Kyoto was busy that afternoon, but not enough to prevent Ada from noticing the difference between that part of the city and the places she usually visited. As she and Raphaeline approached Fushimi Inari Taisha, the urban noise gradually faded, replaced by the sound of footsteps on stone, the quiet conversations of tourists, and the movement of the trees surrounding the complex. Neither of them attracted any particular attention. Dressed simply, with perfectly ordinary human appearances, they looked like nothing more than an Asian mother and daughter visiting one of Japan's most famous shrines.
Ada had been walking beside Raphaeline for several minutes when she finally decided to ask the question that had been bothering her since they left the mansion.
"Why exactly did you want to come before Vergil?" she asked, discreetly adjusting the strap of her bag. "If he's going to look for Musashi anyway, wouldn't it be easier to just wait and come with him?"
