When Ang dragged his exhausted body back to Blue Bridge Fortress, a faint strip of dawn had already appeared on the horizon.
Morning mist shrouded the fortress, and the Holy Light Spear magic array atop the walls gave off a faint golden glow in the dim light.
He silently passed through the patrol posts without alerting anyone and headed straight back to his room.
The moment he pushed open the door, the familiar scent of wood and wool blankets washed over him. He collapsed onto the bed and fell into a deep sleep.
That afternoon, the door was shoved open with a bang.
Quintina stormed in, hands on her hips, and scolded, "When did you get back? You didn't say a word—you had us worried!"
She yanked off Ang's blanket, her tone full of reproach, though there was concern in her eyes.
Ang rubbed his sleepy eyes, sat up, and smiled lazily. "It was still dark. How could I wake you all? Besides, when I got back, the fortress was as quiet as a backyard garden. This commander of yours had to steal a little rest, didn't I?"
Quintina glared at him irritably and sat at the edge of the bed. "Only Blue Bridge Fortress is like this. Anywhere else, they'd probably still be on edge."
Ang nodded, leaning against the headboard. "The Third Defense Line is about the same. They don't have to face demons directly, so they've got it even easier than we do."
"Easy my ass!" Quintina rolled her eyes, her tone teasing. "They don't have to risk their lives against demons like we do. We stare at the wilderness every day, terrified even one might slip through."
Ang burst out laughing, patted the bed, and simply rested his head on Quintina's lap, narrowing his eyes comfortably.