On the morning of May 14, Shubika arrived at the mansion as promised.
However, she went straight into the "research institute" as soon as she arrived, so it was Biscuit who informed everyone of her arrival.
Gelman, Biscuit, Wing, and the others could sense Shubika's presence, but Kurapika and Chikyū, for instance, still hadn't noticed that there was someone new nearby.
Before long, it was late on the night of May 14, with less than ten minutes left until midnight.
Gelman, Biscuit, Menchi, and Buhara gathered on a flat stretch of land beneath the moon, separated from the mansion by a shimmering lake.
Wing had come to see them off. With his hands behind his back, he smiled and said, "Shizuku, Kurapika, and Chikyū have all gone back to their rooms to sleep. Shubika is still in the 'research institute.'"
"Shubika's too shy, and Kurapika and Chikyū were part of the plan..." Biscuit once again gathered her twin tails into a tidier ponytail. "But why is Shizuku asleep too? Isn't she going to see us off?"
"There's no need," Gelman said from the side. "We'll be back tomorrow afternoon."
"Honestly, you two always seem to be on the same wavelength about things like this..." Biscuit sighed and rubbed her forehead, but didn't press the matter. "Fine, fine. It's almost time, isn't it?"
Gelman glanced at his pocket watch. "Five minutes to go. I'm going to place the 'Lantern.'"
He first conjured a "Hunter Badge," then used it to place a lantern emitting a faint purple glow at the center of where they were sitting.
Four little imps clambered up from its base like babies struggling to be born, wailing into the night until their cries blended with the chill of the wind.
Since the consequences were difficult to predict, Gelman