A guard unlocked the door and Jircniv heard Argyll's footsteps entering.
Once the door was closed again, Jircniv turned his face in Argyll's direction and opened his eyes.
"Good evening, Doctor. Thank you for coming. It's unusual to see you at this time, isn't it?"
Argyll smiled at him, but his face looked stiff. He seemed tense. That change in his usual calm manner made Jircniv uneasy and he stood up from his seat
"Doctor?"
"Ah, don't worry," Argyll said softly. "But I'll put up a soundproof barrier, just in case."
Argyll was also Jircniv's teacher in magic. After quietly chanting a spell, Argyll formed a magic circle at his fingertips and then spread it across the entire room. Once the soundproof barrier was in place, he gently took both of Jircniv's hands, as if to calm him down.
