Emilia grew even more excited:
"Okay! I want to collect seashells, and conches, and go fishing! Oh, can Little Liana come with us then? I want to ride her and fly over the sea. She's never seen an unfrozen ocean before, either."
Saint Byron's was located on the Great Ice Cap of the Far North. In fact, it was quite close to the sea known as the Arctic Ice Sea, but that sea only thawed for two months each year and was covered in floating ice everywhere, making it very different from Moon Bay's ocean.
"I'll find a way when the time comes. Don't think I'm nagging, but let me emphasize this again: this week, pay attention to what's happening around you. If anything feels wrong, tell me immediately. If I'm not there, tell Earl Belinder right away, okay?"
Shade asked again. The Elf Girl nodded once more and carefully hid away her little thoughts.
After settling Emilia down, Shade also told Miss Belinder to pay close attention to whether any unusual phenomena appeared near the manor over the next few days before saying goodbye to them. Of course, he temporarily left Little Mia at Belinder Manor for Emilia to look after. On one hand, this would let Emilia know that he would return in the evening. On the other, he hoped the Elf Girl and Little Unicorn would have a "familiar cat" with them in an unfamiliar place, so they would not feel so lonely.
What a way with people.
"She" spoke gently by his ear.
That Sunday afternoon, Shade's meeting place with Mr. Bernhardt was still the Spider Hotel. Before he entered, however, the free-range chickens in the inn's yard somehow fixated on him and followed at his heels all the way until he went inside, only then