Illustrious Miss said something quite astonishing and gently squeezed Shade's hand:
"I don't even know what I am. A dragon? Definitely not. A ship? That doesn't seem entirely right either. Perhaps I'm simply a fairy born of the sea.
"But now, none of those ladies from the Fifth Epoch are by your side. It seems the Witches of the Sixth Epoch aren't very good at taking care of you, so I don't think I can leave your side anymore. Later, introduce Bella Belinder to me. I can stay at Belinder Manor for a while."
Shade immediately nodded.
"Can I tell them who you are?"
"Of course. The Witch Council should welcome someone like me. Come to think of it, the observer qualification Miss Violet gave me for the Council should still be valid."
She sighed softly, then raised her head to look at the moon. Shade also looked up at the Three Moons.
"I've actually been very curious, and I want answers from you about how Miss Violet and Miss Teresa are doing now. But I know that if I ask, you'll only say you don't know what happened after you went into slumber, so I won't ask."
Yet she said:
"If you ask, I'll tell you the truth."
"No, I won't ask."
Shade shook his head. When he looked ahead again, he saw a grape arbor at the end of the path.
"Let's not talk too much about the Fifth Epoch. I want to find the answers myself. But you should know about the Murmuring Chapters. After all, Miss Violet was one of the Witch Emperors who left behind the Canticles."
"Yes."
The blue-eyed girl nodded.
"Do you know about the Sword of Light?"
"Of course. There are at least three Holy Swords in this area now: Night Watchman,