“Nervous?” Claud asked, looking at Lily, who was holding a tiny little shadow’s hand. The little guy glanced up at him and shook its tiny head once, and Claud rolled his eyes. “Not you. You won’t be nervous meeting the Lesser Half, right?”

Claud rubbed the little shadow’s head.

“Of course I’m nervous,” Lily replied. “We’re talking about an equal and peer to the Moons. I’m not just nervous, actually. I’m positively terrified. What got into you?”

“I know it runs against our original plan, but…” Claud let his smile slide off his face. “But this is the only real way I can see me escaping the Red God’s plot. I don’t know what’s his domain, and I don’t know anything about the enemy at all. Given all these uncertainties, along with the fact that there’s literally nothing I can do even if I know his weakness…it’s a dead end for me.”

Lily looked at him. “We’re hoping that the Lesser Half will back us up.”

“Pretty much. Guess I didn’t need to explain it.”

“I already guessed the moment you went on about returning a child to its mother,” Lily replied. “Still, are you going to update that booklet of yours? You have nothing on how to deal with gods other than a divinity tracker.”

“It’ll use me as an anecdote, and I’ll talk about bringing out patrons to protect yourself.” Claud bobbed his head. “Thankfully, it’s not for sale. Otherwise a whole bunch of people would just criticise me and call that unrealistic, heh. I’ll be spat and cursed at by an entire generation of people.”

“I’m not going to lie, but if the others see that updated portion of yours, they’re going to call you delusional,” Lily replied. “Anyway, they should be living quite peacefully, right? I can’t really imagine them getting into trouble. Sure, there’s a familiar spirit heading to Istrel Sovereignty, but the Moons aren’t going to let another party waltz around unannounced in their territory, right?”

Claud agreed fervently. For now, however, their life would be one of peace…or not. They had a bunch of goals right now. First, return the little shadowy toddler to the Lesser Half — one of the two entities that collectively made up the great Dark. Second, try and get the Lesser Half to at least protect him and Lily somewhat, so that if the Red God did target him after the Trial of Aeons, Lily wouldn’t be affected. The third goal was returning to Celestia to uncover even more things. While the Second Shadow artefact was useful, it was only useful as a communication artefact in the current climate.

It would also be using for scouting, so Claud was going to bring a few sets along when they went to Celestia. Anyway, their main goal would be to look for more mysterious artefacts from the shattered universe called Celestia, and see if they could make use of that.

“Claud?”

“Just thinking about stuff.” He ruffled Lily’s awesomely violet hair, before restraining the urge to play with it. “Come on, let’s head down to Lostfon Palace.”

Count Lostfon, the titular owner of the Lostfon County and (presumably) the father of Caroline Lostfon — Count Nightfall’s fiancé — was quite the reasonable authority figure, all things considered. That said, it shouldn’t have come as a surprise, since Nightfall was also quite the reasonable authority figure. It made sense for birds of the same feather to roost together.

Descending into the ground floor, Claud took in the formidable crowd of people who had showed up for breakfast today. He knew that most of them had their own houses, or were occupying houses that had been abandoned by their original owners when they fled. To see practically the entire city’s occupants stuffed into an inn was undoubtedly a testament to the great Dark’s descent.

Slipping through the crowded, quiet eating area, Claud, Lily and a little shadowy toddler left the inn and stepped into the desolate streets. It was not the first time he’d seen such a desolate, empty sight, but the city’s liveliness had returned after a few weeks of living under the rule of the great Dark.

Now, however, the few children roaming the streets and the adults feeding little shadows had entirely vanished.

“You’re the last Shadowed One to walk around Lostfon,” Claud told the little guy beside Lily. “How do you feel?”

The shadow looked back at him, its facial features indistinguishable from the mist that covered the rest of its body, and then tilted its head.

“Hmm. How do I interpret that?” Claud wondered.

“Maybe this tiny, adorable fellow doesn’t know,” Lily replied. “Anyway, let’s get you back home as soon as possible. I wonder if we can properly communicate with the Lesser Half, though.”

“We have a guinea pig that can answer our question, so it’s fine,” Claud replied. “Don’t we have a certain Count Lostfon to tell us whether it’s safe? If he can receive us, isn’t bleeding from all over and isn’t ranting madly about the Dark, it’s safe for us to talk to the Lesser Half.”

He paused. “Assuming, of course, the Lesser Half can actually talk. We don’t know much about the Lesser Half too…I hope Dust can help us with that.”

“The Dark Herald is probably the only person we can ask…but I don’t think subordinates gossip about their bosses much,” Lily replied. “Still, why did the Lesser Half descend here, of all places? Is the Lesser Half intending to take the field while the Moons are tied up?”

“Definitely. There’s an enormous power imbalance right now. Any later, and the Lesser Half would probably have departed for the frontlines,” Claud replied. “Best we hurry up.”

Escorting the little shadow down the streets, Claud and Lily made their way to Lostfon Palace, which was still as deserted as ever. This time, however, Claud could sense an immense power shrouding the place, which was definitely a good impetus for anyone who hated working there to tender a resignation and skedaddle for their little lives.

“Nice, there’s a circle of evil…well, dark isn’t exactly evil, but I don’t know what to say,” Lily muttered.

“A circle of gloom and approaching doom for the Moons?” Claud replied. “I don’t know either, but I get a feeling our mana circuits will be suppressed there.”

He walked up to the palace gates, which actually had someone standing there. If Claud didn’t get it wrong, that person was either blindly loyal or penniless, and a look at his holey boots was enough to tell him which guess was correct.

“We’re here to visit Count Lostfon,” Claud replied. “Is there some procedure or anything needed now?”

He looked at the palace. At the highest spire was a huge shadowy circle that covered the entire palace from the skies. It was an area demarcated for something, and Claud really didn’t want to know what that something was.

“No, not really. See that circle? Do anything stupid and it apparently kills you with lightning.” The guard shrugged. “Go on in. There’ll be someone waiting…I can’t believe you people are actually visiting. Phew.”

Claud rubbed his nose. “Thanks, man. Have a good day.”

“Have a good day,” Lily added, and the little shadow jumped up and down twice.

As Claud entered the perimeter of Lostfon Palace, he felt a bit bad about not bringing Crown and Throne along, but again, this was the current dwelling place of a divinity. More importantly, these two little guys had fallen in love with the little bed Lily had made for them, and any attempts to bring them around was met with vigorous resistance.

“What are you thinking about?” Lily asked. “I’m just scared.”

“I’m also scared too. My thoughts are flying all over the place,” Claud replied. “Earlier on, they drifted over to Throne and Crown. I feel a bit bad for leaving them behind and everything.”

“You too?”

Claud exchanged glances with Lily, and then stifled a laugh. While he really just wanted to laugh out loud, this definitely didn’t seem like the best place to do it, and Lily clearly thought the same thing too.

They came across another guard soon enough, who was busy fiddling with a small tower of cards in the guard post right before the actual palace. Security was very lax here, and Claud had lots of things to talk about…but there was a huge disk of shadow above the palace. Whatever suggestions he had right now was superfluous, unnecessary and pointless.

She blinked as Claud and Lily walked up to her, and the tower of cards collapsed. “A-are you two here to visit the count?”

Claud really wanted to give a sarcastic reply, but everyone here was definitely affected by the Lesser Half’s presence here. It would be bad form through and through, especially since it wasn’t their fault to begin with.

“Yeah, we are,” Lily replied. “Can you announce us? I hope he’s not busy. Also, if the Dark Herald or the Lesser Half is here…we have a lost child to return to them.”

The guard looked at the little shadow, paused for a moment, and did a double take. “Oh. Oh. Oh! Erm…can I pat him?”

“I thought a lot more people were going to ask that, to be frank,” Claud replied as the little shadow waddled forward and presented its head for a good rub. Of course, its complicity was rewarded with a little biscuit sitting on the table, but the shadow turned to Lily a moment later.

“…A sweet for you?”

The shadow gazed at her, and Lily pulled out a small little packet for the little guy, who opened it enthusiastically.

“Aww…anyway, I’ll announce your presence to the count.” The guard reached under her table. “Please wait for a moment. One of my colleagues will bring you in soon.”

“Thank you.”