More than half a month had passed since then.
Throughout this period, the fervor of the festival's selection and competition had reached a fever pitch. This was especially true for orchestras vying for the qualification to perform the Inner Song, as you could see musicians in the dormitory around the clock inventing ways to enhance their sound and practicing their scores.
Rest and sleep seemed to have deserted these people. Only collapsing in exhaustion would bring them down, with some even suddenly dropping dead -- Hewinia had come across several, who fell over in the snow halfway through their walk and never rose again.
As to whether these were truly cases of sudden death, Hewinia didn't know.
For Hewinia, this half month had been exceptionally relaxing. She spent most of her time in a routine cycle between the dormitory, classroom, and library.
The atmosphere of the festival didn't touch her at all; she seemed to be the only student in the academy attending normal classes.
