Today, the classroom was unusually noisy that morning.
Whispers overlapped, chairs scraped softly against the floor, and more than a few students kept glancing at the blackboard where Professor Otto stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his expression stern but… faintly satisfied.
"Alright," he said, his voice cutting cleanly through the chatter.
"Settle down."
Silence slowly spread.
Otto nodded once, then turned toward the board and tapped it lightly with his knuckle.
"As some of you have already heard through rumors, yes, they are indeed true."
"This academy will be participating in an inter-academy exchange for the remainder of your first year."
Murmurs instantly erupted again.
"With that said, this will not be a normal exchange," Otto continued calmly, letting the noise die on its own.
He paused deliberately.
