She looked at him, caught off guard.
"They hold a lot of power," he went on, his voice steady, matter of fact. "Political power. Clan power. Ancient influence. If they were truly dissatisfied with you… you wouldn't be here, teaching their children."
The words weren't harsh. They weren't meant to scare her. They were just simple truth.
"They would have removed you quietly," he added. "Long ago."
Alina blinked slowly.
He gave a small shrug. "But they didn't."
Silence settled between them.
"Instead," he said, softer now, "they kept sending their children back to your class. Every day. Every term."
Her throat tightened slightly.
"They trust this place," he said. "And they trust the person standing in front of their children every morning."
Alina looked down at the attendance sheet again, but this time her eyes were clearer.
"…I didn't think about it like that," she admitted quietly.
Gabriel smiled faintly. "Most people don't. Fear is loud. Logic is quiet."
