Today was a strangely slow day for the Brilliant Emporium.
Actually… it wasn't that strange.
Sunny had been complaining about how swamped he was in the kitchen when the business was good, but now that it was dull, he missed the money he could have made dearly.
The lack of clients was not strange, but the mood in Bastion was — which, in turn, was the reason why so few people were visiting.
It was an odd mixture of agitation and somber anticipation. People were incensed and indignant about the attempt on Neph's life, which was attributed to Clan Song more and more. But, at the same time, some of them were disturbed by the swiftly changing tone of public opinion.
After all, people weren't fools. Many could recognize the malignant roots of the spreading rumors. They might not know who was behind the propaganda, but they could at least sense that they were being lied to. Others had enough foresight to see where the volatile situation was headed, even if they did not know why.
