Half an Hour Was Up, Even the Pope Had to Leave

The following evening, Bibi Dong appeared outside the shop on time.

Absol first sniffed her sleeve, then glanced toward the kitchen.

"I had dinner," Bibi Dong said.

Yue Guan stood behind her. "Your Holiness also drank an extra half-bowl of soup today."

Bibi Dong turned around.

"I was merely explaining it to Absol."

Absol glanced at Yue Guan, then turned toward the travel bag Indeedee had prepared.

A shallow water bowl, a gray cushion, two cleaning cloths, and a small bag of Berries were all inside. The thin shawl had been folded neatly, with the soft-bristled brush from yesterday placed on top.

Indeedee checked each item before handing the bag to Ghost.

Ghost had just reached out when Absol had already hooked the strap with its horn and presented it to Bibi Dong.

"You want me to carry it?" Bibi Dong asked.

Absol nudged it closer.

Yue Guan tactfully withdrew his hand. "It seems we won't be needed."

"You can help me watch the shop," Xia Che said.

"I'm going to the Papal Hall too."

"Then help me watch the door."

Yue Guan did not understand the difference between the two. Xia Che had already left Pancham in charge of the front hall, draped on his coat, and followed them outside.

They were only going for half an hour this time, and he had to be responsible for bringing the traveler back.

The carriage was covered in thick blankets. After getting in, Absol turned in a circle before finally lying down across from Bibi Dong. She placed the travel bag by her feet rather than handing it to an attendant.

As the wheels rolled over a seam in the stone road, the shallow bowl inside the bag gave a soft clink.

Absol opened its eyes.

Bibi Dong held down the mouth of the bag.

The shallow bowl fell quiet, and Absol closed its eyes again.

Yue Guan rode beside the window, but after looking in several times, he still could not find an opening to speak.

Before the Papal Hall, the on-duty hall members had already formed two lines. Once the carriage stopped, Bibi Dong stepped down, with Absol close behind.

The first row of hall members bowed in unison.

Absol stopped.

Everyone immediately held their breath. Ghost's figure had already faded halfway away as his gaze swiftly swept across the steps, pillars, and roof of the hall.

Absol raised its head and stared only at the helmet of the hall member standing in front.

A dry leaf was caught in the plume of his helmet, trembling back and forth in the wind.

The hall member stood even straighter, though a layer of sweat appeared on his brow.

Xia Che reached out and removed the leaf.

Absol continued forward.

Ghost reappeared from the shadow of a pillar.

Yue Guan asked softly, "What did you find?"

"A leaf."

"I saw it too."

"After you finished asking."

Bibi Dong did not turn around, and the two fell silent.

The hall steps were broad and tall. Absol did not walk quickly, and Bibi Dong did not urge it. Upon reaching the main doors, it went around the red carpet laid through the center and crossed over the darker stone tiles at the side.

"The red carpet is replaced every day," Yue Guan explained.

"It didn't say it was dirty," Xia Che said.

Absol simply preferred places that did not glare at its eyes.

Someone had already prepared a water bowl inside the Papal Hall. Its rim was inlaid with gold, its base engraved with the Spirit Hall emblem, and it stood conspicuously beside the desk.

Absol walked over, sniffed it, and did not drink.

Bibi Dong took out the ordinary shallow bowl from the travel bag and poured water into it herself.

It lowered its head and drank a few mouthfuls.

The hall member responsible for preparing the bowl looked at the golden bowl, unsure whether he should take it away.

"Take it away," Bibi Dong said.

"Return it to the storeroom?"

"If you like it, you may keep it yourself."

The hall member immediately hugged the bowl and retreated.

Xia Che spread the gray cushion by the window. Absol did not go there, instead lying beside the desk, where it could see both the door and the window.

Bibi Dong sat down and opened the last three documents of the day.

She had said half an hour, so she only kept half an hour's worth of work. She read the first document quickly, deleted two lines from the second, and had just opened the third when Absol suddenly perked up its ears.

Yue Guan set down his teacup. "Where?"

Ghost had already looked out the window.

Absol's gaze followed a gray pigeon that had landed on the windowsill. The pigeon tilted its head at it, and it tilted its head back.

A few breaths later, the gray pigeon flapped away.

Absol lay back down.

Yue Guan picked up his teacup, pretending he had not asked anything just now.

"From now on, will you investigate every time it moves?" Bibi Dong asked flatly.

"One must always be more cautious in the beginning," Yue Guan said.

Xia Che leaned against the window. "If its ears move, it may have heard a bird. If its tail moves, the cushion may be uncomfortable. If it stands up, it may simply want water."

"What about a genuine warning?" Ghost asked.

"You have seen one before. First look at what it is staring at, then ask."

Bibi Dong wrote a character of approval on the third document. "Did you hear that?"

Yue Guan nodded.

Ghost answered from the shadows.

Absol ignored them, resting its nose on its forepaws as it quickly grew accustomed to the hall's bells and the rustling of pages.

Smoke from the incense burner by the window slowly drifted over.

Absol sneezed, got up, and moved to the other side of the desk. After a while, the smoke curled over there as well, forcing it to move another step.

Yue Guan had just wanted to look out the window when Xia Che pointed at the incense burner first.

Bibi Dong stopped writing. "Remove it."

The attendant hesitated. "This calming incense has been used for many years."

"Remove it today."

The incense burner was swiftly carried away, and the window was opened a crack. Absol caught the scent of cold air from outside and lay down again, this time half a foot closer to Bibi Dong's chair.

Yue Guan found it amusing. "This is the first time anyone has disliked that incense in the Papal Hall."

"If you like it, you may leave together with the incense burner," Bibi Dong said.

Yue Guan lowered his head and drank his tea.

Xia Che yawned while leaning against the window frame. Absol raised its eyes at him, seemingly unable to understand why this person could be sleepy even while standing.

Bibi Dong turned a page. "He is like this every day."

Absol looked at her.

"Don't mind him."

Xia Che closed his eyes. "I can hear you."

"Then stand steadily."

The remaining time was unusually quiet.

After Bibi Dong finished reviewing the third document, she casually picked up another scroll from beside her.

Absol lifted its head and glanced at the hourglass at the corner of the desk.

The fine sand had already run out.

It stood, bit the hanging corner of Bibi Dong's outer robe, and gently tugged her toward the door.

Ghost vanished again.

Two hall members simultaneously gripped their weapons.

Bibi Dong looked at the hourglass. "Come back."

Ghost appeared outside the hall. "No abnormalities found."

"Half an hour is up."

The hall fell silent for a moment.

Absol released her robe and walked to the door to wait for her.

Yue Guan held back, but still asked, "There is another scroll of documents."

"Read it tomorrow."

Bibi Dong closed the dossier and rose from her seat.

The two hall members gripping their weapons quickly lowered their hands. Absol passed between them with calm steps, its curved horn always avoiding others.

On the way back, it still lay across from her in the carriage.

Bibi Dong watched it for a while. "If there were truly danger, would you pull me like this?"

Absol opened its eyes and angled its nose toward the window.

"It probably doesn't know how it would warn you either," Xia Che said. "Today, it was merely telling you it was time to get off work."

"When I get off work is for me to decide."

Absol looked at her.

"Today is an exception."

Xia Che closed his eyes to catch up on sleep and did not expose that statement.

When they returned to the shop, Hu Liena and Eevee were still waiting. Eevee ran to the soft blanket first and circled Absol while sniffing it, only chirping happily after confirming that it carried the fragrance of the Papal Hall.

"Teacher, did it go smoothly?" Hu Liena asked.

"The Papal Hall is still standing," Xia Che replied.

Hu Liena looked toward her teacher.

Bibi Dong said, "It went very smoothly."

Indeedee took the travel bag, washed the bowl clean, and returned the untouched gray cushion to its place. Just as it was about to remove the meeting card from the table, Absol pressed down on a corner of the card with its paw.

Xia Che brought over two Poké Balls.

One was a plain Poké Ball, while the other was a comfortable Luxury Ball. Yue Guan felt the latter suited the Pope's status better, but Bibi Dong did not choose for Absol.

"Choose for yourself," she said.

Absol sniffed the Luxury Ball first, then went around it and touched the button of the ordinary Poké Ball with its nose.

A red light drew it into the ball.

The Poké Ball landed on the soft blanket, gave only a slight shake, then sounded a crisp confirmation chime.

Bibi Dong bent down and picked it up.

"Does this mean it agreed?" she asked.

"Travel together for seven days first," Xia Che said. "If it wants to return, the door will always be open. When it stops, look first. Don't rush to treat its every action as an order."

"What if it refuses my arrangements?"

"Ask for the reason. If you cannot figure it out, wait for a while."

Bibi Dong held the Poké Ball, her expression calm. "I reserve my own judgment."

"So does it."

"Fine."

The Poké Ball suddenly opened on its own.

Absol reappeared at her side and sat properly. It had clearly accepted the ball, but had no intention of spending the night inside it.

Eevee happily approached. Absol lowered its body and turned its curved horn to the other side.

Hu Liena watched them, then looked at the Poké Ball in her teacher's hand, a smile rising in her eyes.

Bibi Dong put away the Poké Ball. "This is only an observational trip together."

"I understand," Hu Liena said.

She answered too quickly.

Bibi Dong gave her a glance, then turned to Xia Che. "What will be needed after seven days?"

"A meal."

"What about registration?"

"Write it after the meal."

"I have no time tomorrow."

Indeedee raised a newly selected menu from the kitchen doorway. The braised meat and Berry salad for tomorrow evening had already been circled.

Absol looked over the menu, then raised its head to look at her.

Bibi Dong paused for two breaths. "Set aside half an hour."

Xia Che nodded. "That's enough time to eat."