Planning Two Steps Ahead

He saw the principal busy with documents while Anna, his homeroom teacher, sat across the table and helped the principal.

"Sit," Charlotte said.

Felix nodded.

He sat next to Anna and in front of the principal.

Charlotte removed her glasses.

She rubbed her tired eyes before focusing on Felix.

"You have five minutes to speak.

"If I feel like you've come to waste my time, you will be fined with one thousand credits."

She picked the hourglass from the table and turned it upside down.

The grains of sand fell through the narrow opening.

"You can start."

"I'm here to complain about the recent competition among the teams for the slot of the S-rank mission posted by the Sphinx."

"You want an official hearing?"

Charlotte drummed her fingers on the armrest.

"It costs 1,000 credits. Add another 5,000 credits if you want me as the witness."