Chapter 291: The Situation Inside Each Tent.

After a tiring day of climbing, the adventurers had eaten and drunk their fill and retired to their tents early. Apart from a few people on night watch, who sat around the campfires drinking and chatting, the entire campsite gradually fell silent.

Shu Li took off his fur outfit and folded it neatly in a corner of the tent. Beside him, Dixio lay rolling back and forth.

Shu Li gave him a sidelong glance. "What are you doing?"

Dixio raised his legs. "My legs are sore."

Shu Li slapped his thigh. "Then massage them!"

Dixio lowered his legs and sat up on his knees. "Aren't yours sore too? How about I massage yours, and then you massage mine?"

Shu Li stared at him.

So that's what this guy's been angling for?

"Fine. Lie down. I'll give you a massage."

"Hehehe~~ You're the best, buddy!"

Having achieved his goal, Dixio immediately lay down obediently, spreading his arms and legs as though surrendering himself entirely to Shu Li's mercy.

The corners of Shu Li's mouth twitched.

Although Dixio was already twenty years old and tall and broad-shouldered, he was still remarkably innocent, occasionally displaying an almost childish side.

Well, that's what you get with an underage Little Fairy!

Shu Li gently began massaging his calf muscles.

"Hissss—" Dixio made a strange noise.

Shu Li gave him a smack. "Stop making weird noises."

Dixio grinned. "It hurts!"

Shu Li gave the muscle a firm twist. "Bear with it."

Dixio's face contorted in pain. He gritted his teeth and somehow managed to swallow his scream.

Angel lifted the tent flap. Seeing Dixio's expression of mingled agony and bliss, he asked in confusion, "What's going on?"

Shu Li continued expertly working the tension out of Dixio's leg muscles. "His legs are sore, so he asked me to massage them!"

Angel closed the tent flap behind him and removed his fluffy outer coat, revealing his high-ranking magic robe. He sat cross-legged on Dixio's other side and flashed a toothy grin.

"I'll help too."

"Ahhh! That's freezing!"

The moment Angel placed his hands on Dixio's calf, Dixio shrieked and nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Sorry. I just rubbed my hands with snow." Despite his apology, Angel sounded anything but sorry. He proceeded to run his icy hands up and down Dixio's leg.

Dixio shivered violently and glared at him accusingly. "You're doing this on purpose!"

Angel gave him an adorable smile, his amber eyes sparkling with mischief. "I'm helping you!"

Dixio bared his teeth. "Well, thank you so much."

Angel pressed harder. "You're welcome."

"Awooo~~~"

Tears sprang to Dixio's eyes from the pain, but he didn't struggle, allowing Angel to mercilessly knead his muscles.

Shu Li shook his head with an amused smile, maintaining just the right amount of pressure.

"Have you worked everything out with Falm?" he asked Angel.

"Yep." Angel blinked. "Just wait for the show tonight."

Dixio asked, "What show?"

Angel replied, "Whatever you hear in the middle of the night, don't leave the tent."

Dixio's eyes darted sideways. "You mean..."

"Shh." Angel put a finger to his lips. "You know what I mean. No need to say it."

Dixio shut his mouth, his face lighting up with anticipation as he privately gloated.

Both the hundred-member adventuring party and the mercenary group had their sights set on the Light Squad. Tonight, they would get a taste of what it felt like to be attacked by magical beasts!

After a while, Shu Li patted Dixio's legs.

"All done. Massage over."

Dixio reluctantly sat up and stretched his limbs. Sure enough, his muscles no longer ached.

"My turn to massage you!" He flexed his fingers eagerly.

Shu Li lay facedown and relaxed, letting Dixio massage his calves.

Angel joined in, taking one leg for himself. His movements were considerably gentler than before.

Noticing this, Dixio gave a couple of disgruntled snorts.

"Playing favorites."

Angel leaned closer. "What are you muttering about?"

Dixio shrugged. "Nothing."

He concentrated on loosening Shu Li's leg muscles. After massaging him for a while, he suddenly asked in puzzlement, "Sperien, why have you stopped growing?"

Shu Li immediately took offense.

"Nonsense! I've grown a whole inch!"

His height had always been a sore spot. The other Little Fairies had long since passed 180 centimeters, while he was still hovering around 173.

Growing only an inch in two years was enough to break Shu Li's heart.

Would Little Fairies continue growing after turning twenty?

But from what he'd seen, Kumandi's height had barely changed since he turned twenty.

Don't tell me I'm never even going to reach 175 centimeters in this lifetime!

Shu Li puffed out his cheeks and lay miserably against the bedding.

Angel glared at Dixio.

Of all the things he could have brought up, he'd chosen the one subject Sperien hated most! His height was already a sore point. He'd grown so little over the past two years that he was miserable enough without Dixio telling him he'd stopped growing altogether.

Was Dixio trying to get himself yelled at?

Realizing he'd said something wrong, Dixio immediately apologized.

"Sorry..."

Shu Li waved a hand weakly. "Forget it."

It was true that he was growing slowly. He couldn't exactly blame Dixio for having eyes.

Angel changed the subject, lowering his voice.

"Sperien, what were you and Ace talking about earlier? All that stuff about love? Are you thinking about falling in love?"

"Cough!"

Shu Li nearly choked on his own saliva. He lifted his head and stared in astonishment at Angel's curious face.

"Wait... What exactly did you hear? I'm not trying to fall in love!"

"Really?" Angel tilted his head. "But didn't you tell Ace that you shouldn't chase fleeting pleasure, that love should last forever, until the end of time?"

A beat later, Dixio asked, "Are Sperien and Ace dating?"

Shu Li's mouth fell open in shock.

He stared speechlessly at his two companions.

"What... exactly did you two hear?" He pressed a hand to his forehead in defeat. "Ace and I were talking about Moresy and Seidler!"

Dixio looked baffled. "What's there to talk about with them?"

Shu Li sighed. "Haven't you noticed? Moresy likes Seidler, and Seidler has feelings for Moresy too."

"Really?" Dixio shook his head. "All I've noticed is that Seidler seems kind of annoyed with Moresy."

Angel said nothing, lowering his head in thought.

Shu Li sat up and reached out to pat both his companions on the head at once.

"The world of adults is complicated. You minors don't need to understand it," he told them earnestly. "Moresy and Seidler can sort out their own affairs. Now, come on. Time for bed."

These two really were minors. He couldn't let them get tangled up in romantic matters before their time.

Dixio was a simple soul. As soon as Shu Li said that, he stopped thinking about the subject altogether.

Instead, he shoved Angel onto his back, climbed on top of him, and flashed a grin full of gleaming white teeth.

"Let me give you a massage too!"

Caught completely off guard, Angel fell onto the bedding and struggled.

"No, thanks! My legs aren't sore!"

You've got to be kidding!

Just look at that wicked grin on Dixio's face. He was clearly out for revenge!

"Don't be shy."

Dixio seized his leg and gave it a powerful squeeze, raising an eyebrow.

"One good turn deserves another!"

"Awooo~~" Angel yelped softly.

Dixio increased the pressure, his expression turning solemn.

"If I go too easy, it won't work properly. Just bear with it, okay~?"

Angel ground his teeth. He wanted to throw Dixio off, but the kneading actually felt rather good. In the end, he gave up resisting, letting out an occasional whimper.

Shu Li silently crawled beneath his blanket.

He really couldn't bear to look at the position those two had gotten themselves into.

Only Little Fairies could be innocent enough not to think anything of it.

Once Angel's massage was finally over, the three Little Fairies lay side by side beneath their blankets, whispering to one another.

"Do you think Seidler and Moresy will find Budno a nuisance?" Angel asked.

"...Probably not," Shu Li replied with his eyes closed. "At most, they'll complain about how he sleeps."

The snowy mountain was cold, and sharing a tent helped everyone stay warm. That was why Budno had been assigned to sleep with Seidler and Moresy.

Budno was a very well-behaved boy and an exceptionally sound sleeper. The moment he closed his eyes, he was out cold.

His only flaw was that he slept terribly, constantly crowding the people beside him and claiming more territory for himself.

Every Little Fairy who had ever shared a bed with him had suffered for it.

"Let's hope they get a good night's sleep." Angel grinned.

"Ahem." Shu Li patted the Little Fairy beside him. "We should get some sleep while we can. We still have more climbing to do tomorrow."

They had spent the entire day climbing and covered only a quarter of the route. The higher they went, the more difficult the journey would become, and there was also the possibility of altitude sickness.

They needed to stay healthy, well-rested, and full of energy.

"Good night."

The Little Fairies obediently closed their eyes.

"Good night."

Shu Li pulled his blanket into place, relaxed his body, and drifted peacefully off to sleep.

Meanwhile, in another tent, Moresy stared at Budno, who was sleeping between him and Seidler, struggling to find the words to express his frustration.

Just look at him sleeping so soundly!

Budno had his arms wrapped around a bolster nearly half as tall as a person. His mouth hung slightly open, and soft, contented snores escaped his lips.

Only a few minutes had passed since he'd closed his eyes. How had he already fallen into such a deep sleep?

They were in the wilderness, on a snowy mountain, where danger could strike at any moment. Anyone with any sense would remain vigilant, sleeping with one eye open.

But not this brown-haired brat.

He was sleeping without a care in the world, utterly free of worry.

What frustrated Moresy most was that, of all the places Budno could have chosen, he'd settled right in the middle, separating him from Seidler.

Seidler considerately tucked Budno's blanket around him, then gave the Dark Elf an indifferent glance.

"Not sleeping?"

Moresy ground his teeth and reached out both hands.

"I'm moving this brat to the side."

"Don't." Seidler stopped him. "You'll wake him."

Moresy raised an eyebrow. "He sleeps like the dead. There's no way he'll wake up."

Seidler slapped away his hovering hands and ordered, "Go to sleep!"

Moresy sighed miserably and resigned himself to lying down.

Damn it!

He'd finally gotten a chance to be close to the white mage, only for some clueless brat to ruin everything.

Seidler sat up, preparing to leave the tent.

"Wait! Where are you going?"

Moresy propped himself up and caught his hand.

"I'm going to take the night watch," Seidler replied.

"With that contracted magical beast standing guard, you can sleep without worrying!" Moresy said.

Seidler frowned. "How much use do you think a low-ranking little magical beast will be?"

Moresy raised a finger and smiled mysteriously.

"If Sperien insists, then let's trust him."

There was definitely something unusual about that little magical beast. Even Seriu and Halis hadn't objected, which meant it must be capable of keeping watch.

"My instincts tell me it's not something to mess with." Moresy patted the bedding. "You've been on edge all day. It's time you relaxed a little."

Ever since they'd encountered this group of innocent, inexperienced magic students, Seidler had turned into a mother hen, keeping them tucked protectively beneath his wings. He was so afraid something might happen to them along the way that he hadn't dared let down his guard for a moment.

But they would be traveling together for another month or two. Staying tense every single day would take a toll on his health.

The fledglings would eventually have to learn to fly on their own. Relying on him alone to protect them wasn't a sustainable solution.

Seidler remained silent for a moment.

Then his frown eased, and he lay back beneath his blanket.

He trusted Moresy's instincts.

Seeing that Seidler had taken his advice, Moresy smiled with satisfaction. He quietly propped up his head and gazed at the sleeping white mage.

Suddenly, something struck his calf with considerable force.

Moresy's brows drew together sharply as he glared at Budno, still lying between them.

You little brat! Your sleeping habits really are that awful!

In the tent next to Shu Li's, Hector lay flat on his back, stiff as a board.

Although his eyes were closed, he wasn't remotely sleepy.

It wasn't that he didn't want to sleep. The atmosphere inside the tent was simply too strange.

Neither Kumandi nor Ace was particularly talkative. After entering the tent, the two hadn't exchanged a single word. They had each removed their fur outfits, lifted their blankets in almost perfect unison, and lain down without a sound.

And then...

Nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

Hector loved a good chat. When he'd shared a tent with Dixio and the others, they'd always talked before going to sleep.

But tonight, he'd ended up with two men who were about as talkative as rocks.

He was practically suffocating!

Kumandi had always been serious, so Hector was used to that. But Ace seemed to have something on his mind tonight.

Especially when the sleeping arrangements were being decided.

Ace's eyes had remained fixed on Sperien the entire time. The moment Sperien assigned the three of them to the same tent, the air around Ace had turned noticeably colder.

Was he angry?

Someone who usually seemed so gentle and mild could be downright frightening when he was angry.

But what was he angry about?

And who was he angry with?

Hector couldn't figure it out no matter how hard he thought.

Kumandi wasn't asleep either.

As a particularly perceptive Little Fairy, he could clearly sense the oppressive mood surrounding Ace.

It seemed to have reached its peak after Sperien entered his tent.

Kumandi was ten years older than the other Little Fairies, and there were certain things he understood more clearly than they did.

Ace treated Sperien differently from everyone else.

Kumandi wasn't blind. He could see it perfectly well.

However, he had never said anything.

Matters of the heart were something the people involved needed to figure out for themselves. As an outsider, he had no business interfering.

Besides, there was something about Ace that had always struck him as peculiar.

Although they'd known each other for two years, Kumandi still had no idea what Ace's true background was.

Hector, Sieti, Nasha, and Seriu could all tell him at least something about their pasts. Ace alone remained an enigma.

All Kumandi knew was that Ace was a noble from the Izera Empire and had an exceptionally powerful magic instructor.

As for which family he belonged to, what noble title his father held, or whether he had any brothers or sisters, Kumandi knew absolutely nothing.

Ace almost never spoke about his family, and the others didn't feel comfortable asking.

Sometimes, Kumandi even had the strange impression that Ace had appeared out of thin air.

He was more mysterious than the Fairies themselves.

Nevertheless, Kumandi had never excluded him because of it.

On the contrary, Ace possessed an inexplicable air of familiarity that made Kumandi feel strangely close to him. Whenever Ace spoke, Kumandi found himself listening attentively without even realizing it.

Whatever the truth might be, they were companions now, and companions ought to trust one another.

After a moment's hesitation, Kumandi opened his eyes, turned toward Ace, and said, "Tomorrow night, I'll switch places with Sperien."

Hector's ears practically perked up.

Switch places?

Why would they switch?

After a short silence, he heard Ace chuckle softly.

"It's all right. The three of them seem to be having plenty of fun together."

The two tents were close enough that every one of the howls coming from Shu Li's tent could be heard clearly in theirs.

Hector desperately wanted to scratch his head.

How strange.

Why did Ace sound almost... indulgent?

"Mm." Kumandi gave a quiet sound of agreement. "Good night."

"Good night," Ace replied.

Hector couldn't help calling out, "Good night!"

The next instant, silence descended over the tent.

Beside the campfire, Falm was gnawing on a fishbone. Its sharp teeth crunched through the bone with a series of crisp cracks.

If it wanted to give the hundred-member adventuring party and the mercenary group a proper fright, it would have to wait until the latter half of the night.

That was when people were at their sleepiest and most exhausted. A sudden attack then would have the greatest effect.

Unfortunately, waiting was terribly boring.

After finishing the bone, Falm let out a tremendous yawn and swished its tail restlessly.

It hadn't released the intimidating pressure of a powerful magical beast. Instead, it maintained the aura of a low-ranking magical beast.

Nighttime was actually the perfect opportunity for it to eat its fill.

It didn't even need to move. Other magical beasts would come straight to it.

Unfortunately, there were too many outsiders around tonight. If it wanted to hunt, it would have to do so discreetly.

Falm stepped into the campfire, found a comfortable spot, and lay down.

It decided to take a little nap first.

The Light Squad's campsite was some distance from the other adventuring parties, but the people in those camps could see perfectly well what was happening over there.

They'd actually left a low-ranking contracted magical beast to keep watch!

Just how careless could these newcomers be?

As expected, they were a bunch of greenhorns who had no idea what they were getting themselves into.

They'd even pitched their tents on the outermost edge of the campsite. If magical beasts attacked, they would be the first to suffer.

Well, dying in their sleep might be a blessing.

Nasak, the leader of the hundred-member adventuring party, gave a derisive snort and exchanged a knowing glance with his deputy, Yose.

Before long, they'd have an opportunity to loot the bodies.

The mercenary group had better know its place and not be foolish enough to fight them over the corpses.

As the night deepened, the adventurers settled into their tents, and the camps fell silent.

The temperature dropped sharply after dark. The campfires offered little protection against the freezing wind, and those on night watch shivered uncontrollably.

Faint cries of magical beasts drifted from the distance, sending chills down their spines.

The first half of the night passed without incident.

Gradually, the guards relaxed their vigilance. Unable to resist their growing drowsiness, they began to doze.

Falm opened its eyes.

Spreading its wings, it transformed into a streak of red light and vanished into the flames.

Several minutes later, an enormous black shadow appeared in the camps of the hundred-member adventuring party and the mercenary group.

The dozing sentries suddenly felt an overwhelming aura of murderous menace and snapped their eyes open.

When they saw the enormous magical beast, more than ten meters long and four or five meters tall, their mouths fell open in horror.

It was as though their throats had seized up. Not a single sound escaped them.

Mockery gleamed in the gigantic beast's eyes.

With one sweep of its thick, three-meter-long tail, it struck more than a dozen tents, jolting members of both the hundred-member party and the mercenary group awake.

"AAAAAH! A MAGICAL BEAST! WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!"

Terrified screams tore through the night sky.

The adventurers, freshly awakened from their dreams, stumbled about in confusion. Some were so stunned by the sight of the enormous beast that they forgot how to react.

The gigantic magical beast swung its tail playfully and flapped its wings. Its four pillar-like legs bounded across the ground, wrecking tents belonging to both groups and causing piles of snow to collapse.

"ASSEMBLE!" Nasak roared. "KILL THAT BEAST!"

The panicked adventurers hurriedly drew their weapons and surrounded the enormous magical beast.

But in the very next moment, something utterly unbelievable happened.

Before the mages could even finish chanting their spells, the gigantic beast gave its rear end a cheeky wiggle, turned around, and swaggered off.

It moved astonishingly fast, plunging into a snowdrift and disappearing without a trace in the blink of an eye.

All it left behind was utter devastation.