Time
Inside the temporary workstation, Simoya sat alone on the second-floor terrace. She saw Theresa's figure appear on the distant horizon—over the past two days, Theresa had run through all the marked points of this wasteland alone, leaving at dawn and returning at dusk, her expression calm and without a ripple, speaking not a single word unless someone else initiated a conversation.
Simoya yawned and, just as she was about to go downstairs, suddenly noticed another figure behind Theresa: Hesta had appeared again.
Simoya's movements stiffened and she sat back down in her spot.
Ende was resting on the first floor and, hearing the door open, drowsily opened her eyes—she had already slept for an entire day. Theresa seemed quite accustomed to this, simply asking in a slightly critical tone, "Did you not eat lunch again today?"
"I slept all day, so I'm not hungry."
"You can go back now," Hesta said. "It must be very boring staying here these past two days."
Ende's eyes were tearful. "...Mostly I have nothing to do. Where is Zoe?"
"They've already gone back ahead." Hesta swept her gaze around the first floor. "Where is Simoya?"
Without a word, Theresa pointed toward the second floor.
"I'll go up," Hesta said. "You guys can head back first once you're packed."
"What about you?"
"I'll be later."
As Hesta spoke, she had already stepped onto the stairs leading to the second floor.
On the roof, Simoya heard the sound of approaching footsteps, and only when Hesta climbed up through the ceiling hatch and poked her head out to greet her did she look back with a gloomy expression.
"How are things?" Hesta responded quite cheerfully.
"Can we talk now?" Simoya gazed at the setting sun in the distant sky. "How much longer are you going to