After getting up, Hobart first wrote a letter to Masked Man Byron. As agreed beforehand, the letter contained only the phrase, "The goods have arrived."
After affixing the stamp and sealing it with wax, Hobart took the letter downstairs.
Ever since Fors stopped being an Apprentice, she no longer got up early either. Clearly, she was planning to sleep in.
Hobart did not disturb them. He toasted two slices of bread for himself, spread them with jam, and ate breakfast alone.
After breakfast, he began preparing for that morning's task. First, he snapped off another piece of Order Wood from the Country of Disorder, shrank it down, and put it in his pocket for later use.
Then Hobart took the pipe he had picked up from Hayman's hiding place, put on his trench coat, picked up his cane and the wooden box containing Hurricane Axe, and hired a rental carriage. He first mailed the letter, then arrived outside the exhibition hall of the Roselle Memorial Exhibition at the agreed time.
Klein had just arrived as well, so Hobart called him into the carriage and had the coachman wait by the roadside.
Rental Carriages charged by the hour, so the coachman was delighted for them to chat in the carriage a while longer.
Hobart handed the wooden box to Klein. "'Hurricane Axe.' The seller originally asked for 580 Pounds, but I bargained it down to 510 Pounds.
"You can pay me in cash now, or wait until the mission is over and have it deducted from your share."
Hobart had not inflated the price. This Hurricane Axe really was worth 580 Pounds; he had simply been given a considerable discount.
"I'll pay you cash now," Klein said. To him, this deal was quite worthwhile as well. It was equivalent to obtaining