A few minutes later, Black Earl recovered from his intense, desk-bound sniffing.
After pondering for a moment, he returned the appointment order and the teaching sword to Lucia.
Lucia froze for a moment. "My lord no longer needs these two items?"
Black Earl nodded. "The evidence has more or less been confirmed. There is no further need for them."
After a pause, Black Earl looked at Lucia and said, "Now, you may appraise them."
When Lucia had handed the order and teaching sword to Black Earl, he had said, "I hope Lord Black Earl will not harm my guests," and Black Earl had agreed.
Now that Black Earl had finished using the order and teaching sword, he returned them to Lucia as agreed. Next came Lucia's appraisal. This appraisal referred to determining whether Black Earl had used the order and teaching sword for things such as curses or pheromone extraction.
Lucia did not even look at them. "I trust that my lord would not deceive me..."
Black Earl snorted through his nose in response.
Lucia put away the order and teaching sword, then rose from the sofa. "Since my lord has finished with them, I shall take my leave."
No one said much about Lucia's decision.
When Lucia reached the door, he suddenly stopped. "...Was what Lord Black Earl said to the Tree Elder before true?"
Black Earl finally spoke this time. "Which matter are you asking about?"
Lucia said, "Is Exus truly a wizard of that element?"
Black Earl said, "If you asked me to say it again now, my answer would remain unchanged."
Lucia's gaze went distant for a moment, and he nodded. "I understand."
Lucia asked no further questions. He merely glanced at Angel, indicating that he would always be waiting at Lucia's Workshop. If Angel wished