The furnishings in Mercer's office were exactly the same as the first time Allen had visited.
Outside the massive floor-to-ceiling window, clouds churned beyond the Mage Tower's Defense Barrier.
Allen stood beside the metal workbench, his expression calm, but the fingers hidden beneath his cuffs tightened slightly.
For more than two years, he had been like a tireless gear, spinning madly between the library, the classroom, and the workshop. The Magic Stones in his account had flowed away like water, exchanged for the increasingly complex Will Runes in his Sea of Spirit and the steel beast currently being inspected by his master.
'If my master doesn't approve it today, I might just have to find a rooftop to jump from tonight. I even took out a loan for this.'
"Your 'Pacifist' has passed."
Mercer Iron Star's voice still carried its characteristic metallic resonance, betraying no hint of emotion.
