***
The festival quickly arrived and was impossible to ignore.
In a matter of days, the Academy's austere courtyards had been transformed. Colorful banners draped from the marble pillars and stalls sold everything from grilled skewers to Divine Relics lined the walkways.
The air buzzed with the excited chatter of thousands of students.
Today wasn't just about food and games; it was the first day of the tournament.
Everyone was excited for what was coming, and the air was thick with tension.
For Gaia, it was a sensory overload, but in a good way.
She stood waiting near the entrance of the main plaza.
"Hm~ finally free..."
Gaia turned to see Ignotus walking toward them.
He was out of his hospital gown, wearing his usual casual combat armor, but he still looked a little pale. The doctors had finally cleared him to leave the medical hub, the library, and the courtyard loop he'd been stuck in.
