It felt as if he had slipped into a very brief, fleeting dream.
But the moment he awakened, the content of that dream became hazy, large parts dissolving into meaningless images.
Ray opened his eyes.
The sun outside the window had already set. There were still ten minutes before his alarm was due to ring.
He sat up, his head feeling a bit heavy and muddled probably from sleeping too long.
Today's nap had, without a doubt, been the most restful sleep Ray had gotten in a long while.
No need to worry about work troubles; all his actions now had Miss Carlotta's backing.
Besides, he was even being paid to attend a free concert later.
This was, by far, the easiest assignment he had received since joining the Averardo Bank.
It was just a shame that once this special task was over, he would have to return to the sunless vaults of the bank.
Oh right.
Hadn't Miss Carlotta said that after the task was complete, he could ask her for one request?
So that meant… could he simply tell her: "Second Young Miss, I don't want to work hard anymore"?
The steel wool pad represents the suffering one must endure to live a life of luxury.
Uh, but judging by the Second Young Miss's looks, Ray wouldn't exactly be at a disadvantage. She was a bit on the short side, but being short had its own perks—there were unique ways to play that.
[It's almost time.]
A message from Carlotta appeared on the terminal.
[The concert is about to start.]
[I've already had someone purchase the ticket for you. Remember to be on time.]
Ray picked up the terminal and replied with two words.
[Received.]
He got out of bed, brewed himself a cup of coffee, and checked the time. There was still an hour and a half before the concert began, plenty of time.
Even though this was his first time doing this kind of work, he resolved not to let the Second Young Miss down.
…
The streets around the theater were filled with pedestrians.
Among them were quite a few Sisters and Brothers of the Order.
Although Ragunna was much more open now compared to the past, the Order's influence remained deeply entrenched, firmly controlling the city's public discourse.
Any form of artistic performance, regardless of scale, had to be reported to the Order in advance and undergo strict review before it could be publicly staged.
If the content of a performance contradicted the Order's doctrines or dogma, it would be shut down at once. Those responsible would face severe punishment, possibly even being sentenced to the Pilgrim's Sail as their ultimate penalty.
The Order always proclaimed that the Pilgrim's Sail was a journey of punishment and redemption for those unfaithful to the Sentinel. After repentance and reform during the voyage, they could supposedly regain their freedom and return.
Yet to this day, none who boarded such a ship had ever come back.
"Excuse me, are you Mr. Ray?"
As Ray stood near the theater, scanning the surrounding crowd, someone hurried toward him.
From the person's refined, theatrically styled attire, it was not hard to guess they were a performer in tonight's concert.
"Yes, that's me." Ray turned, offering a polite smile.
"Excellent! Good thing I didn't mistake you." The person patted their chest lightly, letting out a relieved sigh. "This is the concert ticket Miss Carlotta specifically asked me to deliver to you."
Ray paused for a moment, then reached out to take the ticket and thanked them sincerely. "Thank you. By the way, judging by your outfit, are you performing tonight?"
"Of course!" The person straightened, pride brightening their features. "It's all thanks to Miss Carlotta's generous backing that our group has this chance to perform on this stage."
"Although this is our first public performance, everyone has poured tremendous effort into rehearsing."
"It's a shame Miss Carlotta couldn't attend, she has prior commitments."
"But as friends of Miss Carlotta, we welcome you sincerely. We hope you'll immerse yourself and enjoy the performance we've prepared!"
Ray smiled. "I'm very much looking forward to it."
He watched the performer leave, then studied the ticket in his hand.
When it came to music, Ray had some knowledge, not an expert, but he could play a few simple tunes on piano or violin.
Whenever the company had a holiday, he wouldn't just laze around at home; occasionally, driven by a love for the arts, he would come to the theater and lose himself in a performance.
…
As Overseer of the Fractsidus, Phrolova shouldn't have been exposing herself so freely in public.
But looking around, who would truly notice her? She was a person who had completely withdrawn, drifting like a ghost.
In that bustling crowd, no one stopped for her; no one cast an inquiring glance.
They wouldn't. He wouldn't either.
She had once held hope, until that hope curdled into utter despair.
The performance was about to begin. Listening to the laughter around her, Phrolova followed silently.
Her gaze drifted to a group photo of the evening's orchestra.
In the photo, the musicians all beamed with bright smiles. Those smiles pricked the softest corner of her heart.
It wasn't jealousy of others' happiness rather, when those smiling faces filled her vision, memories from the past surged over her like a tidal wave, wrapping her tightly and leaving no escape.
Only when a gentle breeze brushed past did she return to the present. She turned her expressionless face away and walked into the theater.
The crowd still bustled. Phrolova found her seat among the people.
She sat quietly, speaking to no one, simply waiting for the performance to begin.
"Excuse me."
Suddenly, a voice appeared beside her.
Floroll was about to react when her gaze swept toward the source of the sound.
When that person's face entered her sight, her breath hitched for an instant, as if the whole world had frozen. Only this familiar face enlarged in her mind.
"Could it be…"
"Is it him?"
The young man before her keenly noticed the girl's unusual stare. He furrowed his brows slightly, confusion crossing his features.
He didn't understand why she stared so intensely.
Sure, he knew he was good-looking, but the intensity of her gaze still unnerved him.
Within a moment, Phrolova reined in the turmoil in her eyes, returning to her usual composed and indifferent demeanor.
She shifted slightly, making a narrow but passable space beside her. She remained silent as if her previous lapse had been nothing but a fleeting dream.
"Thank you." Ray gave a slight nod and a polite, faint smile as he took his seat beside her.