The festival did not slow.
If anything—
it grew louder.
Music carried across the academy grounds.
Voices overlapped. Laughter echoed. Movement never stopped.
Students, nobles, visitors—
blending into one continuous flow.
To most—
it was perfect.
"…You're thinking too much again, aren't you?"
Jude glanced sideways.
Lunivara didn't answer immediately.
Her gaze remained on the moving crowd.
"…No," she said.
"…I'm observing."
"…That's worse," Jude muttered.
Leontius stood on her other side, silent.
Watching—not the stalls, not the people—
but the gaps between them.
"…You noticed it," he said quietly.
Not a question.
Lunivara's eyes shifted slightly toward the far end of the grounds.
"…Yes."
Jude blinked.
"…Wait—noticed what?"
A brief pause.
"…Movement that doesn't match the flow," Lunivara said.
"…That sounds like a problem already."
"…It is," Leontius replied.
Jude straightened a little.
"…Alright. Now I'm paying attention."
They didn't stop walking.
But their pace changed.
Slower.
More deliberate.
"…The disturbance at the docks," Lunivara said quietly.
"…It wasn't resolved."
Jude frowned.
"…You think this is connected?"
"…Not directly," she replied.
"…But it's not separate either."
Leontius nodded once.
"…Same pattern," he said.
A small silence followed.
"…Okay," Jude exhaled. "…So what are we doing?"
Lunivara scanned the area again.
Not the obvious movements—
but the ones that didn't belong.
"…We don't act openly."
"…Obviously," Jude said.
"…We observe first," she continued.
"…Confirm whether it's intentional."
"…Intentional what?" Jude asked.
"…Placement," Leontius answered.
Jude looked between them.
"…You two are really making this sound worse than it should be."
"…There."
Leontius didn't point.
He didn't need to.
Lunivara followed his line of sight.
A man stood near a stall.
Not browsing.
Not speaking.
Just standing.
Jude leaned slightly.
"…He looks normal."
"…He hasn't moved in three minutes," Lunivara said.
"…And hasn't engaged with anything," Leontius added.
Jude frowned.
"…Okay. That's… a little strange."
The man shifted.
Not abruptly.
Not enough to draw attention.
But enough.
Another figure passed behind him.
Then another.
Jude's expression changed.
"…Are they together?"
"…No," Lunivara said.
"…But they're not independent either."
Leontius's gaze sharpened.
"…Spacing is consistent."
A brief silence.
The festival continued around them.
Unaffected.
"…So we're being watched," Jude muttered.
"…Not specifically us," Lunivara said.
"…Not yet."
"…That's somehow worse."
A child ran past them, laughing.
Someone called out from a nearby stall.
Everything looked normal.
But—
"…There's another one," Leontius said.
Different position.
Same stillness.
Jude rubbed the back of his neck.
"…Yeah. I don't like this."
Lunivara's expression remained composed.
But her focus sharpened.
[They're not searching.]
A pause.
[They're waiting.]
"…This isn't random," she said quietly.
Leontius nodded.
"…Agreed."
Jude exhaled.
"…So what are they waiting for?"
No one answered.
Because none of them knew.
A faint sound echoed—
distant.
Subtle.
Out of place.
Lunivara's head turned slightly.
"…Did you hear that?"
Leontius shifted his stance.
"…Yes."
Jude blinked.
"…Hear what?"
Another sound.
Not from the crowd.
From beyond it.
Toward the lower grounds.
Toward—
"…the direction of the docks," Lunivara said.
Silence settled between them.
Jude let out a breath.
"…You've got to be kidding."
Leontius stepped forward first.
"…We confirm."
Lunivara followed.
"…Carefully."
Jude hesitated—then followed as well.
"…Right. No acting openly."
A small pause.
"…But if something actually happens—"
Leontius didn't look back.
"…Then we respond."
They moved away from the main crowd.
Step by step—
the noise faded behind them.
The festival continued.
Bright. Loud. Alive.
But beneath it—
Something had already begun.
End of Chapter 27