“I know, just... give me a second.” Aldric shushed the secretary, Brianna, before turning back to Kedrin’s office. His hand hovered a few inches in front of the door, but he hadn’t knocked yet. He’d spent all last night trying his best to come up with some argument, some case to plead with Kedrin. Anything that would get him one more chance to make things right. Annoyingly, all of his arguments had blown away with the wind as soon as he was just outside Kedrin’s door.

Just as he was about to make his fourth attempt at knocking, Aldric heard yelling through the door.

“I cannot begin to fathom what you see in that man!” an angry voice Aldric didn’t recognize was shouting. “To put the Asimov heir in his class, not even mentioning the Caffaret heir as well, is ludicrous. Even an experienced and tenured professor would be hard pressed to provide them with the necessary knowledge and skills.”

“And I am telling you,” came Kedrin’s uncharacteristically angry voice, “that I did not assign them just any professor. Professor Aldric is more than qualified to teach, noble heirs or no. You haven’t even met the man, yet you would cast doubts on my recommendation?”

“Oh, is he meeting with someone?” Brianna asked, sounding surprised. She got up from her desk and walked over to the door to knock on it, but Aldric caught her hand. When she looked at him in confusion, he put a finger over his lips for silence. She looked uncomfortable, but Aldric stopped paying her any mind.

“Perhaps you can explain to me, then, what makes you so confident? You yourself admitted he has no prior experience. I have been teaching here for years and am part of the Rainer household. I am more than qualified for the task. At least allow the young Lady Asimov to—!”

“You have been here for years due to a personal favor I owe to your father,” Kedrin interrupted, his voice dark. “Do not push my patience further, Professor Rainer. This is the final time I will hear any complaints from you. If you are unsatisfied with the class you have been assigned, you are welcome to hand your resignation letter over to me. Until then, you have a job to do. The next time you wish to speak with me, you may make an appointment like everyone else.”

There was the sound of a chair being roughly shoved backwards, and Aldric quickly let go of Brianna and stepped back from the door. Unfortunately, Brianna wasn’t as fast as him. When the door was violently yanked open, a man walked out and ran right into the poor woman. She toppled with a yelp, but Aldric thankfully caught her before she could spill onto the floor.