"Precisely because it doesn't not exist, but simply can't be seen, aside from frequently sending the young ladies under my command out to try their luck, we can also try to find a way to actively observe that door."
"That really is a good idea. Shall we try it now?"
Under the faint sunlight of the rainy day, the potion bottle still gleamed brilliantly. Shade asked curiously, partly because he was curious about that door and partly because he was curious about the potion. As for Little Mia, it had already burrowed into the pocket of Shade's roomy coat. If Shade put his hand into the pocket, he could touch it.
"No, no."
But the brown-haired young lady shook her head slightly and winked at Shade:
"You finally agreed to come out for a walk with me. I don't want to go straight back."
As she spoke, she took Shade's hand on her own initiative. Feeling guilty, Shade tightened his grip on her hand, making Audrey's smile all the more radiant.
On that overcast Friday afternoon, the citizens' lives had not changed because of the weather. The riverside district Shade and Audrey had chosen for their stroll was close to the city center, and they could even hear the noisy commotion in the distance. It was probably another gathering of people outside city hall.
Children ran wildly through the streets. Middle-aged men clutching briefcases hurried past while constantly checking their pocket watches. Women in aprons and headscarves sat beneath the apartments facing the street, beating laundry with wooden paddles while glancing up at the sky, worried that they would be unable to hang the washed clothes out to dry and would lose their meager income.
The Patrol Police, patrolling with unusual frequency due to the special circumstances, passed along the