The following days followed the same pattern.
Morning training, afternoon adjustments, short breaks at night. Nothing excessive, but constant. The kind of repetition that shapes behavior without you immediately noticing.
The mansion's hall no longer felt strange for it.
Rai'kanna walked with less rigidity. Elara maintained natural control. Vespera refined nearly invisible details. Liriel pointed out flaws without hesitation. Lyannis balanced everything, preventing the process from becoming too forced.
And I observed.
That morning, training ended earlier.
"That's enough for today," Elara said.
Rai'kanna exhaled.
"Finally."
"You're still tensing your right shoulder," Vespera commented.
"I know."
"Then fix it."
"Later."
Lyannis laughed.
"You never fix it later."
"Today I will."
"I doubt it."
Liriel walked past them.
"She won't."
Rai'kanna made a light expression.
"You're very confident in my flaws."
"Because they're predictable," Liriel replied.
The atmosphere was light.
No tension.
No weight.
Different from days ago.
I moved slightly away from the group, heading to the exterior area. The air was fresher, and the city's movement could be heard in the distance.
They were still setting up structures.
The event was close.
It didn't take long before I heard footsteps behind me.
"You disappeared."
It was Lyannis.
"I just got some air."
She stopped beside me.
"You've been very quiet these days."
"Observing."
"That's all?"
"For now."
She crossed her arms, looking at the city.
"You always step in when something involves the group."
"I am involved."
"But from the outside."
"Someone has to be."
Lyannis nodded.
"Makes sense."
Short silence.
"Do you think this will cause problems?" she asked.
"Yes."
Direct answer.
She laughed softly.
"Of course it will."
"But not necessarily bad."
"So you're calm?"
"I'm alert."
She nodded again.
"That's more like you."
Before she could say anything else, we heard someone calling from the gate.
"Delivery for Takumi."
The voice was firm.
Direct.
Lyannis turned her head.
"That's new."
I thought so too.
I went to the gate.
A guild messenger was standing there, holding a sealed envelope.
"Takumi?"
"Yes."
He handed it to me.
"Direct seal. No reply required."
"I understand."
He nodded and left without saying anything else.
Lyannis approached.
"What is it?"
"We'll find out."
I went back inside the mansion.
The group was already gathered again in the hall.
Rai'kanna was the first to speak.
"What arrived?"
"Guild."
"That's not a mission," Elara said, observing the seal.
"No," Vespera confirmed. "It's official."
Liriel looked closely.
"Open it."
Simple.
I opened it.
The paper was short.
Direct.
No detours.
Official invitation to serve as a judge in the Vailor Annual Contest.
Silence.
Rai'kanna blinked once.
Then again.
"Wait."
Lyannis tilted her head.
"Is this serious?"
Elara read it again.
"It's legitimate."
Vespera confirmed.
"Authentic seal."
Liriel looked at me.
"They want you evaluating."
Rai'kanna started laughing.
Not loud.
But clear.
"This is perfect."
"It isn't," I said.
"It is."
"It isn't."
Lyannis held back a laugh.
"Okay… this complicates things."
"Yes," Elara said. "A lot."
Vespera analyzed.
"Direct conflict of interest."
Liriel crossed her arms.
"You can't judge them."
"No," I said.
"But you were invited," Lyannis added.
"Exactly."
Rai'kanna stepped closer.
"You're going to accept."
"No."
"Yes you will."
"No I won't."
"Yes you will."
"No."
Silence.
She smiled.
"You don't refuse guild invitations."
That was true.
I looked at the paper again.
It wasn't an order.
But it also wasn't ordinary.
It was… recognition.
And responsibility.
Elara spoke.
"If you refuse, it raises questions."
"If you accept, it causes problems," Lyannis added.
"Both options have impact," Vespera said.
Liriel was watching me.
Waiting for a decision.
"You've already decided," she said.
It wasn't a question.
I exhaled.
"Yes."
Rai'kanna smiled more.
"I knew it."
Lyannis crossed her arms.
"So you're accepting."
"Yes."
Short silence.
Elara nodded.
"Then we need to adjust."
"How?" Lyannis asked.
"He can't evaluate us," Elara replied.
"And he shouldn't," Vespera said.
Rai'kanna tilted her head.
"So he just observes?"
"There will probably be rules for that," Liriel said.
"Yes," I confirmed. "There will be."
Lyannis looked at me.
"And you're okay with that?"
"Not completely."
"But you'll do it anyway."
"Yes."
Rai'kanna lightly tapped my shoulder as she passed.
"Now this is getting interesting."
"It already was."
"Now more."
Elara went back to analyzing the paper.
"This changes the dynamic."
"But it doesn't prevent it," Vespera said.
Liriel stepped back slightly.
"Now it's even more important to do this properly."
Lyannis sighed.
"You lot don't lose focus."
"We can't," Elara replied.
I put the invitation away.
The decision was made.
The path… wasn't the simplest.
But it made sense.
And looking at the group…
It was clear.
This event had stopped being just a contest.
Now…
It was a convergence point.
Where everything…
Was going to meet.