The Spirit of the Academy City took Pisi aside to make Crystal Instruments.
Watching Pisi's departing figure, Lawrence said softly, "Pisi has picked up some of Pirus's greedy habits, more or less. Luckily, its self-restraint is pretty good."
Angel said, "Greed is not always a bad thing."
After a pause, Angel looked at Lawrence.
"Come to think of it, nearly everyone who came in this time is a practical doer. They only just entered the Academy City, yet they've already begun laying out their plans. Merlin is talking people into things, Pisi is using Crystal Instruments to weigh people up, and Vasha is leading by example..."
"Seeing how hard they're working, aren't you planning to do anything?"
"Me?"
"Not for now." Lawrence waved a hand.
Though he and Merlin were both vice principals, their future paths differed.
Merlin would inevitably take the route of city management. That path required many people to cooperate with him, clearing channels from top to bottom.
But Lawrence was only responsible for the academy districts. He merely needed to soothe the deans of each district, and as a spiritual comforter, he happened to excel at one-on-one reassurance.
"You're right."
Angel stretched, shifted his sitting posture, and watched the wisps of misty rain in the distance.
"I plan to keep waiting here until the next batch of staff comes in. What about you?"
Lawrence said, "I'll wait with you."
An hour later, Merlin returned from the city district with a group of staff members.
Angel had a brief chat with Merlin and confirmed that the second-stage task for the "city management direction" was equally demanding. It was no less difficult than Lawrence's task, perhaps even more so.
It likewise required four objectives to be completed: finish a comprehensive survey, establish an initial inventory of supplies, formulate