"Ssttt... Lower your voice." Althea stepped into his tent and zipped up the entrance. "I ca to sleep with you."
"Sleep with ?" he almost failed to control his emotions because her words sounded like she ca to have sex with him.
"Didn’t you invite to sleep with you this morning?" She lay next to him without a hint of nervousness as if they had slept together many tis.
The corner of his lips twitched.
’She knew I was just teasing her, yet she still ca to my tent.’
He didn’t know whether he should admire her boldness or question it.
"Let’s sleep now." She said as she shut her eyes.
"Are you not afraid that I might take advantage of the situation and do sothing inappropriate to you?" he inquired.
Instead of answering his question, Althea asked without opening her eyes. "Are you planning to do that?"
Even though they had only known each other for a few days, it was enough for her to know his character.
That was why she dared to co to his tent and sleep with him.
Ren didn’t answer her question and only let out a sigh.
’This Queen is really sothing.’
He slowly closed his eyes.
At the sa ti, Althea opened her eyes and glanced at him for a second.
A soft smile spread across her face when she saw him closing his eyes because this was sothing she had expected.
’I knew it.’
She shut her eyes again.
Shortly after that, the duo fell asleep.
----
Ti went by quickly and without realizing it, it was already 05:00 am. At this mont, Ren and Althea were sleeping soundly.
Like yesterday, she ended up in his arms.
At first, she only slept beside him, but in the middle of the night, she moved into his arms because the comfort and warmth of his embrace made her feel as if she were sleeping on a soft cloud.
"Mmm..." she murmured as she finally woke from her deep sleep.
’As expected, I feel refreshed again.’
Her lips curled up into a smile.
’I will return to my tent now.’
Unlike yesterday, she could slip from his embrace easily because he was sleeping more deeply, and his grip had loosened.
’Thank you, Ren. I will cook so delicious food for you later.’
With that thought, she stepped out of his tent and made her way to her own.
At 06:00 am, Althea cooked breakfast.
She declined when her daughter and General Lara offered to help because she wanted to cook everything by herself.
After all, this was her way of expressing her gratitude to Ren for giving her a good night’s sleep.
"Zaria, General Lara, I found a lake near here," Ren said. "I finished bathing there. If you two want to, you can go as well."
Zaria’s eyes lit up. "A lake?"
"Yes. Over there." Ren pointed with his right index finger toward the lake’s location. "Just head straight in that direction for about thirty ters, and you will find it."
General Lara and Zaria exchanged a glance with each other before finally heading to the lake with happy faces.
Ren turned around and approached Althea. "Queen Althea, let help you with breakfast."
"It’s fine. You don’t need to help ." Althea refused instantly.
"Are you sure you don’t want to help you?" Ren inquired,
"Didn’t I say I would be the one cooking breakfast last night? Just sit over there and wait for the food to be ready." Althea wanted to show him that, despite her status as a queen, she was also skilled at cooking.
"...alright." Since she insisted, Ren sat down on a nearby stone and absorbed a beast core.
However, it only lasted for around two minutes because a delicious aroma of food broke his concentration.
’It slls delicious!’
He opened his eyes and turned toward the wok.
’It seems like she really knows how to cook.’
He shifted his gaze from the at to her.
"Hmm?" Althea stopped what she was doing when she noticed his gaze. "Why are you looking at like that? Don’t tell you’ve fallen for already."
A playful smile blossod on her pretty face as she continued slicing a red chili pepper.
Ren approached her slowly and teased her back. "It seems so."
Queen Althea giggled softly before tossing the sliced chili peppers into the wok, mixing them carefully with the at.
"Is it ready yet?" he inquired.
"You will have to wait a little longer." She answered without looking at him.
He could not resist the delicious sll, so he tried to steal a piece of the sizzling at.
But before he could succeed, Althea’s hand darted out, tapping his fingers with a light, playful tap. "Patience."
Ren raised his hands in mock defeat. "I can’t help it. It slls too good."
Her smile softened as she finished cooking.
Now, the at was perfectly seared.
She picked up a piece of at with her chopsticks and turned to face him. "Here, I suppose you’ve earned it."
Ren’s gaze softened as he took a step closer.
That mont felt unexpectedly intimate when their eyes t, and he took the at from her chopsticks.
The simple act felt more tender than he expected, and Ren found himself savoring not just the food but the quiet connection in the mont.
"This is...really good." He was not lying when he said this because it tasted delicious.
"So, did my cooking make you fall even deeper for ?" Althea teased him once again.
When Ren was about to answer her question, Zaria’s voice rang out.
"Mother, is breakfast ready?" Zaria asked as she approached them.
Althea turned to her daughter and responded, "Yes. Let’s have breakfast together."
"Great!" Zaria said happily.
After breakfast, they resud their journey.
Like yesterday, they stopped when the sun began to set.
At night, Ren didn’t sleep right away.
He waited for Althea because he had a feeling that she would co to his tent again.
And his guess was right because she visited him again thirty minutes after her daughter and General Lara fell asleep.
"I’ve been waiting for you, Queen Althea." Ren said while lying on the folding bed.
"It seems like you knew I would co." She took off her furry cloak and hung it on a hook.
"Since you cooked us a delicious al today, I will give you so special treatnt tonight," He spoke and paused for a second before he continued, "I will let you sleep in my arms and give you a wonderful night."
"Then, I will take the offer." Without a hint of shyness, she approached him and lay in his arms.
He wrapped his arms around her slender waist and said, "But are you sure coming to my tent every night is a good idea? If this continues, we will get caught by your daughter one day."
"Why? Isn’t this a win-win situation for us? I get to enjoy a good night, and you get to hold a beautiful queen," she replied with a teasing smile. "As for getting caught by my daughter, let’s worry about that if it actually happens."
"You are really a fearless queen," he stated.
"If I were not fearless, countless people would take advantage of and make my people suffer." She responded,
"Then, let’s sleep now." He uttered.
"Good night, Ren," she said.
"Goodnight, Queen Althea." He responded.
Shortly after that, the duo fell asleep.
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