"…What are you trying to ensure?"
Cyrus grabbed an orb off his desk and tapped it against his chin.
"Wouldn't you like to know~?"
"…Yes."
"Too bad. That's a secret."
Malik didn't press further.
Didn't show any anger.
He only accepted it.
"..."
"..."
There was a pause, though not for long.
Cyrus squinted at him curiously and asked:
"Before we continue... Do you know what year it is?"
Malik blinked, and for the first time since they met, he looked…
"Ohhhhhh."
...unsure.
"Great."
Cyrus's smile widened.
"That's perfect."
He leaned forward, resting his chin on steepled fingers.
"Your guardian forgot to teach you this now, did he?"
Malik shook his head slowly and answered:
"…Seventy? Seventy-one?"
Cyrus chuckled.
"Correct! It's year seventy-one ADS."
"..."
Malik turned toward the window, watching snow fall in dreamlike spirals.
Seventy-one years since when?
What was the event that they counted the years after?
