As the light piercing into the interior of the stone mountain was gradually enveloped by the night, Roland, unable to tear his eyes away, stared quietly at that respectfully lowered little head.
Schwi gently nudged her head, drooping it slightly, as if an ostrich burrowing into the sand, or a small cat acting coquettishly toward its master.
"Master, is this degree acceptable?"
Schwi said in a calm tone; if it were ordinary races, under such a terrible plight they would probably fail to form a complete sentence at all.
Yet she was still able to express meaning with such a clear voice, and Roland had to admire the creators of the Ex-Machina.
Although Schwi's voice was not loud and was easily ignored, in this silent interior of the stone mountain, without the interference of other noisy sounds, this volume was enough for Jibril close by to hear every detail clearly.
Roland could feel Jibril's gaze suddenly turn blazing hot.
Being watched by the girl with such an expression, even someone as shameless as Roland felt a somewhat needle-prick-like sensation.
Perceived from the emotional level, this should not be some condemnation or helpless sort of emotion, but rather a slightly aggrieved gaze.
Yet Schwi acted as though she had not noticed this, still pushing on of her own accord.
The frail arms clasping Roland's legs also exerted a bit more force, as if she were afraid he would run away.
Was she actually treating the attitude of the person beside them as part of the auxiliary loop as well?
Even without understanding the existence of a heart, this performance of calculating all probabilities and conditions into it was, in a sense, a terrifying child.
Roland could not help but think this, though playing as if unaware himself, he was not much