"Don't mention it. I'm getting paid, after all." Sally smiled and handed over the sack. "Please check it."
Lude didn't stand on ceremony either. He grabbed the sack by two corners and gave it a sharp shake. Its contents clattered onto the table: detached railroad tracks, a scrambled brass pocket watch, a broken regulation saber, and a heap of other odd, miscellaneous things.
As Lude began to inspect everything, Sally held her breath.
After a long while, Lude shook his head helplessly, swept the items on the table back into the sack, and handed it to Sally.
Sally's expression visibly fell. "Nothing this time either?"
"Still nothing."
Lude looked disappointed too, but he smiled and patted Sally on the shoulder, reassuring her. "It's not that surprising, really. What I'm looking for might be even rarer than the Collector's collection."
Sally clearly wasn't reassured. Her face, no longer as gaunt as before, was still full of worry.
When she'd gone back earlier, she'd divided the food between Silverback and Crow. Once she'd told them what Lude had asked them to do, the two of them had started calling him "big brother" on the spot.
They'd searched high and low, only to bring back a heap of junk three times in a row.
"Never mind." Lude smiled. "Since you're already here, let's have a simple lunch together."
"Huh? No, no need!"
Sally waved her hands in a panic. She knew exactly what Lude meant by a simple lunch.
He'd definitely start by ordering two or three substantial dishes, and he wouldn't stop until Sally was stuffed. Then he'd make sure to pack a meal for Silverback and Crow, too.
The problem was that they hadn't found anything all week, yet they'd already freeloaded two lavish meals. How could they possibly impose on