment he crawled into his tent, he would fall fast asleep without a care in the world.

Seeing him yawn, Shu Li decided to stop teasing him and considerately tucked his blanket around him.

"Go to sleep."

Budno rubbed his cheek against his soft little cushion.

"I'm really going to sleep now!"

His eyes were already drifting shut, making Shu Li chuckle.

"Ace and I are here. You can sleep as much as you like."

Reassured, Budno closed his eyes.

He loved sleeping more than anything. Being woken up in the middle of the night would be sheer torture.

Before long, his breathing had settled into a steady rhythm, and he was sleeping soundly.

Shu Li couldn't help feeling envious.

What incredible sleeping habits!

As for himself, he was a little nervous.

Ever since discovering that sleeping beside Ace often led to strange dreams, he had tried his best to avoid doing so.

During their camping trips on this adventure, he'd deliberately assigned Angel to share a tent with Ace while he slept with Dixio.

Yet circumstances had conspired against him tonight.

Despite all his efforts, he still couldn't escape the fate of sharing a bed—and a blanket—with Ace.

Sigh...

Shu Li prayed silently.

Please, please don't let me have another weird dream!

"What's wrong?"

A man's deep voice sounded beside him.

Shu Li came back to his senses and turned his head.

Ace stood there with his golden hair cascading loosely over his shoulders like a waterfall. He wore a loose shirt with its collar hanging open, revealing the alluring lines of his collarbones.

As Shu Li had grown older, he'd gradually matured, and his masculine charm had become increasingly pronounced. He turned heads wherever he went, and girls frequently confessed their feelings to him.

Yet he always seemed courteous to everyone, politely turning down every confession.

Whenever Ace looked at him with those gentle eyes, Shu Li would guiltily avert his gaze.

He knew Ace had someone he loved.

And that person was Shu Li himself.

Swallowing nervously, Shu Li shuffled farther inward until he was practically pressed against the wall.

"L-let's get some sleep!"

He pulled the blanket up to cover half his face.

The inn was quite decent. The bedding seemed to have been freshly aired in the sun and carried a pleasant, dry warmth.

Ace lifted the covers and lay down beside him.

The bed really was small.

With both of them lying side by side, their bodies inevitably touched.

"Where's Budno?" Ace asked.

"Already asleep," Shu Li replied from beneath the blanket. "He's always been able to sleep anywhere."

Ace chuckled softly.

"You should get some rest too. I'll keep watch."

"No, no, no! I'll do it!" Shu Li hurriedly protested.

He had absolutely no intention of falling into a deep sleep.

What if he had another strange dream?

How was he supposed to face the Elven King afterward?

Ace studied him for a moment but didn't insist.

"Then I'll leave it to you."

He reached over and turned off the light.

The room immediately fell into darkness.

Shu Li secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Maybe nothing will happen tonight," he murmured.

"Mm." Ace's voice was soft. "Good night."

"Good night."

Shu Li closed his eyes.

He had no idea how much time passed.

Eventually, the man beside him fell asleep, but Shu Li remained wide awake, his mind frustratingly clear.

He decided to try sleeping on his side, facing the wall with his back toward Ace.

He had barely settled into position when an arm suddenly reached across him and came to rest around his waist.

Shu Li almost cried out.

He was just about to turn his head when a warm chest pressed against his back, and a breath of warm air brushed his ear.

Ace had rolled onto his side too.

If not for the man's steady, even breathing, Shu Li would have suspected he was doing it deliberately.

Why is he so close? Does he think I'm a body pillow?

Shu Li didn't dare move.

Afraid of waking the person behind him, he lay there helplessly, so nervous that he had no idea what to do.

For some inexplicable reason, his heart began beating faster.

What am I supposed to do?

I can't stay in such an intimate position all night, can I?

Waaah!

At that moment, Shu Li envied Budno more than ever.

If only he'd been the one to shrink down and sleep beside the pillow!

Then he wouldn't have to endure this mortifying situation.

Torn by indecision, Shu Li unconsciously clutched a corner of the blanket.

In the stillness of the night, every sensation seemed magnified.

His entire back grew unbearably warm, and his breathing gradually quickened.

Should I risk waking him and change positions?

Or should I pretend I'm a terrible sleeper and shove him away?

Shu Li considered one possibility after another.

In the end, however, he did nothing.

He remained where he was, held in Ace's arms, and forced himself to calm down.

Calm down. Calm down. Calm down!

We're both men. There's nothing wrong with a little hugging or cuddling.

These are unusual circumstances, so there's no point making a fuss. I need to get some sleep. We have to get up early and climb a mountain tomorrow!

As he repeatedly reassured himself, his tense body gradually relaxed.

Once he'd convinced himself there was nothing to worry about, he stopped being so painfully conscious of every point of contact.

Little by little, sleep began to overtake him.

Just before his thoughts dissolved into drowsiness, he shifted slightly, nestling a little closer to Ace.

Hmm...

The Blazing Flame Flower scent on Ace is so faint tonight.

And there's something else... a delicate Moonlight Grass fragrance.

Before Shu Li could give it any further thought, sleep swept over him, and he drifted off.

He slept peacefully through the entire night without a single dream.

When Shu Li opened his eyes the next morning, only he and Budno remained in bed.

Budno was sprawled on his back with his little belly exposed.

Ace was nowhere to be seen, either in the bed or elsewhere in the room.

Shu Li yawned, sat up, and stretched.

A commotion was coming from outside.

People were shouting, yelling angrily, and smashing things.

What's going on?

"Budno, wake up."

Shu Li reached out and poked the little Fairy, who was sleeping with drool trickling from his mouth.

Budno rolled over and presented him with his backside.

Shu Li's face went blank.

Without the slightest hesitation, he began rubbing and pinching the little Fairy with his fingers.

He really does feel nice and squishy.

Budno finally woke up.

"G-good morning, Sperien..."

Rubbing his eyes, he struggled to sit upright.

"It's not morning anymore. Hurry up and get up. I think someone's fighting outside."

Shu Li climbed out of bed first.

"Oh..."

Budno rubbed his face to wake himself up, then carefully packed away his beloved little cushion, pillow, and blanket.

Afterward, he released his innate power and returned to his normal size.

Shu Li quickly washed up, dressed, and put on his hooded cloak.

He was just about to open the door when it swung inward.

Ace stepped into the room.

"What happened?" Shu Li asked, puzzled.

"Someone was murdered," Ace replied gravely.

"M-murdered?"

Budno came bounding out of the bathroom.

"Who got killed?"

"A mage staying in the room next to Siti and Nasha's," Ace explained.

Shu Li and Budno exchanged startled looks.

"Are Siti and Nasha all right?" Shu Li asked anxiously.

"They're fine. Amanda protected them well."

Shu Li tugged at Budno.

"Let's go see them."

Ace stepped aside to let them leave, then closed the door behind them.

The murder had thrown the entire inn into chaos.

Downstairs, two adventuring parties were confronting each other, trading accusations, insults, and blows.

The innkeeper was beside himself with anxiety.

All the members of the Light Squad were already awake.

They gathered together to exchange information.

"I suspect we were the murderer's original targets," Nasha said with a frown.

Siti nodded.

"Otherwise, the timing is too much of a coincidence."

"The person staying next door to you was a low-ranking mage," Kumandi added. "A man in his forties."

Shu Li asked, "If you were the targets, why did the murderer go into the room next door?"

Amanda raised his hand shyly.

"Um... Before going to bed last night, I placed a concealment magical formation over our doorway."

A concealment magical formation didn't actually make anything invisible.

Instead, it diminished the target's presence, causing others to overlook it.

When the murderer reached their door, the formation's effects had made him ignore the room where Amanda and the girls were sleeping.

He had broken into the neighboring room instead.

The occupant was a mage in his forties.

Naturally, being awakened by an intruder in the middle of the night, he had fought back.

Once the murderer realized he'd entered the wrong room, he'd apparently decided to finish the job by killing the mage.

Dixio reached out and patted Amanda's head.

"Nicely done!"

Amanda sighed.

"But the noise woke us up in the middle of the night too. We barely got any sleep."

Halis said, "I'm afraid we won't be sleeping peacefully for the rest of this journey. Everyone should prepare themselves."

With so many adventuring parties entering the Snow Kingdom at the same time, danger lurked everywhere.

They could be attacked at any moment, and they would have to remain vigilant even at night.

Shu Li's expression turned serious.

"We'll check out immediately. Once we've eaten breakfast, we're leaving."

"All right!"

Everyone sprang into action.

They packed their belongings, went downstairs in small groups, avoided the fighting adventurers, and quietly slipped out of the inn.

Snow had fallen overnight.

The entire village was blanketed in white, and the cold was biting.

Even with their magical cold-weather equipment, they could still feel a faint chill.

Before setting out for the Snow Kingdom, the Light Squad had thoroughly researched their destination.

The Snow Kingdom lay in the far north of the continent, a land of ice and snow.

The higher they climbed into the mountains, the lower the temperature would fall.

Proper protection against the cold was essential.

During his earlier visit to the Fire God's Temple, Shu Li had obtained several Crystals of the Blazing Sun.

He'd used them to craft eleven belts, distributing one to each of his companions.

Each belt contained an embedded Crystal of the Blazing Sun combined with magical inscriptions, giving it exceptional protection against the cold.

They were excellent equipment for an expedition into the Snow Kingdom.

Shu Li pulled his cloak more tightly around himself and trudged through snow that reached halfway to his knees, heading toward a nearby restaurant.

Before we climb the mountain, let's have a proper hot meal!

"Wow! This snow is so soft!"

Dixio's playful instincts got the better of him.

He scooped up a handful of snow, packed it into a ball, and hurled it at Budno.

The snowball struck Budno squarely.

He bared his teeth, quickly rolled a snowball of his own, and threw it back.

Unfortunately, he hit Angel instead.

Angel immediately joined the snowball fight.

Shu Li found himself caught in the crossfire.

"Hey! Be careful not to hit anyone else!" he warned helplessly.

The words had barely left his mouth when one of Dixio's snowballs whistled through the air.

Whoosh!

It struck a black-robed figure who had just stepped out of the restaurant.

"Oh, no!" Dixio groaned.

Shu Li covered his forehead with one hand.

Then, steeling himself, he stepped forward to apologize.

"I'm sorry. My companion didn't mean to—"

"Hmph."

The black-robed stranger was tall and imposing, with a sharp, intimidating presence.

He regarded them with distinctly unfriendly eyes.

Shu Li's heart sank.

Oh, great. We've gotten ourselves into trouble.

Kumandi shot Dixio a reproachful glare.

Dixio gritted his teeth and stepped forward.

He'd been the one to throw the snowball, so he would take responsibility.

If the stranger intended to make trouble for them, Dixio would bear the consequences himself.

Suddenly, Seriu walked past the others and stopped in front of the black-robed man.

"It's been a while, Moresy," he said calmly.

"Huh? Huh? Huh?"

The other members of the Light Squad stared in confusion.

The man in black is Moresy?

The Dark Elf who always travels with Seidler?

"Tch. Are your eyes really that sharp?"

The black-robed man pulled down the windproof mask covering half his face, revealing handsome features and bluish-gray skin.

It really was Moresy!

The little Fairies all breathed sighs of relief.

Thank goodness! It's someone we know!

Still, Moresy was awful!

He'd deliberately frightened them!

"Didn't Seidler come with you?" Seriu asked.

Moresy hooked a thumb over his shoulder toward the restaurant.

"He's inside, getting some food packed."

That white mage was such a nuisance.

Even when they were about to head into the mountains, he insisted on bringing freshly roasted meat along.

Moresy looked past Seriu, his gaze sweeping over the younger members of the group.

"Taking the little ones on a sightseeing trip to the Snow Kingdom?"

"No," Seriu replied. "We're going to the Snow Mountain Labyrinth."

Moresy raised an eyebrow, a foxlike smile spreading across his face.

"What a coincidence. Seidler and I are heading to the Snow Mountain Labyrinth too. Want to team up?"

"Moresy, who are you planning to team up with?"

A cool, clear voice came from behind him.

The restaurant door swung open, revealing a tall, slender figure.

It was Seidler, who had finished packing the food and come outside to look for his companion.