Mr. Blade's eyes, already wide, seemed to almost drop out of their sockets. He stumbled back a step, a comical expression of astonishment on his face. He looked back at Eirin, his mouth opening and closing soundlessly as he stammered, "I-Is he…?" Eirin could only offer a small, weary nod after the professor pointed a trembling finger at Shade, the unspoken truth hanging heavily in the air.
Just when Eirin thought she had finally found help, a guide of sanity in their increasingly absurd situation, the young professor's face began to contort. His lips twitched, his cheeks puffed out, and then, despite his best efforts, a strangled, suppressed burst of laughter escaped him.
