The desert was probably the most extreme region in this world.
It was scorching enough to suffocate during the day and freezing enough to make one shiver at night.
Ever since we entered the forest, the four of us had split into two groups for night watch.
For the first few days, Elinalise and I had been one group, while Roxy and Rudeus had been the other.
But perhaps Roxy noticed that Elinalise and I often abandoned our posts while on watch together to do the sort of things adults enjoyed.
So on the third day, Roxy suggested changing the night watch arrangements.
Since Rudy did not want me to stand watch with Roxy, it became Rudeus and me in one group, with Elinalise and Roxy in the other.
Since I was the one at fault to begin with, I did not object to the decision. Only Elinalise had a minor complaint, but three votes against one overruled her.
After arriving on the Begaritt Continent, it was Rudeus's and my turn to take the first watch tonight.
We sat at the entrance to the ruins containing the teleportation circle, staring blankly out at the endless desert.
The night wind was bitterly cold, making both of us shiver. If it had been Elinalise, she would have long since crawled into my cloak so we could hold each other for warmth.
But since it was two men standing watch together, all we could do was sit separately and shake our legs to warm ourselves up. I wondered whether Roxy and Rudy had held each other for warmth when they stood watch together.
Standing watch was incredibly boring. Especially in a place without the slightest sound, where time seemed to crawl by.
So Rudy and I began chatting without any prior agreement.
As