The low hum of conversation in the Scholar's Rest pub was a fragile peace against the memory of the rift's oppressive silence. Yomi sat with his companions at a sturdy oak table, the air thick with the scent of stew and stale ale. Kira, a small shadow nestled at his side, ate with a quiet desperation, her instincts still coiled tight. Across from him, Aeloria and Lirien moved their food around their plates, the tension of their ordeal a palpable presence between them.
Yomi set down his spoon. "Lirien," he began, his voice cutting through the tavern's noise with practiced authority. "You mentioned the tuition for Astralux Academy was expensive. How expensive?"
Lirien started, pulled from her thoughts. "More than most adventurers see in a lifetime," she admitted, her gaze wary. "Why?"
Without a word, Yomi slid the small, crystalline card from the guild across the worn wood. "See if this is sufficient."
