svetikya #358 - You are the singer, right?
#358 - You are the singer, right?
"Almost, feeling better now?"
"No, not quite… Ugh, no, the world's spinning, still spinning…"
Natsuki Subaru peeked at Zun-zun's reaction while Betty rubbed his back.
"What? It's just motion sickness, I won't make fun of you."
"Well, that's a relief."
He sighed in relief.
"I don't get you, Subaru."
Zun-zun shrugged and said, "If you're embarrassed, shouldn't you be concerned about Emilia instead of me? With your thick skin, you wouldn't even feel it if someone said a few things to you."
"I'm not that thick-skinned yet, and Emilia wouldn't make fun of me, she'd be concerned and ask how I'm doing."
"Your filter is as thick as your skin."
"So, I'm still getting roasted!?"
Although there's the 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder' effect, that's probably how it is, because Emilia is just naturally kind.
Natsuki Subaru, who quickly got seasick on the dragon carriage, was quickly kicked off after causing a commotion and had to walk to the meeting point.
Emilia and the others went ahead to negotiate with the other party.
"Thank you, Zun-zun, for being willing to come with me."
"After all, I was asked to."
Thanks to Anastasia's mediation, they made time for them, but the later they were, the worse the impression would be. To avoid being looked down upon, they decided to split up.
Natsuki Subaru is a very, very, very troublemaking person. No one in Emilia's group except for Emilia herself can control him. Plus, Emilia herself had to negotiate, so it had to be Zun-zun.
"Am I that untrustworthy?"
"You should ask yourself that, Subaru."
"…Can't argue with that."
Natsuki Subaru lowered his head deeply.
Indeed, in his own eyes, he had made great efforts behind the scenes, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that he had saved Emilia from danger several times. However, in the eyes of outsiders, this guy is a complete troublemaker.
"But if you're going to cause trouble this time, take me with you."
"I'll try."
"Hmm?"
"I'll try not to cause trouble."
"Do you even believe that?"
Natsuki Subaru fell silent again. Knowing how much the spirit valued contracts, he rarely made promises now, because danger always accompanied him and Emilia.
Plus, with the songstress, Emilia, Anastasia, and Zun-zun all together, it felt like an incredible drama was about to unfold.
Betty, noticing the stiff atmosphere, immediately changed the subject.
"Betty is interested in the songstress."
"Ah, now that you mention it, Betty was very excited when Lilliana came to the mansion before."
Natsuki Subaru nodded.
Zun-zun was surprised that he had met the songstress, and the explanation was that when the royal selection officially started a year ago, he had just resolved the magical beast disturbance and briefly stayed at Roswaal's mansion with a wandering minstrel girl.
That wandering minstrel is Lilliana, who's being talked about now.
Although she has some personality issues, her singing more than makes up for it, breaking the hearts of the women in the mansion.
Including Beatrice, who hadn't dispelled her estrangement, and Emilia, whose honest feelings no one could match, and of course, Rem.
"Is her singing good? Actually, I also know a girl who sings well, but I don't know if they can compete. No, probably not, she doesn't have a blessing, so she can't compare to the songstress."
"What does a blessing have to do with it?"
"…No, nothing."
Natsuki Subaru felt strange, thinking that he didn't know that the songstress Lilliana had a telepathic blessing, which is why her singing was so touching.
"And then, I currently have a question."
"What?"
"Have we been here before?"
Zun-zun pointed around.
The merchant association they were heading to was along the Great Waterway, at the intersection of First Street and Second Street.
The streets built around the waterway were very intricate for pedestrians. They had gone around many waterways, turned several corners, and seen so many times that even the most beautiful scenery had become tiresome.
"Hey, Beatrice."
"Look, Subaru, what a beautiful fountain."
Betty exclaimed inexplicably.
Green lawns, meticulously manicured gardens, a large fountain with dazzling splashing water – this was the epitome of tranquility. It was undoubtedly a peaceful and comfortable place to rest. If they had time, he would love to take a nap here.
If they had time, that is.
Even without asking, Natsuki Subaru knew she was lost. She had been so confident at first that she could handle it.
"Zun-zun?"
He turned his head.
Only to find Zun-zun also standing in front of the fountain, admiring it as if it were a masterpiece, exclaiming, "Look, Miss Beatrice, that fountain is quite the fountain."
"You have good taste."
"Thank you for the compliment."
Were they at the Louvre? Was the fountain their Mona Lisa?
"Zun-zun…"
"Listen up, Subaru, just like some people can't handle dragon carriages, I'm also—"
"I get it, I get it! Zun-zun, you don't have to say anymore! It makes me feel bad that I got off the dragon carriage because of me, so please stop!"
Natsuki Subaru decisively surrendered.
Zun-zun and Betty quietly gave each other a high five.
"I really want to ask who taught you how to make excuses, but the urgent thing now is to leave here and head to our destination. We probably don't have much time left. If possible, I want to meet up with Emilia and the others before the negotiations regarding the magic crystals are over."
Natsuki Subaru's face was filled with worry.
"Don't worry, Subaru. Leave the negotiations to Otto, he'll help."
"No, no, no, entrusting my affairs to outsiders…"
No matter how he thought about it, it was problematic.
Betty said, "In that case, honestly asking for directions is the best way."
"Oh, oh, coming from Beatrice, saying to honestly ask someone for directions, you've grown up…"
Natsuki Subaru was moved like an old father.
Zun-zun turned a blind eye to the master and servant's antics. He looked around and noticed a problem, confused, "It's strange, how come I can't see any adults or children in the park, even though it's past noon?"
"Indeed, it wouldn't be strange if someone was taking a nap here… Wait, listen."
Natsuki Subaru gestured for them to look towards the depths of the park.
The wind blowing through the park, rustling the flowers and grass, the sound of streams flowing in the waterways, merging with these natural harmonies to agitate the eardrums was the sound of musical instruments and people singing.
They could hear intermittent singing because of the distance, causing fragments. The dancing singing and musical fragments, even incomplete, intensely agitated everyone's hearts. Naturally, the three of them were drawn to the singing.
Deep in the park.
In front of a certain monument erected there, a girl was singing.
Brown skin, short stature.
Large, round eyes on a lively face, bright yellow hair tied in pigtails hanging on both sides, with ornaments made of fruits and animal bones hanging on her hair and body.
The singing girl held a stringed instrument similar to a guitar and ukulele, and she played the music with virtuoso playing skills, vibrating her throat and singing loudly.
Overwhelmed by the power contained in the singing.
The emerging joys, sorrows, angers, and pleasures could all be felt from the singing.
Around the singing girl, there were nearly 50 listeners, holding their breath and concentrating on listening to the singing, attracted by the singing like Zun-zun and the other two.
"—No money, no future, no dreams, only vanity. Ah, what can I see. I can see the darkness in my eyes, nothing in the distance of darkness. The end, the end, the end is coming…"
"If you listen carefully, those are some amazing lyrics, wow."
"Eek!?"
Natsuki Subaru, who couldn't help but speak, startled the singing girl. Of course, the performance was interrupted like that. Immediately, the heat that had dominated the scene until now disappeared in one breath, and in the next second, all the listeners glared at the stiff body of someone who had broken the atmosphere.
"—Don't do unnecessary things!"
Then, the listeners readily grabbed whatever they could find and threw it over, and Natsuki Subaru paid the price for his lack of tact.
Fortunately, the singing girl, who was the biggest victim, persuaded the listeners, and he was able to save his rotten life—the damage ended with being stepped on by most of the departing listeners.
"It hurts, it hurts, it hurts…"
After being rejected by Betty, Natsuki Subaru, with a bitter face, asked Zun-zun for help, but still got rejected.
"Sorry, my spirit is very capricious. Only Betty and this beautiful girl will be healed besides me."
"Your spirit is too discriminatory!"
Natsuki Subaru didn't know much about the spirit's contractual matters, but he had great insight into the spirit's strict adherence to contracts and various inexplicable and bizarre contracts.
"Oh my, to say that someone is a beautiful girl, I'm so shy."
The dark-skinned pigtail girl shyly covered her cheeks.
Zun-zun then reached out his hand to her and said, "Hello, you must be the songstress."
"Yes! I am the songstress! My name is Lilliana, nice to meet you!" She was so excited that she was enthusiastic from beginning to end, making people wonder if she was high.
The proof is—
"Long time no see, Lilliana! Although it's very coincidental, it's good to see you looking so well."
"No, no, it's me, I didn't expect to meet you two here, I'm so happy, shy, and anxious! …Sorry, I bit my tongue in too much of a hurry."
Lilliana, who was gracefully saluting with her instrument in one hand, had a large amount of blood flowing from the corners of her smiling mouth.
It seemed that she had bitten her tongue very hard.
Zun-zun kindly handed over a handkerchief, which she thanked him for and wiped it vigorously.
"Thank you, I'll wash it clean and return it to you immediately!"
"No need, you can keep it."
"I understand! I will keep it close to my heart and treasure it for the rest of my life, as a testament to our friendship! Ah, I have inspiration! Please listen to this song—A close friend I just met!"
Then, she started singing again, and it was Zun-zun's least favorite RAP!
"Maybe you should give me the handkerchief back."
"—How could I, my friendship!"
The songstress girl shouted with her head in her hands and began to sing a sad song again.