The enormous first-year auditorium buzzed with conversation as hundreds of students gradually filled the ascending rows of seats, their voices blending together into a constant murmur that echoed throughout the vast hall while speculation regarding the recently conquered breach spread from one group to another. Some students spoke excitedly about the military deployment that had been seen leaving for the Valmont Duchy's territory, while others discussed increasingly exaggerated rumors that had somehow already spread throughout the academy despite only a few days having passed since the operation concluded.
"I heard an entire noble party was wiped out inside."
"That's nothing. My cousin said the terrain itself was alive."
"Stop making things up."
"I'm serious!"
The discussions continued endlessly while students exchanged whatever fragments of information they had managed to obtain.
