Unlike Shade, the Doctor had no such sentiments. It was his first time here, and he was doing his best to sense traces of the Demon:
"Yes, there are indeed traces of demonic power. Let's search for them."
After giving the order, he headed for the bookshelf on the left side of the office.
Shade walked to the desk instead. On it were student papers awaiting review, a newly opened retirement notice from the university faculty affairs office, Professor Wood's unfinished Folk Customs of Vesta Woodland, and a promotional flyer from the Palm Tree Dessert Shop a street away.
An old fountain pen rested capped in its pen stand. Only a thin layer of ink remained at the bottom of the faded-label ink bottle. Blue-black lightning-shaped marks had been drawn in the corners of the blank manuscript paper, likely made by the pen's owner to test whether the pen still worked.
The desk's once-smooth wood grain had been gently worn by the fingertips of time, forming a rich patina with a deep luster. Every tiny bump and scratch told the story of what it had experienced.
It was clear that the desk's owner had usually been very busy, curled up in this small office. The arrangement of every sheet of paper, book, and piece of furniture suggested that the owner had only stepped out briefly and would soon return to finish his work. Perhaps after work, he would even go to the dessert shop to buy some discounted raspberry fruit tarts.
In this era, Shade was probably the person who understood Professor Yuke Wood best. But he did not dwell on the old professor's fate. Everything here had been deliberately left behind by the other man, perhaps precisely to guide Shade into feeling something special.
He was merely wondering how