The black-haired witch spoke as she briskly tugged Shade by the sleeve and continued deeper inside. After passing through a dazzling array of goods, they found a trapdoor embedded in the floor in a corner at the very end of the shop:
"A little bit of trivia: because Weilun Dai'er City served as a battle fortress during the Kasonlik Unification War, nearly every household in more than half the city—including the current Upper City District—has a basement. Some houses have more space underground than above ground."
She motioned for Shade to enter the basement. Compared to the luxurious decoration upstairs, the basement was far more plain. It looked like the shop's storeroom, though several tailoring tables and sewing machines stood near the entrance.
Shade had been about to comment on the place when he turned and realized Sylvia was still standing upstairs.
"The problem is here. Recently, the young ladies discovered that once the trapdoor is closed, it can't be opened from below no matter what, though it opens normally from above. This only happens when there is one person alone in the basement for more than ten minutes. I checked it myself and found nothing wrong, so I wanted you to take a look."
Sylvia explained from above, and Shade nodded to show that he understood.
"All right, close the door. If I'm not out in twenty minutes, help open it from above."
The witch smiled and made a no problem gesture, then actually shut the basement door. A moment later, Shade heard it lock.
"Hmm?"
Shade blinked and called upward:
"Sylvia, did you lock it?"
"Of course not. Besides, a lock isn't much trouble for you, is it?"
The Young Lady upstairs laughed, and Shade did not ask any further questions.
When he sensed his surroundings, there truly