Chapter 50: The Public Vision

After lunch, Duncan watched as Nina cleaned up the dining table. He had initially wanted to help with the dishes, but she insisted he shouldn't, citing the doctor's advice about his poor health and the need to avoid contact with cold water. Thus, he simply leaned near the staircase entrance, reading the morning newspaper while watching the girl bustling about in the kitchen.

This scene, which seemed to belong to an ordinary household, strangely stirred his emotions.

Just then, Nina's voice came from the kitchen, "Uncle Duncan, is there any news in the newspaper?"

Duncan looked down at the paper and first noticed the date, "City-State Times, August 14th of the year 1900." The next headline was about the Judges leading a team to arrest dozens of heretics: it was probably the most significant front-page news in the entire paper.