The air outside the academy gates was thick with tension. Aurelia strode toward the crying girl and the weary knight, the dust of her arrival still settling. Lisa's eyes, red and puffy from tears, lifted to meet her.
"Sister Aurelia!" she sobbed, tugging at Aurelia's gauntlet. "This person won't let me inside to see my brother!"
Aurelia's crimson gaze snapped to the guard, sharp as a spearpoint. Her tone carried no room for hesitation. "Is this true?"
The guard straightened nervously, sweat forming at his brow under her stare. "M-Miss Aurelia, we are tied by the rules. We cannot let her in without proper permission."
Lisa's voice cracked, her small hands clutching Aurelia's sleeve desperately. "But I just want to see my brother! Sister Aurelia, please—do something!"
