Soren was taken aback at the young lady's outburst. A horrible assignment? He was under the impression his students were going to do as he directed! After staring blankly at her for a moment, he regained his composure.

"... You have done as instructed and given a satisfactory answer. To forfeit your connections for a loved one would be foolish."

He paused and thought for a moment. Her words reminded him of his missing friend, Ike. The thought of him eased Soren's hostility a little.

"But you raise a good point. In some cases one should not back down from a goal. Only in the worst circumstances should you die, but if it's for an important cause..."

Soren trailed off as his pride caught up with him.

"A," he muttered.