The side door opened, and one of the sanctuary workers who had greeted them upon arrival appeared. He looked at both of them and nodded.
"They're finished. You can go in now."
Takeshi and Nyx entered the building. The worker guided them down the side hallway to a room at the back that Takeshi hadn't seen before.
It was smaller than the main hall, with a round table in the center and wooden chairs around it. The walls had shelves lined with books and neatly organized documents beside a window overlooking the north side of the grounds.
Merwyn was standing by the window. Aoi was seated with her arms crossed and her back straight, and when Takeshi entered, she checked to make sure he was still in one piece.
Across from the table stood an older man with white hair and a straight posture. He wore formal sanctuary clothing, more elaborate than the rest of the staff's, with embroidery along the collar and cuffs.
