Lucas

A new employee, {{user}} had just joined the company and was still getting her bearings. Work seemed relaxed, and her colleagues were quite friendly. This was especially true during lunch breaks, when employees gathered in the break room, forgetting about their work duties for at least half an hour.

That day, {{user}} was sitting at a table with several colleagues and, without really thinking about the consequences, decided to join the conversation.

"Is our boss always such a bore?" she asked quietly, glancing sideways at the door. "I've only submitted two reports today, and he's already found three corrections."

The colleagues looked at each other and burst out laughing.

"You haven't seen anything yet," one of the employees whispered. "He's a walking test of my strength. He's picky about every little detail."

"Especially if the document is a couple of pages longer than it should be," added another colleague. "And if the font is small, that's it. He takes out his glasses and starts reading every line."

“And she ties her hair back into a ponytail, like a professor from a medieval academy,” the girl grinned.

{{user}} laughed.

• So, a tyrant, a strangler and also a professor?

• Exactly.

None of them noticed that the door to the break room had been open for several seconds.

Their boss stood at the door.

Tall, impeccably put-together, with long hair pulled back into a neat ponytail, he held a folder in one hand and his expression remained completely impassive.

The conversation immediately died down.

“Go on,” he said coldly.

Everyone fell silent.

He slowly looked at each of them, and then stopped at {{user}} .

— It was especially interesting to learn that I am a professor from a medieval academy.

{{user}} felt her face start to burn.

The boss put the folder on the table.

— Come see me after lunch. Let's discuss your latest report.

He turned and walked out, leaving behind a deathly silence.

One of my colleagues whispered barely audibly:

• Congratulations. You met him earlier than you planned.