The tournament changed everything. News of Luna's performance spread across the continent. She went from being the controversial bridge child to being the academy's champion, a gifted student who'd won through skill and teamwork.
Suddenly, everyone wanted to meet her. Delegations from distant packs arrived requesting audiences. Merchants offered sponsorships. Artists wanted to paint her portrait. Journalists requested interviews.
"This is too much," Aria told Dante as they reviewed the fifteenth request that week. "She's eight years old. She doesn't need this kind of attention."
"But declining everything makes us look isolated. Secretive." Dante rubbed his temples. "We need to find a balance. Some public engagement to satisfy curiosity, but not so much that Luna becomes a spectacle."
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