After reading the letter and making a few preparations, Raphael took an apple from the fruit bowl, used Traveler to reach Enmat Harbor, and found Mr. Z.
Mr. Z was a Shadow Ascetic who looked to be in his thirties. He was rather thin, with loose skin on his face that gave him an easygoing air.
Raphael had met him once before. Back then, the test for Raphael to become an Oracle had been to help Mr. Z solve a problem.
The solution Raphael offered had been both bold and reasonably practical, earning Mr. Z's admiration. He had said then that he hoped to write to Raphael for advice whenever he encountered a problem he could not solve.
Later, when Raphael took over the duties of two Saints, Mr. Z had been the only Oracle to pledge his loyalty to him.
Raphael currently lacked both sufficient support and capable subordinates, so naturally, he would do everything he could to help the man.
Mr. Z had not expected Mr. A to arrive so quickly, either. After exchanging a few pleasantries with him, he looked at the apple in Mr. A's hand.
Noticing his gaze, Raphael also looked down at his own hand. Why did I take an apple?
But he soon took a perfectly natural bite. "Do you know where those Feysac agents are hiding?"
The apple in his hand was a manifestation of his current lack of control. Sometimes, even he did not know why he behaved this way.
If he handled it poorly and directly asked, "Why did I take that apple?" he would look deranged.
Eating fruit during a fairly formal conversation like this was a little strange, too, but it was still better than seeming deranged.
Mr. Z paid no further attention to the apple in Mr.