"Hand it over."

For a moment, nobody moved.

Around them, the festival remained as lively as ever.

Students laughed.

Music drifted through the air.

Lanterns floated overhead.

But at the cookie stall, an awkward stillness settled.

Ava looked between Seth and Yesu.

Finch tilted his head.

Seth simply stood there with folded arms.

Waiting.

Yesu frowned. "Why?"

Seth’s expression didn’t change.

"It’s an endangered specie." He nodded toward the blue leaves tucked behind her ear. "Not to mention imported."

Ava immediately perked up. "Imported from where?"

Seth didn’t answer.

His gaze remained fixed on Yesu. "Hand it over."

Finch had gone unusually quiet.

His eyes shifted between Seth and the flower.

Not obvious enough for most people to notice.

But just enough.

Like he was trying to fit together pieces of a puzzle.

Yesu scowled. "It’s just a flower."

Seth didn’t respond.

After a moment, she reached up and removed the woven leaves from behind her ear.

"Fine."

She stretched out her hand.

Before Seth could take it—

A hand slipped between them.

Finch.

He gently pushed Yesu’s hand back.

"Now hold on."

His usual grin had returned.

The playful one.

The one that made it impossible to tell when he was serious.

"Do you really have to be so stern all the time?"

Seth stared at him.

Finch gestured dramatically toward the flower.

"It’s a flower."

He looked at Yesu.

"Besides," he pointed at the leaves. "It looks good on her."

Ava immediately nodded. "That’s true. It gives her a mysterious look."

"Yes." Finch agreed with the usual smile. "Dangerously mysterious."

Seth slowly looked from Ava.

To Finch.

Then back to Yesu.

Something shifted behind his glasses.

His gaze sharpened.

And suddenly, Yesu felt it again.

That strange sensation.

Like invisible fingers brushing lightly through her thoughts.

Not painful. Not invasive.

Just... present.

Then a voice appeared inside her head.

Clear. Calm.

’See me after the festival.’

Yesu blinked.

The sensation vanished instantly. Like it had never been there.

She stared at Seth.

He hadn’t moved. Hadn’t spoken.

Yet she knew the voice had been his.

Beside her, Finch’s smile disappeared for a fraction of a second.

Something flashed across his eyes. Recognition.

The expression was gone so quickly it might have been imagined.

He immediately turned toward Seth.

Seth released a long, tired sigh. Then nodded toward the path.

"Leave my stall."

Ava gasped. "You can’t just throw customers out."

"Watch me."

"You haven’t even sold us cookies."

"Try somewhere else."

"Rude." Ava said and walked away with a huff, still protesting.

Yesu lingered.

Her eyes met Seth’s one final time.

Then she tucked the flower back behind her ear. And followed Ava into the crowd.

"It’s a festival Seth, lighten up." Finch said.

Seth’s gaze shifted from the crowd where it had trailed after Yesu.

"You should be more concerned about the summon tomorrow."

Finch laughed.

"Are you worried about me?"

Seth glanced back at the oven.

"Get lost." He said, resuming business.

Finch laughed again.

And somehow, despite the dismissal, started walking away as though he had won.

***

Olwen emerged from the bathroom, one hand resting briefly against the doorframe.

His movements were steady but slower than usual. More careful.

Water still clung to his dark hair.

He crossed the room toward the bedside table where medicine bottles, ointment tubes and neatly folded bandages had been arranged.

His gaze settled on the ointment.

He picked it up.

Paused.

Then dropped it back onto the table with a quiet sigh.

Applying it himself would be difficult.

Instead, he reached for the bandages.

A knock sounded.

Olwen looked up.

The bedroom door stood open.

And just beyond it stood Elsie.

For a brief moment, genuine surprise crossed his face.

He instinctively stepped back and turned slightly, placing his back closer to the wall.

The reaction vanished almost immediately.

"How did you get in?" he asked.

Then he remembered who he was speaking to.

A teleporter.

Elsie gave an awkward smile.

"I rang the doorbell several times." She lifted a shoulder. "You didn’t answer."

Her expression softened.

"I thought maybe something was wrong."

A pause.

"Sorry for barging in."

Olwen nodded once. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh."

Elsie raised the large envelope she had been carrying.

"Apollo asked me to give this to you."

Olwen’s gaze settled on it.

He said nothing.

Elsie walked into the room and placed the envelope on the bed.

As she stepped back, her eyes drifted over the bandages in his hand.

Then to the ointment.

Then to the medicine bottles.

"You need help?"

Olwen straightened slightly.

"No." His voice remained polite. "Thank you."

Elsie studied him for a second longer before smiling.

"Alright." She clasped her hands behind her back. "I should get back to the festival anyway."

Olwen inclined his head.

"Enjoy it."

"I intend to."

And then she vanished.

One second she was standing there. The next, the room was empty.

Silence returned.

Olwen remained still for a moment, then he walked over to the bed.

The envelope felt heavier than it looked. He opened it.

Several files slid onto the blanket.

Profiles.

Reports.

Photographs.

Quick-reference summaries.

Every known Air User currently within Echelon Academy.

Students.

Staff.

Assistants.

Visitors with temporary clearance.

Olwen picked up the first file.

Apollo had been busy.

***

Ava and Yesu had spent almost the entire day wandering from district to district.

At the Physical District, they had stood among hundreds of spectators watching a parkour competition.

Students sprinted across rooftops, leapt impossible gaps and scaled walls as though gravity had simply become optional.

Ava had nearly lost her voice cheering.

At the Elemental District, they had wandered through the Fire Garden where flame sculptures danced between flowerbeds.

A water dragon had nearly swallowed them whole before dissolving into harmless mist at the last second.

Ava screamed.

The creator laughed.

Later, they stumbled into a wind tunnel exhibit and emerged looking like they had survived a hurricane.

An Earth User had also unveiled a stone carving of Miss Heaven.

The resemblance was questionable.

Students gathered around it laughing while the sculptor desperately insisted it was unfinished.

The Mental District had been stranger.

They entered the Illusion Theater and experienced entire worlds projected directly into their minds.

Fantasy adventures.

Monster attacks.

Ava spent most of the horror attraction clinging to Yesu’s arm.

Yesu just watched quietly like it was a history lesson.

Then there was the Memory Gallery.

Volunteers shared memories while audiences watched them unfold like living scenes.

Some were funny. Others surprisingly emotional.

By the time they reached the Rare District, evening had arrived.

The queue stretched endlessly ahead.

Lanterns glowed brighter as daylight faded.

Above them, drums suddenly began sounding throughout the academy.

Boom.

Boom.

Boom.

Ava gasped. "The parade!" she exclaimed. "It’s starting soon."

Then she looked at the queue and back at the exhibition halls.

"Do you think we’ll get in before midnight?"

Yesu wasn’t listening.

A strange feeling had crawled up her spine.

Someone was watching her.

She turned and immediately found the source.

A girl stood among the crowd. Dressed entirely in black.

At a festival filled with colours.

The greenhouse girl.

The moment their eyes met, the girl visibly froze.

Then she looked alarmed.

Even more alarmed when Yesu stepped out of the queue.

And started walking right toward her.