Before the Church entered the west of town--
Ten in the morning, outside the Flowing Light Gallery.
Morning light seeped through the thick clouds, falling stingily on the streets of Yorikof Town and bringing a gray, utterly warmthless brightness.
Though the Chaos Rain had stopped, the damp chill and foul stench it left behind still stubbornly hung in the air. Mixed with a faint unease that seemed to come from the depths of people's hearts, it made the morning, which should have been gradually coming back to life, seem especially desolate.
By day, the Flowing Light Gallery's artfully designed entrance lacked some of the dreamlike splendor it had under the brilliant lights of night, and seemed all the more cold and aloof. The "Temporarily Closed" sign hanging by the door swayed gently in the breeze.
Yu Xing stood alone outside the gallery. He was still wearing his sharp black trench coat, his tall, straight figure at odds with the oppressive surroundings, yet seeming to blend perfectly into the shadows.
His face showed no unnecessary emotion. It was impossible to tell that a "threatening letter" had forced him to come here. He raised a hand and knocked on the gallery's tightly shut wooden door.
A moment later, the door was pulled open a crack from the inside.
A familiar face appeared: the young, freckled maid who had welcomed him and Madam Funair at the previous art exhibition.
She wore a neat maid's uniform. Her face held just the right degree of deference, along with a trace of worry she could hardly conceal.
"Good morning, Mr. Investigator." The maid recognized Yu Xing and curtsied slightly before stepping aside to let him in. "Master Aiven is waiting for you in the studio. Please, follow me."
Yu Xing nodded and entered. A slight smile