The musical performance led by Rosmiel was a story centered entirely around roses.
The plot was straightforward: to awaken her mother from an eternal slumber caused by an Evil Witch’s curse, a young girl sets out on a journey to find the legendary Phantom Rose.
Rosmiel appeared mid-way through the performance as the Rose Princess—a role she was effectively born to play—to present the protagonist with a trial. She appeared once more in the finale to bestow the Phantom Rose upon the girl who had successfully overcome that challenge.
As she had mentioned herself, her time on stage wasn't particularly long, yet it was a pivotal role. Since it was a musical, song and dance were woven throughout the show, and Rosmiel frequently displayed her stunning singing voice. Her dignified presence and the way she sang with a voice as clear as crystal were truly impressive.
The performance must have lasted for a considerable amount of time, but I was so captivated that it seemed to reach its end in the blink of an eye. Still savoring the lingering magic of the musical, we made our way outside while exchanging our thoughts.
"Actually, I heard from Rosmiel-san that Lilliwood-san will be singing soon in the square in front of the central castle. Shall we head there next?"
"That sounds wonderful," Lilia-san replied enthusiastically. "A performance by the World King-sama is effectively the main attraction of the festivities. Her singing is famous, but it is said to be almost impossible for commoners to hear her outside of the Harmonic Symphony. This is a rare opportunity."
Lilia-san seemed quite eager, so the castle square was decided as our next stop. I’d heard Lilliwood-san was a talented singer, but I hadn't realized how rare it was to actually hear her. Then again, given her status, I suppose there weren't many occasions where she could simply break into song.
"By the way... regarding our group... do we even count as commoners?" Luna-san mused.
"Even if we set aside Miyama-sama as a complete outlier, we still have Milady, the head of a Ducal House; Sieg, a High Elf personally trained by the Underworld King-sama; and Kusunoki-sama and Yuzuki-sama, who are Otherworlders with Temporary Blessings from High-ranking Gods. Am I the only actual commoner here?"
Now that she mentioned it, Luna-san really was the only one who might fit that description. Her smug expression was a little irritating, and while she was technically a Former Top-class Adventurer, she didn't have the same "extraordinary" status as the rest of the group...
"You seem to be getting a bit ahead of yourself, so I'm doubling your next assignment, Lunamaria-san," a voice chirped.
"Wait, stop! I'll literally die!"
Alice had suddenly materialized with an exasperated look on her face. The moment she spoke, Luna-san dropped into a lightning-fast dogeza.
"Huh? Alice? What's going on?" I asked.
"Oh, Lunamaria-san mentioned wanting to get stronger, so I've been bullying her every now and then for a while."
"It's not a metaphor! She really is bullying me!" Luna-san cried, her eyes hollow with sorrow. "I am tormented so severely every single time... I just want a little mercy..."
Alice explained it so casually, but Luna-san looked as if she were staring into the abyss. Putting that aside, I was curious about the arrangement.
"So Alice is actually your instructor, Luna-san?"
"Yep. Only about once or twice a month at most, though. It's been going on for about a year now."
"A year?! I had no idea!"
I glanced at Lilia-san and Sieg-san; both looked completely floored. It seemed I wasn't the only one kept in the dark. Still, despite the shock, it made a certain amount of sense. Alice and Luna-san were somewhat alike, and since both utilized an All-purpose combat style, they were a natural fit.
"Well, I figured Kuro-san would eventually reach out to Sieg-san anyway," Alice continued. "Since Lunamaria-san looked like she was going to be left behind by the rest of the trio, I stepped in. She wanted the help, so I gave it to her. If I teach her too much at once, there's a risk her stats will bug out, so I just check in occasionally and give her homework."
"Um, Alice-sama? What about me?" Lilia-san asked tentatively.
"You're a pure Super Genius Type. You'll get stronger way faster by just sticking to the basics and doing mock battles rather than having someone lecture you. Your technique is fine as it is... though you really should work on strengthening your stomach."
"Ugh..."
Alice shut her down with brutal honesty. To be fair, Lilia-san was the type who seemed to grow stronger just by existing.
"Honestly, what Lilia-san needs is a rival. Someone who can keep up with her insane, 'genius-only' instincts—someone she can really clash with. If a rival with that same level of talent showed up, her growth would skyrocket. But geniuses on that 'Bug of the World' level don't just appear every day. You're lucky if one turns up every ten thousand years or so."
Lilia-san’s talent was truly extraordinary if even Alice acknowledged it to that degree. Even Kuro had compared her potential to that of the Six Kings.
But why did I feel this way? Despite having no evidence at all, I had a strange premonition—a feeling that such a person would appear sooner than anyone expected.
Fox on Standby
Serious-senpai: "A flag just went up... but is Vulpecula really supposed to show up this early?"
???: "Side stories are essentially a parallel world, so the timing of encounters can vary wildly. Besides, the Mutsuraboshi members are gathering one after another, so it's definitely a possibility."