"Luvia Annette?"
Her Royal Highness the Princess spoke softly, then nodded in understanding:
"Since you have something to do, go take care of it. But don't forget to make time for a date with me afterward."
By the time Shade returned to Stonemason Street, where the Stone Masons Association was located, it was already five in the evening. He passed through the bustling crowd and entered the noisy tavern, only spotting Mr. Antonio seated against the wall in a corner after glancing around twice.
After the waiter left, Shade sat beside Mr. Antonio and apologized softly:
"Sorry, I may be a little late. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to see Old Hack."
"No need to apologize. I imagine that even with an earl's influence, it would be difficult to arrange a meeting with the man who assassinated the Prince for such a reason."
The middle-aged playwright understood, and Shade added:
"Of course, although I couldn't meet him in person, I investigated his neighbors. I traded a few pieces of candy for some stories from the children."
They each ordered a glass of Randall River Valley's local honey beer. Shade had never liked alcohol, so he only took a sip to broaden his horizons.
"As long as it served the purpose. Do you have any good stories to share?"
"Of course."
Shade then recounted the stories he had heard that afternoon, while Mr. Antonio eagerly wrote them down. Once Shade had finished describing what he had learned, the middle-aged man spoke of his own findings:
"I asked around the association about Old Humphrey, who was crushed to death last year. The middle-aged stonemason we met this afternoon wasn't lying. During the earthquake last autumn, he really was killed when a toppled statue fell directly on him. The wound was on his head."