(Not) A Vanilla Levelling System

34

"So..., Mr McKane? I'm all yours now," Elena said, resting her chin on a clump of hands.

She was not wearing a long researcher's robe or a professional tuxedo today, but a maroon dress with a V-shaped cut-out in the chest. Her curly hair was 'tossed' over the right side of her body, exposing most of her slender left neck.

I realised then that Elena was a mature woman, and a very beautiful one at that.

It left me at a loss for words.

"Mr McKane?" she repeated.

"Ah, um..." I hiccupped and it must have looked really stupid. What was I supposed to say just now? Ah, right. "Someone's after me!"

Elena's gaze turned sharp and serious. "You mean... offensively?"

"I see." I started by sitting down on the chair provided, and then began to tell the one that had been bothering me the most lately, though it was doubtful if Elena or her team had any concrete answers. "Long before meeting you, I actually met this girl. She introduced herself as Evangeline Hudson, whether that's her real name or not.