Morning light filtered through the tall windows of the Administration Building's main hall.
A long table had been set up near the entrance, draped in deep blue cloth embroidered with the Academy's phoenix insignia. Behind it sat two students wearing silver sashes, Student Council members tasked with processing nominations.
A line had already formed.
Students clutched parchments covered in signatures, some looking confident, others nervous. Whispered conversations filled the space as candidates waited their turn.
Verelia Rithvale stood near the back of the line, perfectly still.
Her silver hair with blue streaks was pulled back in a simple but elegant style. Her uniform was immaculate, every button precisely fastened, every crease sharp. Her blue eyes remained fixed forward, expression neutral, unreadable.
She held a single sheet of parchment in her hands, rolled and sealed with wax bearing her family's crest.
Around her, other students talked animatedly.
