Shade decided to spend all of today telling Emilia stories, so after saying goodbye to Iluna that morning, he did not leave the hotel.
After lunch, Miss Danist received news from the Academy and went into the woods to bring back a batch of ritual materials that might be needed tonight. By the time she returned from the forest, Flora was telling Shade about Miss Belinder:
"Bella is nearly finished with her business in Moon Bay. She said she can reach us by the weekend or next Monday. If you ask me, it really hasn't been easy for her. The future of all Moon Bay is practically in her hands now. Her sisters can help out, sure, but the decisions still have to be made by her alone."
The red-haired young woman who had just entered asked:
"I heard Moon Bay just completed a new round of municipal elections. The Belinder Family led by Bella Belinder achieved its greatest victory in ten centuries, and she herself has now become Speaker of the City Council. Is that right?"
The witch on the short sofa nodded lazily.
"Yes. The greatest power in Moon Bay isn't in the mayor's hands, but in the hands of the Speaker of the City Council. I suppose the citizens saw that the post-disaster reconstruction of Moon Bay under her leadership, as well as the effort to reopen trade routes between north and south, had gone smoothly. That must be why they chose her."
As she spoke, she looked again at Shade, who was holding a teacup.
"Or perhaps it was just as Galina and the others said: this generous gentleman gifted the legal right to rule Moon Bay to the beautiful Countess as a Love Token. Shade, don't rush to defend yourself. I'm not mocking you.
"I