A few days before Emperor Leopold's unexpected visit to the academy—
Amelia Grace, the granddaughter of Principal Leilah and her personal secretary, stood frozen in her office, clutching a communication orb so tightly her knuckles turned white.
Her expression twitched between disbelief, dread, and the faint hope that she'd simply misheard something.
"E-Excuse me… can you repeat that again?" Amelia stammered, voice trembling. "I'm sure—you must be recounting it wrongly, right?"
On the other end, Desmond, one of the academy's foreign-affairs officers, let out a tired sigh.
"No, not at all, Professor Amelia. The message came directly, accompanied by a signed imperial letter. The wax seal is authentic—I checked it myself three times."
Amelia felt the world tilt.
She had been calmly going through the final confirmations for the expected VIP visitors—foreign dignitaries, noble families, top guild representatives… the usual mix that attended a grand festival.
