Meret stepped out of the car, her heels clicking softly against the paved ground of the parking lot. The chauffeur had parked close to the entrance, and from there she could already see clusters of students streaming into the building. The morning sun glinted off car windows, and the faint scent of dew still hung in the air.

As she walked forward, she began to notice something strange. Every time she approached a group of students, they froze. They did not speak, did not move, and barely even ...