Before dinner that evening, Shade went to the inn in the city again to visit Doctor Schneider. The doctor's right leg had improved considerably. The portions corroded by the Red Mist had been promptly washed with holy water, so no permanent damage had been done. After resting in bed for the past few days, he had mostly recovered. Though his right leg was still wrapped in bandages, he looked perfectly normal when walking.
Another piece of good news was that Priest Augustus, who had set off alone for the wilderness, had also returned. The old priest did not seem to have changed at all, as though he had merely gone on a hike. He did not even appear tired.
However, he privately told Shade that he had advanced from the third ring to the fourth. This way, the lowest level among the five members of the group had risen by another rank.
Now that the priest had returned, Doctor Schneider began considering his return to Tobesk. This time, he would not have to ride the train alone as he had when returning home from Randall River Valley. Not only would Priest Augustus accompany him, but Durut Giles would travel with them as well.
Shade had asked the witches to help buy train tickets in advance. Since they did not know exactly when the priest would return, Megan had purchased three tickets each for next Monday and Friday. After the doctor and priest discussed it, they decided to leave tomorrow. After all, they had been away from home for too long:
"Spring is ending. With every passing year, it feels as though there is one less year left in my life. This isn't meaningless nonsense; it's an old man lamenting life."
As he spoke, the priest wiped his pipe and looked