Tobesk's rain was far gentler than the rain in harbor cities. The day-long downpour greatly weakened the polluted fog hanging over the city, while also freshening the air.
Summer was ordinarily a sweltering season, yet traveling in summer rain brought no sense of heat at all, nor did it have the excessive humidity of rain in Coldwater Port City.
When Shade, carrying a paper bag and tucking an umbrella under his arm, knocked on the door beneath the apartment building Miss Louisa rented, rainwater streamed from the eaves and drummed against his umbrella. The landlady who opened the door looked somewhat displeased.
It was not that she did not welcome tenants' visitors, but that she was reproaching Shade for coming by for the second time that day. Only ladies lived here, and the landlady did not welcome frequent visits from men. That was also stipulated in the rental agreement.
Miss Louisa was even more surprised when she saw Shade. She was still wearing the same dress as when they had met that morning. It seemed that she had not gone out today because of the weather.
"Shade, you still haven't left? Is there anything else you need to tell me?"
"No, no, it's not that I didn't go. I'm already back. Look, I brought you a souvenir."
Once they reached the third floor living room, he handed over the freshly dead fish in the paper bag. Its fishy smell was quite strong.
"Meow~"
At the sound, the cat that had been standing on the windowsill pounced over at once. But Little Mia was not trying to pounce on that unfortunate fish. It jumped from the sill onto a chair, from the chair onto the table, then used the table's height to hug Shade's arm and refused to let go with