Chapter 90
After finishing fire watch, I lie down in the tent and close my eyes, but I still can't fall asleep.
It's partly the tension of lying defenseless outdoors, but mostly I can't stop thinking about what Billy said.
Finn is lying next to me at the edge of the tent, and next to him are Sil and Severi, sleeping.
When I returned to the tent, both Sil and Severi were already asleep, and even now they're sleeping quietly without even turning over, yet for some reason I can't calm down and fall asleep.
Thinking I'd collapse before we return to town tomorrow at this rate, I just waited for sleep to come.
"......nite"
"......re wa...... dou......"
"moshika......reba......"
Along with the sense of someone sitting up, a faint whisper reaches my ears. I open one eye to check beside me. Finn is sleeping with his back to me, so it must be Sil and Severi who are awake and talking.
It's still dark outside, and not much time has passed since fire watch ended, so it's still early to be getting up.
Are they just talking because they can't sleep, or do they need to use the toilet?
As I drowsily ponder that, I'm jolted awake by Severi suddenly calling Sil's name in an unusually strong tone: "......Sil!"
"That's why I have to go......right?"
"But......if we do......what will happen"
"I know......this is......it"
Are they arguing? They don't even seem to notice their voices are getting louder from excitement.
As I quietly observe, sensing something is clearly off, I hear the clink of gear being equipped and open my eyes.
"We have to go quickly......"
"Sil......wait......"
I immediately sit up, but the two are no longer in the tent. I click my tongue, realizing I was too late.
I don't know what's going on, but there's no way I'm just letting those two go. I reach toward Finn's shoulder, only to pull my hand back.
"You were awake?"
Seeing Finn, who should've been asleep, suddenly sit up, I ask. Finn lets out a yawn and nods.
"I'm sleepy, but it doesn't seem like I can afford to sleep. Those two aren't just going to the toilet, are they?"
"Probably not."
"What should we do? If we leave it like this, it might turn into the squad's collective responsibility, just like Billy said."
"We'll follow and see what they're up to. If they do anything strange, we'll drag them back to the tent if we have to."
"Got it."
We quickly get dressed and leave the tent, squinting into the darkness to search for Sil and the others.
There's an instructor by the fire, but no students in sight. Finn and I exchange nods and run off in the opposite direction.
"It's probably the forest, huh......?"
"If we don't find them soon, it's gotta be the forest."
We pass the distance we're allowed to move from the tent, and maybe because of our growing anxiety, Finn and I run in silence.
My breath is ragged, my body screaming from the strain without any rest, but even more than that, the growing unease in my chest is what truly worries me.
"......Celestia"
Finn, who was running ahead, stops and turns around, then points and says, "There!"
I squint toward where he's pointing and see a figure standing a few meters ahead, just before the forest.
"Looks like Sil and Severi, but there's someone else......"
"Isn't that Instructor Doan?"
I feel relieved that they hadn't entered the forest, but only for a moment. Finn spots Instructor Doan near Sil and Severi, and his face turns pale. As he opens and closes his mouth, looking between them and me, I gently pat his back to calm him and crouch down, placing a finger to my lips.
"They haven't noticed us, so let's just observe for now."
Instructor Doan is also watching Sil and Severi closely, possibly having followed them after they snuck out of the tent. If that's the case, he'll probably take them back to the tent, so maybe we should return ahead of them.
"Doesn't something seem off?"
I glance at Finn, who murmured softly. He's staring straight at Sil and the others with a puzzled expression.
"What do you mean, off?"
"It doesn't feel like they're being scolded, but something's just......"
I give a wry smile at Finn, who's messing up his hair, unable to find the words, and nod, understanding what he means.
When Instructor Doan approaches Sil and Severi, they both step away. Severi even stands as if shielding Sil, as though trying to protect him from the instructor.
"That looks less like a teacher and student and more like a noble being attacked by a thug."
"Exactly."
That comparison fits so well—it's obvious to anyone that Sil and the others are wary of Instructor Doan.
Yet Instructor Doan reaches toward Severi, patting his shoulder in a friendly way while saying something.
"Doesn't seem like they're arguing, though."
"Knowing Instructor Doan, I feel like he'll just give them a warning and be done with it."
"Yeah."
"Should we leave Silvio and the others to Instructor Doan and head back first?"
"That might be......Finn"
"......Ah!"
Just as we turned to head back, a shocking scene unfolded before our eyes.
Far from taking them back to the tent, Instructor Doan led the way into the forest. Once he disappeared into the trees, Sil and Severi followed him in.
All that remained were the two of us, standing frozen in disbelief.
"Midnight personal training or something......"
"I doubt it, but even if it was, would they do it without telling the rest of the squad?"
"I don't think they would."
"No matter how I look at it, this is weird."
"Yeah. It's weird."
Now that we were in agreement, we quickly approached the area where Sil and the others had been standing.
Peering into the forest from there, it was darker than expected, with only the moonlight providing any illumination.
"We were told not to enter the forest, but if an instructor is with us, maybe we'll just get scolded."
"Since Instructor Doan is there, we'll probably just get scolded."
Finn and I nod to each other and step into the forest, following Instructor Doan and the others.