The heavy wooden office door quietly swung shut, sealing the junior student's slightly awkward yet determinedly composed figure outside.
The room returned to that peculiar atmosphere of accumulated knowledge mingled with solitude.
Mentor Clark's gaze remained fixed on the complex energy structure diagram. The quill in his hand tapped unconsciously against one of its nodes as he broke the silence as though making an offhand remark.
"Viola... it seems she's taken another new step on the path of laws."
Benjamin froze for a moment. Temporarily setting aside the subtle feelings stirred by his junior student, he looked at his mentor in confusion. "Hm? Mentor, why do you say that?"
Clark finally lifted his eyelids slightly, shifting his gaze from the diagram to Benjamin.
His tone was calm, yet certain. "Though she enjoys making trouble, at heart she is someone who values efficiency above all else. She rarely plays purely meaningless pranks."
"This time, she deliberately had you make a wasted trip to find me. I fear... she wanted to use your reaction to verify certain new changes in her own control over laws."
He paused, then added, "If you have doubts, contact her and ask now. That girl is probably waiting for it."
Benjamin found that reasonable and activated his communicator again.
The light screen lit up, and Senior Viola's figure immediately appeared. Her face wore the sly smile Benjamin knew so well.
Before Benjamin could question her, she spoke first.
"Oh, junior... judging by the background behind you, it seems you've already reached Mentor's place. So? After being lightly toyed with by your senior, did you feel very... hmm?"
She deliberately drew out her words, carefully studying Benjamin's expression.
Then she curled her lips, looking somewhat disappointed. "Tsk, still so calm. You don't even have a trace of pain