The heavy oak doors groaned open with a low creak as Luca stepped inside alongside Seraphina. The faint smell of old parchment and polished steel lingered in the air, mixing with the crisp fragrance of herbal incense burning faintly in the corner. Sunlight streamed through tall arched windows, catching on the polished floor and the countless books that lined the shelves like silent sentinels.
Near the window stood the Vice-Dean. His silver armor gleamed even in the dim light, pristine and without blemish, like a mirror of discipline itself. His ramrod-straight back and the way his hands rested lightly behind him spoke volumes of his military bearing. His presence filled the room with an invisible weight, and Luca felt it press against his chest.
