"It feels like I've just lived another life."
After the afternoon's trial run came to an end, a maid at the shop made such an assessment. Although immersive movies can elicit a similar sensation, the experience of listening up close to a Songstress recounting her tale was far more captivating and profound.
"No, this won't do," Belfeng declared, sitting solemnly at the table after the trial run.
"What won't do?" Huale asked, puzzled.
"I mean Dantalion's method of conducting business, it won't do."
"Why not? I think it's quite impressive."
"No, no, no, it's not that Dantalion's Ability is lacking, on the contrary, her Ability is too powerful," Belfeng explained, waving a finger.
"Well, I am a rather lively and cheerful bunny, you know. After listening to the story this afternoon, I was completely entranced, as if my soul had left my body. The effect is just too strong," the rabbit-eared maid reasoned with her arms crossed, pondering like a great leader.
"Should I switch to lighter stories in the future?" the girl asked tentatively.
"That wouldn't quite work either, it feels like something's missing," Belfeng pondered, tilting her head, feeling that something wasn't quite right. Letting Dantalion read those insipid, light-hearted romance stories? Somehow that didn't seem appropriate.
"Dantalion's way of storytelling is too earnest, what I mean is, it's like in those grand classical theaters, where everyone sits upright and listens attentively to a sermon. Yes, that's it, it's just like proselytizing," the bunny realized.
"This kind of appeal has reached a somewhat bewitching level," she said, trying to clear her head.
"If I listen to it a few more times, I'm afraid I'll become a faithful follower of Dantalion."
"Well, although it's definitely good for making money, I can't shake the feeling that if we let it go on like this, it could lead to a very bad situation. Like, if a cult following of some underground religion emerged in Payin City, with everyone holding Dantalion's library tickets as their sacred scripture."
Seeing Belfeng's somewhat worried look, Hexia could only raise her hand to speak.
"I'm not that powerful, it's just that the story chosen today was rather special." After all, it was the memory passed on to her by the 'Golden Flame Flower' Isenisha, she had unconsciously released the profound emotions contained within.
This was almost like a combination of the abilities of two Songstresses, making the impact nearly magical in its influence; although strong, it certainly was a bit too much.
"Then let's try again tomorrow? Perhaps a lighter fairy tale," Belfeng suggested once more, nodding.
"Sure," she agreed.
After leaving the shop, it was already 7 p.m. Although there was no sunlight underground, and the difference was not significant, a clear change could be felt by pedestrians on the street.
Many factories and companies were starting to close, and the vertical elevators were getting crowded.
Carrying her dinner purchases for the day, Hexia stood at the entrance to the elevator and stopped in her tracks as she faced the crowded queue in front of her.
It was better to change the route. She changed her steps and headed towards a less crowded passage.
In the dimly lit square passage, the floor had a V-shaped overlapping neon sign designate, with a seven-colored glittering purple gradient subtly dividing left and right. The walls of the corridors displayed bright screens, with images constantly changing, playing current advertising shorts.
"It's got to be at least a table of T5-grade seafood lobster, right~" The crowd stirred and gradually forgot about the matter with Hexia.
Turning off her personal terminal's screen, Hexia slipped it back into her pocket. Seeing her expression unchanged, Clara was slightly surprised.
"Don't you care?"
"There's nothing to care about, I'm used to this sort of thing."
"You've really changed a lot; you're completely different from before. Well, I guess that's a good thing," she said, waving her hand before stuffing them into her pockets, ready to walk past Hexia and leave.
"Oh, right. Yilin told me that the elementary school reunion is also at the Fulu Restaurant. I thought there would be a conflict, but it turns out to be the same place and on the same day." Clara suddenly stopped.
"Speaking of which, we both went to the same elementary school, and even the same middle school, and our classes were the same too. It's such a curious fate."
"Hexia, for the gatherings on the 12th, do you plan to attend both, or just go to the one with the elementary school classmates?"
"The one with the elementary school classmates; I've made arrangements with Cindy," they said, speaking over their shoulders.
"Cindy, huh, yeah, you two were close back then." After saying this, Clara fell into silence for a while and didn't leave right away.
"Actually, Hexia, you shouldn't have come to this middle school..." After saying that, she fell silent again. She knew all too well that Hexia neither liked nor fit in with these classmates, but the world changes.
"If you don't want to see the middle school crowd that day, I can cover for you. I'm familiar with both groups anyway, so I'll go in first and find a spot."
"Thank you," Hexia replied, her voice a bit colder than her usual gentleness.
"No problem."
Having said that, Clara continued forward, and they each walked toward opposite ends of the corridor, growing further apart.
Walking down the slightly chilly corridor, Clara savored the candy in her mouth, occasionally remembering things from when they were little.
Back in elementary school, Hexia wasn't like this. She had a family everyone envied, and an older sister whom classmates idolized. Though she was a bit shy, she was always at the center of everyone's attention, like a cherished princess.
Back then, she was just an ordinary member of the class, only able to watch from afar as Hexia, favored by teachers and classmates, was surrounded by adoration. And throughout those elementary school years, she hardly ever spoke to Hexia.
But times change. Hexia's family fell on hard times, her sister passed away, and all the glamour disappeared. Subsequently, she moved to the impoverished Lower District and attended the same middle school as Clara.
Although they recognized each other, with different personalities, once they reached middle school, Clara's attention increasingly turned to the stars and idol-following, rarely interacting with Hexia, who sat in the corner. Moreover, no one in the class knew they had been elementary school classmates.
Perhaps the pressure and anxiety that had built up over the past two years caused her to underperform this time, failing to do well on the test. Thinking this, Clara felt a blend of sympathy and regret.
During her last chat with Dudu, she heard that Hexia and Lina had fallen out. No wonder when Hexia was brought up, Lina made sarcastic comments online and even influenced several girls in the class to speak ill of Hexia. Before, when Hexia and Lina were on good terms, despite Hexia being reserved, few would speak ill of her.
Now, Hexia had lost even Lina, her superficial friend, and was left to work alone, lonely and possibly bitter. Clara thought about it and felt it very poignant, which was why she had unusually offered to help Hexia just moments ago.
I'm her last old classmate; it'd be regrettable not to lend a hand.