"Looks like you're doing well, Maric."
In the Umbrella Company's office, Lorne smiled as he looked at Maric, whose spirituality was steady and whose aura was restrained.
After resting for a few days, the newly advanced Wraith captain had finally returned to work. Lorne had taken the opportunity to check the company's accounts and see how Maric was doing after his advancement.
"That's thanks to you, too."
A rare, sincere smile appeared on Maric's perpetually pale, gloomy face.
Then his body turned completely transparent, and the surrounding temperature dropped several degrees. A faint chill permeated the air.
Maric blended perfectly into the air, even his clothes losing their physical substance, as he demonstrated his newly mastered Wraith form to Lorne.
"Not bad." Lorne nodded in satisfaction. "When Sharron said you needed a few more days of rest to stabilize your condition, I thought your advancement hadn't gone smoothly..."
"Uh..."
At that, the corner of Maric's mouth twitched.
In fact, as soon as he had returned to Backlund, he had wanted to visit Lorne and thank him in person. But Sharron had firmly rejected the idea, saying, "You've just advanced, and your condition is unstable. You could easily lose control." She had made him stay home and rest. Then she had gone to see Lorne alone and hadn't returned until very late.
Considering Sharron's usual, rather subtle attitude toward Lorne, Maric had ample reason to suspect that her decision hadn't been motivated solely by concern for his health.
"Ahem, let's leave that aside. While I was away, all the security affairs were handled very well."
After a moment's thought, Maric awkwardly changed the somewhat embarrassing subject. "Looks like Xio's been working hard lately."
"She really is a conscientious girl." Lorne didn't deny it. He had already instructed the finance department to