[Tower Master's POV]
The air in the upper research hall shimmered faintly with magic—arcane circles floated midair, glowing scripts scrolled across crystalline panels, and apprentices scribbled notes furiously as they rushed to present their findings. The constant hum of mana engines beneath the marble floors resonated through the tower, like a heartbeat that never ceased.
One after another, voices called out to me.
"Tower Master, the results from the elemental convergence test—"
"Tower Master, the anomaly readings from the northern sky are stabilizing—"
"Tower Master, permission to advance to the next stage of analysis—"
I answered each report with a nod, a precise word, or a small motion of my hand. My tone was steady, my posture flawless. Yet, even as I spoke, my gaze drifted—inevitably—to the great clock of astral steel fixed on the wall.
Tick. Tick.
I must have looked at it too many times.
