"I'll go first," Elise said, raising her hand before anyone else could speak. She looked confident for about a second, then realized everyone was staring at her and immediately stiffened, her fingers tightening against her skirt while she stood up.
Hajin watched her walk toward the desk without saying anything. 'She jumped on that fast,' he thought, resting his cheek against his fist. 'I guess waiting around would just make her nerves worse.'
Allen did not tease her for it, which Hajin appreciated a little. He turned the device until the central orb faced Elise, then tapped the metal plate twice and made the faint blue line inside the crystal start pulsing brighter.
"Place your hand on the orb and circulate your mana normally," he said, looking at her instead of the device. "Do not push too hard, and do not try to hide anything either. The first reading needs to be natural."
"Understood," she said, though her voice came out a little tighter than usual.
