"Mr. Charles, will our island sink too?"
Hearing Lily's question, Charles didn't reply. He simply stroked her furry head, pushed open the door to the Bat Inn, and headed for his room.
Clearly, this was not a question he could answer. This place defied logic; it was impossible for humans to even scrape by. To live with dignity, one had to find the entrance to the Earth's surface. Once that was found, all problems would be solved.
Charles sat down on the soft sofa, his tense nerves finally relaxing. Warmed by the fire, he slipped into a deep sleep.
He didn't know how much time had passed before a nightmare startled him awake. He realized Linda was standing by his side, waiting. After checking his pocket watch, he saw that four hours had passed.
"Mr. Charles, she came here two hours ago. I was going to wake you, but she wouldn't let me," said Lily, who was looking out the window.
Charles snapped his pocket watch shut and asked the woman beside him, "Well? Has Kede returned?"
