Even's not surprised at all by Aeleus' comment, just as he's thoroughly unsurprised that his pen is claimed in short order. There is a faint noise of almost-complaint at that latter, but there's no real heat to it. Just the habitual remnants of irritation and a long ingrained habit of grumbling at the slightest of things.

"That species there is the most interesting at the moment," he begins, nodding at the set of notes he'd been working on when Aeleus had come in. "By general habit alone they seem to share much of the same tendencies as the most common of Shadows, but their tendency to favor spells alone offers enough of a difference to suggest there's more at play here. Especially if you compare them to some of the other variants that have been known to cast spells."

He pulls the food closer as he speaks. For all his complaints and suggestions of doing otherwise, he knows that it would a shame to not eat it while it's still hot.