Chapter 698: A Cold Night

The beautiful, pale moon hung high in the sky like a lonely mistress, with countless tiny stars gathered around her like silent admirers.

Below, in a broad, bowl-shaped depression in the desert floor, Mira, Tessa, Isolde, and Rina sat around a small, flickering fire, chewing on strips of dried jerky.

The raised edges of their campsite concealed the firelight from the surrounding dunes, allowing them to enjoy a little warmth for once without drawing unwanted attention.

Unfortunately for the five guys, the ladies had claimed all the space around the fire, sitting so close together that there was little room for anyone else to squeeze in.

The men could only huddle farther away, enduring the biting cold while casting occasional, resentful glances toward the comfortable circle.

"Those arrogant bitches! Leaving us to suffer in the cold! How can they be so heartless?" Aki, the half-beastman, complained under his shuddering breath, keeping his knees tucked close to his chest.

The other guys agreed, but they could do little more than grit their teeth. The ladies had made the fire, after all, and considering how the guys had been treating them recently, they couldn’t complain too much.

They were already used to enduring the cold, but somehow, it felt considerably more unbearable with a fire sitting right within sight.

"Seriously, though, who do they think they are?" Aki continued. "Our fellow second years would never believe we were being treated like this by a bunch of first-years!"

"Complain all you want, but it won’t get us anywhere," Cody said, rubbing his hands together before breathing into them.

"Do you think we should apologise and ask them to share the fire?" another of the guys suggested.

"You think they’ll agree to that? We’re the ones at a disadvantage here. Besides, my father always says women are difficult to appease, especially when they’re in a group."

"Ahh, you’re right." Aki glanced toward Makho, who had been sitting quietly beside them. "Maybe we should let Makho speak to them for us."

Makho lifted his head, his brows rising as the others turned toward him. William listened quietly while they worked out their little plan, his teeth chattering from the cold, though his attention soon drifted toward Mira.

Just looking at her made a familiar rage boil within him.

He was still very much afraid of approaching any of them because of Elion, especially since he could clearly remember what had happened that day he hurt Aria, who knew if he might take offense if he heard that he had even breathed the same air as them.

But seeing Mira sitting so comfortably beside the fire infuriated him.

’That bitch! I bet she’ll leave him as soon as she gets what she wants from him!’

By now, he was convinced that she had simply used him to climb the social ladder. The thought made his jaw clench, though he quickly lowered his gaze before she could notice him staring.

’As soon as I get the chance, I’m going to make her pay!’

Makho got up a moment later, having agreed to speak on their behalf. He walked toward the four women, stopping a few steps from the fire before clearing his throat.

"Is there any chance you’d be willing to share the fire? The cold keeps getting worse, and—"

"And why should we?" Tessa snapped, turning toward him without the slightest hint of mercy.

Before she could continue, however, a gentle hand settled on her shoulder. Isolde tugged at her lightly, making her pause and look back at the elf.

"What, Isolde? Let me give this bastard a piece of my mind!"

Isolde shook her head. "There’s no need to lash out at everyone. Makho has been kind enough to help us, even when the others haven’t."

She looked up at the red-haired upperclassman with a kind smile before rising from her seat.

"You can have my spot. I need to take a bathroom break, so make sure you get warm while I’m gone."

A moment later, she walked up the slope of the depression, leaving the others watching her retreating figure. Makho awkwardly stepped into the space she had left and settled beside the fire, doing his best not to look toward his fellow men.

"Well, shit. That didn’t work out as we’d hoped," Cody complained, watching Makho stretch his hands toward the flames. "Lucky bastard."

Mira and the others let him sit with them in silence, since Isolde had offered him her place.

For a while, he simply enjoyed the warmth, but eventually, he lifted his head and glanced between Mira and Tessa.

"You two... If you don’t mind me asking, what’s your boyfriend, Elion Nova, like?"

Both women raised their brows, exchanging a surprised glance before looking back at him.

"Where did that come from?" Tessa asked. "Why are you suddenly curious?"

Makho remained silent for a moment, then shrugged.

"I don’t really know. I’m just curious. Everyone’s been talking about him recently, and I find it odd that someone who seemed so ordinary has suddenly become the centre of attention in the whole kingdom."

Mira and Tessa looked at each other again, trying to decide where to begin. Eventually, Tessa sighed and nodded toward the black-haired girl beside her.

"Mira’s the best person to ask. She knows him better than I do. To me, he’s just a shameless pervert who happens to be a bit stronger than most people our age."

A faint blush crept onto her cheeks before she added, "And a bit more handsome than most, too."

Mira chuckled, and even Rina smiled to herself.

Makho could only give the red-haired beauty an odd look, finding it rather strange to see her blushing like a maiden in love after spending the past two and a half weeks watching her beat everything with more than two legs into the ground.

’She’s just a girl, after all...’

After a moment, Mira began telling him about Elion in the simplest way she could.

She kept to things she didn’t mind sharing, naturally, since being willing to speak to Makho didn’t mean she suddenly intended to tell him everything about the man she loved.

Across the camp, Aki clicked his tongue.

"Damnit! They’re talking about that bastard again!" he complained. "He’s not even here, and he’s all they ever talk about!"

The others could only listen from where they sat, though their attention was still divided between the conversation and the warmth Makho was enjoying.

A few minutes had passed since Isolde left when Rina finally glanced toward the edge of the depression, a small frown forming on her face.

Someone probably should have accompanied the elf.

They had become rather used to handling things together, and letting her wander off alone in a place like this was hardly sensible, especially when something could be lurking beyond the campsite.

"I’m going to check on our shy elf," she said, rising and reaching for her spear.

Mira nodded, and Rina made her way up the slope, leaving the three around the fire to continue their conversation.

Aki watched her go, then wasted little time getting up and claiming her vacant spot before anyone else could think to do the same.

Rina let out a shuddering breath and hugged her shoulders as the biting cold embraced her.

"S-so cold..." she complained, her jaw already trembling as she looked across the landscape, painted a dull grey by the moonlight.

She continued forward with light steps, searching for any sign of Isolde.