"Who is this...?"
Standing in the hallway, Gordon discreetly sized up the man walking behind Batman with subtly shifting eyes.
This scholarly-looking man was tall, nearly as tall as Batman, but much thinner. He did not look particularly burly or strong. His demeanor was gentle and refined, and his suit fit perfectly. Even under the dim lights, its fabric reflected an expensive sheen.
In a society judged by the gold standard, objects that represented prosperity always lent people an extra air of elegance and composure. Gordon could tell at a glance that this was a tasteful scholar with old-fashioned manners.
What surprised Gordon even more was that Schiller showed neither fear nor anger. That was not normal.
Batman might have seemed omnipotent, but Gordon knew that he occasionally sought help from specialists. After all, there were so many disciplines in the world, and so many scholars proficient in obscure fields. Anyone with even a little intelligence understood that professionals should handle professional matters.
Yet when Batman consulted such people, his attitude and methods were often less than gentle. Few people brought along by Batman managed to maintain a dignified appearance.
But precisely because of this anomaly, Gordon's thoughts raced. He immediately understood that Batman had done this deliberately.
Batman had not used any violence on the man behind him and had allowed him to appear before Gordon in such an elegant and composed manner. At its core, it was a warning to Gordon—he was useful, and not easy to handle.
After grasping that information, Gordon could not help looking at Schiller the way he looked at criminals. In less than a second, he reached a conclusion: Batman's eyes were as sharp as ever, and his judgment was as accurate as always.
At the same time, Gordon was astonished by Batman's