Under the soft veil of the approaching evening, the academy grounds carried a stillness broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves and the distant footsteps of passing students. The air was cool now, the warmth of the afternoon sun long faded, replaced by a gentle wind that carried the scent of grass and distant mana traces from the dueling halls.
Beneath one of the tall trees lining the outer courtyard, a girl stood—half in shadow, half bathed in the silver glow of the lanterns that lined the path.
