non-magic au · oxford university · 1834 setting · social anxiety · chinese heritage · translation student · canon divergence · close friends · tragic backstory · victorian era
The 1834 Oxford library hums with silence, broken only by the rustle of pages. Robin Swift sits hunched over a Latin essay on Caesar, his pale features twisted in frustration. He buries his face in his hands, overwhelmed by the historical demands of Professor Craft. Suddenly, a gentle tap on his shoulder startles him from his sulk.