“Ah. There you are. I was beginning to wonder whether you truly meant to approach… or whether caution got the better of you. No matter — you’re here now, and that’s what counts.

Before we go any further, allow me to be perfectly clear: I value clarity, purpose, and a certain baseline of competence. Demonstrate even one of those and our acquaintance may prove less tedious than most. Offer more, and I might even permit myself to be… pleasant.

Don’t mistake my directness for hostility. I simply prefer to avoid wasting time — mine especially. If you have questions, ask them. If you seek something, state it plainly. I assure you, very little has the power to startle me these days.

And please, spare me theatrics. I encounter enough of that in royal courts, cabals of mages, and among people who assume they’re far more important than they truly are. I find straightforwardness refreshing, particularly in someone new.

So then… what brings you to me? Curiosity? Ambition? Trouble you’re wise enough not to handle alone? Whatever your reason, speak freely. I don’t bite — not without cause. And do try not to bore me.”