The long night finally ended, and the light of dawn chased away the darkness with a promise of new hope.
After retreating from the airport, the four platoons pushed south without rest. Now only three trucks remained—two for personnel, one for supplies. Come morning, they pulled off the road into an open field, and the weary troops, who had marched through the night, could at last take a break and recover.
By a secluded stream, Shatiel peeled off her blood-soaked uniform, scooping up handfuls of water to splash on her face.
The blood had dried and caked after the night's ordeal. She sat on a rock beside the stream, submerging her filthy feet into the cool water, patiently scooping and rinsing, cleansing away the grime. Her hair, too, was matted with dried blood—residue from the judgment cell warriors she had fought. Even if she could dodge their fatal strikes, there was no avoiding the blood that burst from severed veins.
Hearing something, Shatiel turned her head. Upon seeing who it was, she gave a faint smile.
"Here. Clothes for you."
Hielaina came over and sat beside her on the same rock. It was curved and not very large—barely enough space for two. Even after Shatiel shifted aside, their shoulders still touched.
"Thanks."
Shatiel set the clothes aside and resumed washing herself.
The two of them just sat there—one staring blankly at the sunlight filtering through the leaves, the other occasionally bending down to splash more water. The buzz of insects, the calls of birds, the burble of the stream, and the lazy morning light made this a rare moment of peace in their long journey.
"Your Highness, may I ask for your help?"
Shatiel flicked her fingers, sending a spray of droplets onto Hielaina's face.
"How dare you ambush a princess! You'll pay for that!"
Feigning indignation, Hielaina dunked her hand in the stream and splashed water right back. Shatiel tried to shield herself, but got soaked anyway.
"Oh? Is Her Highness challenging me to battle?"
Clearly not the type to admit defeat—especially since she started it—Shatiel retaliated with another splash. Neither backed down, and the water fight escalated until Hielaina's clothes and hair were drenched.
"Are they seriously playing around...?"
Inaya, who had been secretly tailing Sennia, crouched in hiding and watched the two goof off like unruly kids. What really shocked her was Shatiel—this merciless killer actually had this side to her? It completely shattered Inaya's image of her.
"Alright, alright. I surrender, Your Highness..."
Shatiel waved in mock surrender. She knew that if she kept playing, Hielaina wouldn't stop until noon.
"Hmph, it won't be so easy to beat me. Now, what favor do you need?"
Sopping wet and looking utterly disheveled, Hielaina still struck a triumphant pose, hands on hips.
"I humbly ask Her Highness to wash the back of her most loyal subject."
Shatiel dropped to one knee like a knight before her sovereign.
"Permission granted."
Hielaina helped her up, and the two slipped into another bout of playful roleplay.
"And I'm the dramatic one, huh..."
From the bushes, Inaya watched them with a blank stare. This made her even more curious about their relationship. Shatiel, who barely spoke a word around the Night Knights, was now laughing and splashing like a carefree girl.
Back at the stream, Shatiel turned her back to Hielaina so she could help wash it. Her pale skin was still stained with clumps of dried blood, stubborn even after the initial rinsing.
With no sponge or cloth, Hielaina used her hands, pouring water onto Shatiel's back and gently rubbing away the grime. The blood came off easier than expected. A few rinses later, her back was clean, yet Hielaina found herself unwilling to stop.
Clear water streamed down her skin, beading into droplets. The smooth texture under her fingertips, the vulnerable curve of her neck beneath tousled hair—it made Hielaina's heartbeat quicken.
Damn it. We've known each other forever. We've done everything—everything! And still her body drives me crazy... Some things, you just never get enough of...
Hielaina paused, then gently rested her flushed cheek against Shatiel's back. Shatiel noticed, turning slightly. Feeling Hielaina's breath and warmth, her gaze softened.
"No way—!"
Inaya's mind went blank. She had stumbled into something much, much bigger than she expected. Her thoughts scrambled for clarity.
Escape. I need to escape!
It was obvious from their usual behavior—they were hiding something. And now she'd not only uncovered it, she'd seen everything. If they found out—especially Shatiel—Inaya's nine lives were over.
But before she could slip away, her eyes widened again. Her feet slowed of their own accord.
At some point, their positions had changed.
Now Hielaina lay on the ground, gazing up at Shatiel with eyes full of affection. Shatiel was above her, hands on the earth, pinning her down.
The air turned thick with something electric.
Shatiel slowly leaned in, kissing her lips. Her fingers brushed Hielaina's cheek, traced down her jaw, slid across her neck, and kept going. Hielaina's eyes grew hazy. She stared up at her beloved, savoring every second of her presence. Dazed, she raised a hand to touch Shatiel's side.
Sensing it, Shatiel stopped hesitating. Her tongue gently parted Hielaina's lips, exploring freely.
Click—
A badly-timed sound shattered the moment. Time froze. The birds, the stream, the insects—all kept going. But a certain cat nearly ceased to exist.
"Oh hey! Fancy meeting you two here..."
Inaya's body went rigid. Still, she forced out a cheerful smile, acting like she'd seen nothing.
"I, uh, remembered I had something to do. So I'll just... get going..."
Her usually nimble legs felt like lead. Each step was a trembling effort.
"Stop."
A cold, merciless voice rang out.
Inaya froze.
"I didn't mean to, I didn't mean to, I didn't mean to..."
The situation had turned truly awkward.
Inaya was now kneeling, curled up into the smallest ball she could manage, thumping her forehead against the ground as she begged for mercy. In front of her stood Shatiel, barefoot, draped in the clothes Hielaina had brought, glaring down at her with pure irritation.
And on the rock sat Sennia, head lowered, visibly flustered. It wasn't just the embarrassment of being caught—it was the fact that someone now knew about her and Shatiel.
"Kill her."
Shatiel stepped on Inaya's back.
The little black cat practically shed her fur in terror, squirming underfoot but unable to move. Shatiel had her pinned.
"Let's not go that far..."
Sennia raised a hand, signaling her to stop. Though reluctant, Shatiel obeyed.
"You didn't see anything just now. Right?"
Don't be fooled by that kind tone! Inaya knew the wrong word here could be her last.
"I didn't see anything! I just came to drink some water!"
Satisfied, Sennia nodded.
"This is a secret between the three of us. As long as you keep quiet, nothing will happen."
"Mmhmm! Not a word, I swear!"
Inaya nodded furiously, eager to prove her loyalty.
"Good. Let's head back."
Once Shatiel finished dressing, the three of them returned to camp as if nothing had happened. Their pleasant moment had ended.
Back in camp, Otto and several platoon and squad leaders were gathered, seemingly discussing something.
"You're back. Good timing—there's something I need to tell you."
Noticing Sennia and an unusually tense Inaya, Otto waved them over.
"Why are you soaked?"
Even before they reached him, he noticed the water all over Sennia's clothes.
"I slipped and fell into the stream."
A lie, cool and calm, without a flicker of shame. Remembering what had really happened, even Inaya blushed.
"Alright, I'll keep this short. Command wants us to move toward Sodessa, a town about 110 kilometers from here. They say Night Knights will be operating there in two days. Once we link up, they'll bring us out after their mission."
"I see. Did command mention how many allies or what their mission entails?"
"No. Probably to avoid being intercepted."
"Understood."
Once Otto finished his briefing and left, Sennia rummaged through the supply truck and found dry clothes to change into. Inaya, meanwhile, was off in her own world, still spacing out. No matter where she went, she felt like eyes were following her. Finally, it was time to depart again. She could escape Shatiel's gaze at last... or so she thought.
As soon as she climbed onto the truck, Shatiel followed and sat right next to her. Inaya gave her a timid glance. Shatiel immediately turned her head and glared.
"Eek—!"
The little black cat let out a cry and spun away, stiff as a board.