"Hexia, do you know what charisma is?" Botis propped her head up, one hand idly stirring the ice cubes and drink in her cup.
"Charisma is not just about one's appearance; it includes many aspects."
"There is a legend about an ancient Emperor who was overthrown and imprisoned after a major defeat. One day, he finally escaped from prison."
"At that time, the country sent an army to capture him, but when the soldiers appeared before the Emperor, he spread his arms and told them, 'Your Emperor has returned.' Thus, the soldiers turned their backs on their superiors, and even the generals had to dismount and succumb to the will of the majority."
"The formation of this charisma has little to do with appearance, but because his actions and deeds had become a kind of legend. This kind of charisma that came from his personality infected countless people. They were willing to follow him, to risk life and limb, to go through fire and water for him."
"Why is that? Because people saw a kind of hope in him, a sincerity, and strength emanating from deep within, attracting those around him as the Sun does."
"Throughout history, those who have ended chaos and established new orders mostly possessed this trait, or at least part of it."
"In transcendent times, a very small number of people have this kind of talent. Even if they are not physically attractive, their voice, expressions, and movements have a special ability to inspire trust and admiration."
"The most powerful of these beings were the legendary Color Level Songstresses. When they took the stage, their emotions, their prayers, and their soulful singing could pierce the hearts of everyone present, uniting a crowd with wildly different views under a single direction."
"This impact on the soul, even to the extent of changing the world, left countless people in awe and admiration, and even in retrospect, they harbored no regrets."
"Those are unforgettable memories."
"But I'm not one of those talented people. Although I have the traits of a Songstress, I'm only at the Starshine Level, not even close to the Moon Level, so I was destined to follow the path of the band, and not to think about politics or changing the Federation or anything like that."
"That's still quite impressive, Starshine Level!" Vurowus shook her head.
The talent of a Songstress is divided into nine levels, broadly categorized as Star, Moon, and Sun. Star Sprout Level is the lowest, and Scorching Sun Level is the highest. Beyond the pinnacle of the Scorching Sun Level is the Color Level, deriving from the ancient description of the highest title a Songstress could achieve.
In the era before leaving Earth, the most widely known were the Cobalt Blue Songstress and the Crimson Songstress. Later, it became popular to represent the most amazing Songstresses with a particular color, hence the Color Level, meaning to color the world, a miracle that changes the world.
The founder of the Rose Federation was represented by the 'Golden Flame Rose,' and in the Federation's several hundred years of history, only two Color Level Songstresses have appeared. One is the founder 'Golden Flame Rose,' and the other is 'Cobalt Blue Tears,' who lived about four hundred years ago. Both Songstresses' deeds deeply influenced the history of the Federation.
"It's been almost fifty years since a Sun Level Songstress appeared in the Federation. The most well-known now are a few Full Moon Level Songstresses. Although their influence isn't weak, it's nowhere near enough to change the Federation. At most, they're just popular and admired celebrities."
The lingering twilight from the simulated sky illuminated Dream of Glazed Glass, where there were few customers left. The floor, like a mirror, reflected the sky's orange-gold hue, creating an amber-colored dreamscaped ambience.
Hexia slowly ate her food, the earlier tension easing as her shift neared its end. The slight sounds of utensils against porcelain filled the air as she savored the dinner Vurowus had prepared for her.
Not sure what to say, there was just a faint sense of happiness.
As Hexia finished her meal and continued to listen to Botis recount the past, Belfeng finally appeared, her fingertips spinning a diamond-shaped tile, her footsteps light.