When Shade, holding Luvia in his arms, opened his eyes on wednesday morning, the first thing that came to mind was not "an unfamiliar ceiling," but that this day had finally arrived.
He got up, let the cat out of the wardrobe, washed up, went home for goat milk and the newspaper, then headed to the inn for breakfast.
Priest Augustus and Doctor Schneider did not eat with Shade that morning. They had gone out early through the rain. Priest Augustus wanted to see old Corpse Ghoul Mr. Nicholas Green one last time. As for the doctor, upon hearing that there was actually a highly intelligent Corpse Ghoul, he wanted to meet him as well—he seemed to consider the other man's mental state a rather interesting subject of study.
Quite unusually, Dorothy, who should still have been fast asleep at seven, had gotten up. She ate breakfast at the same table as Shade and Luvia. While Shade read the newspaper, Miss Writer asked Luvia:
"Did you spend the night with him last night?"
She was not unhappy about it, merely puzzled:
"Did Shade lock the cat in the wardrobe again? Why didn't he leave Little Mia with me? Wouldn't that have been more convenient?"
Shade tilted his head out from behind the newspaper to look at her.
"I spent the night with Luvia, then had you look after Mia. That would make me seem even more like... what's the word?"
"A dissolute man?"
The Girl with Purple Eyes said with a smile. The cat gave a "meow~," and that only made them laugh harder.
Tonight was the Edwards Family Night Banquet. Every action of the past two months had been in preparation for this night. Their enemy tonight was the Edwards Family, led by the traitor of the Seer Association,