“Ahahaha! Marvelous! Magnificent! A receptionist, he says? What a perfect occupation for a youngster such as thyself, Albus!” Loux Krystas’s mirth reverberated from the high ceiling like a carillon of tiny bells.
Eyes flashing wide in surprise, the headmaster turned toward the little girl─then shrieked, “Gah! Loux Krystas?!”
“What, hast thou only now taken note of my presence? Rather careless, wouldst not agree? One must be wary of intruders at all times.”
“Pretty rich, coming from the intruder herself…!” Albus retorted. “What are you doing here anyway?! How did you manage to sneak in?!”
“My disarming cuteness?”
“Are our security measures really that pathetic?! Holdem! Security is your purview, isn’t it? What the hell have you been doing?!”
“D-Don’t blame me!” Holdem spluttered. “We’re dealing with a three-hundred-year-old ancient witch here. No ordinary security protocols are going to keep her out! And anti-sorcery defenses are your purview, aren’t they?!”
“Aha! Is my manservant really trying to shift the blame for his own failings onto his master?!”
The fight was on. The intimidating headmaster who struck fear into the hearts of thousands, and her bodyguard, the beastfallen upon whose lupine shoulders the very nation’s defenses rested, started screaming at each other like petulant children.
Headmaster Albus was the first to notice that Saybil was standing there with his mouth hanging open. She snatched his hand and began dragging him toward her office.
“A-A-Anyway, let’s go on in! This is no sight for the students! It’ll ruin my air of dignity!”
“Hfff…”
“And what of me? Am I to enter as well?”
“All right! Fine! I don’t care anymore, just get inside!”
“Huzzah! Oi, Third-Rate, fetch some tea. As a servant thou mayest be third-rate, but thy tea is unquestionably first-class.” Loux Krystas flounced into the room like she owned the place, her buoyant verve a perfect contrast to Albus’s aura of despair.
In the face of the headmaster’s explicit permission, even Holdem had to abandon his dogged battle to deny Loux Krystas entry to the inner chamber. He listlessly shut the office doors once the others were all inside, ears and tail drooping in defeat.