"Come again?" Noble had certainly misheard him. First, her mouth had betrayed her, and now her ears were too!
"You should be the Provost. It makes sense. You've run an Academy before and have a great rapport with the staff." Fort nodded.
"You sound like Master Alden!" Noble's eyes opened wide.
'Had they also been speaking behind her back?!'
"He's a wise man. You would be my first choice as well." The ambassador winked.
"You are incredibly biased, but also completely unhelpful!" Noble frowned. "I can't do it. As you pointed out, I already have an Academy that I administrate."
"Didn't you tell me the other day what a fine job Master Zenkai has been doing on the days when you are gone? Perhaps he would benefit from receiving a more permanent position?" Fort wiggled his eyebrows meaningfully.
"Be serious!" Noble could feel her husband's utter amusement at her plight.
It wasn't funny!
Seeing his wife's genuine distress, Fort managed to control his glee.
"I am sorry. I did mean what I said, though. If Master Zenkai had wanted to leave for an expedition, he could have left on any of the road-building survey crews or even headed out on his own. If the provost position is something you want, then it couldn't hurt to ask if he would like to assume the role of permanent acting director, could it?" Fort's suggestion was reasonable. Too reasonable! And he was missing one key point.
"I am the Memory specialist of the Academy. I teach classes that save lives! You want me to give that up?"
Beyond genuinely not wanting all the power and prestige that would come with the post, this was the biggest sticking point in Noble's mind.
"I want to help people survive the Dream Realm, not push the papers of bureaucracy."
"I see…" Fort pressed his lips together.
Realizing her error, Noble held up her hands. "Not that there is anything wrong with that! It's very important work!"
Her husband's jaw relaxed. "I get where you are coming from, Bee. I do. It's not as glamorous filling out forms and making policies as it is figuring out the intricacies of Memories or battling at the front lines of a gate. I understand the appeal."
Fort's voice became wistful as he spoke. He had never fought a monster himself, but that didn't mean he hadn't thought about it. Sometimes he wished he could fight side by side with his wife, but that simply wasn't meant to be.
Pulled from his reverie, Fort continued.
"You saved three girls from unjust treatment today, but what about when you are not there next time? What protections do Sleepers have when someone mistreats them on campus?"
"There are rules and policies…" Noble opened her mouth to list them from memory, but Fort held up his hand.
"And who makes those rules and policies?"
The professor frowned slightly. "I know you want me to say the Provost…"
"Indeed, the head of the school decides the priorities of the institution. I recall that some beautiful, enterprising young lady had some wonderful new ideas that would protect the Academy and prevent conflicts between clans from becoming a common occurrence on campus. Imagine if she had such a passionate and caring Provost like you to help her with her vision…." Fort tapped his chin.
Noble rolled her eyes. "You are saying if I'm in charge, then I can implement my ideas without having to jump through hoops."
"The best way to cut through bureaucracy is to be at the top of it." His smile faded slightly. "But really, your ideas are very good. You could save more than just three girls with them; you can set up a system that protects every Sleeper for years to come. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. With a little time and a look at how things work, I'm sure you could come up with many more ways to make a difference."
Noble pursed her lips.
"But my classes!"
The ambassador shook his head. "I am not sure where you got it into your head that it is an either/or situation. Did the Provost explicitly say you had to give up your Seminars?" Fort's question caught his wife off guard.
"Well, no," she admitted.
"Just because Master Alden did things a certain way doesn't mean you need to. Someone with your capacity to learn and delegate can still fit in at least a class or two if she wants. Bee Two can fill in as well, and it couldn't hurt for you to train someone in your research area. I've thought you've needed to widen your department for some time."
"So you want me to find a human research assistant and a secretary in addition to navigating a new job?" Noble felt her head swim. There were too many moving parts.
"I am saying you will have the freedom to surround yourself with a staff that can support you in how you want the provost position to look. Master Alden can tell you what did and did not work for him, but at the end of the day, you can do what works best for you."
Fort knew that the government had little oversight of the school beyond funding it. The relationship between the two entities was a partnership. While the powers of the government could force changes at the school, they never had, and with a war on the immediate horizon, Fort knew they realistically wouldn't.
Noble stared at her husband for a long while. "You have an answer for everything, don't you?"
"I am pretty sure that's why you married me." Fort winked.
"Normally, I would agree, but right now you just tore down every barrier I put up like some demolition expert. Can't you leave me somewhere to hide?" The Professor frowned
"Come hide in my arms." The man kissed his wife's forehead and pulled her close. "Bee, if you don't want to do it, don't. Just say you don't want to do it, and I'll drop the issue without another word. You matter more to me than any job, and if this is going to make you miserable, then it's a nonstarter."
"It won't make me miserable. It's just…" Noble took a deep breath.
"Just what?" Fort nudged her gently.
"What if I can't do it?" Noble pushed out the words with great effort.
"What are you talking about? You would be amazing…"
"But what if I'm not?" The woman blurted helplessly. "What if I fail and something bad happens? I was wrong earlier. What you do with the government is immensely important. Right now, any mistake I make mostly affects me only. Sure, I helped three ladies today, but what if I become provost and I cause the deaths of three hundred people like Gisel through a simple mistake…or worse, an intentional choice!"
"Gisel was an exception, not the rule." Fort countered.
"How can you be sure?!" Noble felt hot tears sting her eyes.
"Because I know you. You care about others. A mistake like you described won't happen because you won't let it. You are a guardian of humanity. No matter your title, you protect people with your life." Fort's impassioned speech ignited a spark in Noble's soul.
Or rather, it fanned a flame that had already been quietly burning. Otherwise, why had Noble not refused Master Alden while in his office?
Now the flame was solidly burning, and Noble wasn't sure she could put it out.
Did she even want to?
No, she realized. She didn't.
Her fear had kept her from acceptance, but now Fort had removed even that obstacle with his words.
Noble leaned against her husband's shoulder.
"You are truly a demolition expert. My last stronghold is gone."
He glanced down at the top of her head. "Does that mean you will do it?"
"Hm, may-bee I will."