Is your education really yours to throw away?

Aria was shocked upon hearing Jacob and stared at him wide-eyed. Jacob was surprised too, but he recovered quickly and looked from Professor Thomas to Mr. Scott and said, "I'll take responsibility for Helen. It was because of me that all this drama started in the first place."

Mr. Scott narrowed his eyes, "And what relation do you have with Helen that gives you the authority to take responsibility for her?"

Jacob stammered, "We-well..... I'm... I'm her friend."

Mr. Scott: "A friend may at any time turn his back on you. I wouldn't trust anyone with myself until we had some blood relation."

Jacob opened his mouth in surprise, and Aria began to argue, "But Mr. Scott..."

But Professor Thomas cut in, "This is a useless excuse. Need I remind you Mr. Scott, that you yourself have selected friends whom you can and will trust your life too?"

Mr. Scott: "That is different. My friends have been through life and death situations with me."

Professor Thomas: "And we must hope that these youngsters do not have to go through that. But tell me Mr. Scott, did you not trust your friends with your life in those situations, even before you had been through them?"

Mr. Scott was lost for words and Jacob felt like he would let Helen stay at the academy after all, but he did not seem to have finished.

Professor Thomas turned towards Jacob, "And Jacob, I should remind you that you already have to spend all your time either studying or carrying out your own punishment."

Jacob: "I-I can do it. I will do it."

Professor Thomas: "While I admire....."

But this time Aria cut in, "Don't be a fool Jacob."

Jacob turned to her, "Huh?"

Aria: "You heard me. Don't be a fool. Do you think you're some kind of a super human? You'll do Helen's as well as yours punishment? Do you even have any idea how taxing these chores are?"

Professor Thomas smiled, "You can take Aria's word. I assume she has the most experience about this in the castle."

Aria gave a guilty smile and the tips of her ears turned a light shade of pink, "Yes. Take my word."

Jacob opened his mouth to argue, but Aria continued, "And did you think about Mr. and Mrs. White before making this statement? Of your sisters? Is your education here really your own to throw away like that?"

Jacob: "Yeah? Then what about you? Did you think about Victor and Sonia?"

Aria: "Of course I did. Neither Victor not Sonia have any kind of necessity that would be fulfilled if I graduated from the academy here. Actually, they would be more happy and I could help them more if I really do get expelled and can live with them."

Jacob: "But you would still hate to leave here."

Aria: "That is because I love this place. Not because I have any responsibility to graduate from here."

Jacob sighed and admitted defeat. Aria turned towards Professor Thomas who said, "Though you put very good arguments in front of Jacob, are you really ready to burden yourself with more punishments on account of Helen?"

Aria: "I am."

Professor Thomas: "And you will look after Helen here, and make sure she never loses her temper like that?"

Aria: "I will."

There were such strong decisions behind Aria's four words that everyone in the room felt like they were listening to a queen giving orders rather than a student.