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Then a few days later I headed to the orphanage to see Chloe.
Chloe was dealing with the kids as usual, but when she looked at me, she ran over happy.
"Lili!"
"Chloe. Um... I need to talk to you for a second, okay?
"... of course."
Seeing my cloudy expression, I guess I guessed what the topic was. Chloe looked a little dismayed, but smiled as if she had quickly regained her mind.
The two of us go outside the orphanage. I lowered my hips to about five steps of stairs in front of the door.
A little further away, Kate is cleaning up with her handkerchief. I opened my mouth, staring at it somehow.
"I told Al about His Highness Wilfred."
"Oh really!?"
I nodded at Chloe as she embarked on a surprise.
"Yeah. Al was right in front of me, and you told His Highness Wilfred. I don't know if I'm forced on you. Well, I thought it was an overdone imitation, but I said it, too. But His Highness Wilfred didn't mean it..."
"Yes..."
Listen to me, Chloe exhales small. That sounded as if I'd given it all up, and I felt sorry for myself for being helpless.
"I'm sorry. I wish I could have been more helpful."
Spinning the words of apology, though drooling, Chloe looked at me as surprised.
"Why would Lili apologize? Lili did her best for me, but there's no need to apologize."
"But I couldn't get the results."
Then it means nothing. But Chloe denied it in powerful terms.
"That's not true. 'Cause I've heard stories from the beginning that maybe it's not possible, and something I was prepared for. Besides, Your Highness Wilfred, did you listen to me? Then there's nothing."
"I guess..."
"Thank you, Lili. Good luck for me. I wish I could thank His Highness Alan too..."
"I'll tell Al from me."
With that said, Chloe nodded.
"Right. Please."
"... a long ride, okay?
I couldn't help myself. I wondered if I could ask, but I care about what I care about.
When asked to peep, Chloe laughed powerlessly.
"... Yep. Lili and the others worked hard for me. I have to work hard, too."
"... I'm so sorry"
"So don't apologize. Either way, I didn't have a choice not to go. Just one day. Just one day."
Chloe's words sounded like she was telling herself.
Chloe exhales once more. That's how I slapped myself on the cheek.
"Oh, let's get this story over with! Uh, Lili. I have a report for you, too. As I said in the meantime, I called Sola again and asked her about you..."
"What..."
I didn't think you were listening to me anymore. When I looked at Chloe in surprise, she nodded loudly.
"It's what I can do for you. I've decided to do it.... At first, Sola, no matter how much I called her, she didn't come out, but when I set the day, she started to respond. So I asked him exactly how he got away."
"Yes."
Gokuri and I swallowed the spit.
What the hell will they say? This answer even made me feel like I was going to decide on my future retirement.
"That's what Sola said if you have something on your side that you don't like, you can't leave even if you want to. When I called Sola with you, apparently there was something I didn't like about Sola..."
"Something you don't like? What's that?
That's what I want to hear most. When she looked at Chloe for answers, she shook her head to the side.
"I'm sorry. You couldn't really tell me that there. That's how he doesn't even want to talk about it. You're saying that there's no island to install."
"Yes..."
Something I hate about spirits. That's what I thought, and I thought maybe that wasn't me.
"... do you hate me? Yeah, but..."
For a moment, I nearly fell into negative thoughts, but I remembered.
'Cause the spirits Al called me, they looked at me and said, "I can make a deal." If you believe that, I don't think I fit into their' haters'.
"... what the hell"
Something the Spirit hates.
I had no idea.
"I wonder if every spirit hates it."
Chloe's spirit hated it. But if you recall that Al's Spirit has normally come out, maybe you should consider that the Spirit has personal preferences.
Or was there anything Al didn't like when he did?
Chloe said she was tilting her neck while she didn't think she could tell.
"I'm sorry. Listen, what a great thing to say, I didn't get any busy information. I wish I could have helped Lili more."
I laughed at the words.
Then I thought it might be the same as me earlier.
"That's not true. It was very helpful for Chloe to hear. Because there was something I didn't like, and Chloe's spirit told me that I couldn't come out. I don't know if that involves my contract, but it's better than no hint."
You just have to find out what you don't like first. And see if that was at the time of my contract. If there were, I'd know that was the cause of my inability to contract, so I'd just have to remove it, and without it, it would have been a different factor. Unfortunately, we can crush one possibility, so we are definitely moving forward one step.
I headed to Chloe and made myself clear.
"Thank you, Chloe. It's too much for me right now."
"Really?"
"What do you do with lying? It's more useful than me."
"... stop saying that. Lili did her best."
"Yeah. Right."
Chloe's heart nods with joy, although I don't think I could have helped.
Oh, it's good to be friends with Chloe after all.
And at the same time, I didn't think I could shut up and watch my dear friend, Chloe, be taken on an unintentional long ride.
- Because I decided I would never abandon Chloe next time.
"... because I will definitely help Chloe"
Chloe fortunately hadn't asked me about my determination to whine small.