Miss Brooks let the silence hang for a moment before she spoke, her gaze sweeping across the massive hall.
"I'm sure you're all wondering why you've been gathered here," she said, her voice even yet carrying a weight that commanded attention. "Particularly the Year 1s… and, most likely, even some of the upperclassmen."
Noah stood with Lucas and Sophie, arms crossed, watching her with mild interest. Around them, murmurs spread through the hall—curiosity, speculation, even a few jokes.
Miss Brooks didn't seem fazed by it. She continued, "Well, it's no secret that the Interschool Tournament is fast approaching. The biggest event of the year. An opportunity for the best among you to represent the Academy against the other twelve schools within our Cardinal Zone."
There was a pause, just long enough for the weight of her words to settle.
"And for those of you who don't know how this works, let me break it down."