Chapter 291 ·The Underground Idol Candice

The ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Underground Idol Candice

Outside the main gate of the Trading Post's Lorin Opera House, a suspicious figure stood in stark contrast to the confident adventurers and mercenaries openly walking into the opera house.

"My disguise should be fine, right?"

Serea pulled out a mirror and checked her reflection from left to right. In the mirror appeared a black-haired girl, the very likeness of 'Candice'.

But to go on stage again with this appearance...

So embarrassing! So embarrassing! So embarrassing!

  Serea covered her face, but for the sake of the Faith Crystal, she was willing to throw her pride away!

"Little girl, what are you doing standing here? Are you hoping to go in and listen to some music?"

At the sound of the voice, Serea turned to see a short, plump, balding middle-aged man standing there. Hearing his question and seeing his gold-embellished and silver-ornamented attire, along with the uniform he wore for work—

"Are you the owner of the opera house?"

"That's right."

The plump man replied with great pride, giving the girl another look, sizing up her face and figure.

Not bad!

Driven by some unknown impulse, he reached out to pat Serea's shoulder and said,

"So, what do you think? If you want to go in, uncle can let you in for free—ah ah ah, ow ow ow!"

Before his hand landed, Little White had already grabbed his wrist and sharply twisted it back. Under the pain, the plump man could only bend down.

"Let go, let go! You're going to break it!"

"Release him."

At Serea's command, Little White let go, and the plump middle-aged man quickly stepped back, clutching his wrist. Seeing the two black-robed bodyguards following behind the girl...

The plump man no longer cared to admire the girl's looks. Holding his wrist, he hurried into the opera house while muttering,

"What kind of people are these? I let you in for free out of kindness, and this is what I get? So what if you have bodyguards?"

But as he walked, he suddenly felt like he'd bumped into something. Looking up, he saw that the tall black-robed man was now standing before him, exuding a threatening aura.

"You... what do you want?"

The man stepped back as Serea walked forward.

"Nothing really. I just want to perform here."

"Perform?"

Hearing this, the plump man sized up Serea again. Her appearance was passable, but...

"You're so young, what could you possibly do?"

"Don't mind that. Yes or no?"

"This... I'm afraid not. Our 'Lorin Opera Troupe' is a famous chain theater throughout Otto Kingdom. How could you—"

Clatter!

A small pouch was thrown over. The man caught it, feeling the hefty weight, and opened the pouch.

Gold! These were gold coins!

So many coins—more than his monthly salary!

"Is it alright now?"

"Of course, of course! You can perform however you want, even book the whole place tonight if you please!"

Upon hearing that, Serea went right inside and the man hurried after her, his attitude now extremely respectful.

"Honored Miss, my name is Aikleyville, I am the manager of this opera house. May I have your name?"

"Candice, a diva."

"Diva?!"

The man was stunned. The term 'diva' hit him like a bolt. Truthfully, a diva was an extremely rare profession; powerful divas could even be classified as 'strategic reserves'! How could one be performing in a place like this?

Looking at the two bodyguards behind the girl, aikley instinctively assumed this was some young lady who snuck out for fun. As for the claim about being a diva...

Hah, if everyone who could sing was called a diva, the profession wouldn't be so rare. But he could never say that out loud—in the end, she paid, so let the girl sing and treat it like amusing a child.

"Candice is a fine name indeed, and since you're a diva, does that mean you wish to showcase your voice here?"

"Yes."

"May I ask if you have a piece prepared for the performance? The show is about to begin, and I need to pass your music to our musicians."

"This."

She handed him an audio recording crystal. Aikley was taken aback.

"This..."

"Just inject magic and play it. Call me when it's my turn; I need to prepare."

After saying this, Serea ignored the man and went straight to rest backstage.

When Serea appeared, the backstage performers were all a bit curious. But, intimidated by the two tall black-robed bodyguards behind her, they didn't dare approach and simply prepared for their own performances.

Meanwhile, aikley was still troubled as he held the audio recording crystal. The opera house was newly established, and the magitech devices hadn't arrived yet. He had no magic to activate it by hand—what now?

  While he was debating whether to explain the issue, a voice came from behind him.

"Welcome, master Molly!"

He turned to see a short-haired girl with red shoulder-length hair being greeted by everyone. When he saw her, aikley's eyes lit up and he hurried over.

"Master Molly, are you here to play a piece today as well?"

"Yes, I got the urge suddenly."

"Very well, I'll arrange it for you right away."

Aikley's attitude was nothing short of reverent, clearly showing how highly regarded the girl was.

Surrounded by the crowd, molly slowly took out a violin from a large case backstage, while Aikley personally came over to assist her. He continued to make overtures as if hoping to recruit her for the opera house, but Molly offered no reply.

Seeing his persuasion was futile, aikley tactfully said no more; after all, having her occasionally grace the theater was already a blessing, and driving her away would be a terrible loss.

"In that case, master Molly, please wait here. I'll go inform the front desk."

"Yes."

Aikley started to leave, but then remembered something.

"Oh right, I almost forgot—I'd like to ask Master Molly a favor."

"What is it?"

"We have a young miss at the opera house who wishes to perform. But her accompaniment is this."

He handed Molly the 'audio recording crystal'.

"That's quite a rare little trinket."

"Exactly. Our opera house branch has only just been established, and none of the magitech equipment has arrived. Could you help run it by hand, master?"

"No problem."

"Thank you, master. See you soon."

With that, aikley went off to arrange the performance.

Looking at the 'audio recording crystal' in her hand, molly curiously glanced to one corner backstage. There, she saw a girl peeking out from behind a curtain, with two black-robed bodyguards standing behind her. Those two...

Very strong!

  "A rich young lady playing at music, I suppose."

That was Molly's conclusion as well, and for those who treated music as mere entertainment, she consciously chose to ignore them.

Meanwhile, Serea peered at the opera house through a gap in the curtain. The seats were already full of mercenaries and adventurers returning from their quests.

For these "off-and-on" professional adventurers, the opera house was a great leisure spot. And, having heard that Master Molly would be performing today, many had gathered here hoping to witness her grace.

(To be continued...)