Aurora stood there with tears in her eyes, clearly expecting the situation to tilt in her favor. She even added a slight sniff at the end for extra effect, just in case the performance needed enhancement.
"Grandpa, he is bullying me," she said, trying to sound as pitiful as possible.
Alexander slowly lifted his cup and took a calm sip of tea. He did not rush. He did not react. He looked like a man who had seen this exact drama a thousand times before and had already grown tired of it centuries ago.
The silence stretched.
Aurora blinked.
"Grandpa?" she tried again, a bit less confident this time.
Alexander finally placed his cup down.
"Aurora," he said, "if you are done acting, you may now return to reality."
The entire garden went quiet.
Aurora froze. "I am not acting."
Alexander looked at her, completely unconvinced.
"You attacked him first, used all your abilities, lost, and now you are crying," he said plainly. "This is not bullying. This is poor decision making."
