Curious, Laila picked up her fan and pressed it carefully against the wallpaper. Hopefully, no one noticed. For a moment, there was nothing, but then the voice spoke again.
"...I know it's deeply regrettable, but it seems the management made a terrible mistake... The first day of Heaven's Feel starts tomorrow."
A bass-deep voice exploded deep in Laila's ears. Startled, she shifted accidentally to the side and rubbed her throbbing temple. The voice continued to rumble deep in her head, forcing her to close the fan a little to make it bearable.
"Heavens Feel? Tomorrow! Impossible..."
"I know how sudden this may be for the students, but the clock tower has already taken care of your departure."
"The students have a right to do their research," Mr. Jones replied, not stepping back. "Right now, the ley lines are more pronounced than ever. You can't expect them to throw away this once-in-a-lifetime research opportunity.
"Jones... the clock tower has spoken."
Laila's breath hitched. Kayneth! Of course, she recognized the voice. She wanted to slap her forehead but just managed to suppress the urge. But why? There was no reason for Kayneth to leave his research in the clock tower. There was nothing here that should interest a respected professor in the slightest. Except for the ley lines, perhaps.
"I know how sudden this may be for you, Jones. And I'm sorry. But it's about the ritual's safety."
"You don't have to apologize to me, but to the students. It does seem a little unusual to me that a mistake could happen. Lady Dunkfell personally took care of all the documents after all."
"That's why we want you to keep a close eye on Lando today and tomorrow. I don't think it's a coincidence that he's in Fuyuki right now."
"You can't be serious. That's a bit far-fetched. How often can you see ley lines? Fuyuki is one of the few places in the world where three lines intersect. Why would a student miss that?"
"Possibly. But think about it. Lady Dunkfell has always been a strange woman. She would stop at nothing to get clues to extraordinary Magecraft. I am well aware that Heaven's Feel has never brought results, but mere knowledge is dangerous and should only be known by the three families."
"You believe that boy was sent to analyze this ritual? By Zelretch, that is absurd paranoia. Do you seriously think an inexperienced boy could decipher the Heaven's Feel? It took three Magi families to create it. One of them was the Einzbern family."
"I know how absurd it sounds. But all Magi from the House of Dunkfell are anything but incompetent."
"All right," Mr. Jones replied, clearing his throat. Laila heard him pacing restlessly in the room.
'What ritual were they talking about?' She had read in the books of the Clock Tower about something significant that was supposed to exist in Fuyuki. She had assumed that it was about the three ley lines. However, now that she thought about it, how come no Magecraft Institute had been built with the amount of natural Mana?
"Do you know where Lando is?"
Mr. Jones shook his head. "He's always out at night. I assume he's looking at the ley lines from a better location."
Kayneth sighed as he wandered restlessly up and down the room. "The first summonings have already taken place. Tohsaka will probably summon his hero spirit today as well. I have some organizing to do myself," Kayneth said, almost whispering.
"Is this hotel in danger?" Jones asked weakly. Laila's heart beats faster. Maybe it was the uncertainty in Jones' voice. The waves her fan picked up came out jerky, almost like a tremor.
"I doubt anyone would want to reveal their cards this early. Many keep an eye on the city. However, I still advise you to set up a Bounded Field. It would be unfortunate to lose some of the students' talents."
"You think too highly of me, professor. I can't just snap my fingers."
"Indeed," Kayneth replied. "But take precautions anyway. Just in case."
"A bounded field in one evening... I'll try it. But I never thought you'd leave your lab voluntarily."
"I think the experience is interesting, and getting out of the clock tower is also quite pleasant."
Laila could literally imagine her professor tugging at his long sleeves and looking out of the window. Why exactly he always wore white gloves, she couldn't say, but together with his masterfully tailored coat, he radiated a form of authority and elegance that she could recognize even in Mana.
"Jones, does the moon look a little... How shall I put it, strange today?" Kayneth suddenly asked.
Laila looked from the wall towards her window, though she had already closed her curtains.
"No... the night seems quiet..."
The voices quieted in Laila's head as she slowly took the fan from the wall and slipped to the window herself. Then she pressed her fan against the wall again. A faint, tinkling sound made her flinch.
'I hope they didn't hear me,' Laila thought. However, she had no idea what Kayneth meant. She pushed the fabric aside. Clouds covered the immense area, illuminated by the moon just peeking out from behind the sea like a child.
"Mhh, strange... I had the feeling it was watching me," Kayneth murmured. "It must be my exhaustion."
"Yes, long flights are tiring. You'd better withdraw to prepare for tomorrow's summoning."
"Haha, is that supposed to be an insult? You don't seriously think a little stress could bother me," Kayneth shouted, and Laila flinched. A ringing sound rang in her ears again, but she didn't take the fan off the wallpaper. Why did they always have to speak so loudly?
"I can't afford to sleep."
"Of course, of course."
"Don't mind, Jones," Kayneth said with a pat on his shoulder. "I should probably be on my way, though."
Kayneth had thanked him again for the meeting before disappearing. Silence returned to the building. Only rarely did Laila hear a person's footsteps. The footsteps were quick and didn't seem to have a regular rhythm. She couldn't be sure, but given the conversation she had just heard, it could only be Mr. Jones.
Now and then, Laila gripped her fan, hoping to notice the Bounded Field that her teacher was supposed to raise on Kayneth's behalf.
Nothing.
'Well, it takes time to form such a construct. But what exactly does the Heavens Feel?' Laila thought as she closed her eyes. 'Never heard of it. Maybe Amalia knows more. I should ask her tomorrow.'
Laila hadn't realized how tense her nerves were, flowing out of her like a drain. She wanted to lay down the right clothes for tomorrow, but at that moment, she snuggled under the covers and plunged into the world of dreams.
It was four o'clock when Laila felt something strange for the first time. Her hair stood on end, and she lay restlessly on her other side. The window was closed and the curtain drawn, but green-blue light still shimmered and buffeted the fabric like wind.
There were normally no auroras in Fuyuki, yet, on this night, they were quietly winding their way across the city. The air crackled with energy. The circles on the paper began to pulse in red light. The room vibrated, and Laila pulled the blanket over her head.
"Laila!" a bright voice screeched and reached up into the room. Suddenly, she was awake. Where was she? What had she done? Everything seemed familiar yet unknown to her, like a distant memory.
There was something gray and heavy. Her hands trembled as the stone swayed slightly. Oh yes! She still hadn't managed to get this little weight to float. The thought of it crushed her, and she wanted to fall onto the bed.
She spread her hand and could feel the mana bubbling in the magical circuits. But nothing happened. The stone only bobbed once on the table before it stopped.
"Mom's going to be mad again," Laila whispered while shaking. Suddenly, she could feel heavy footsteps. Laila immediately jumped to the door and hurried down the stairs. No one should find out that she still hasn't improved her Magecraft!
"It's about time you came," Laila's mother said, holding a notebook and a small bag. "Your grandfather sent you an exercise book. You really needed it."
Laila stared at the floor and took both before slowly making her way back up the stairs while her mother went in the opposite direction. When she heard no more footsteps, Laila sprinted the rest upstairs.
"Finally!" She said, but her words felt like the loudest cry of victory. 'He finally sent it.'
Curious, she opened the first page.
'As promised on our camping night, I've been sitting down for the last few weeks to record various runes. I hope you like them. Your favorite rune is on the last page. Did you have fun on our little excursion? I certainly did. If you want, we can do it again in the future. Of course, I'll also get you some treats to snack on. With a bit of luck, we'll see the owl family again. Please don't forget to say hello to the birds for me. I've also sent a bag of bird food.'
Laila flung the bag onto her bed, quickly scurried to the window, and opened it. She tore the sack open slightly and poured a small amount of seed into the bowl on the relatively large window ledge.
The hilt was no wider than half a finger. Laila turned to the last page, only to be greeted by several dozen blank sheets. Her fingers rustled through the paper until she found the rune her grandfather had shown her the day they were camping.
"He even left me blank pages to practice," Laila cheered, reaching for the quill and dipping it into an inkwell. Just as she was about to start writing, there was a chirp.
A small band of sparrows hopped around. She could only see their heads through the frame. One stood on the edge of the bowl and looked into the room.
"I'm supposed to say hi to you all from Grandpa."
The sparrow tilted its head, and a moment later, a chick fluttered on the edge and tried to look inside.
'You have it good,' thought Laila. How long could a moment like this last? The warm sun on her skin and the wind beating against the window, carrying dancing leaves or flowers with it. She would love to be at the top of the trees where the sparrows flew. Dancing from tip to tip with the rustle of late spring. Perhaps she would even find a shining fairy her grandfather always raved about.