I decided to wear my gym clothes for the night's outing. Even if I was a noble lady, there was no rule against wearing casual clothes outside. It might not be the most elegant choice, but it was definitely more comfortable than the usual skirt that fluttered unnecessarily. At least this way, I wouldn't have to worry about anyone trying to lift my skirt again—since I wasn't wearing one.
Well, enough of those thoughts. I didn't want to be late, so I needed to finish getting ready quickly.
I opted for gym pants, but I hesitated over what to wear for the top. It seemed mismatched to wear my uniform with gym pants. As I rifled through my wardrobe, I spotted it—the shirt with the goofy dog print. The one with its tongue sticking out at me.
It was one of my favorite shirts, though Annie often teased me for wearing it, saying I looked childish. Little did she realize, she was the one who always seemed the most childlike.
With my outfit complete, I had to admit, I looked great. Perfect, really. Even my boss would be impressed by this choice—especially the dog shirt. Lost in my self-praise, I realized I was running late and hurried to the research lab.
As we walked to the spot where we left off last night, Fresia and I held hands. Despite being only two years younger than me, she was so much smaller than even Annie. I couldn't help but feel like I was walking a younger sibling, the instinct to hold her hand coming naturally. Thankfully, she didn't pull away, sparing me any awkwardness.
As we strolled, I noticed a small stand nearby—a street vendor selling snacks. The vendor seemed to be packing up for the night, but they still had a few items left.
"Excuse me, are you still open?" I asked.
"You're in luck, I was just about to close up! Go ahead and pick something," the vendor replied with a smile.
I bought two lollipops, handing the larger one to Fresia.
"Huh?"
"Take it, it'll keep your hands busy."
She seemed surprised that I was giving it to her but accepted after my gentle insistence. No way was I going to eat two lollipops at once, even though I loved sweets.
"I could've bought it myself, you know," Fresia murmured.
"I wanted to buy it for you, boss. Is that a problem?" I teased.
She shook her head, her mouth now full of candy.
"It's always nicer to share something tasty with a friend. Isn't it good?"
She nodded again, and I couldn't help but think how she looked just like a little sister, making me smile. Popping my own lollipop into my mouth, I enjoyed the rush of sweetness as we continued our walk. The cool night breeze, the quiet streets, and the sugary treat—it almost felt like we were out for a pleasant evening stroll instead of working.
By the time I finished my lollipop, we arrived at the section of the city wall we were meant to fix tonight. Perfect timing.
"Let's get to work—oh wait, I'll let you finish your candy first, boss."
Fresia, still working on her lollipop, sat beside me on a nearby bench. I stayed there, holding her hand in the peaceful silence of the night. It wasn't awkward; in fact, it felt just right.
After a while, Fresia finally finished and stood up, ready to begin. I followed her, grabbing the backpack with the mana stones.
"Boss, need any help?" I asked as she pressed her hand against the barrier.
She didn't answer. Fresia had stopped moving, her hand on the wall, eyes closed in concentration. She must've been deeply focused, so I stood back, letting her work without interruption.
After a few minutes, Fresia finally spoke. "This area is severely damaged. It's a wonder no monsters have broken through yet."
With that, she took the entire bag of mana stones from me and began pulling them out one by one.
"This will take some time to fix. Just wait a bit," she said.
"No problem. Take your time, boss."
Although it probably wasn't too difficult for someone of Fresia's caliber, I knew it was important to maintain her concentration. I stood guard behind her, crossing my arms as I kept watch.
We must've looked suspicious—two girls working on the city's barrier in the dead of night with a bunch of glowing stones. Some passersby gave us curious glances, but I ignored them. We didn't owe anyone an explanation.
Then, about ten minutes later, two city guards approached us.
"Hey! What are you two doing there?"
"Good evening," I greeted politely. I understood why they might be suspicious. They were just doing their jobs, after all.
"What are you up to at this hour? Depending on your answer, we might have to take you in. No funny business," one guard warned.
"There's no need for concern. We're from the academy, here to repair the city's barrier."
"Oh yeah? Got any proof of that?"
"Just a second… Ah..."
I reached into my pocket only to realize that I wasn't wearing my uniform and had left my student ID back at the dorm. My heart sank.
"What's wrong? Hurry up and show us some ID."
I stood frozen, flustered. Of course, they wouldn't take my word for it without proof.
"Uh, maybe my boss has her ID? Let me—"
"Then fetch it, quickly."
"Well, as you can see, she's in the middle of repairing the barrier..."
I glanced at Fresia, still deep in concentration. Interrupting her now would be dangerous, and I couldn't afford to break her focus.
"How do we know she's fixing the barrier and not breaking it? This looks suspicious. We'll have to take you both in," the guard said, raising his spear toward me. The other guard pulled out a small communication device, likely preparing to call for backup.
I panicked. Sure, getting detained wouldn't be the end of the world. We could prove who we were eventually, but it would delay the repairs and might even disrupt Fresia's concentration, which could be dangerous.
I needed to stall for time.
"Wait, wait! You can restrain me if you want, but please wait until my boss finishes her work. If anything seems off, you can use me as leverage."
At least this way, the guards wouldn't have any reason to harm Fresia, and I could buy her the time she needed.
The guards exchanged glances, unsure.
"Hmm... Fine. If you're offering yourself up like that, we'll see."
I quickly held out my wrists, allowing them to bind me. After a brief discussion, the two guards cuffed my hands and stood back, one keeping an eye on me while the other watched Fresia.
As we stood there, I tried to make small talk to pass the time.
"Must be tough doing patrols this late, huh? I hope we're not wasting your time," I said.
"It's part of the job. With all the incidents lately, we've had to be on high alert. But if you're not up to anything shady, there won't be any problems," the guard replied.
"Just give us a little time. We'll prove everything once the barrier is fixed."
After chatting for a bit longer, I noticed that Fresia had finished her work. She and the other guard walked back toward us.
"Alright, release her," Fresia said.
The guard who had restrained me pulled out his key and unlocked the cuffs. I flexed my wrists, sore from being bound.
"You should've called for me. Why were you just standing there tied up?" Fresia asked, frowning slightly.
"I didn't want to break your concentration. It seemed too risky."
"Well, I guess... Still."
Fresia gave the guards a quick glare, but she understood they were just doing their job, so she let it go.
"Don't be too hard on them, boss. They didn't mean any harm," I said.
"I wasn't talking to them. I was talking to you."
Fresia pouted, kicking at the ground in frustration.
"We'll be going now," I said to the guards.
"Understood. I've reported to the others, so you shouldn't be bothered again," one guard replied, giving a respectful nod.
We resumed our walk, Fresia still looking slightly annoyed. I couldn't help but feel touched that she had been upset on my behalf, though I didn't say anything. Instead, I reached for her small hand and held it as we walked into the night.