Edward flipped a coin. "Entering the Telegraph Office is dangerous."
The coin landed in his hand, numbers facing up, indicating a negative.
"Do you know why the lights in all the surrounding homes have gone out? It only got dark a little while ago. Surely they haven't all gone to bed this early?"
Melanie paused slightly, poked her head out, and looked around. "I'm not sure about that."
"Hmm, Ms. Melanie, is your full name Melanie Medici?"
She looked baffled. "Why would you ask that? Oh, I remember you asking me during the day whether I knew anyone with the surname Medici. My surname is Moore. My full name is Melanie Moore."
Edward flipped the coin again. The result was the same as when he had come during the day, proving that everything she had said was true.
Verdu asked, "Do you know a woman with a little girl?"
She asked in confusion, "There are quite a few women with little girls in Bansy Harbor. Which one do you mean?"
"The pair who are going to be used as offerings at tonight's ritual."
"???"
Melanie looked utterly blank. "What ritual? What offerings? Where did you hear these bizarre rumors?"
Verdu suddenly said in a low voice, "Why don't we just destroy the Telegraph Office and see what tricks they're trying to play?"
Edward looked over in surprise. Brother, you catch on fast. That's actually what I was thinking too.
No sooner had Verdu finished speaking than Melanie's bewildered expression suddenly filled with profound malice. "If you really do that, you'll regret it!"
She paused, her eyes bloodshot. "Since you don't dare enter the Telegraph Office, go to the pier and find a way to leave yourselves. Don't... obstruct... our... ritual..."
"Otherwise... you will... die!"
The moment she finished, the mist