I rose from the water, touching my face with both palms as I wiped away the remaining droplets clinging to my eyelids.
Phew... The water is really warm. Has someone used magic to change its temperature too? It's hard to believe that water this warm can be found inside a cave.
I walked to the other side of the small pool we had made to pick up the long towel I had brought with me earlier.
First of all, I dried my long hair that hung down because it was wet. Gently rubbing it so that it would dry evenly and not cause it to fall out.
Then, after that, I dried the rest of my body all the way down to my toes until there wasn't a single part left wet.
Soaking myself to wash my body after not bathing for quite some time felt truly wonderful. Everything I had been thinking about vanished in an instant as the warm water seemed to pull my body down into its depths.
The steam rising from the surface looked so comforting even from afar. In fact, anyone would surely feel at ease just by looking at it.
I placed the towel on the same rock, beside the pile of dirty clothes that I had neatly folded so that they would be easy to put away later.
On another rock, I picked up the underwear that Mayoi-san had given me. Looking at it again only made me lose confidence once more...
Now that I've come this far, there's no way I can turn back, right?
In the end, I had no choice but to put on that underwear with my face flushed red with embarrassment before covering it with the dress that woman had given me as well.
... Just because I'm going to sleep together with Kayo doesn't mean I have to follow everything Mayoi-san says, right?
Next time, I'll make sure to choose my own clothes. I don't want her picking them out for me ever again.
—
As I climbed the stairs to return to the tent, I ran into Kayo, who was carrying a bucket in one of his hands.
The bucket contained his clean clothes, along with a towel just like mine.
Kayo looked at me with slight surprise, perhaps because he had thought that I had already gone back to the tent. "You just finished, Lin? I thought you'd already returned to the tent," he said.
I simply responded with a small smile before breaking into a light run to leave him behind.
"If you want, you can go to sleep first, Lin! It's already night, so I'll join you later!" he shouted, his voice sounding faint as I ran away from him.
Once I felt that I had gotten far enough away, I stopped to catch my breath, which had become ragged because of my sudden actions.
Even though I only looked at his face... Why is my own face heating up as well? This must all be because of what Mayoi-san said earlier!
I hung up my towel and my old clothes, which I had washed before leaving the pool beside the tent.
Kayo had made a clothesline using only two wooden poles, tying a sturdy rope between them to create something surprisingly versatile.
To make them dry faster, we could use wind magic later. There was no need to worry about wet clothes anymore. Which means, the only thing left is...
I hurried into the tent and buried my face in the pillow while swishing my tail rapidly, my ears curling up in embarrassment.
Besides! There's no way I-I-I'm going to do "that" with Kayo right now... W-Why would I even do that?!
From what Kayo had told me, we'd always been together ever since we were little, to the point that everyone assumed we would become a couple once we grew up.
But if my memories are still this hazy, how could I possibly accept that?!
I still haven't asked Kayo what he thinks of me, whether he sees me only as his princess or as something more.
... If this really is the day and I have to do "that" together with Kayo... I suppose maybe that wouldn't be so bad.
The two of us are already very close, and everyone knows that. Surely, if they were to hear such news, they would celebrate it with great excitement.
But... Why does my chest feel so tight? The chill I had felt earlier during dinner was now brushing gently against my neck once again. What exactly is this feeling?
—
Unable to calm myself inside the tent, I decided to step outside while wrapping part of my body in my blanket.
Even if it really is nighttime, how does Kayo know that? Is it because the cave has become slightly darker? Or perhaps he simply knows what time it is now?
The air certainly felt cool as well. In a few more hours, it would probably become even colder.
The blanket worked surprisingly well. If I had gone outside wearing nothing but my dress, I would probably be shivering from the cold.
I sat a few steps away from the tent, looking over all the other tents, which had grown quiet without the noisy voices of the children.
I curled up, pressing the soles of my feet together before bending my knees and wrapping my arms around them.
I hadn't stopped paying attention for more than an hour, yet everyone had already fallen fast asleep in their own tents. They must have been exhausted after spending so many days sleeping out in the open.
But now, all of us could sleep peacefully inside this cave and within our warm tents, especially with so many people sharing each one.
"Huft..." I let out a small sigh, feeling just how cold and warm this night was at the same time.
Perhaps all of us would get to experience moments like this every day once we finally arrived in Nakuso. Yes, I was certain of it.
"Huh? What are you doing out here?" Kayo asked as he walked toward me.
I turned around and looked at Kayo, who was carrying a bucket in his left hand while his right hand busily dried his wet hair.
Just looking at his face was enough to tell me that he was puzzled by what I was doing out here.
I slowly stood up and brushed away the dust that might have clung to the back of my dress.
"I... just wanted to stay here for a little while. More importantly, weren't you a bit too quick yourself? Did you really wash yourself properly?" I replied, turning the question back on him.
Kayo fell silent for a moment. He tossed the towel into the bucket before trying to avert his gaze. Why was it so difficult for him to answer such a simple question?
"Yeah, yeah. We should both get some sleep, right? You'll feel exhausted if you don't get enough rest," he said, practically begging me to go back inside.
—
Well... The time has finally come. So... can I really just go to sleep now?
Even though I was already lying comfortably on the cloth that served as my bed this time, I couldn't close my eyes at all.
Beside me, Kayo had remained seated ever since we entered the tent. From where I was lying, it looked like he was writing something.
And to help himself see, Kayo used fire magic to create a small flame floating near his head.
Its light wasn't particularly bright, but it was enough to catch my attention.
Kayo's expression was incredibly serious. His gaze never wavered in the slightest. In fact, I only saw him blink once every ten seconds or so.
"Hey, do you need any help?"
Before I realized it, those words had slipped from my tongue. Seeing how focused he was made me want to get involved somehow.
At the same time, I wanted to lighten his burden, even if only a little.
"It's fine. Just go to sleep, Lin," he replied in a flat tone.
... How am I supposed to sleep after you answered me without even looking my way? You didn't so much as glance at me—how could I just leave you alone?
I slowly got up from where I was lying, careful not to make any noise, and crawled toward Kayo's back without him noticing.
Yosh, all that's left is—