Glory Kael Magic Academy, Central Teaching District, top-floor circular conference room.
Dozens of men and women in professors' robes of various colors sat on either side of a long, dark conference table.
Morning light slanted through the tall arched windows, casting geometric patches of light onto the polished tabletop, yet it did little to dispel the somewhat somber atmosphere.
The air carried the scents of old parchment, ink, and a faint herbal incense meant to keep the mind alert.
This was an emergency meeting concerning the abnormal tremors in the Dungeon before dawn.
Most of those present were professors responsible for the first and second years, along with the relevant administrators.
The third-year professors were busy preparing their students' off-campus internships, while the fourth-year professors were immersed in the final reviews and supervision of their students' graduation projects, leaving them no time for anything else.
"Have we received any preliminary findings on the abnormal tremors coming from the deeper areas of the Dungeon before dawn?"
A stern-faced male professor with graying hair was the first to speak from midway down the conference table, his voice carrying the steadiness of many years of teaching.
He was Professor Martin, who taught the Academy's foundational magic theory courses.
Opposite him, Professor Isabella, a woman with a somewhat severe face and a monocle, adjusted her eyepiece and replied in a businesslike tone:
"There is no definite conclusion yet. The four students who emerged from the Dungeon this morning have already undergone brief questioning, but all of them claimed not to know the exact cause of the tremors."
She paused, then continued:
"So I have already notified the Student Council and asked them to send members of reliable ability into the deeper areas to investigate. Given the efficiency and strength of the Student Council's members,