Rest lay back on Yuri’s lap, looking up at the high, blue sky where clouds drifted in ever-changing shapes.
Inside the barrier, the biting cold was kept at bay, and a gentle breeze carried the fresh, earthy scent of greenery.
"Phew..."
"Well, Rest? How is it?"
"It feels... quite nice, actually."
"Why so formal all of a sudden?"
"I don't know... just a habit, I guess."
It was a wonderful pillow. Firm yet yielding, it offered the perfect amount of support. And then there was Yuri herself—she smelled faintly of flowers, or perhaps soap, which only added to the comfort.
Is it perfume? No, probably soap...
"..."
"Going to sleep, Rest?"
"Yeah... I'm out..."
Unlike the awkward princess carry from before, sleep came easily now. Rest didn't resist the heavy pull of exhaustion; he let his eyelids close and surrendered to the darkness. It felt like sinking into the depths of the ocean or drifting atop a bed of clouds.
Within minutes, his breathing turned slow and steady.
This was his third day of dates. While spending time with Viola and Primula had been fun, it had taken a mental toll. The fatigue had finally caught up with him, dragging him into a deep, heavy slumber.
"ROOOOAAARRRR!"
"HIIISSSSSSSSS!"
"Gah!?"
The peace was short-lived. A sudden, earth-shaking howl jolted him awake.
"What!? What’s happening!?" Rest shouted, bolting upright.
"Oh, Rest. You're awake."
"Yuri! What was that?"
"Those things over there. Honestly, they're being far too loud."
"Those things? Monsters?"
He looked down from the hill to see two massive beasts locked in a life-or-death struggle.
"A snake and a... mongoose?"
The combatants were a giant serpent and a furry, four-legged beast, both the size of elephants. They were clashing with savage intensity, neither side willing to back down.
"They just showed up and started tearing into each other," Yuri explained. "I've never seen anything like them before."
"They might have wandered in from the Subnock Plain..."
Rest had heard rumors that the ongoing development of the plains was driving some of the surviving monsters toward the outskirts.
"I thought they said there wasn't much damage being reported," Yuri mused.
"It’s definitely a problem having monsters that big this close to the capital," Rest agreed, nodding. "We should probably take them out. I’d hate for the development project to cause trouble for the locals, even indirectly."
"Right! In that case, we should... what’s the saying? Something about a fisherman?"
"The fisherman's profit. We wait for them to wear each other out."
It was a bit underhanded, but they decided to sit back and finish off whoever survived.
"ROOOOAAARRRR!"
"HIIISSSSSSSSS!"
"Looks like they’re going to be at it for a while, though."
"Perfect! Then let's have a snack while we wait!"
Yuri rummaged through her bags and produced a cloth-wrapped bundle.
"I baked some meat pies! They’re a little scorched, but I promise they taste great!"
"Wait, Yuri—meat pies!?"
"Gwoh?"
"Ssss?"
As the savory aroma of meat hit the air, both monsters froze. They turned their massive heads toward the hill, locking eyes with Rest.
"Oh, boy..."
"ROOOOAAARRRR!"
"HIIISSSSSSSSS!"
The beasts instantly forgot their rivalry. Identifying Rest and Yuri as much more appealing prey, they abandoned their duel and began charging up the hill. Finding a common enemy seemed to have wiped away any memory of their own dispute.
"Oh! Oops. My bad!"
"You always do this! Seriously!"
Rest knew he was a magnet for trouble, but it seemed Yuri was on an entirely different level. Whether they liked it or not, the two of them were now forced into a fight against two elephant-sized monsters.