"Oh... oh! Thank you!" Touka froze for a moment but did not refuse. After thanking him, she solemnly accepted it from Banjo Kazuichi.
She had a fairly good impression of Banjō.
"Why are you two together?" Touka sniffed, knowing full well that Louis was interacting with Banjō as a human.
"Mr. Louis didn't know the way, so I brought him here," Banjō blurted out without thinking, completely missing the point of Touka's question.
Touka thought it over again. This really was not the place to talk. She looked at Louis. "Want to come with me? At least you won't have to trouble Mr. Banjō."
Go back?
As Louis looked at her, he suddenly understood. Touka still did not know that he had already left Anteiku.
"No... I still have things to do." Louis lifted the bag and spoke helplessly.
With her invitation turned down, Touka did not press him.
"Well... don't get lost." Touka was a little puzzled by Louis's lack of his usual enthusiasm today, but everyone had bad days, so she did not dwell on it. She turned and left, her figure slowly receding into the distance.
"You're not going back?" Banjō watched Touka walk away and asked in confusion, unaware of what was going on.
Louis shook his head helplessly. "I've already left Anteiku."
"Uh..." The corner of Banjo Kazuichi's mouth twitched. He immediately understood what that exchange had been about.
Banjo Kazuichi suddenly remembered the seemingly hopeless goal Louis had mentioned earlier. Now it seemed this human was serious.
"Banjō, can you come somewhere with me?" Louis turned to look at the big man.
"Where?"
"Ward 24." Louis lowered his voice. "The southern part of the middle underground level."
It was already evening when the two arrived in Ward 24. Louis carefully recalled what had