Reborn as the Psycho Villainess Who Ate Her Slave Beasts' Contracts

Ken was at the secondary table with the appointment records the administrative director had pulled, working through them with the methodical attention that was his particular quality. He had already organized them into a preliminary structure — Elara could see it from across the room, the familiar pattern of Ken’s work, the way he built toward conclusions through complete information rather than jumping to the apparent answer.

The morning moved.

At the midpoint, the administrative director’s assistant — a young man who had the specific quality of someone who had been in his role for approximately three months and was still learning the edges of it — brought tea.

He set it on the primary table and looked briefly at Elara with the expression of someone trying to determine if he recognized a face he had seen before.

He didn’t say anything.

She didn’t help him.

He left.

The administrative director watched this.

"The staff have noticed," she said, after he was gone.

"I expected they would," Elara said.

"There’s been discussion," the administrative director said. "About the consultant from Liang Meridian. Her methods. Her documentation style." She paused. "The collar charter being the specific focus, since it’s the most visible submission."

"What’s the discussion," Elara said.