Shade pushed open the stable door and walked in. The horses, which had been neighing uneasily because of the commotion, immediately quieted at his scent.
The sight of the horses falling silent the moment Shade entered made both men facing off turn in surprise toward the door.
The thin moonlight illuminated only a small area near the stable entrance, while the Kerosene Lamp hanging on the wall could not dispel the shadows over Shade's face. His boots crunched over the hay spread across the floor as he casually set his wineglass on the stone railing of a stall.
"Isn't it a little rude to kill someone here?"
"You again?"
Shi Dong Osenfott stared at him in surprise.
"Why do I feel like I run into you everywhere? Didn't I send a servant to tell you we were meeting tomorrow?"
"Yes, tomorrow. So what are you doing now?"
Shade looked at the fat man on the ground, who was trying to call for help. Osenfott kicked him disdainfully with his boot. Clutching his arm, the man let out a scream.
"I was wrong! I know I was wrong!"
"John Watson, if you've always claimed to stand for justice, then stay out of this."
Shade did not suddenly feel compelled by justice to stop him. Instead, he asked:
"I'm interested in the grudge between you two. Let me guess. He owes you tens of thousands of crown and refused to pay, then you caught him gambling with Rhodes Cards in a casino? Or did he steal something from you?"
"Neither."
Osenfott kicked the man on the ground again. The latter sniffled and did not dare crawl any closer to Shade.
"You know I have a group of rather close friends."
"Underlings."
Shade corrected him.
"If you want to hear the story, shut