Although the elder was thin, he stood straight. He wore a dark gray linen robe with a thin sword hanging from his belt, which had a double snake-shaped guard.
Bartlett carefully observed the hilt of the sword, which was wrapped tightly with cotton-padded hemp rope. He also noted the callus on the elder's right hand, deducing that the concealed sword was not just for show.
The one-eyed and gaunt face made the elder look somewhat gloomy, but the look in his remaining eye appeared quite approachable.
"Are you also here to search for the 'Tear of Asha'?" The elder asked the group.
Bartlett was inexplicably astonished by the elder's words. He had not uttered a single word yet, but the elder already seemed to know the purpose of their visit.
"What's wrong? Why aren't you speaking? I hope my visitors this time are not a group of mutes."
"This time," the visitors? Bartlett paid attention to the elder's choice of words. What did this mean? Had others visited before?
