Selene's gaze remained steady on Astron, her interest deepening with every passing second. The crowd's murmurs around them were fading into a distant hum—background noise, irrelevant.
Her true focus was on the young man before her.
As she continued to observe him, a faint pulse flickered across the corner of her vision, subtle yet distinct—a confirmation that the data was still streaming.
Her lens was working as intended.
A recent prototype from ThornTech Industries, one of her family's more discreet tech divisions, the lens wasn't just for aesthetic enhancement. It allowed real-time analysis—minute fluctuations in facial expressions, micro-adjustments in posture, variations in pulse rate and thermal output. All of it, compiled and cross-referenced against behavioral databases.
And yet, despite all of that—
Astron's readings were… frustratingly stable.
Heart rate: Unchanged.
Body temperature: Within expected range.
Pupil dilation: Minimal reaction.
