"Moon Bay Area? That is indeed uncertain information, but it is worth making a personal trip to Moon Bay to take a look. The plague in Miss Goode's hometown has not ended, and I have nothing else to do lately."
The rest of the letter contained information gathered by Miss Benanis's friends, and Shade could investigate by following those leads.
Concern filled Miss Galina's eyes. Only after Shade had finished reading did she speak again:
"Actually, the friend Vanessa mentioned who provided her with intelligence is another Great Witch from the Council."
"Oh?"
Shade looked up at her.
"Which one?"
"The Great Witch of Fate."
The Duchess answered without mentioning the other woman's name:
"Eleventh Rank, the Tenth Seat of the Council. She has some peculiar abilities. If we were to introduce her identity and name to you in detail, she might sense it. So, without involving her name, I can only give you a rough account of her background for now."
"No problem. Please tell me."
Shade straightened up in his seat.
"I mentioned earlier that the true rulers of the Moon Bay Area are the City Council of Moon Bay City. Most members of the City Council come from ancient families that existed when Moon Bay City was founded. The 'Glorious Seven Families of Moon Bay' is what they call themselves.
"In modern times, the impact of the Steam Revolution allowed newly risen nobles to emerge, but three families still held tightly to the power passed down by their ancestors—Hawthorne, Eddington, and Belinder. The Great Witch of Fate belongs to one of those families, and she is quite renowned in the Moon Bay Area."
Miss Galina did not forget to warn Shade:
"The Great Witch of Fate is naturally also a diviner, but do not judge witch diviners