As poor luck would have it, only one of these points is actually true. No, Laurentius Vesperus is no Tevene assassin who has traveled far from hearth and home given the singular intent to deliver a somewhat pointed and personal message either to or on behalf of the Artemaeus family (who can keep track these days?). Indeed if pressed on the subject Laurent would struggle to name a single person for whose premature death he might have had so much as a finger in much, less a whole hand or a knife.

(The Imperium is a civilized place, you know.)

He does, however, notice.

With the ominous air of a cloud drifting in to gloomily obscure the sun or like the chill experience by a thief dropping into a back garden only to discover they've attracted the attention of the house's heretofore undetected dog, the attention of the man at the top of the ladder pivots in reply to the gasp and fhwop-thunk of fallen scrolls.

Benedict is halfway through recovering them when from above him a low sonorous voice says,

"You might be more careful with those."