[As this is not Hikaru's presence, the sudden arrival of which has almost ceased to surprise him, but Death's, he is certainly startled enough that the jackstone-sized ball of kinetic force he was containing pops with a muted whoof right in his face.

Slightly ruffled, he turns to address Death Incarnate.]

Hello, Brother Death. Oh, and no, I just find that it helps me to think. I didn't know that it did as late as a few months ago.

[Yup, back when he was still quibbling about magic.]