Chloe looked at her two friends in surprise, then only after a while remembered to ask, "...Do either of you have a driver's license?"
"I don't." Lu Qi Zhen shook her head.
"And you?" She turned to Jahadorei.
"Me neither." Jahadorei tilted her head. "But I can drive."
"Then how are we supposed to get into the city!" Chloe glared at her naïve friends. "What if we run into an inspection? The three of us will get arrested again!"
Jahadorei frowned. "...Why weren't you this thorough when you escaped in the middle of the night?"
"We'll find a way." Lu Qi Zhen looked completely unconcerned. "I'll go see Hesta again later and ask her to assign someone to us?"
"Oh, right," Jahadorei agreed. "We can ask her. She always seems to have a solution."
Over the next few days, Silei finally settled into the residence.
Although she had initially picked an empty room on the second floor, Silei ultimately chose to stay with Wosandta on the first floor. Hesta had certainly suggested it—after all, it would put her closer to these women who had once been enslaved—but Silei herself also had a fondness for elders like Wosandta.
Several times, when she got up for morning exercise, she ran into Xina and her chess teacher. The two sat at opposite ends of the chessboard, the girl's laughter bright and light, her tone affectionate. Out of an instinctive concern, Silei would greet Xina as she passed, but every time, Xina would turn away unhappily. Only Dobigny responded with considerable politeness.
That morning, Silei encountered the teacher and student again—Santa had somehow been blocked at the intersection by Xina once more. Their expressions were tense, as if they were about to quarrel again.
Santa spotted Silei from afar and loudly called her