The corridor stretched long ahead of them, its stone walls breathing out slow waves of furnace-warmth. Mana lamps flickered softly, casting shifting patterns across the floor as Luca and the Tower Master walked side by side, their footsteps echoing in gentle, unhurried rhythm.
"Master… why didn't you stay there in the infirmary?"
Her steps faltered—not enough to be called a stop, but enough for the faintest shift of her robes. She turned her face slightly, her gaze fixed straight ahead rather than at him.
"She has just recovered from Mana Dissociation."
Her voice was steady, but there was a soft tension beneath it—like a string pulled taut.
"And seeing me immediately after what caused her to fall into it…"
Her words slowed… each syllable dropping heavier than the last.
"…I could understand her reaction."
