Chapter 30 – A Good Night's Sleep

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As soon as he finished making his outfit, Rei put it on. Even though he could wash up at the nearby waterfall and clean the dirt off his body, he decided not to go, as night had already fallen.

While he was taking off some of his clothes, Kazuki, who was waiting outside, looked back to the tent.

When his eyes shifted slightly, he noticed a small gap in the entrance, exposing a part of Rei's body as he changed.

Without realizing it, Kazuki's face turned red at the thought of the muscles and firm body hidden under Rei's clothes.

He quickly looked away even though his mind still vividly pictured the scene he had just witnessed.

"I must have lost my damn mind... What the hell is happening to me?"

He murmured to himself, trying to ignore his slightly racing heart.

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As soon as he had finished dressing, Rei opened the tent entrance and walked over to Kazuki who was sitting on the ground keeping watch.

— I'm ready. So, what do you think of my outfit?

As he asked, Rei stepped closer to Kazuki and put both hands on his hips.

The beastman turned his head back and fixed his gaze on Rei.

Despite the unusual outfit, — something he had certainly never seen before, — there was an undeniable uniqueness and elegance to it.

A navy-blue robe with dark blue details, while the lower part was adorned with white cloud patterns.

The moment Kazuki saw Rei's clothes, the words slipped out of his mouth.

— You look so… handsome.

Together with the outfit, Rei's hair resembled a starless night sky, swaying in the wind.

Beneath the deep black hair, Kazuki could see bright, intense eyes, like molten gold.

For a moment, he couldn't see anything else but Rei standing in front of him. Their eyes met, shimmering more than the surface of the water itself.

Realizing what he had just said so carelessly, Kazuki quickly turned his face away, embarrassed by his own words.

— S-Shit, I-I said that without thinking. Don't get the wrong idea...

Hearing that, Rei barely contained his laughter, covering his mouth slightly with his hand.

"What the hell was that? How can someone get embarrassed just by giving a compliment?"

"That was really... hahahaha hahaha."

"Relax, Rei! If I laugh now, it'll only be more embarrassing... Now that I think about it... his reaction was kind of cute."

After finishing his thoughts, Rei decided to change the subject, noticing that the atmosphere was getting weird.

— Thanks for the compliment, man! Hey, can you give these to Takayo and Mia? — Rei asked, coming closer and handing Kazuki some blankets.

— When I was making my outfit, I thought it would be a good idea to make some blankets as well so that we'll be able to survive the night.

— Why don't you take them yourself?

Hearing that, Kazuki nodded and took the blankets. Moments later, he approached the tent next to theirs, opened the entrance and handed them to the kids.

For a brief moment, Kazuki realized how considerate Rei could be. Even though he sometimes acted indifferent, he never stopped thinking about the bigger picture.

— I'll keep watch while you sleep. You can rest if you want to - Kazuki said.

Finally, he sat down on the ground in front of the tent and watched the area.

— Are you sure? You know I can use my Angelic Barrier skill — Rei asked standing next to Kazuki.

— It's okay. I'd rather keep watch. It's best for everyone and you don't have to overexert yourself with your ability.

— Alright then. I won't argue because it's your decision but if you get tired, let me know, okay? — Rei said.

After that, he returned to the tent. Even though he was exhausted, he left a part of the entrance open so that he could continue to talk to Kazuki as time passed.

The two talked for hours until Rei finally fell asleep.

Before he closed his eyes, he noticed that Laili's companions were also standing guard, guarding the entrances to their respective tents.

...

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After lazily rubbing his tired eyes, Rei straightened his body as he regained some consciousness.

After a good night's sleep, he felt much better when he woke up.

As his blurred vision cleared, he suddenly felt something on his body.

When he turned his head to the side, he realized that he was lying next to Kazuki outside the tent. His legs were draped over the beastman's chest - solid as a damn rock.

"Did that happen again?"

"Shit... Why does this always have to happen?"

"Well, I guess I'm used to it by now..."

He murmured in his thoughts after he had processed what had happened.

Rei's sleeping habits were very complicated. He was the type who tossed and turned in his sleep.

At this point, it didn't even surprise him anymore when something like this happened. Once, he even fell out of bed - and not just any bed, but a king-sized one.

The moment he saw Kazuki staring at him, Rei immediately tried to move away, embarrassed by the situation.

Feeling slightly flustered, he nervously greeted:

— G-Good morning, Kazuki… You good?

The beastman, still watching him with tired eyes and a slight grin, replied:

— Good morning, Rei.

— I'm a little exhausted, but other than that, I'm fine.

Kazuki's dry and blunt tone made it clear that his night hadn't been the best.