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Maki scolded the gazer as she checked to see if there were any soldiers watching. Good. There was no one.

 

The two of them crouched so no one would be able to see them on the balcony. And then Chiharu talked to the gazer.

 

“What is it? Did you come out of the dungeon?”

 

I guess. I wanted to go where it was bright. And I came out. The gazer swayed slowly. For some reason, Maki and Chiharu were able to tell what the gazer was thinking.

 

“You…went out…”

 

And I’m too tired. I want to go back. But I can’t.

 

“You do?”

 

Yes, beloved child. Send me back.

 

Chiharu raised her hand and the gazer approached happily. Then it turned into a magic stone.

 

“It was relieved. And said thank you.”

“Yes. I felt it too. Oh, another one is coming.”

 

Maki looked up at the sky. They sent three gazers back that night.

 

It was from then on. Maki and Chiharu only wanted rooms with balconies.

 

Of course, the birdfolk were happy about it, but balconies also made rooms more dangerous, from a security point of view. It was Nyran who persuaded Edwy to agree to it.

 

“I don’t see why there’s a problem. The soldiers will be patrolling the ground.”

“Well, I suppose it is better than when they slept in tents.”

 

Once the two had been given permission, they started to drink less and wait for the monsters at night. They could have just ignored them, but they felt sorry for the lost monsters. Besides, even if they missed out on some sleep, they could just take a nap in the wagon on the following morning.

 

There were fewer monsters the closer they got to the capital. And there were nights when there were none at all. Also, it seemed that it was only gazers that were able to leave the dungeon without any of the guards noticing. And they never saw any four-legged monsters.

 

Furthermore, they rarely had visits after leaving the capital, but the two of them still stayed up late and waited, just in case. They had decided to do this until they left the dwarf lands.

 

But neither of them knew that Kaider and Nyran watched them every night, their swords ready.

 

“Ah, I guess they are finished for the night.”

 

Nyran muttered. And then Kaider said,

 

“I don’t get it. Why are Maki and Chiharu so kind to those monsters. It’s like they are in a different world.”

“Yes. I feel like I’m seeing some story.”

 

Maki and Chiharu’s silhouettes appeared in the moonlight. They always looked at the moon a little before going back to their room.

 

“Still…”

“Yeah.”

“The moonlight is nice.”

“It is.”

 

The light of the moon made their bedclothes look a little seethrough.

 

“Not bad.”

“Yes.”

 

And the two hopeless men felt rewarded.

Next Chapter

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