I returned to my office, the heavy wooden door closing behind me with a soft click. The faint smell of parchment and ink filled the room, a stark contrast to the charged atmosphere of the classroom. I allowed myself a moment of stillness, my eyes drifting to the map beside the bookshelf. The intricate lines and symbols marked territories, paths, and significant locations, a constant reminder of the broader game at play beyond the academy walls.
With the students fully occupied with the supplementary test, I could finally set aside the thoughts of teaching and focus on more pressing matters. I moved closer to the map, tracing a finger along the borders of the kingdoms. The royal banquet loomed ahead, a convergence of power and politics where my enemies would gather. It was an event that required my utmost preparation.
