"This card is truly interesting."
He looked at the image on the card. Under the kerosene lamp's glow, the strange being clutching a soul seemed as though it might come alive.
Shade shook his head, dismissing the illusion, then asked:
"So, what's the situation on the third floor?"
The long-faced man answered:
"A group of very rude people live on the third floor. There are probably fifteen or sixteen of them. According to my friend, most of them don't like going out. They lock themselves upstairs every day and only occasionally come downstairs at night to find some girls. They're waiting for a ship to the New Continent. Maybe they're wanted fugitives."
With that, he stood and bade Shade farewell. Shade also took his card and said goodbye to Mr. Asmon.
He had a very strange premonition. Perhaps it was a special ability of Ring Arcanists. Shade would certainly meet this man who called himself the Demon Scholar again.
After Mr. Asmon left, Shade went to the counter as well, placing a one-pence coin on the table and pushing it toward the woman.
"Help me deliver a letter to Mr. Darkness upstairs."
Lowering his voice, Shade tore a sheet from his notebook.
"I know he's staying here."
Having obtained definite information that Mr. Darkness had companions here, Shade arranged to meet him elsewhere.
He did not write who he was. He merely said that he was a companion from that ship and wished to invite the other man to meet. If the man came, all the better. If not, Shade would ask Leisha for help and have the police search this place on the grounds of fire safety hazards. That would definitely force Mr. Darkness to show himself.
The woman pocketed the silver coin and examined it beneath the gas