Chapter 1148: Visiting
"Two weeks... ago," Hesta murmured.
"And you've already been stationed here for quite some time," Silei said. "So I think Chiba will come looking for you soon... or has she already come?"
"No," Hesta said quietly.
"That's what I thought." Silei nodded. "But in any case, this is good news for you, isn't it?"
"Not really." Hesta's gaze returned to calmness. "I thought you'd actually received some concrete information..."
"Isn't this enough?" Silei said. "I never really believed Chiba was dead—the timing of her accident was far too convenient."
Hesta looked up. "...I still haven't asked you, Officer. What is your stance toward Miss Chiba? Are you still investigating what happened aboard the Ascending Bright last year?"
"If I get the chance, of course I'll keep investigating." Silei said, "But not for AHgAs. For myself... Right now, my most important task in District 12 is still last year's Quicksilver Needles casualty case."
Hesta fell silent for a while. "What's the difference between doing it for yourself and doing it for AHgAs?"
"You're definitely on Chiba's side, aren't you?"
Hesta did not answer.
"And I," Silei said, "still haven't figured out whose side I should be on."
Hesta ventured, "Do you think you and AHgAs aren't on the same side now?"
Silei laughed openly again. She glanced at Hesta and lowered her voice. "Tell me, Jane—if Chiba really were still alive and extended an olive branch to you, but you then discovered that she was doing evil, the kind of evil you could neither agree with nor accept—of course, I don't necessarily mean Chiba. I mean someone like Chiba, someone with enormous influence over you—would you truly still stand by her without hesitation?"
Hesta lowered her eyes and considered it for a moment. "You found something out about