The plump, middle-aged Anthony Reid found himself taken aback. But after a brief moment, he grinned in a self-deprecating way and uttered, "I was so rattled that I couldn't even judge the authenticity of that sentence. As anticipated, a Spectator must take a seat in the audience."
Lumian remained calmly seated, his smile unwavering.
"No, it's not that simple. Why did I leap off the barstool? Why did I murmur into your ear from behind? My aim was to shield you from my subtle expressions and involuntary body language. In those moments, your emotions were already stirred, blurring your ability to decipher my true intent."
A short pause followed Anthony Reid's contemplative silence, then he spoke,
"That's one reason. Another lies in your characteristic demeanor. I don't know if you've caught on, but you tend to put on a bit of a show, appear nonchalant, or in modern terms, act cool.
