A Night of Paranoia (10)

“Heeey! You guys awake...? Huh? Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey... What the heck is this...? Could it be you guys are... together?”

A deep, booming voice rang out as the lights shining on Noa spilled into the tent.

The sudden light flooding their vision was blinding. It jolted their hazy minds awake, and they tried to roll over, but sleepiness won out. Bathed in the light, they closed their eyes and tried to drift back into their dreams.

“No, get up! It’s already eight! Time for breakfast! You’ve gotta eat a proper breakfast if you want to work hard all day!”

“Mm... Mmm, morning? Already?”

Alice, who kept a regular schedule even back in Earthclear, was the first to sit up. Rubbing her bleary eyes, she looked around the tent, then began gently shaking Menou, who was sleeping beside her.

“Mm... Huh? An angel... right in front of me?”

“I feel like I’ve heard that one before, too.”

Shaken by Alice, Menou finally woke up and sat up, rubbing her sleepy eyes. Perhaps stirred by the sound of their voices, Parna also sat up, her eyes half-lidded with sleep, and looked toward Balmung, peering in through the tent flap.

“Mmm? It’s morning already...? Huh? Why’s Captain Balmung here?”...