Hesta's expression grew somewhat confused. After a brief silence, she spoke again.
"I meant the Mother City," Hesta tried to explain. "Not the Core—"
"How could I possibly confuse the Mother City with Core City?" Ligo raised an eyebrow and deliberately slowed her speech. "Yes, there was a time when Tulan went to the Mother City every day, leaving early and coming back late, but she never stayed overnight. I told her she might as well live there, and she said she didn't have the clearance yet. Maybe she would after completing a few more projects."
The two looked at each other. Half a minute later, Ligo silently spread her hands.
Hesta was still looking at her, but she had already pulled the phone from her pocket.
"...Hello, Tulan? Yes, I'm back already—never mind that for now. Can you come over? Ligo and I are by the Old House. Mm, you'll see us as soon as you get here."
Tulan hurried over in a state of worry. When she saw Ligo and Hesta sitting side by side at the edge of the grass beneath the setting sun, half the tension she had been carrying eased—both of them looked calm, and they waved at her with roughly the same motion.
Tulan ran toward them again, slowing when she was seven or eight meters away.
"...Looks like you've already talked, haven't you?" Tulan looked from Hesta to Ligo. "Did you clear everything up? Is it settled?"
Ligo was about to make a quip when she felt Hesta's hand rest on her shoulder. The gesture moved her for a moment. But then she realized that their conversation today had not actually reached any consensus—they had merely told each other what they thought, frankly and sincerely... but that was all.
Ligo had a