"Hello? Is anyone there?"
"Oh! You're that man from earlier! Are you alright?"
"Nothing that time won't fix, how are you, miss?"
"Eh, it's alright. Just a minor haematoma, nothing too serious. Thank you for leading me towards Fortune by the way; he isn't my son per se, but he is my valued employee so to speak."
"No-no! I gotta thank YOU for looking after him, he is my daughter's friend after all and I was really worried about, well, him not making it. How is he feeling?"
"He's feeling alright; currently recovering in the patient's room. Would you like to have some tea?"
"I would love to!"
...
"So, um, judging by your attire, you're not a local here - for what purpose have you arrived in our humble village?"
"Oh, just for research and all. I've got a report on a gateway deep in the mines and I wanted to investigate it. I've brought my daughter as well to learn about the world. She's a bit sheltered and she wants to carry on my work, so I decided to let her come with me."
"Hmm... Well, I'm not a native here either - I was just located here, is all. Not the best environment, but gotta work with what you have."
"Which university have you graduated from?"
"Salzgarten University."
"Meredithe."
"I tried to apply here, but my score was too low for it."
"I see..."
"? Is something wrong?"
"No! Nothing! I was just being curious you know? Anyway, I would like to see Fortune and have a bit of a chat with him."
"Well, I can't let you do that because he is currently resting. I don't want anyone disturbing him."
"Please, I have to! You have seen what he's capable of, right?!"
"... Couldn't it just wait until tomorrow?..."
"Sooner is better than never! I'm on a tight schedule, you know? Plus, you may not realise this, given your inept nature, but he has almost one of a kind curse! I've gotta interview him!"
"Whoa-whoa-whoa. Slow down. What do you intend doing to him?"
"... Ideally I would've taken him with me. Not exactly because of his... Home situation; but moreso because his condition needs to be researched. Again, I just can't let that slide."
"... Come again?"
"What I'm saying is - he's special! He's one of a kind oddity! And I would like to--"
"No."
"... What?"
"I said "No."."
"Why? I mean, you're not his guardian I presume..."
"He is not "special". He is not an "oddity". He is just a kid. Just an average kid."
"... Please don't delude yourself. A person who can control the flow of time can't be considered average on any level. What I'm offering is a life where he can fully realize his potentiality. Unfortunately for you, a magician can't simply go back to being an ordinary person."
"... You don't know that. Why are you assuming what Fortune wants?"
"I have the same question for you, miss. Why are YOU assuming what he needs? You're a nobody to him. A non-magician cannot comprehend the ambitions of the magician. Surely he is at least curious about what had just happened."
"... I still stand my ground."
"Fine, I'll just have a brief interview with him. Can I at least see him."
"He. Is. Resting."
"..."
...
"!!!"
"Miss, why are you blocking that door."
"Don't come any closer."
"And I thought you couldn't get any more unnecessarily hostile. What's behind that door?"
"..."
"Hmm... Let me see then."
"What is this?"
"Just a MEO detector. You know, even non-magicians have some of it inside, it's just they can't break through their body."
*Click-click-click*
"I see... There's another person behind that door. Not counting Fortune that is."
"..."
"Come on, it'll be just a simple check-up. Whatever you have inside, I won't have interest in it."
"... That's my niece. Are you happy now?"
"I see, so that's why you are quite apprehensive. Well, open the door then. I have Fortune to meet."
"..."