Stepping out of the transparent glass chamber, Serein walked up to Zane.
On his face, as well as on those around him, astonishment still lingered, their gazes teetering somewhere between reverence and unease, as though they were unsure whether to bow down or take a step back.
"All done, isn't it?"
Her tone was calm, detached. Those eyes on her meant little; she had lived through them once before—back in her previous life, during her very first evaluation.
At that time, she had been ecstatic, convinced she had been blessed by the divine. Now, the very same recognition felt like nothing more than a curse shackled to her memory.
Zane, though still clearly impressed by her rank, recovered with surprising speed. He turned on his heel, the hand gripping the desk sliding into the pocket of his long coat.
