He pressed the answer button.
Before the light screen had fully unfolded, Viola's voice came through the terminal ahead of it.
"Junior, I heard you've struck it rich lately?"
Benjamin's mouth twitched slightly.
Sure enough.
No matter how many years had passed, this senior's opening line always carried an air of unreliability.
As the light screen fully unfolded, Viola's beautiful face appeared in midair.
Her silver-gray hair fell over her shoulders, and a white lab coat hung loosely from her frame.
Behind her was an obviously makeshift laboratory, with all sorts of equipment cobbled together from east and west. It looked exactly like a ragtag outfit.
Still, compared with the days when she had been so poor she was nearly unable to keep the pot boiling, things had improved considerably.
At least she had a laboratory now, shabby as it still looked.
Viola leaned back in her chair, holding a cup of some unknown dark-green liquid. She drank while studying Benjamin. Benjamin studied her as well.
After not seeing her for some time, the aura around this senior was clearly more dangerous than before.
"Looks like you've been doing well lately, Senior," Benjamin said first.
"Not bad."
Viola nodded.
"Ever since I changed the anchoring target of the Law of Pain to you, my research efficiency has improved quite a bit."
Benjamin: "..."
Though he knew it was true, something about those words sounded strange.
Viola clearly realized something as well, and the corners of her lips lifted slightly.
"Don't misunderstand. I'm complimenting you."
"...Thanks, I guess."
"You don't sound happy."
"Because I don't think that counts as a compliment in any normal sense."
Viola laughed, and the somewhat stifling atmosphere immediately lightened.
But soon, the smile on her face faded somewhat.
"I contacted you this time because there's serious