Surviving The Beast World With My 'Sassy' System-Chapter 78: Watching Over

Lavayla inhaled deeply and steadied herself.

"Nessa," she murmured, her voice barely louder than the rustling leaves. "Scan the surroundings. Any danger or beast activity."

A faint glow flickered within her consciousness.

’Scanning complete. No immediate threats detected within a three-hundred-meter radius. The environment is classified as temporarily safe.’

Lavayla released a quiet breath of relief.

"Good."

Repeating what she had done the previous night, she moved cautiously along the edge of the clearing, searching for a secluded location suitable for bathing. Normally, she would have drawn water directly from the System Mall, but tonight felt different.

Her body burned unnaturally hot.

She needed cold water.

Fortunately, there was a waterfall right here that promised to be freezing cold. She thought as she turned to stare at the waterfall cascading down the smooth stone cliffs.

Perfect.

Lavayla opened her space vault and retrieved a large wooden bucket. Placing it beneath the rushing stream, she watched as icy water poured in violently. Within seconds, the container filled to the brim.

What once would have required effort now felt effortless. With her strengthened physique after advancing to the Fourth Layer, she lifted the heavy bucket as though it weighed nothing and carried it toward a concealed rocky hollow she had discovered earlier.

Tall stones and thick vines shielded the area from view, forming a natural enclosure.

Just as she stepped into the hidden space and prepared to remove the blanket wrapped around her, faint footsteps reached her ears.

Lavayla froze.

Her instincts reacted instantly. She stepped back out before loosening the blanket, eyes sharpening toward the source of the sound.

Mirek emerged from the cave entrance.

He stopped the moment he saw her.

Surprise and relief flickered across his face, clearly not expecting to find her outside in the middle of the night.

Lavayla frowned slightly. "Mirek, what are you doing here?"

He hesitated. "I... didn’t sense you inside the cave. When I couldn’t see you either, I came out to look for you."

His gaze lingered briefly on the blanket wrapped around her figure before he looked away, and Lavayla couldn’t help but guess that he thought she only had the blanket on her body.

"What are you doing outside?"

"Nothing." Lavayla shook her head instinctively, then paused, realizing how suspicious that sounded. "I mean... I felt a bit dirty after sweating all day, so I came to bathe."

"Oh."

Silence lingered awkwardly between them.

"Yeah," she added quickly. "So it’s nothing. You can go back inside. I’ll return when I’m done."

But Mirek shook his head firmly.

"No. I’ll stay here with my back turned."

He shifted position immediately, facing away from her without hesitation.

"It’s the middle of the night. This is when beasts are most active. Even if this area isn’t deep within the forest, predators can still wander here. Some hunt anything they perceive as prey."

He paused, glancing briefly toward the cave before continuing,

"Don’t worry. I’m also keeping an eye on Vai."

Lavayla blinked, caught off guard by his seriousness.

"...Thanks. Thank you then."

Mirek nodded, standing guard like an unmoving wall beneath the moonlight.

For a moment, Lavayla watched his broad back silhouetted against silver light before retreating into the hidden enclosure.

The cold water hit her skin seconds later.

She sucked in a sharp breath.

It was freezing.

And absolutely heavenly.

Steam rose faintly from her overheated body as the icy water washed away sweat, grime, and dark impurities. The burning sensation beneath her skin slowly eased, replaced by soothing numbness. Each bucket she poured felt like shedding another layer of exhaustion.

Lavayla poured the last bucket of water over herself and exhaled slowly as the lingering heat within her body finally settled. The uncomfortable burning sensation that had plagued her since cultivation was gone, leaving only a pleasant lightness behind.

After drying herself, she changed into a fresh set of clothes taken from her space vault and wrapped her damp hair loosely behind her shoulders. Once she was certain everything was in order, she stepped out of the rocky enclosure.

Mirek was still standing exactly where she had left him.

His back remained turned toward her, posture straight and vigilant, as though he had not moved even once. Moonlight traced the outline of his broad shoulders while the quiet forest stretched endlessly beyond him.

Lavayla could not help the small smile that formed on her lips.

He really stayed.

She gently dried the remaining moisture from her hair before walking toward him. Reaching out, she tapped his shoulder lightly.

Mirek turned immediately.

The moment his eyes landed on her, relief flickered across his expression before settling into calm composure. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

Lavayla smiled faintly. "Thank you for keeping watch. I’m done. Let’s go in."

Without waiting for a response, she turned and headed toward the cave entrance.

Mirek nodded once and followed behind her.

The warmth of the cave greeted them as they returned to their resting area. The faint glow of dying embers illuminated the stone walls while Vai slept peacefully nearby, curled within the blankets.

After a brief silence, Mirek spoke.

"Are you cold?" he asked, his gaze moving toward her damp hair. "You used water from the waterfall."

Lavayla blinked before shaking her head, still smiling lightly. "No. I actually feel refreshed."

And she meant it.

After bathing, it felt as though her entire body had been immersed in a revitalizing spring. The heaviness from earlier cultivation had faded, and even the lingering restlessness inside her had eased considerably. A faint fatigue remained, but it was the comfortable kind that invited sleep rather than discomfort.

Right now, all she wanted was to rest.

Even so, after confirming that she was not shivering, Mirek still crouched beside the fire and added fresh wood to the fading embers. Sparks rose softly as the flames revived, spreading gentle warmth throughout the cave.

When he finished and stood up, he noticed Lavayla watching him.

Their eyes met briefly.

She looked as though she wanted to say something, hesitation lingering in her gaze. However, before he could speak, she turned away and lay down on her bedding.

"...Good night," she murmured.

Mirek paused for a moment but said nothing. Whatever words they had intended to say remained unspoken. Instead, he returned to his own resting place and settled down.

The cave soon fell into silence once more, broken only by the steady crackle of firewood and the distant sound of the waterfall outside.

Yet sleep did not come to Mirek immediately.

His gaze shifted toward Lavayla’s figure resting across the firelight. Her breathing gradually evened, strands of black hair falling across her face as exhaustion finally claimed her.

Only after confirming that she had truly fallen asleep did he close his eyes.