"Right... that should do for the tents."
Determinedly averting his eyes from the eldritch cooking taking place nearby, Rest finished pitching the tents alongside Ostray.
They had set up three in total: one for Ostray, one for Yuri, and a shared one for Urula and Arlie. For a specific reason, Rest hadn't bothered to set one up for himself.
There was no need for the core group to take turns on watch tonight. Margrave Lavender’s soldiers—Ostray’s subordinates—were scheduled to rendezvous with them shortly to handle the night shift.
"It's all set, Count Clover," Ostray said, rotating his shoulders as he offered Rest his thanks.
"I appreciate the hand. We finished much earlier than I expected thanks to you."
"Think nothing of it. Well then, please, get some rest. I have one more job to take care of."
"Is there something else? I can assist if you need it."
"No... this is something only I can do. Just make yourself comfortable."
Waving a hand at the standing Ostray, Rest walked toward the center of the camp. Once he reached the middle of the site, he focused his mind and began kneading his mana.
"Barrier."
He activated the spell he had only recently mastered. It was the Monster Repellent barrier taught to him by Jarana Maitis. White lines traced through the air above Rest’s head, etching a complex geometric pattern into the sky.
"And now... [Transcription]."
The pattern suspended in the air was transcribed directly onto the ground, completing the magic circle. An invisible barrier expanded outward from the center, designed to drive away any monsters within a hundred-meter radius of the campsite.
"With this, we shouldn't have any Worms bursting out of the ground... hopefully. We have sentries, and we’re outside the wetlands anyway, so I might be overthinking it."
Even so, this region had once been a Magical Wilds—a literal nest for monsters. Since Yuri and Urula were with them and lives were on the line, being overly cautious felt like exactly the right amount of care.
"Oh, Rest! Did you put up a barrier?"
"Pretty..."
Noticing Rest’s work, Yuri and Urula wandered over from their makeshift kitchen. They were supposed to be in the middle of preparing dinner, yet their aprons were already heavily stained with smears of green, black, and red fluid.
"......What is that?"
"Oh, this? Well, when I was butchering the Worm, these bugs—"
"Actually, don't tell me. I don't want to know."
Sensing he was about to hear something that would ruin his appetite forever, Rest hastily cut the conversation short. He cleared his throat and pivoted back to the magic.
"This is a Monster Repellent barrier. As long as it's active, no monsters should be able to get close."
"Oho, that’s impressive!"
"Mm. Rest’s magic is beautiful."
"To think you can even use Barrier Arts. You are a man of many talents," Arlie added, following close behind the girls.
"However... regarding this barrier, how long will it last? I have heard that Barrier Arts place a significant drain on one’s mana."
"It’s permanent... so long as I stay right here."
"Pardon?"
"Hup..." Rest sat down cross-legged in the very center of the magic circle.
He felt the immediate sensation of his mana being siphoned away, but for someone with infinite mana, it wasn't even an inconvenience.
"This barrier draws mana directly from the person at the center of the circle. As long as I stay here, the barrier won't fail."
"Will you be alright, Lord Rest? We still have the investigation to continue tomorrow," Arlie asked skeptically.
Rest simply shrugged. "Don't worry, I’ll make sure to leave myself plenty of energy. I won't be a burden, so you don't need to stress over it."
"...I see. As long as there is no danger to the Lady, then I have no complaints. Forgive me for speaking out of turn."
"It's no problem. It’s only natural to worry about your mistress."
If Rest were to run out of mana, Urula would be placed in immediate danger. Arlie’s concern was perfectly logical.
(Well, I don't actually run out of mana, so she really doesn't have anything to worry about...)
"I'll be sleeping right here, so the rest of you can use the tents. Just don't step inside the magic circle, or it'll start siphoning your mana too."
Tonight would be his first night alone in quite a while. Viola and Primula weren't here, and he was physically separated from Yuri as well. He felt a strange mix of relief and disappointment—a complicated state of mind for any young man.
"Understood! In that case, I’ll put my heart and soul into the cooking so you can keep that barrier up all night!" Yuri declared, thumping her chest with a confident grin. "I'm going to make a mountain of nutritious food to help your mana recover!"
"Mm... maximum nutrition."
"I was actually planning to toss them... but since they're supposed to be great for stamina, I think I'll use those testicles after all. It’s going to be a struggle to get the smell out, though."
"I’ll help."
"Testicles...? Wait, what!? Hold on a second! What on earth are you planning to feed me!?"
The women turned and headed back to the kitchen with light, cheerful steps. Rest was certain he had heard a truly horrifying word, but since he was effectively tethered to the magic circle, he could do nothing but watch the three of them walk away.