On a dark night on the 23rd floor of the Mage Tower, Professor Louina sat in her office, still meticulously drafting methods to verify Deculein’s thesis.0

Snap! 0

The fountain pen she had been pressing down on broke.0

Drip. Drip—0

Blood from her nose trickled onto the documents. Louina stared blankly at the stains, feeling lightheaded and her heart pounding fiercely. Strange emotions welled up from deep within her consciousness.0

She glanced out the window. The moon was hidden by gray clouds, and the world outside was cloaked in darkness. Her reflection in the glass looked strange; her eyes were tinged with red. It must have been a nosebleed, but it looked like she was crying tears of blood.0

Hissss... 0

Suddenly, a strange particle seemed to rise from her shoulder, like a suffocating cloud of ash. Louina quickly turned to look. Everything was normal. Nothing seemed out of place.8

"Am I going mad…?" Louina muttered with a sigh.0

She had endured so much recently—kidnapped by Deculein, nearly starved for a week, and forced into signing that humiliating contract. It was a wonder she was still in her right mind.0

"Let’s rest at home," Louina murmured as she organized the documents and placed them in her bag.0

She turned off the lights and closed the office door behind her. 0

Throb— 0

An inexplicable pulse seemed to resonate through the darkness as she stepped into the dim corridor.2

***0

At 2 p.m. on a Wednesday, Epherene was in a study room at the Mage Tower, working on a group project. Since most of the project was already finished, they were mostly chatting.0

"One card!" 2

"Oh, come on! That's so unfair!" 0

Eurozan, Daine, and Jefel were playing cards, while Sylvia seemed to be engrossed in checking the assignment with her eyes closed. Epherene, meanwhile, was reading a letter.0

To Epherene Luna,0

Thank you for your letter. I believe in your talent, so you should have faith in it too. Walk your path with determination, avoiding arrogance. If you dedicate yourself and work hard, good results will surely follow.1

"Wow, four lines," Epherene mused happily.0

It...0