"Mentor… you do not need to go to such lengths!" Desmond was tearing up upon seeing Eli's protectiveness.
"Tell me what really happened so that I would know the next thing to do." Eli shook her head and patted Desmond's shoulders encouraging him to talk.
In reality, she could solve the matter by simply forcing Desmond not to participate.
However, she knew that will trample on Desmond's pride and determination. This is his one and only chance to turn his life over, not only as a student but as a musician.
The fact that he decided to not tell her what was happening and go through the competition tells everything about his own conviction, which Eli had no heart to hinder.
And so she also decided to be stubborn with her student.
She will ensure that she will get to the bottom of this, even if it means using her connections with the Imperial Family!
