Seele shook her head slightly. Shimizu Meiyuki had not only caused her no trouble by staying at the shrine, but had also helped out quite a bit, so Seele did not mind her.
Besides, it was hard to imagine a ten-year-old girl being capable of so much, especially when she was already a somewhat famous child star.
"No. If I go back now, they'll only treat me even worse. And... it's not like this is the first or second time they've lost me. If I hadn't been lucky!"
Shimizu Meiyuki kept shaking her head at Seele, making it clear that she did not want to go home.
"They lost you? What happened exactly?"
Seele grew a little curious upon hearing that.
"I don't remember very clearly. It was probably when I was four or five. We went back to our hometown to visit my grandmother, but they were too busy arguing with each other and left me alone on the mountain. If I hadn't happened to find an abandoned shrine and spent a day and night there, I might have died long ago."
Shimizu Meiyuki tried hard to recall that memory, but for some reason, it was all blurry and unclear.
"Your... your parents really are irresponsible..."
After hearing Shimizu Meiyuki's one-sided account, Seele was inclined to believe her. Judging by Shimizu Meiyuki's expression, she did not seem to be lying.
To have parents like that...
Shimizu Meiyuki really was rather unlucky.
"So... Sister Seele, you won't chase me away, will you?"
"I won't. Seele won't chase you away. You can stay here for now..."
Seele smiled at Shimizu Meiyuki to put her at ease, but she felt as though something was off. A four- or five-year-old girl, alone on a mountain for an entire day and night...
"Sister