"Why did you do that?" Aria asked after the two of them arrived back in his office.
"Do what?" Nick asked.
"Antagonize Kugelblitz," she said with annoyance. "They already got the message. You didn't need to humiliate them any further by forcing them to stay there."
"I already told you," Nick said. "I have no way back. Even if you didn't support me, I would have acted the same way."
"Why?" Aria asked with furrowed brows. "You're killing yourself!"
"I have to," Nick answered with annoyance. "Aegis is the only thing protecting me and the only reason why I have any authority to begin with. If I take a step back, it would be equivalent to Aegis taking a step back."
"Kugelblitz is not the ruler of the city. Aegis is."
"If I step back in such a situation, I wouldn't be any different from that coward Markus," Nick said with disgust.