She is not an investigator.

"Didn't you ever consider that he might actually be dead?"

"I've thought about it, of course I've thought about it."

Simia stood up and looked at Igris with a somewhat...sad expression.

“Everyone says he’s dead, even though all the crew members on that ship have been confirmed dead, but I can’t. If even I think he’s really dead, then who can find him? I can never accept his departure, and I… am still waiting for him to come back.”

"Wait a moment…"

Igris raised her hand with a strange expression, interrupting Simia's emotional outpouring, and asked in a low voice while recalling what strange story had happened between her and this guy.

"What's your relationship with him?"

"..."

Simia opened her mouth, looked around, and after confirming that only she and Igris could hear her, she answered with an honest and serious expression.

“I am his wife.”

You're talking nonsense.

Igris held back and didn't actually say those three words, but when she actually heard them, she couldn't help but want to curse them out.

How could he not know that he had a wife in the past thirty-odd years of his life? And judging by the timeline... when Aaron died, she was probably only fifteen or sixteen years old.

This would absolutely get you arrested and imprisoned.

"...I have never heard him mention anything about you."

"..."

Simia's expression became somewhat conflicted. Even though she could take advantage of Aaron's death without worrying about him jumping out of the sea to refute her, her little schemes seemed to be useless when facing Igris.

After all, she did know Aaron when he was alive.

"Perhaps he doesn't want to talk about this?"

This guy is really stubborn.

Igris pursed her lips and continued to question him.

"As far as I know, Aaron disappeared three years ago. You say you are his wife, but you look too young."

"That's precisely why he wouldn't tell anyone about it—"

Seemingly having found a loophole, Simia earnestly began to explain, even nodding to indicate that the reason was perfectly reasonable.

Although Igris's expression was hardly cheerful.

How could anyone let Si Liu VII be so stubborn about his father, and even like to spread rumors about a dead person?

If Igris hadn't been involved, she probably would have actually believed it.

How many people has she said this to?

"...Fine, I don't care about your relationship with him, but I'm Aaron's friend, so naturally, I won't hurt you. You can leave now."

Igris started kicking people out.

Since she couldn't use her physical body to try and change Simia's mind, she could only choose the simplest solution: out of sight, out of mind.

If you can't see it, there's nothing to worry about.

"You're a pretty nice person."

For some reason, Simia said that, and then turned to leave.

Seeing this, Igris didn't linger any longer and prepared to return to the vicinity of the train to help pack up her things and check if Cecilia had woken up yet.

But at this moment...

thump--

The sound of something falling to the ground rang out behind Igris, and a bad feeling rose in her heart.

She didn't turn back, but instead prepared to leave quickly, pretending she hadn't heard anything. But the next moment, a hand suddenly grabbed her ankle.

"Kind person, you'll help me, right?"

"..."

Igris turned her head and looked at Simia, who was lying in the snow clutching her ankle. Yueyi couldn't help but sigh.

"…What’s wrong with you."

"That trap seems to have broken my leg."

Simia tapped her leg and looked up at Igris with a hint of helplessness.

"As Aaron's friend, you shouldn't mind helping me out, right?"

"..."

Actually, she was still a little bothered, but in this freezing weather, leaving an injured person behind was indeed not a good choice.

Igris still felt a little guilty.

"...Come with me, let's go back to the train, I'll give you a ride."

"Um--"

Igris looked at Simia, who was still lying motionless in the snow, and couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

"You're not expecting me to move you over there, are you?"

"Would I be happier if I were hugged?"

So said Himia.

The Gods' Fool - The Northern Train: Chapter 48, Preparing to Depart Again

"..."

"..."

"..."

"What are you playing... a game where you can't talk or move?"

Beside the train, Simia sat in front of the open door, while opposite her were the silent Igris and the even more silent Felina.

She didn't quite understand what the two of them were doing, but that didn't stop her from chiming in.

"Igris—! You actually brought a woman back!"

Felina finally spoke, but what she said was indeed somewhat difficult to understand.

Faced with Felina's questioning and Simia's amused gaze, Igris merely raised an eyebrow.

"What? You have a problem with that?"

"Ugh... That's so mean, but I have no objections."

Felina lowered her head weakly and pouted pitifully.

Seeing her like this, Igris took the opportunity to explain.

“This girl was injured and would have died out there alone, so I brought her back.”

Igris didn't know the point of her explanation, but she explained it anyway to avoid any misunderstanding.

After hearing Igris' explanation, Felina's previously gloomy appearance brightened considerably, and she took the initiative to grab Igris' sleeve.

“I knew it, Igris isn’t that kind of person.”

What kind of person...?

Although she was somewhat puzzled, Igris didn't ask directly. Instead, she looked at Simia, who was resting her chin on her hand and staring at the two of them.

"The train will probably take a while to depart. Felina knows some first aid and can help treat the wound on your leg."

"Yes."

Felina nodded, but Simia didn't seem too willing.

"I'm sorry, I don't really like people touching my body casually, even during treatment... at least my injury isn't serious enough to require urgent treatment."

Igris frowned; Simia did indeed seem rather stubborn.

However, at this moment, she continued to add.

"Of course... if it were you, I would probably be very happy to."

She rested her chin on her hand, tapped her cheek, and gave a strange smile.

"Do you know how to treat wounds, Miss Witch?"

She knew Igris wasn't a witch, but she seemed to quite like the title.

"I don't have the mood or the time to take care of you."

With a relieved look in Felina's eyes and a somewhat regretful gaze from Simia, Igris shook her head and decisively rejected the other party's suggestion.

Igris felt this person was strange, a bit too friendly, yet a bit... aloof?

Anyway, Igris really didn't want to get into any more trouble; she already had a tagalong by her side.

"That's right, Igris is very busy, how could she possibly have time to take care of you?"

At this moment, Felina also walked over, shook her head in front of Simia, and looked like no one understood Igris better than her.

Simia clicked her tongue in annoyance, but then turned her head away, not wanting to pay attention to the sulking Philina.

It seems that he felt there was no point in responding to her, or perhaps he simply didn't know how to respond.

More likely, he simply can't be bothered with her.

"Tell me, where is your vehicle headed?"

Seemingly out of sheer boredom, Simia swung her legs and looked at Igris, her legs appearing completely unharmed.

"Frostville, you'll get off there."

Igris answered without turning her head.

Frostville is the nominal final stop, but in reality, the train will continue its journey for some time to take Igris to the deeper polar regions.

Deeper into the territory inaccessible to the train, Igris will disembark and travel alone to the possibly existing mysterious settlement.