"Mmm... I'm not lazy."
Her almond eyes fluttering, Anna could not help feeling her little face burn as she flatly denied it:
"Isn't it all your fault? You almost made it impossible for me to get up."
Though her words sounded like a complaint, there was hardly any resentment in them—only the endearing petulance of a young girl.
"Yes, yes, it's all my fault."
Gwen did not argue. Raising both hands in surrender, he accepted the girl's complaint with a smile.
"How about I take tonight's night watch for you? You can sleep a little longer and go see the child in your dreams."
"What child?"
Hearing Gwen's words, Anna froze. Then she recalled what she had dreamed just now. Her prominent breastplate rose and fell as she said in a calm tone that could not conceal her panic:
"Forget it, never mind. I'll go stand watch first. You should get some sleep too. You stayed by my side all night, so you must be tired too."
With that, Anna skirted around Gwen and hurried out of his tent.
Gwen did not stop the girl, whose embarrassment was nearly exploding. He merely watched her leave.
However, when Anna passed by him, Gwen could hear her rapid heartbeat, almost blending into one continuous sound, as well as see the alluring blush that had spread across her snowy, delicate skin.
"Heh..."
After Anna left, Gwen gave a light laugh, regaining a little of the feeling he had had back when he was still at Schicksal Headquarters.
Although Anna had grown considerably over the past half year, in front of people she knew well, she was still that easily embarrassed little girl.
As he thought, Gwen shook out the blanket on the bed, covered himself with it, and slowly fell asleep.
The next