More important than his big sister?

Joseph's voice was heard in the office, "No sir. I do not." And he appeared at the door a moment later, looking at the three of them.

Jacob looked at him for a moment before looking away and closing the door with more care than necessary.

Helen turned her head towards her little brother and let out a half-hearted smile. Aria, on the other hand, had stopped only for a minute when Professor Thomas's voice had sounded and now turned around like nothing had happened and walked away, leading Helen.

Jacob quickly followed behind, leaving Joseph standing in the hallway, seeming very ashamed of himself.

The South tower was different than the rest of the towers. When the rest of the towers only had a winding staircase in the middle with doors leading into rooms all the way up, the South tower was made in a more conventional way, it consisted of hallways and the stairs were at a corner.

As they walked down the stairs, Helen pressed Aria's hand, "Aria? Don't be angry with Joseph. Okay?"

Aria said without stopping, "It's not really my place to be angry at him. He did nothing against me."

Helen was surprised, "Then what...."

"She's disappointed in him." Jacob said from behind the two.

Helen looked towards him in surprise, and he shrugged. Then he realised that Helen couldn't possibly know what he was doing, so he said, "Ask her. I'm sure she is disappointed."

"How can you tell?" This time it was Aria that asked.

Jacob: "I have seen the look in your eyes before. That time when we had just come to the academy."

Aria remembered that she really had become disappointed in Jacob when he had changed so much after coming to the capital. "Can you blame me?" She said.

Jacob: "No. Your disappointment both the times is well deserved."

Helen chimed in, "Still Aria. Don't give him the cold shoulder from now on."

Aria said in a nonchalant way, "If that's what you want. If you forgive him, I've no reason not to talk to him anyway."

Helen breathed in relief, "Oh I do. I am sure you understand that he had many things to consider before taking responsibility for me."

"Things more important than his big sister apparently." Jacob said in a small voice.

But he immediately shut up after receiving a glare from Aria.

The rest of the day passed without even a mention of Joseph, which was made more easy by his absence.

As Aria, Helen and Jacob walked out of the dining hall, Jacob said, "I think I'll turn in early today. I have my fight tomorrow and the punishment too."

Aria nodded and Helen said, "I think I'll come too. I'm rather tired after all of today's excitement."

Aria smiled slyly as she watched Jacob leading Helen towards the West tower. "Now. What sould I do?" Aria wondered to herself, "Hmm, who am I kidding? The only thing that I will do is go to the library." Aria chuckled to herself as she headed for the basement.

There, Aria found quite an interesting book and had her nose into it when the librarian tapped her on the shoulder, saying, "It's bed hours now. I'm closing the library."

Aria pouted but her eyes shone at the librarian's next sentence, "You can take the book with you." Aria thanked the librarian and headed towards her room with the book in her hand.