*Few Minutes Earlier*
Ariana trudged down the hallway, her shoulders slumped from the weight of spending the rest of her day in the library.
"This is the price you pay for wanting to become a mage," she muttered to herself, her voice dripping with exhaustion as she shuffled toward her room.
As she neared the entrance to Building B1, something caught her eye—a figure walking away from the building, their silhouette barely visible in the dim light.
"Huh?" Ariana blinked, squinting at the mysterious figure. "Who could be walking around the academy at this hour?" She tilted her head, frowning.
Then, her eyes widened in realization. "Oh no. Could it be... a villain?! Someone plotting evil in the dead of night?" she gasped dramatically, clutching her hands to her chest.
Her heart raced. What if they're planning something terrible right now?
