That depends. It wasn't my burden to bear, but I admire a person's ability to play a bad hand in their favour. I imagine it never gets easier if the status quo remains the same.

[ asriel is well aware of the privilege he enjoyed, but he's also trying to do something about the rest, so he imagines that evens out somewhere. ]

If you didn't butt heads with the scholars, I would be surprised. It's in their nature to sit around and have opinions, isn't it?

[ he speaks as someone who has struggled with the rigidity of academia his entire life, and so asriel wholly sympathises. ]

Blood magic has its similarities to concepts in my world as well, which I am in the process of studying. Or, I would be, if I were not forced into this now.