Chapter 3 : What am I doing…?

Night soon fell deep and quiet in the evening.

“Hey—Qianyu, time for your watch.”

“Okay~ Got it.”

Del, after finishing her own tasks and preparing to sleep,

specially came to wake Qianyu, who had slept from afternoon until now.

As for sleeping so long, it was thanks to the insomnia from early this morning—

someone had actually come to call her for dinner midway, but she remained completely unaware.

Eating paled in comparison to sleeping.

Qianyu was now at peak energy, fully recharged.

“Brr, it’s a bit cold.”

Lifting the blanket revealed the chill; the temperature shift was especially noticeable at this mid-mountain altitude.

Qianyu pulled a warm sweater from the luggage, draped it over herself, and stepped out of the tent.

Pure moonlight spilled over the surrounding mountains and forest, like a thin layer of white silk gauze.

In the distance, a campfire built from stones crackled, dry branches popping inside.

She scanned the area.

All teammates except her had retired early to their tents.

Normally, she’d spot Yeyuan on patrol during night bathroom breaks,

so tonight, with only herself, felt refreshingly new.

(Ah, no no. Work first.)

To become a qualified adventurer,

she had to stay serious and vigilant at all times.

In these unfamiliar wild mountains, anything could happen.

“Come to think of it, what exactly does night watch entail?”

Qianyu narrowed her eyes, head lowered, pondering hard.

Only now realizing she knew nothing about it was a bit late.

She should have asked someone earlier, preferably the experienced Yeyuan.

“For now, let’s check the surroundings.”

Deciding on action, Qianyu set off quickly.

She paced back and forth along the cliff edge and the inner side,

watching for unusual movements or anything out of place.

After about three full circuits, taking considerable time,

Qianyu found nothing worth reporting.

If there were beast noises in the forest or distant chatter,

she’d wake Leila or Del,

only to face inevitable cold mockery and disdain afterward.

Idle moments like this were rare and precious on adventures.

Unwilling to waste the chance, Qianyu sat atop a higher rock.

She pulled out a prepared notebook and charcoal from her pocket.

It was a simple booklet bound in yellowed parchment, without even a cover.

The charcoal was something picked up along the way.

“Right here.”

She wasn’t just spacing out or killing boredom.

She intended to properly investigate the recent happenings on her body—

“illness”

Qianyu preferred this word to describe it.

And to dig deeper along that line of thinking.

She recorded every easily overlooked detail while pondering.

“I might have sleepwalking symptoms.”

That was the conclusion she ultimately reached.

She couldn’t imagine anything else

that explained appearing in a teammate’s bed.

“Fall asleep, then unconsciously walk to another tent. Slip into their bedding. Mm…”

It sounded logically sound.

But then again,

it always happened only after they were asleep and never got discovered—far too coincidental.

“Sigh. If only someone could investigate with me.”

Relying solely on herself to find answers was like finding a needle in a haystack.

“Qianyu.”

“Hm?”

Suddenly hearing her name, Qianyu turned—

and found Miss Yeyuan standing right behind her.

As expected of a professional scout whose every move was silent.

“What is it, Yeyuan?”

No need for the vigilance mentioned earlier with teammates,

especially against an adventurer of her level—useless even if maintained.

(Coming to me now must mean something to report.)

Thinking this, Qianyu closed the notebook, slipped it back into her pocket,

jumped down from the height, and walked to Yeyuan.

Earlier, distance and poor light prevented seeing her face clearly.

Now close, Qianyu noticed

that Yeyuan, usually expressionless and giving off ice beauty vibes,

had a flush on her cheeks—an emotion rarely seen—

undoubtedly a shy pink.

“—”

“…”

Being taciturn didn’t mean Yeyuan stammered.

On the contrary, she always spoke directly, no beating around the bush, rarely considering teammates’ feelings.

That’s why she often clashed with Leila.

But now she hesitated greatly, words reaching her lips only to be swallowed.

For a moment, Qianyu didn’t know what to say; they silently stared at each other.

Until moonlight, long obscured, pierced thick clouds.

Spilling bright clarity between them, Yeyuan finally spoke slowly:

“Qianyu, can you come with me?”

“If you mean follow you—of course.”

Yeyuan’s invitation was likely literal.

No need to overthink; Qianyu agreed readily.

“Mm.”

With confirmation, Yeyuan started walking the opposite way, Qianyu obediently following behind.

“Where are we going?”

“To—my room.”

As soon as the words left her mouth, Yeyuan stopped.

“…Eh?”

A completely unexpected answer; Qianyu’s eyes widened, frozen in place.

(To Yeyuan’s room? What for? And why?)

Questions surged like a tide.

Tension spurred adrenaline; her brain raced.

But this state didn’t last long.

“—”

The next second, Qianyu was like a machine switched off.

Her whole body slumped, head drooping, arms hanging limp.

Doubtful expression calmed; she said nothing.

Thoughts faded with consciousness.

No reaction to the outside world.

Her originally clear, bright amber eyes

gradually coiled with a mosquito-repellent spiral pattern in the irises.

Looking exactly like she was being controlled.

“Qianyu.”

“Here.”

“Let’s go.”

“Yes—”

…

Dawn arrived.

First light slowly rose from the horizon, piercing the thin morning mist.

Dew on leaf tips carried floral fragrance, turning into gentle breezes.

The forest awakened with life.

Countless creatures stirred from sleep, weaving a symphony of joyful activity.

Yet some rejoiced while others worried.

Not everyone appreciated the beauty of early to bed, early to rise.

“Mmm, mmm hmm hmm.”

Qianyu, who should have dutifully stood watch until teammates woke before resting,

was now making cute waking hums.

Then her eyes snapped open; she found herself lying in a tent, facing an unfamiliar ceiling.

“I’m screwed.”

In that instant,

a montage of her past life flashed in her mind.

She could foresee being kicked from the team for abandoning post, forever barred from adventuring.

Forced to marry an unloved man,

bear children, become a housewife toiling in the countryside until death.

(Bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad bad!)

It felt just like

waking up late as a kid, needing an adult to call the teacher, thinking her life was over.

Only growing up revealed how laughable that was,

but who could guarantee this was just baseless worry—

“Wait.”

Clinging to a sliver of hope, Qianyu forced herself calm.

“What if no one knows?”

It was still early; they probably weren’t up.

If she quickly claimed a good spot and acted exhausted!

It felt just like

forgetting homework as a kid, letting the class rep turn it in,

then sneaking completion during class and slipping it back—clever.

No time to waste; act now.

…

“Morning, Qianyu.”

Rushing out of the tent like a bullet, Qianyu ran straight into Yeyuan.

(Caught by the homeroom teacher—)

Yeyuan, an expert in watch and patrol.

From another angle, indeed her homeroom teacher.