"Shade, I need to take you to a town. We'll depart from Coldwater Port Station by steam train and reach our destination in three hours. If we achieve our goal before evening, we can return that same day. If not, I'm afraid we'll have to spend the night in a small country town."
It seemed that obtaining the Vibration Spirit Rune required coming into contact with something that could not be moved.
"Very well, Miss Aurora. When do we leave?"
Shade asked. As it happened, he had nothing to do over the next few weeks. Detective Sparrow's commission could be postponed; the Spirit Rune was more important.
"If it's convenient for you, we'll leave tomorrow morning at nine."
Shade calculated the time.
"That works. But where exactly are we going? Do I need to prepare anything in advance?"
Shade asked again.
Miss Aurora pointed to a map of the Coldwater Port region hanging on the study wall.
"Herkils Town, a country town in Klein City, east of Coldwater Port. Just prepare your Spellcasting Materials in advance; nothing else is necessary. But I need you to do me a favor."
Witches all liked making demands like this.
"Please, go on."
"I'd like to invite you to take part in a ritual, here at the manor, right now. You only need to stand behind me."
As she spoke, she looked Shade up and down as though judging whether he was qualified to participate in the ritual.
"Will it be dangerous?"
"Absolutely not. How about I swear it on the reputation of the Aurora Family?"
The witch asked with a smile, and Shade relaxed slightly.
But Miss Aurora was not Miss Galina, after all. Shade did not trust her completely.
"Then what do we need to do?"
He had merely assumed that Miss