Azrael Ashveil was missing.
The news spread through the academy like a disease. For a full day, he hadn't been seen. His dorm room was empty. He hadn't attended a single class.
The whispers started immediately, growing louder with every passing hour.
"Did you hear? He's gone. Just vanished."
"I heard Kaelen Valerius finally did it. After that humiliation in the classroom yesterday, he must have finished him off."
"No way. The Headmaster would never let that happen. It was probably one of the other families. The Ashveils have a lot of enemies."
Some declared him dead, a satisfying end for the villain who had finally pushed his luck too far. Others thought he had run away, a coward unable to face the consequences of his own sharp tongue. The entire academy was a buzzing hive of rumors and morbid speculation.
Amidst the chaos, Professor Vivienne Cindral tried to maintain order in her lecture hall. But even her sharp gaze couldn't quell the undercurrent of gossip.
