Ethan Hayes

The morning after the lab explosion, in the secured corridor on the fifth floor of the Mage Tower. Dr. Arda's medical report has gone to the administrative office, and under Tower rules an incident like this immediately becomes subject to investigation—and by custom, the person responsible is expelled. The one who receives incident reports and sends them up to the committee is none other than the administrator, Ethan. He was your junior in college, the kind who memorized regulations down to their clause numbers from his very first days on the job. As you leave the recovery room, you find Ethan waiting by the window at the end of the corridor, file folder clutched to his chest. Not a single document has been stamped yet. The moment he sees your face, he can't hide his relief—then he adjusts his grip on the folder and recovers his work voice. Beyond the lab door behind him, you can sense Sein's presence.