Fans From High Places

Lyra woke up the next day, the weight of her impending departure from Ashborne Academy heavy on her shoulders. As she began to pack her belongings, she realized just how much she had accumulated over the course of the year. New equipment, books, vials, and potions - the fruits of her labors and the tools of her trade - threatened to overflow from her luggage.

Realizing that she would never be able to fit everything into her bags, Lyra decided to head to the campus post office to mail some of her equipment home. As she walked across the campus grounds, her arms laden with boxes and parcels, she ran into her alchemist professor.

The professor's face lit up with a smile as he saw her. "Lyra! I've heard so much about your accomplishments recently." He leaned in close, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "How is the independent study going with Lazarus Corporation?"

Lyra felt a flush of pride at her professor's interest. "Everything is going well, sir. I'm learning so much, and I feel like I'm really making progress."

The professor's smile widened, his eyes twinkling with excitement. "I knew from the moment you stepped into my class that you were destined for great things, Lyra. In fact, I was the one who recommended you for the independent study program."

Lyra's eyes widened in surprise. She had always wondered how she had been chosen for the prestigious program, and to know that her professor had been the one to put her name forward filled her with a sense of gratitude and responsibility.

"Thank you, sir. That means more to me than you know."

The professor waved off her thanks, his gaze falling on the boxes and parcels in her arms. "I see you have quite a lot of stuff there, Lyra. You know, as an independent researcher, you're eligible for lunar break housing. You could store your belongings there over the break, rather than having to ship them home."

Lyra's face lit up at the suggestion. She had never considered the possibility of staying on campus over the lunar break, but the idea of having a place to call her own, a sanctuary where she could continue her work and her research, was an appealing one.

"I didn't know that was an option, sir. That would be incredible."

The professor smiled, his hand coming to rest on Lyra's shoulder. "Anything I can do for Lyra Argyle, star alchemist in the making. I'll make the arrangements for you. Consider it done."

As Lyra left the postal building, her heart felt lighter than it had in days. The prospect of staying at Ashborne Academy over the lunar break, of having a place to call her own and the resources to continue her work, filled her with a sense of excitement and purpose.

But even as she reveled in the good news, her thoughts turned to the investigation into the Nightfall Mafia and the Euphoria tonic. She knew that the resistance club would be working tirelessly over the break to uncover more information and to develop a plan of action. And she knew that she would have to be ready to play her part, to use her alchemical knowledge and her newfound abilities to help bring the mafia to justice.