"What do you mean?"
The Duchess tapped the armrest of the single sofa with her slender index finger, perhaps revealing her inner agitation:
"There is a Great Prophecy. I cannot speak of it—not even a single word. It concerns this world's future. You can think of it as some sort of ritual, or the opening of an epic from a knight novel. I returned to Tobesk for this very reason. The Church, the Academy, the Council, and many ancient organizations are all working toward it, while ordinary Ring Arcanists know nothing at all."
Shade looked at her without saying a word. He would not reveal anything about Miss Bayes to anyone else. Miss Galina interpreted Shade's expression as confusion:
"The Council sent word that there is a new direction for interpreting the prophecy. The first one... is about to appear. Do you understand?"
She asked hesitantly.
"Not at all."
Miss Galina covered her forehead.
"Oh, I knew you wouldn't understand if I put it that way. But I cannot easily drag you into something like this. It is better if you do not understand. In any case, if you discover any Sorceresses from the Orthodox Church with strange powers recently, remember to tell me."
She looked at Shade with some vexation.
"Actually, I do not fully understand what that prophecy truly means either. Perhaps it is the end of the world, perhaps the beginning of a new era, perhaps the return of the gods. No one understands, but it will happen. The Council hopes to find them. If they are women, we can recruit them into the Council. I imagine every other organization that knows of the prophecy thinks the same way, so everyone is searching."
"What is bound to happen?"
Shade asked despite already knowing the answer. Miss Galina