The Royal Capital of Vornis never truly slept.
But as the Kingdom Founding Festival drew near, it awakened in a different way.
Banners of white, gold, and pale blue were raised along the capital's main avenues, fluttering gently in the autumn breeze. Magic lanterns were tested each evening, floating above plazas and dissolving into soft motes of light before midnight. Merchants from distant lands arrived day after day, filling the streets with unfamiliar languages, foreign fashions, and rumors that spread faster than any official announcement.
For the citizens, it was a season of celebration.
For the nobility, it was a stage.
For the Royal Academy of Vornis, it was pressure.
◆ ◆ ◆
Aster stood on the stone balcony overlooking the academy grounds, his hands resting lightly on the railing. Below him, students moved in clusters between lecture halls and training fields, their conversations blending into a steady hum.
"…Did you hear? The third-year exhibition bouts are confirmed."
"They say the western academy sent observers."
"I heard the principal himself will personally oversee the demonstrations."
The Founding Festival always brought attention—but this year, it felt heavier.
Astra joined him quietly, leaning against the railing.
"You're thinking too much again," she said.
Aster smiled faintly. "I'm listening."
She followed his gaze. "The academy feels… louder."
"Not louder," Aster corrected gently. "More aware."
Since their return to regular academy life, things had changed subtly but unmistakably.
Students spoke more carefully around them.
Some greeted them warmly, excited by the idea of sharing classes with the Snowflakes. Others kept their distance, their politeness thin and rehearsed.
And a few—
A few watched them as if waiting for something to go wrong.
◆ ◆ ◆
Inside the academy, preparations were already in full swing.
Class schedules had been adjusted to allow senior students more time to prepare for the third-year exhibition bouts, a long-standing tradition held during the Founding Festival. These were not true combat matches, but carefully regulated demonstrations meant to display magical control, tactical thinking, and growth.
For noble families, it was a preview of the next generation.
For foreign observers, it was intelligence gathering.
For students, it was everything.
"Every year someone ruins their future by overreaching," Lea muttered during lunch one afternoon, leaning back in her chair. "Trying to show off and burning out."
Rain nodded. "Exhibition bouts aren't about power. They're about restraint."
Astra glanced around the crowded dining hall. "Then why does everyone look like they're preparing for war?"
"Because reputation is power," Rain replied calmly. "And this year, reputation matters more than usual."
Aster listened quietly.
He knew what Rain meant.
This year wasn't just about the bouts.
It was about him.
◆ ◆ ◆
Since entering the academy, Aster had become… unavoidable.
Not just as a Musician.
Not just as a royal.
But as something new.
An innovator.
His inventions—harmonic players, refined recording stones, personal listening devices—had already begun to circulate among scholars. Professors from departments unrelated to sound magic had started approaching him with questions, suggestions, even collaboration proposals.
Rune theory professors discussed resonance models with him.
Magic engineering instructors asked about stabilization methods.
Even theoretical mana scholars—who once dismissed sound magic as auxiliary—now asked for demonstrations.
But not everyone was welcoming.
"There are professors who won't even look at me," Aster said quietly one evening as he and Astra walked through the academy gardens.
Astra nodded. "The ones aligned with the queen."
"They're careful," Aster continued. "They don't oppose me openly."
Rain, walking beside them, added, "Opposition isn't always loud. Maybe they are planning something, If what you said about the queen is true, then maybe they are waiting for a chance where you may slip up and do something remotely wrong, then they will get a reason to make their move"
Aster smiled faintly. "Then we won't give them one."
◆ ◆ ◆
Despite the tension, life continued.
Classes progressed.
Assignments piled up.
And in between it all—
Music.
At Snowflake Mansion, evenings were filled with practice sessions, planning meetings, and quiet moments that felt increasingly precious.
Their fifth album, titled "Waves," was nearly complete.
Seven songs.
Each carefully crafted.
Not flashy.
Not explosive.
Instead—
Layered.
Controlled.
Mature.
"This album feels different," Astra said one night after finishing a rehearsal. "Not brighter. Deeper."
Aster nodded. "Sound isn't just music anymore. It's influence. We need to make people understand certain things and influence them in a good way if possible"
They had learned restraint.
Where earlier albums experimented boldly—sometimes recklessly—"Waves" focused on flow, resonance, and emotional continuity.
Songs that didn't demand attention.
Songs that lingered.
"It's not meant to overwhelm," Aster said. "It's meant to stay."
◆ ◆ ◆
The academy buzzed with speculation.
"The Snowflakes are releasing a new album on Founding Day."
"I heard it's more refined."
"They're performing again after so long."
Students whispered.
Some were excited.
Some were skeptical.
And some—particularly those from rigid noble houses—were openly displeased.
"They're turning a national festival into a concert," one noble student scoffed.
"This is beneath royalty," another muttered.
Aster heard it all.
He said nothing.
Since learning about Kain's past, he had begun to understand something important.
Everybody has their own reasons to be angry, just because someone's anger is directed at me doesn't automatically make them a bad person.
◆ ◆ ◆
As the festival approached, the academy adjusted its rhythm.
Lectures shortened.
Training intensified.
The principal made several public appearances, emphasizing discipline and conduct.
"The Founding Festival is not a performance," he said during one address. "It is a reminder. Of history. Of responsibility."
Aster caught the principal's eye during the speech.
The old water mage smiled faintly.
It was reassurance.
◆ ◆ ◆
Two days before the festival, the academy entered its quiet phase.
It was the weekend.
No formal classes.
No mandatory training.
Most students either returned home or locked themselves away to prepare.
At Snowflake Mansion, the atmosphere was calm—almost deceptively so.
Aster spent the morning in his workshop, adjusting rune alignments on a new prototype. This one wasn't meant for public release. It was experimental—an attempt to blend harmonic stabilization with long-term mana efficiency.
Astra practiced vocals nearby, her voice steady and precise, testing control rather than power.
Their mother, Arlienne, watched them with a mixture of pride and unease.
"They've grown too fast," she murmured quietly.
Liora Arcwell, seated across from her with a cup of tea, chuckled softly. "Of course, we are not some little kids anymore we are all grown ups now..."
Arlienne smiled, but the worry didn't leave her eyes.
"There are too many eyes on them now," she said.
"Yes," Liora agreed. "And not all of them are kind."
◆ ◆ ◆
The afternoon passed quietly.
Too quietly.
The first knock came just as Astra finished her warm-down.
It wasn't loud.
Not abrupt.
Measured.
Formal.
Aster looked up from his workbench.
"…We're not expecting anyone," he said.
The guards outside stiffened.
A moment later, the door opened.
And time seemed to pause.
A young girl stood at the threshold, flanked by two royal attendants.
She was small—no older than ten.
Her crimson-red hair fell neatly down her back, tied with a ribbon bearing the royal crest. Her dress was elegant but simple, carefully chosen to appear non-threatening.
Her eyes, however—
Were unmistakably royal.
Arlienne's breath caught.
"…Your Highness?"
The girl stepped forward and curtsied perfectly.
"I apologize for arriving unannounced," she said politely. "I am Princess Elmyra ."
Silence filled the room.
Aster felt a chill run through him.
The youngest princess.
The child the queen had been pregnant with during their first concert.
The one who had never once interacted with them.
Astra was the first to speak.
"…May we ask why you're here?"
Princess Elmyra straightened.
"I wanted to meet you," she said simply.
Arlienne stepped forward instinctively. "Your Highness, if this visit was ordered—"
"It wasn't," Elmyra said quickly. "I came on my own."
That answer made the air heavier.
She clasped her hands together, clearly nervous despite her composure.
"I have something I need to tell you," she said.
"And something I need to ask."
Aster exchanged a glance with Astra.
Outside, the capital continued preparing for celebration.
Inside Snowflake Mansion—
The moment the initial shock passed, the atmosphere in the room shifted.
Astra was the first to move. She stepped forward with a gentle smile, lowering herself slightly to meet the young princess's height.
"Please come in," she said softly. "You must be tired, traveling all the way here"
Lea quickly pulled a chair back, then hesitated, frowning. "No—wait. Sofa's better."
Within moments, the formal tension melted away.
Princess Elmyra was guided inside and seated on the soft sofa near the window. Astra placed a small cushion behind her back, careful and attentive, while Aster signaled one of the maids quietly.
Snacks were brought out—simple pastries, fruit slices, and warm tea. Nothing extravagant. Just comfortable.
"This one's sweet," Lea said casually, offering a small pastry. "It's good."
The princess accepted it hesitantly at first, then relaxed slightly as she tasted it.
Arlienne watched the scene with quiet surprise.
No one bowed.
No one fawned.
No one treated her like glass.
They spoke to her gently. Naturally.
As if she were simply a guest.
As if she were just… a child.
Princess Elmyra's shoulders loosened. She sat straighter on the sofa, hands resting in her lap, eyes moving across the room—taking in the warmth, the calm, the unfamiliar kindness.
She drew in a small breath.
Then—
She began to speak, I...