Chapter 145: The Princess of Phili / Challenge (2/2)

Leticia nodded.

「I dunno the specifics, but till that ain’t cleared, you movin’ is gonna have the opposite effect」

「……」

Losing his words, Taiyou bit his lower lip. Just like Leticia had said, Youran had remained at that place and had Taiyou escape was because they had Aoba, and there was nothing that could be done until that was resolved.

「I’m gonna ask ya summat」

Without hesitation, Leticia began asking Taiyou in a no-nonsense manner.

「What」

「What was your joker that girl mentioned」

「――m！」

Taiyou caught his breath. Hera was near him, but he didn’t dare look there.

He simply gazed at Leticia, asking back.

「Why do you ask」

「We needa grasp da situation. Ya din actually think I’d leave the girl there didja?」

「……」

「We’re besties, me an’ that girl. If ya had to ask how close, enough to abandon each other when it comes down to it」

「So earlier……」

「Can’t just leave her like that if she’s my one and only bestie right？」

「……」

「She wanted that earlier, so I granted it. Now it’s my turn. Plus she ain’t said dun come for her」

「You……」

「Anyhoo, I wanna know what the “joker” of yours that she said was」

「……」

Taiyou hesitated.

How should he begin・・・・・・、he hesitated in that regard.

「Could it be some sorta spirit？」

「Huh？ Why do you think that」

Taiyou’s heart skipped a beat.

「At dat time, when she talked ’bout that joker, yer conversation was super weird. Sorta like one or two more people were there……or like ya were talking to someone via phone, that sorta way」

「Ah……」

「Ya dun realize it eh, well whatevs. Also」

「Also？」

Is there something else? Taiyou furrowed his brow.

「Right after ya woke up ye was talkin’ to someone weren’t ya. Right before I came into the room. I thought this room could be used fer transmissions so I jammed it but since ye was still talkin’ I thought it was probably some sorta ghost or whatnot」

He couldn’t even make a guttural sound. Once the origin was made that clear, Taiyou could no longer talk it off.

「Taiyou-chan……」

Hera may have the same thinking, or maybe she had read Taiyou’s thoughts. She had first spoken after Leticia had entered the room.

Taiyou let out words of comfort to her.

「You’re not in the wrong. You quieted down when she entered the room. Just means that she was one step ahead this time」

「Plus the situation was just right. If we weren’t in this situation then I doubt she’d a let out such a simple hint」

「Don’t just participate in the conversation like it’s something normal, I might actually think you can see her」

Taiyou smiled bitterly.

「But ain’t she there」

「Yeah, but she isn’t a spirit or whatever, she says she’s a fairy」

「I am a fairyー」

「Which means she can be seen」

「Yeah」

「Can I see her too」

「……You can」

「How so」

As opposed to the taciturn Taiyou, Leticia thrust in with curiosity.

「Whaa！」

「Taiyou-chan, you do not need to fret, yes？　After all, Youran-chan can・・see her」

「True……」

Understanding precisely what Hera was saying, Taiyou took a deep breath, facing Leticia once again.

「In order to see her, you have to kiss me」

「……Really now」

「Let me add that I’ve already done so with Youran」

「……I see」

Leticia sighed, leaning back further into the chair she was sitting in.

「That’s fatal」