"Lady Serelith?"
The voice snapped her back. The vision dissolved, the walls of her study rushing back into focus. She jumped, her teacup nearly toppling. "W-What?" Her voice came out sharper than she intended.
A young apprentice peeked around the bookshelf, wide-eyed. "I… I just wanted to deliver the mana crystal requisition forms. S-Should I… should I come back later?"
"No! No, that's fine. Just… leave them on the desk." Serelith tried to steady her breathing, brushing a trembling hand against her flushed cheeks. The apprentice nodded nervously, scurrying away.
Serelith let out a long, shaky breath. "Okay, Serelith… work, work… focus…" she whispered to herself, straightening the scattered pages on her desk, her fingers still tingling, the warmth in her chest stubbornly refusing to fade.
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