Days passed. The academy had slightly changed, not in the sound but in weight of the atmosphere.
Festival preparations filled every corridor.
Schedules posted, assignments revised, movements tightened.
A sense that everything was leading somewhere.
Lunivara walked through it without pause. Composed.
["Everything seems to be aligning too quickly."] she said in her thoughts.
When she entered the club office, Jude was already there.
Papers spread across the table in uneven stacks.As always.
"This is getting out of hand," he muttered, flipping through a document.
"And It's only going to get heavier," Lunivara said.
Jude glanced at her.
"You say that, like it's supposed to comfort me."
Lunivara smirked. Hm. Jude smiled at her.
Both of them understood the assignment.And it's the first time.
A small pause.
Leontius stood near the center table.Calm, as he is.
Unaffected by the visible pressure.
He placed a document down.
"Update."
Jude sighed.
"Alright, what now?"
"The royal family will be attending the arena events," Leontius said.
A brief pause.Jude leaned back slightly.
"Well...that's expected."
He tapped the paper lightly.
"It's their festival anyway."
"And their money," he added.
"Which means everything becomes more visible," Leontius replied.
"Ohh.. so that's what u meant," Embarrassed, he murmured to his self.
Jude cleared his throat " So we can't mess up, at this"
"Yes."
Lunivara remained quiet.
Her gaze rested on the paper for a moment
just a moment—
before shifting away.
A short silence followed.
Leontius spoke again.
"During the arena events—"
He paused.Just slightly.
"you won't be here."
Jude blinked.
"Wait—what do you mean?"
Lunivara answered calmly.
"I might be needed somewhere else during that time."
Jude frowned.
"So you're getting reassigned?"
"I think"
A small pause.
"It happens."
Jude leaned back with a sigh.
"That's annoying. You're basically keeping half of this organized."
"It'll still run," Lunivara said.
Leontius's gaze stayed on her a second longer than usual.
"Even so," he said quietly,
"removing you would be inefficient."
A faint pause.
Lunivara met his gaze briefly.
"It's not always about efficiency."
Jude looked between them.
"Okay... now I definitely feel like I missed something."
"Don't worry , you didn't," Lunivara said.
"You always say that."
Elsewhere—
At the presidents office...
Cedric was inside, away from the noise.
But not removed from it.
A sword club member stood in front of him.
" confirm again?" Cedric said. "Lunivara is assisting the club?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Handling documents and coordination?"
"Yes."
A pause.
"I see."
A sharp focus tightened his gaze, his brow furrowing with a quite,brewing fury. He didn't answer, entirely ignoring the soldier who was softly begging to be dismissed.
"Your highness?"
["What are you up now?..."]
His tone remained cold.
"Continue as you are." He said while raising a hand and shooed him away with a couple of sharp, downward motions of his palm.
"Understood."
The member left quickly.
He pressed his palms hard against his temples, squeezing his eyes shut as a heavy wave of stress took over.
Back in the sword club room–
Jude stretched, exhaling.
"...So—more work, less room for mistakes, and you might disappear during the main event."
He looked at Lunivara.
"Anything else I should mentally prepare for?"
"The dock incident is still isn't resolved," she said.
Silence.
Leontius spoke, quieter this time.
"It hasn't ended."
Jude groaned.
"Right. That too."
He leaned back in his chair.
"Everything just keeps stacking, doesn't it?"
"Yes," Lunivara said softly.
A small pause.
The room fell quiet again.
Not empty.
Just… steady.
Because now everything was lining up at once
The festival,royal presence,shifting roles, the unresolved disturbance
and something still unseen.
And none of it had revealed itself yet.
End of Chapter 25