Nolan slowly removed his feet from the desk and leaned forward, his elbows settling on his knees, fingers laced in front of him. The screen on his desk dimmed as if it too sensed the shift in atmosphere.
He looked at the group still standing awkwardly in the middle of the room—sweaty, uncertain, yet oddly composed in their post-dance stillness.
"What exactly are you all doing?" Nolan asked, his voice level but edged with a hint of curiosity.
Liam stepped forward, glancing briefly at his classmates before clearing his throat. "Sir, it's the Silver Blade City Dance."
"The what?"
"The Silver Blade City Knight Dance," Emily clarified, standing straight now. "It's a tradition among our city's warriors. It's how knights here demonstrate their discipline, precision, and control."
Nolan raised a brow. "And what's it for?"
James answered this time, "It's part of our evaluation for placement into specialized academy classes, sir. Based on how we perform, we're assigned to a class."
