Still chatting among themselves—about everyday things, small noble gossip, and the occasional ridiculous antic Cassius used to pull during his early days—they made their way to the announcement hall.
Mia mostly listened, chiming in with small chuckles or brief remarks. She didn't add much, but it wasn't from disinterest.
Rather, she was cautious. The moment any question turned toward her past—her upbringing, her time with Cassius before the academy—she neatly dodged it.
Whether the question came directly or was veiled under friendly curiosity, she always had a graceful way to steer the conversation away.
The announcement hall loomed ahead, and it was… massive.
No—massive wasn't the right word.
It was insanely huge. Almost to a ridiculous degree. But from the outside, it looked like it couldn't possibly hold more than a few thousand students.
A grand domed structure of silvery blue stone with carved vines etched into its columns. But the moment they stepped inside—
