"I know," Genius replied. "Who?"
"Whoever you're looking for."
"I wasn't looking for anyone."
"You were."
Genius glanced at her sideways. "You're observant."
"Elf," she said, as if that were explanation enough.
They fell silent again, but differently than before. The kind of silence between two people who've already decided the conversation will continue.
"Did you used to study here?" the elf asked. "I could swear that the last time I heard from you… you were bedridden. Serious illness."
"Serious illness…" Genius processed. "She's not talking about me. She's talking about Genius Genials, the game character. Who gets sick at this point in the story."
"Remarkable recovery," Genius said slowly.
"Indeed," the elf agreed, her eyes still on the courtyard, her voice completely neutral.
"She didn't confirm or deny it," Genius thought. "She's not testing me; Seline knows Genius."
"Sometimes the body decides to get better when it has enough reason," he said.
"Reason like what?"
