The cane shop's door opened, and a figure appeared in the doorway. By the dim light, Arthur could clearly see that it was Tate-his face exactly as Arthur's predecessor remembered it.
His smile was even brighter.
Yet under that dim light, the smile made Arthur instinctively recoil.
It wasn't because the smile lacked sincerity or looked like a mask.
Quite the opposite: Tate's smile was genuine, without the slightest trace of pretense.
Looking at that smile, Arthur actually wished there were something false about it.
Because...
That would make him seem human.
"Welcome, customer!"
"Is there anything you need?"
Wearing that sincere smile, Tate asked earnestly.
"No."
"Nothing."
"Thank you."
Arthur answered rapidly, tapping the carriage to signal the driver to leave at once.
But the expected sound of shaking reins never came.
The auxiliary policeman driving the carriage twisted around, bracing one hand on the carriage roof as though he wanted to say something to Arthur. From Arthur's angle, however, all he could see was the blue uniform covering the man's upper body.
Then, suddenly, a head filled Arthur's entire field of vision.
The driver's head pressed upside down against the carriage window, filling Arthur's vision. His neck had stretched to some extreme limit, yet there was not a trace of pain on his face.
There was only a smile.
A radiant smile.
A sincere smile.
"Consultant, do you have any instructions for me?"
The driver asked.
Arthur neither panicked nor screamed in terror. He sat there as though seriously considering the question.
Then he raised his head and said,
"Get me some fries."
"Sweet ketchup, and a little black pepper."
"Oh, and make them thick-cut."
Arthur's earnest answer left both Tate and the auxiliary policeman stunned.
Neither creature had expected Arthur to answer like that.
More importantly, neither