Hesta had almost straightened her back, seemingly intending to lead Simoya to Arevalo's study, but with a sigh, she leaned back against the banister once more.
...Tomorrow, Hesta's voice carried a trace of exhaustion, I don't have the strength for this right now.
Simoya did not seem to plan on leaving just yet, walking step by step to Hesta's side: "Then I have another question--where do I sleep?"
...We'll talk about that in a bit, Hesta said in a low voice, let me be for a moment first.
Simoya let out a soft chuckle. Leaning her back against the second-floor railing, she stood beside Hesta: "You don't need to be alone for a moment, you need someone to talk to you."
Hesta turned her head sideways: ...What do you want to say?
"You won't be tired once you finish things." Simoya gazed at her as well, "Want to try?"
That night, Arevalo was jolted awake by a round of knocking just over an hour after falling asleep. In his panic, he knocked over the glasses on his bedside table, forcing him to grope around in the dark for a long time before getting up to turn on the light and ask who was there.
Stripped of his uniform, Arevalo was merely an ordinary old man. His emaciated torso could no longer prop up a pair of pajamas into a powerful silhouette as it had in his youth. Without the disguise of the uniform, this fragile essence became all the more apparent.
Hesta's gaze lingered on him briefly: "Good evening, Governor."
...Good evening, Inspector. The old man looked at her, "You people--"
"Shall we go in and talk?"
The old man had no choice but to cede two steps of clearance.
Simoya and Hesta stayed in the study for about