"Yes, I've always been told so," L replied, in an offhand manner. It was true, too: logic and observation had taken him far in life. Whether or not people wanted to be observed was irrelevant; he learned the most interesting things when people thought no one was looking, or when they didn't understand how much he could take in at a glance. There were other reasons why he hadn't publicized his profession in the Institute, but that was one of the biggest. He would wear sheep's clothing for as long as he could manage it, casting it off only where it was convenient or useful.

He had already gathered that Edgar took pride in his knowledge and his work, even though a snap judgment based on Edgar's appearance would have suggested otherwise. Whether or not he was delusional about his skill was another matter. L discarded his own aimless, helpless manner and allowed some of his shrewdness to show.

"Tools can be meant to accomplish any number of things." The volume of his voice was already low, but he dropped it another notch or two. "I'm curious. Do your designs have a practical application--a goal for the near future? It should be obvious that some things are probably beyond our reach, for the time being--long-distance travel, for example. But other kinds of tools--"

He left the words hanging in the air, waiting to see if Edgar would pick them up.