Alhaitham is a scholar. An intelligent individual. A physically capable person, though he downplays himself a ‘feeble scholar’. A devoted follower of the lesser lord. And temporarily(unfortunately for him) the Acting Grand Sage.

He is a brilliant man that are all of these things.

All of these things—but only a man.

So, how can he refuse his now-homeless Senior that he had a fall-out with in the Akademiya?

He’s only a man, after all.