-In this state, I also have to watch out for insect bites. They're quite annoying.
The pale, slender hand wrote again, seemingly pouring out its troubles to Ruger, along with the hardships of its wandering journey.
Ruger stared blankly at the hand.
The hand twisted on the table, turned, and flipped into the air. Its pale skin became rough and thick again, its fingers grew thicker, and its nails lengthened, restoring its earlier hard-nailed appearance.
"How long have you been wandering?" Ruger came back to his senses. That was a good question.
-I don't know. Perhaps a very long time.
The hand seemed to enjoy communicating with others, too. It erased the words and wrote again at an unhurried pace.
Ruger was pleased with this talkative hand, but not with its answer.
"Do you know your master's name?" Ruger glanced at his teacher and asked softly.
Polite Hand struck a thoughtful pose. This time, Ruger wasn't simply making that up based on an impression. The hand had often done the same thing during their chess game just now.
-I'm glad you reminded me. I had never considered that question at all. This proves once again that my master's circumstances are unusual, or that she truly doesn't want me to find her and deliberately erased these things.
Ruger raised his eyebrows as he read the words.
That still meant the hand didn't know.
"Then why did she abandon you?" Ruger asked.
The line of questioning naturally led to this crucial point.
The hand suddenly seemed rather dejected, just as it had at the final turning point in their chess game-perhaps even more so.
But then, under Ruger's gaze, the hand rallied and began writing at length.
-Perhaps I wasn't abandoned, but separated from her. Perhaps some evildoers tore us apart.
Ruger