Margaret broke free from Mario's grasp and, holding up her skirt, walked step by step towards Douglas.
"Douglas," she exclaimed with a mixture of surprise and bewilderment, "what are you doing here? I received no message at all. Are you picking Lela fruits?"
Douglas finally averted his gaze from the girl up the tree.
"I came for a secret meeting. The schedule wasn't made public to avoid unnecessary trouble," he briefly explained his reason for being at the academy. "The meeting has ended, and I happened to pass by here, intending to rest for a moment."
There were scattered documents on the grass under the tree.
Douglas was a workaholic, obviously appreciating the serene environment here and planning to handle affairs temporarily under the lush Lela tree. Grants Academy had excellent security, so even without attendants by his side, there was no need to worry about personal safety.
Margaret cast her eyes towards Charlotte.