Honami City

"Mm, I respect how you feel."

Seeing Mo Bai's expression, Chisa said nothing more and simply continued leading him toward their next destination.

Along the way, Mo Bai carefully sifted through his memories.

"Mo Bai, why do you care so much about Rover? I remember she isn't your only friend."

Aemeath, who was floating beside Mo Bai, suddenly spoke.

Her tone was as cheerful as ever, like a child simply curious about something she did not understand.

Perhaps, to her, wasting time accompanying Chisa just for information about Rover hardly seemed worth it.

Hearing Aemeath's question, Mo Bai glanced at Chisa, who was walking some distance ahead, and decided to answer.

At this distance, a quiet conversation would not attract her attention.

"Because she was the first friend I met who was willing to open her heart to me," Mo Bai answered simply.

As he saw it, even friends of equal standing had an order in which they had entered his life.

And to Mo Bai, Rover came "first."

Just as he had pulled Mo Hei out of the darkness, Rover had reached out to him back when he had been full of secrets and lies.

For Rover, who had been willing to accept him, he certainly would not give up looking for information about her just because it was "a hassle."

Even if it was only some small detail about her, he would go and investigate.

That way, he could understand her better and perhaps lend her a hand someday.

Just as she had accepted him in the beginning.

Of course, all of this depended on ensuring his own survival first...

"Phew, that's a relief."

At Mo Bai's answer, Aemeath placed a hand over her chest in a gesture of relief.

"A relief from what?"

Mo Bai had no