Three days had passed.
The atmosphere across the academy had shifted into something tighter, more focused. From the tall window of his Class S dormitory, Noel watched students move through the courtyard below in steady streams. Some walked toward the practical examination halls with rigid shoulders and forced calm; others returned slower, expressions drained, conversations muted. Even from above, the tension was visible in their posture.
The academy was alive, but not in its usual way. It felt compressed, like a held breath.
Noel leaned lightly against the window frame, arms folded loosely. He had no exam to attend. No schedule to follow this week. That absence left him slightly out of rhythm with everyone else, like he was standing half a step outside the current carrying the rest of them forward.
He had spent the last three days practicing.
Spatial Shift was stable now. Clean transitions. Minimal deviation. He could align references even under mild environmental noise.
