By the third day, the academy had changed, though nothing looked different at first. Classes still started on time, students still moved through the halls, and instructors taught like they always did. But there was a tension now. No one said anything directly, yet everyone felt it. The first lecture had surprised them. The second made it clear it wasn't a one-time thing. By the third, people weren't unsure anymore. They were waiting for something to happen.
The lecture hall was quiet in that usual disciplined way. It wasn't silent, but every sound stayed low and controlled. Pens moved across paper, clothes shifted, and the faint glow of mana from the front gave the room a steady rhythm. It felt normal on the surface, like nothing could go wrong inside a place like this.
