"Ultimately they are very similar things! We will workshop the name."

"And you said you'd love an assistant, did you not?"

"Just so, I would and still... would, I suppose. Tenses."

He grins. "Well, color me interested. How does it work, do you have meeting times like other clubs, do I have to meet your editor?"

"Monika is, ah, informal. You are encouraged to come by her room when convenient so she can get a good look at you, and to then send reports by email unless she specifically demands your presence."

"I see. Presumably 'when convenient' would be, like, after dinner and such? Her not being guaranteed to be there otherwise."

"Yes, that would work. I could also give her your cellphone number, if I had such a thing, so you could arrange a visit."

"That does seem a lot more expedient, yes."

"What, you want me to ask you directly? With my own mouth? I thought this was the subtle game of cat and mouse!"

"It is, and sometimes the cat has to put aside all subtle traps and subterfuge and just pounce at the mouse to get it, doesn't he?"

Tintin hands over his phone, looking utterly smug.

Then he steps back to a more socially appropriate distance and—the way his eyes glint for a fraction of a second there is almost certainly a trick of the light.

Tintin shivers, for a moment.

Then he rolls his eyes. "And here I said we did not need to flirt in French! It's hard for me to say things as neatly in English, I suppose. Not that you have any such excuse."

"Maybe I like challenging myself in a language I speak less well. It's like they say, constraints breed creativity. Or was it restraints? One of those."

"Restraints, breeding, always the same with you."

Then there's the squeal of a microphone, and the morning assembly is called to order.

There is not, in fact, very much to say that wasn't said the day before. The Headmaster mostly just says a few words. But they play some music!

And then there's a prayer!

...is this gonna happen every day. Can Pete get a religious exemption. He is still working through some stuff w.r.t. religion and he'd rather not this.

Who knows!

Tintin, unlike most of their schoolmates, is silent. So he is certainly permitted to not recite the prayer.

Alright sure let's go with that, he will share companionable silence with his fellow ?non-Christian?.

And then they're done praying! There's another song.

Tintin leans over. "Thank Christ you are here. I really do not enjoy being, ah, outnumbered."

"Can one not... opt out. Just leave morning assembly early. Is there morning assembly every day."

"No. And yes. But it is very progressive, you see, you do not have to say it."

"Oh I would like to watch them try to make me say it. Would it be disrespectful to just use my phone during, do you think."