You Love Him Ever So Deadly | ×Alhaitham x Kaveh× |

✦ 3 ✦ How do you envision your ideal future?

I, 35M, deeply regret getting married to my best friend. I only proposed to her because she had feelings for me and her overbearing father pressured me into making the decision. This isn't the future I wanted. Don't get married to your best friends.

I'm a 27-year-old female and I'm considering kicking my wife out of the house. She doesn't do any of the housework, spends the day sleeping, and apologizes to me for being a lousy spouse, but doesn't intend to change anything. I'm starting to lose-

I don't want a future. Every day is an overbearing mash of colors and sounds and I cannot differentiate any of them. I have nobody I can turn to despite the overwhelming crowds I seem to surround myself in-

"Certainly not." Alhaitham dropped the scarce number of papers down on his desk, much to the surprise of the same student, standing just a couple of feet in front of him.

Their lips quivered. "Huh? Is there a problem?" Their eyes desperately searched the table for a problem they missed, helplessly watching as Alhaitham crossed his arms.

The scribe's full attention had already been shifted to a separate pile of academic work waiting for him on his left. "With a question like that, I can only assume you have underlying issues with your critical thinking." He said, not even bringing his eyes up from his work.

The student whimpered. "Just call me stupid, won't you..." They fidgeted in their place, scrunching the edges of their academy-provided garments. "I-is it the contents?? I know they seem depressing but if we had more funding..-"

Alhaitham shook his head. "The issue lies not within the presentation, but the cause." He brought his head up, maintaining firm eye contact with the student standing in anguish. "Have you considered that the people of Sumeru city respect the Akademya, but don't have much need to participate in its direct contribution due to the fact that they gain no financial  prosperity or fame?"

Though his wording was clear, there was something in his explanation that lack coherent simplicity. The student blinked, confused. All to which Alhaitham sighed. "The project is boring."

As if glass shattering upon impact, Alhaitham watched as the student, once again, lost all hope or reason. They clinched the garments on their chest, mimicking a heart attack. "My mother was right, I should've just stuck to the Amurta darshan..." They whined.

They cried about things Alhaitham wasn't asked to take care of. "If that will be all, I'll be taking my leave." He said, pushing his chair back so he could stand up. His inner clock knew when his duties were fulfilled, and he wasn't one to waste time.

The student chimed in. "Grand Scribe, could you please write a public entry?" His offer made the latter perk his ears, dropping him a glance of slight curiosity. "If I were to get someone like you to participate, then I'd sure gain enough attention for more  letters."

The scribe raised a brow. "Is quantity more valuable to you than the quality of the reports? You got your answer, didn't you?" He motioned towards the abandoned pile of letters submitted by the people of Sumeru. It was both an example and an encouragement to pick them off his table.

"But I just can't accept it!" The student stomped. "Certainly it must just be some... Sick coincidence unhappy couples are coming in to vent about their relationships..." They fumbled around their words as they tried to pick up all the papers, some of them nearly falling out of his grasp.

The request what similar to that which was proposed to him a week ago. Alhaitham knew that constantly passively resisting would lead to more emotional turmoil for the poor student. Either way, he'd neither gain nor lose anything valuable.