Ella squeezed her small hands in embarrassment, her face a bit awkward.
Celes was the same.
Though being a time-space police officer is not acceptable, looking back now, there are some things that are easier said than heard.
For example, having Ella, whose combat power was clearly not weak, protected like a fragile girl.
At first, the girls of the Hero Squad thought she was just a pure and delicate girl who could only use some convenient little magic.
Later, during the Royal Capital Incident, Ella revealed her “forced learning” of Dark Magic.
And then, in the Forest of the Elves, she stabbed the White Bone Sword through the body of the Elf Loli.
Though it was later explained that this was a type of magic and that wielding a sword could also make one a mage, the skillful motion of her stabbing made it hard to believe she wasn’t good at close combat.
“Celes, I really don’t want to harm anyone, but many times there’s just no other way, like what happened with Silitia that day… Do you believe me?”
“Of course I believe you!”
In Celes’s heart, Ella had always been a good girl.
At least up to now.
After touring the Ruins of Lier Fort, it was getting late, and the two girls returned to the main camp together.
Celes saw Glengo waving at her.
“Dad, I was just about to look for you.”
The girl walked over.
“Thank you for agreeing to our…”
“No need to thank me. Let’s not talk about that now.”
Glengo told her.
“Let me tell you something. You’re grown up now, you can’t be like a child, clinging to your mother to sleep every night.”
Celes paused.
Clinging to her mother to sleep?
No, wasn’t it her mother who dragged her over last night?
Besides, with such a big tent and two separate beds, it’s hard to say anyone was clinging to anyone.
“Anyway, you’re already grown up, so you need to learn to sleep by yourself. So tonight, you and your companion will sleep in one tent.”
After leaving these words, Glengo turned and left, leaving the girl standing there in a daze.
She was dazed not for any other reason, but because in a single simple sentence, there were two self-contradictory meanings.
Was he telling her to sleep alone or to sleep with Ella?
“I think… maybe there are two beds in the tent.”
Ella walked over with a smile.
“Though there’s not much difference, really.”
She didn’t take it to heart. It’s normal for parents to want their children to sleep alone.
The sky was growing dark.
Dinner was some roasted meat and wheat products, just for the two of them.
General Glengo and Selina didn’t come.
Celes had wanted to look for them, but then she found a note in the tent.
[Take care of your friend. Mom and Dad still have to patrol with the army today. We’re busy and will be back late. After dinner, rest as you like.]
“It’s written like this.”
She sat at the dining table, picked up a knife and fork, and started eating.
Ella had already eaten a piece, chewed, swallowed it.
“I didn’t expect there to be so much military work on the frontier. Even though there hasn’t been a single attack in three months, the Kingdom is still too cautious.”
Celes agreed, after all, it was her parents who suffered.
In reality, however, there was no patrol tonight, and Glengo and Selina were not busy.
The reason they didn’t come to eat with their daughter and her friend was simply because the time was not right.
In other words, they temporarily didn’t know what kind of meal this was, so they didn’t dare to eat.
“I still feel a bit uneasy.”
Selina frowned.
“Although your reasoning makes sense, I still think there’s something off about this method.”
After dinner, Glengo, who had finished tidying up and washing, yawned and lay down on the bed.
“Don’t think too much, you’ll know the result tomorrow morning. Go to sleep.”
Yes, sleep.
The sky darkened.
The Northern Frontier Line fell silent once again, just like every day for the past half year.
Since Wolfshead Feng Lie died, the wolves had never left the snowfields.
No one knew if they were fighting each other for the position of Wolf King or lying in wait, plotting something in secret.
Half an hour later, lying on the bed, Selina suddenly opened her eyes.
She realized where the problem was.
That’s right.
If her daughter and Miss Ella did something at night, they’d be unable to get up the next morning, and it would be obvious.
But wouldn’t that mean she was letting them do as they pleased tonight?!
On the other side, in the guest tent, Celes saw the two small beds not far apart, and suddenly realized she would be sleeping this close to Ella tonight.
Her heart pounded.
Of course, she didn’t want to do anything.
She wasn’t that kind of person.
She just felt that since they were sleeping so close, they could chat a bit before bed, like two close friends.
“Good night~”
Then Celes noticed that as soon as Ella said these two words, she lay on the bed and instantly fell asleep.
Early to bed and early to rise is healthy.
And Lalala clearly had a healthy body.
She was asleep.
But Celes couldn’t sleep.
With the beds so close, Ella’s gentle breathing was like a breeze beside her ear.
The Northern Frontier Line was cold.
Would she freeze sleeping alone?
Maybe she should scoot over a bit?
The girl reached out to lift the blanket, but just as she was about to get off the bed, she forced herself back down.
No.
She couldn’t do something like that.
For Ella to sleep so soundly in front of her meant trust.
Absolute trust.
But… it’s not like she hadn’t hugged her before…
That was because she had something to say!
Not for sleeping!
And now she wasn’t troubled, so there was no reason!
But she couldn’t sleep…
Even so, she forced herself to close her eyes and sleep!
Zzzz
The cold winter night would always pass.
Every soldier on the Northern Frontier Line thought so, even though it wasn’t winter yet.
Morning came.
It was time for morning exercises.
The soldiers crawled out of their tents, white breath puffing from their mouths as they jogged toward the mess hall, shouting slogans.
Ella also got up at this time.
She didn’t join the run, just stood to the side and watched.
It reminded her of her previous life at university.
Back then, when the freshmen had military training, she would watch from the sidelines with a bottle of drink.
“So tough~”
“Miss Ella, you’re up early again.”
General Glengo’s voice came from behind.
Because Selina had insomnia last night for some unknown reason, this morning it was still only him who got up, coming outside the guest tent to check the situation.
“Yes, General, good morning.”
Ella greeted politely.
Glengo looked at her, then glanced around, then looked at the tent door.
Finally, he asked,
“Are you the only one here? Little Seli hasn’t woken up yet?”
“Mm, Celes is still sleeping. When I got up, she was sleeping deeply.”
Ella answered truthfully.
“If you want to see her, it might have to be a bit later.”
Glengo was stunned.