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From a practical standpoint, La Folia's request gave neither Bokue Keikain nor Sayaka Kirasaka any reason to refuse.
Besides, the princess wasn't asking for anything unreasonable—she'd only said "sleep together," without specifically demanding to share the same bed.
After all, it made sense. Even as a nation's First Princess, she was still just a seventeen-year-old girl. After experiencing a series of ordeals—being attacked by demons during her diplomatic mission, shipwrecked on a deserted island, forced to survive in the wilderness—feeling scared was perfectly natural.
In short, La Folia settled into Bokue and Sayaka's bedroom.
It was simply a matter of adding another bed.
Though this undoubtedly made the single bedroom feel cramped, this was only a temporary shelter anyway—just making do for one night. They could manage.
As the bedroom lights switched off, deep darkness filled the entire room. The faint sounds of three people breathing rose and fell through the air.
Gentle moonlight filtered through the curtains from outside, mixing with the still-active barrier's light effects—soft and dreamlike, resembling the northern lights.
Not that any of this mattered to Sayaka Kirasaka.
She lay on the inner side of the bed against the wall, while Bokue lay on the outer side. Because he was lying on his side, his body created a tent with the covers that completely blocked the view from the window.
Hmm...
Sayaka didn't particularly want to look out the window anyway. She'd always had the habit of sleeping on her side facing the wall. Though it could be cold in winter pressed against the wall like that, it helped her sleep more soundly.
But this very habit was now making it difficult for her to fall asleep.
Because they were both lying on their sides, from Sayaka's perspective, she was directly facing Bokue Keikain.
They were on the same bed, practically sharing the same covers, face to face.
At this distance, the War Dancer girl could clearly see each individual eyelash on the youth's face across from her.
"..."
Unlike Sayaka, who'd never experienced such restlessness before, Bokue was already completely asleep.
Showing no nervousness whatsoever about having a beautiful girl lying beside him, this guy had closed his eyes three seconds after his head hit the pillow, followed by steady, gentle breathing.
To be able to sleep so soundly with a supermodel-figured beauty lying right beside him—talk about having nerves of steel...
The War Dancer girl couldn't help but internally complain.
Though perhaps this was a good thing. After all, this probably confirmed that nothing had happened between Bokue and Yukina, right? They were probably just... hmm... colleagues or friends?
Right, that made sense. After all, Yukina was still young, not even fully developed yet. Making a move on someone like that would make him a pervert.
Good, very good.
As if a major doubt in her heart had finally received the explanation she wanted, Sayaka nodded with satisfaction.
With her trust in the youth rising another level, Sayaka—still wide awake despite the lights being out for a while—began studying his sleeping face by the faint moonlight filtering through the window.
Come to think of it, this was her first time seeing this guy asleep.
Usually when they met, Bokue was always awake, forever wearing that expressionless face with hands in pockets, his whole demeanor screaming "I don't know what an opponent is"—which somehow just made her inexplicably angry looking at him.
But now that he was asleep, he actually looked quite docile.
This was much more pleasant to look at!
Sayaka kept mentally critiquing, completely unaware that the corners of her mouth were curving upward slightly.
Her inner impulses made her instinctively reach out from under the covers, raising her fingertips as she unconsciously moved to touch the youth's cheek.
No, wait—what was she doing?
Suddenly realizing how bold her current action was, the now-conscious Sayaka froze her fingertips mid-air. After a moment's silence, she obediently withdrew her hand.
Better not after all...
Besides, it was already getting late. If she stayed this alert, it would become harder and harder to fall asleep, then she'd be completely unable to sleep at all.
No good, no good. Better just sleep properly.
With this thought, Sayaka took a deep breath, forcing her emotions to calm down. Then she carefully protected the towel wrapped around her body under the covers, turning to lie on her side facing the wall.
Facing the wall without looking at that Bokue guy, she should be able to fall asleep. Though it was a bit stuffy...
Thinking this, Sayaka scooted back a bit more away from the youth's direction, completely unaware that this actually brought them closer together.
But this was indeed much better.
Alright, now she could sleep normally.
Feeling her heart rate gradually slow and become less agitated, the War Dancer girl quietly sighed in relief.
But just as she closed her eyes to peacefully fall asleep, someone pressed up against her from behind.
It wasn't a deliberate, ambush-like approach—more like an animal instinctively finding a comfortable spot that would help them sleep better.
Bokue Keikain had wrapped his arms around her from behind.
"Ah... don't do this, Bokue... you..."
Sayaka, who'd finally found a hint of drowsiness, instantly became wide awake at such intimate skin contact.
She wanted to voice her objection, but Bokue's movements had already stopped.
Like a traditional sparring match that stops at first contact, Bokue had only wrapped his arms around the War Dancer girl's waist, burying his face in the crook of her neck, then went still.
Eh?
Sayaka froze completely.
This inexplicably intimate gesture—could it be... surely not... was this guy mistaking her for Miss Asagi?
After all, Bokue and Miss Asagi were boyfriend and girlfriend. Boys his age had probably hugged and cuddled with their girlfriends plenty of times—perfectly normal.
But...
In a flash of insight, Sayaka's mind once again conjured the image of the youth's docile sleeping face she'd seen earlier.
Wait, could it be... Bokue was actually younger than her?
As if finally discovering something incredible, Sayaka turned completely to stone.
B-but then again... he was already asleep. Waking him up now didn't seem right...
And at this crucial age for growth, not getting proper sleep would affect his development.
Rather than softening, it was more like finding a suitable excuse for herself. With this thought, Sayaka stopped resisting the youth's embrace. Instead, she turned around and gently hugged him back, whispering softly:
"Good night... Bokue. I'll settle accounts with you tomorrow..."
After the bedroom finally fell completely silent, who knows how much time passed before the silver-haired princess lying on the other bed quietly rose. She tiptoed over to Bokue and Sayaka's bedside, looking at the two embracing in sleep, and couldn't help but pout slightly.
Tch, what an act...
Then she lifted a corner of the covers and slipped in herself.
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