***Nova***
The weight of the previous days lingered in the corridors of the castle, marked by whispers and cautious glances as the atmosphere grew heavy with the remnants of unease. Despite the busy routine of the staff and the hustle of guards in the halls, normalcy felt out of reach. I had initiated a new era of collaboration among the castle staff to forge alliances that would strengthen our defenses, yet beneath that surface, shadows continued to loom.
It was during breakfast, seated at the long wooden table in the Great Hall, that I first noticed a feeling of strangeness. Chase and Dante sat across from me, their expressions guarded as we sifted through reports and updates from the guards. The clattering of silverware mixed with low murmurings of the servants as they bustled about,
