10: I Don’t Want to Hear It

“Well, would you look at that, Teddy. The queen deigns to leave her castle.”

“Ah! Instructor! Instructor!” cried Teddy.

Teddy rushed for Ern the moment he saw her. Her response was instantaneous. Even though she was facing away from me, the almost imperceptible slouch in her back straightened as the air around her shifted to match her overbearing presence. When she spoke to her assistants, there was no visible emotion on her face. Teddy grew noticeably nervous, but Samuel couldn’t have cared less.

“What about the meeting?” Ern asked.

“Well, the results already spoke for themselves,” said Samuel. “What more was there to say? Things have already wrapped up.”

“Huh? What did youdo?”

“Don’t giveus your exasperated sighs; we didn’t have a choice. If you’ve complaints, please take them up with the others. Measly assistants like ourselves don’t have the authority to go bossing people around.”

“Samuel!” cried Teddy. “How many times have I told you to watch your tongue?!”

“Yes, yes, you have my humblest of apologies. Now let’s put the topic to re— Oh, speak of the devil, look...”

Samuel spun to gaze at the far end of the long corridor. It was empty up until the moment everyone’s focus was there, at which point a man appeared, and one I happened to have met. When our gazes locked,