The Fall Ball.
The thought of it lingered in my mind like the soft chime of distant bells, equal parts promising and melancholic. I had missed the previous balls due to guild responsibilities and political obligations, and the four girls were insistent—no, determined—that I make an appearance this time. Their logic was simple: my absence was no longer excusable, and they wanted this night with me, away from the usual chaos and shadowed schemes that seemed to define our lives.
For once, I didn't have pressing matters that demanded my immediate attention, and I did want to enjoy Academy life during this final year. After all, once I graduated—or more accurately, once I left to focus entirely on Ouroboros—these moments of relative normalcy would become increasingly rare.
'Isn't that right, Luna?' I asked mentally, brushing a hand through my hair as I stared out the window of my dormitory room.
