Second World War

The Second World War marks a period of uneasy absence in the long conflict between the Checquy and the Grafters: the Grafters do not surface, and the lack of hostile action encourages the Checquy to lower its guard without resolving the danger they represent.

Absence During the War

The narrative places the Second World War after the earlier discovery that the Grafters were still pursuing their work. Despite that evidence and the Checquy’s alarm, no hint of the Grafters appears during the war. The silence is not proof that they have disappeared; it is only a pause in visible activity.

The Checquy’s Reassessment

With no hostile moves from their old enemies, the Checquy allows itself to relax a little. Court members consider whether the Grafters may have no interest in settling old scores or may be absorbed in their obscure and disturbing studies. These possibilities offer reassurance, but remain speculation rather than confirmed knowledge.

A Threat Left Unresolved

The episode’s significance lies in the gap between what the Checquy knows and what it can observe. The Grafters remain out there, yet their wartime absence gives the organization room to turn its attention elsewhere. The tentative relief therefore preserves, rather than ends, the underlying uncertainty about whether the enemies will return.