The Songstress
The beautiful singing had stopped, and breakfast was drawing to a close.
Perhaps to showcase his country's culture, Anastasia had prepared Okonomiyaki for breakfast this time. Although Subaru felt that the aggressive method of loudly shouting while turning the ingredients into charcoal could hardly be considered a cultural display.
Incidentally, watching Julius eat the charred pieces without changing his expression and then offer suggestions, Subaru for the first time understood the true value of the [Finest Knight].
Wilhelm demonstrated surprising clumsiness while cooking the Okonomiyaki. Subaru didn't hesitate to step in to help, and then let Reinhild take over the job of instructing Wilhelm. Finally, Heinkel also joined their team.
Otto also struggled to keep the members of the Felt camp from going hungry.
Of course, Felt, who single-handedly devoured more than ten slices of Okonomiyaki, and Beatrice, who insisted on making her own with stubbornness, turned Otto's face to an ashen white.
.
.
.
After a short rest, Felt dragged Otto off to go shopping, and Heinkel chose to remain at the post station to await information. Having nothing to do, Subaru decided to go see Liliana with Reinhild.
"No matter how many times I see it, it feels magical."
Subaru looked at the canal beside them.
The water in the canal was flowing upwards, defying common sense. This phenomenon was caused by the giant stone towers connected to the outer walls surrounding the city. There was one such giant stone tower in the northeast, northwest, southeast, and southwest of the circular city, giving them an exaggerated presence visible from anywhere in the city.
"The tower itself is a structurally complex 'Metia', I suppose. It uses the power of Water Magic Stones to control the flow of water. The large water gates in the city seem to be operated by it as well, I suppose."
Beatrice, who had followed them, was doing her usual job as a guide.
"Subaru, Beatrice, this way."
Subaru silently looked at Beatrice, then rubbed her head. Beatrice blushed and lowered her head.
Reinhild sighed and took Subaru's hand. Because the waterways were prioritized, the city's pedestrian paths were extremely complex, but Reinhild guided them easily as if walking through her own home.
The trio passed several canals and made many turns before entering an open space.
Green lawn, meticulously maintained gardens, and a dazzling, large-splashing fountain.
"What a beautiful fountain. Is this the park where Liliana performs?"
Subaru looked around and found the park empty. So, Subaru focused his attention slightly.
"Is she singing?"
Subaru heard the vibration of a string instrument and a human voice mixed in with the sounds of nature. It sounded intermittent because of the distance, but the power contained within the song strongly impacted Subaru's spirit, even making his body instinctively move towards the direction of the singing.
A girl was singing beneath an unnamed monument at the deepest part of the park. She had brown skin, was short, and her bright yellow hair was tied into twin tails that hung down the sides of her head. She was adorned with accessories made of tree fruits and animal bones, and she held an otherworldly stringed instrument in her arms.
Liliana was playing the instrument with superb skill and singing with a vibrating throat. The girl's song contained an overwhelmingly powerful force. Wind that wasn't there, earthquakes that didn't happen, and heat that shouldn't be felt could all be experienced upon hearing her song.
People were happy, angry, sad, despairing… because of the girl's song. The girl who spun the song was the master of the scene.
"No money, no future, no dreams, only vanity. Ah, what do I see. I see darkness right before my eyes. There is nothing beyond the darkness. The end of the road, the dead end, the conclusion has come."
"If you listen closely, the lyrics are as terrible as ever, hey!?"
"Kyaa!?"
Subaru blurted out the retort. The girl was startled, nearly dropping the instrument in her hands, and the performance abruptly stopped. The enthusiasm that had dominated the scene instantly vanished.
"W-weird… The song?"
"I'm in the park?… Just now I was clearly still in the darkness."
"No, that really couldn't be helped…"
The people who returned to reality from Liliana's domain of song slowly turned their heads and looked at Subaru standing in the distance.
"Stop poking your nose into our business!!"
The next second, everyone furiously threw the surrounding objects at Subaru.
"Ouch, ouch, ouch, it's been a long time since I felt like I was going to die."
Subaru patted his chest with lingering fear. Of course, anything truly life-threatening was shot down in mid-air by the girl beside him.
"Alright, apologize to Miss Liliana!"
At Reinhild's reminder, Subaru looked towards the monument. Liliana's eyes lit up, and she grasped Subaru's cheeks with both hands just as he was about to apologize, and then—
"I've got inspiration! Please listen. Ah—"
Reinhild delivered a chop to the back of the neck of the frenzied Liliana, bringing her back to her senses.
"Long time no see, Liliana! It's great to see you well and energetic."
"Not~ at~ all~! It's me! I never thought I'd run into you guys here, I'm suuuper happy and all excited-y and shy-y!"
Liliana, who was holding her instrument and bowing elegantly, was grinning widely, but a large amount of fresh blood was flowing from the corner of her mouth. It seemed she was too excited and bit her tongue hard.
She took the handkerchief from Reinhild and pressed it to her mouth, and the cloth immediately stained red, startling Beatrice, who quickly administered a healing magic spell.
"Sorry, I bit too hard."
"I can tell by looking. You really haven't changed at all."
She and her follower were the champions of the Fluegel Grand Festival Couple Music Contest—the only competition where Reinhild fought with full power and still lost.
Then, on their way back to Astrea, the two happened to encounter Liliana's party being attacked by bandits. The injured group traveled with them for a period, and Liliana brought songs, music, and various problems to the journey.
"I never expected you to be in Priestella. Judging by what just happened, your singing condition is still excellent."
"Yes, please rest assured. I plan to continue honing my explosive richness of feeling and passionate performance technique, and successfully earn a daily living by singing in this city~"
"That way of speaking sounds vulgar, you know. Aren't you supposed to be a free troubadour?"
"What 'supposed to,' every strand of my hair and every drop of my blood is that of a troubadour!"
"Whoa, whoa, what's with that motion? It's gross!"
Because of Liliana's casual wiping of the blood just now, her face was speckled with bloodstains, making her squirming movements look truly ghastly.
"How could you call a girl's cute movement gross!?"
Liliana said in dissatisfaction.
Important Announcement! New Fanfifction
Cote: Daily Intelligence System
Shimizu Akira unexpectedly transmigrated into the world of "Classroom of the Elite," becoming an ordinary student in Class D.
Relying on the advantage of foresight thanks to his daily intelligence system, Shimizu Akira navigates between the various factions.
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