The tribunal room fell into a tense, suffocating silence as I made my case. The members of the Council, robed in their meticulously arranged garments, exchanged glances, their faces unreadable. The air in the chamber was thick with the kind of formality that could strangle a lesser man, but I had long grown used to navigating this sort of environment.
"Lucian Drelmont," said Archmagister Vellorin, his voice a measured blend of authority and suspicion, "you stand accused of fostering an environment where students are pushed to the edge of their abilities. You claim this to be progress. Do you truly believe your unorthodox methods are a step forward?"
