Chapter 236: Sarcasm is not an argument II
Professor Vale pointed toward the two terms.
"Miss Beaumont’s position is valuable because it emphasizes material capacity."
"Miss Sinclair’s criticism is valuable because it demonstrates that material conditions cannot necessarily be isolated from political structures."
He looked between them.
"Neither of you has disproved the other."
"Miss Sinclair has identified a weakness in Miss Beaumont’s causal sequence."
"And Miss Beaumont has correctly identified the importance of fiscal capacity."
He paused.
"The appropriate historical conclusion is therefore not that one of you has ’won.’"
"It is that the evidence points toward a more complex causal relationship."
He turned back to the board.
"That..."
He underlined the word.
"...is historical analysis."
Vivienne lowered her gaze.
She hated how reasonable he was.
And she hated even more that Evelyn had been the one to force the complication.
Professor Vale continued.
"Historians frequently disagree."
"That disagreement is not a failure."
"It is part of the discipline."
"But disagreement must remain grounded in evidence."
"Not personality."
"Not confidence."
"And certainly not sarcasm."
A few students smiled.
Vivienne kept her eyes on her notebook.
She was not going to look at Evelyn.
Absolutely not.
She wrote down the professor’s final point.
Causation requires evidence, not assertion.
Annoyingly useful.
The lecture continued for another twenty minutes.
Professor Vale examined several competing interpretations of the Aurelian collapse, asking students to distinguish between immediate triggers, structural conditions, and long-term institutional weaknesses.
By the end of the lecture, Vivienne’s notebook was filled.
She had learned more than she expected.
Unfortunately, she had also learned something else.
Evelyn was very good at this.
That realization irritated her more than it should have.
The bell finally rang.
Chairs shifted throughout the lecture hall as students began closing their notebooks and gathering their books.
Professor Vale placed his chalk down.
"For our next meeting, I want you to read the assigned historiographical essay."
He looked around the room.
"Do not simply identify which historian you agree with."
"Identify the assumptions underlying each interpretation."
"Then ask yourself what evidence would be necessary to prove or disprove them."
He smiled faintly.
"That is where history becomes interesting."
The students began filing toward the exits.
Vivienne stood and shoved her notebook into her bag with slightly more force than necessary.
Claire glanced at her.
Amelia did too.
Eleanor, as usual, noticed without saying anything.
Vivienne caught Claire’s look.
"What?"
Claire raised an eyebrow.
"Nothing."
"You looked at me."
"I did."
"Why?"
Claire smiled innocently.
"You seem... irritated."
Vivienne scoffed.
"I’m not irritated."
Amelia glanced at the bag.
"You nearly murdered your notebook."
Vivienne looked down at it.
She had, perhaps, been a little rough.
"It’s fine."
Eleanor quietly closed her own notebook.
"Professor Vale did say sarcasm wasn’t an argument."
Vivienne turned toward her.
"I know."
There was a beat.
"Thank you for reminding me."
Eleanor’s lips twitched.
"I wasn’t."
"I know."
Vivienne adjusted the strap of her bag.
She was still annoyed.
Very annoyed.
Evelyn had found one weakness in her argument and immediately taken it apart.
And then Professor Vale had backed her up.
Worse—
he had actually called Vivienne out for being sarcastic.
Sarcasm is not an argument.
𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺
Vivienne pressed her lips together.
Fine.
It wasn’t.
She knew that.
That didn’t make Evelyn any less annoying.
She glanced toward the front of the lecture hall.
Evelyn was gathering her things with the same composed efficiency she seemed to apply to everything.
Of course.
Perfectly calm.
Perfectly reasonable.
Perfectly correct.
Vivienne’s eyes narrowed.
As though sensing the look, Evelyn glanced up.
Their eyes met.
Neither smiled.
For a moment, they simply looked at each other.
Then Evelyn’s gaze dropped back to her books.
Vivienne’s eyebrows lifted.
Oh, please.
Claire followed her gaze.
Then looked back at Vivienne.
"...All right."
Vivienne turned.
"What?"
Claire gave her a knowing look.
"Definitely not irritated."
"I’m not."
Amelia leaned closer.
"You’re making that face again."
"What face?"
"The one that says you’re about to say something you’ll regret."
Vivienne stared at her.
"I don’t have such a face."
"You absolutely do."
Eleanor quietly picked up her bag.
"Perhaps we should leave before she demonstrates it."
Vivienne gave her an incredulous look.
"Whose side are you on?"
"Yours, obviously."
Eleanor answered without hesitation.
Then she added calmly,
"That doesn’t mean you were right."
Vivienne stared at her.
"...You could have stopped after the first sentence."
Claire laughed.
"We’re all on your side."
Amelia nodded vigorously.
"Absolutely."
Vivienne’s expression softened for half a second.
"Thank you."
Claire immediately added,
"But Evelyn did have a point."
Vivienne’s eyes narrowed.
"You’re supposed to be supporting me."
"I am."
Claire smiled.
"I’m supporting you emotionally."
Amelia nodded solemnly.
"Academically, however..."
She glanced toward the front of the room.
"That was a difficult argument to defend."
Vivienne sighed.
"I know."
She adjusted the strap of her bag.
"I just hate the way she does it."
That silenced them for a moment.
Because they understood.
They had all watched Evelyn challenge her.
They had all seen the way the conversation had shifted.
It wasn’t simply that Evelyn had disagreed.
She had found the weakness in Vivienne’s argument and pointed it out in front of everyone.
And Vivienne—
who had already been irritated with her—
had responded with sarcasm.
Claire smiled faintly.
"Well."
"At least you didn’t let her walk all over you."
Vivienne glanced toward Evelyn again.
Their eyes met for a brief moment.
Evelyn looked away first.
Vivienne’s lips curved faintly.
"Exactly."
She turned toward the exit.
"Come on."
The four of them made their way into the corridor together.
Vivienne was still annoyed.
Very annoyed.
She knew Evelyn’s argument had been stronger.
She knew her own sarcasm hadn’t helped.
She even knew Professor Vale had been right to call her out.
Fine.
She could admit all of that.
Privately.
Very privately.
But none of it changed the fact that Evelyn Sinclair was becoming extraordinarily irritating.
--
Tbc
AN: i hope I’m not boring you all with this. Haha. Personally, I find this entertaining and a good move away from all the romance so far.