The system did not act in a rush, and that was the first thing Aurelion noticed clearly. Even after the boundary settled and the opposing pattern stayed in place, nothing moved too quickly. There was no sudden reaction, no attempt to match what had been shown to them. Instead, the system stayed steady, adjusting itself from within while continuing to observe.
Aurelion understood that this was not hesitation. The system was not unsure. It was deciding how to respond in a way that would not break its structure. That difference mattered more than any quick reaction could have.
He remained at the boundary, fully aware of how everything connected around him. The pattern from the other system stayed in front of him, unchanged and firm. It was not asking anything. It was not trying to communicate in a normal way. It was stating something clearly.
