Act Two - Lux Aeterna — Chapter 2

After leaving Inspector Víctor Grandes, David walks the Ramblas astonished by his restored health and the absence of fear or pain. Despite the previous night’s tragedy, including Barrido’s death and Escobillas’s likely demise, David feels an unnerving indifference.

David visits Sempere’s bookshop. Señor Sempere and his son are shocked by David’s transformation, having recently seen him near death. David downplays his illness as a minor blood-pressure issue cured by a tonic. Conversation turns to the fire: they speculate that if Escobillas dies, Barrido & Escobillas may cease to exist, potentially voiding David’s contract and freeing him.

Seeking to change the subject, Señor Sempere asks a favor: to advise a talented seventeen-year-old, Isabella Gispert, who longs to write but faces parental opposition. He praises her story and notes her devotion to David’s work. David resists taking on an assistant or mentee, but Sempere presses the urgency of rescuing Isabella from a stifling future.

Worn down, David relents and agrees to meet Isabella, though he insists he doesn’t know her. As David leaves, Sempere is confident the match will benefit them both, while David remains coolly detached yet committed to the meeting.