When the plot-skips players into the game world

Aiwass had to admit that he'd underestimated "Lulu" a little.

...His temporary teammate wasn't as bad as he'd thought.

After taking a brief breath, "Annie Alexander" by the window let out a sound as ethereal as crystal.

It was still morning, and the sun had just risen.

But her singing immediately made Aiwass think of a summer evening's breeze passing through the window, gently brushing the wind chimes. His heart was filled with carefree bliss, and the anxiety that had yet to surface was firmly soothed.

It was like splashing clear water on a bonfire to douse the flames.

Aiwass slowly closed his eyes, gradually relaxing his mind...

"—Okay, Mr. Fox."

Lulu's voice came through, snapping Aiwass, who had kept his guard up by the door and listening to the movement outside, back to alertness as he instantly opened his eyes.

"Hmm. Good job."

"No problem; it was easy. Even if we have to run with him in our arms, he won't wake up for the next two hours."

The beautiful woman with platinum blonde hair had a confident glimmer in her eye as she earnestly said, "Unless he is directly hit by a bullet, even if he falls to the ground, he absolutely will not wake up."

...Do you want me to praise you?

Such a child.

Miss Lulu must be quite young.

That's what Aiwass was thinking.

He nodded slightly and praised, "You did very well, Lulu. Thanks to you—we've had trouble communicating openly with the child awake. Previously, little Aiwass didn't hear our exchange while he was sleeping. After he woke, we whispered... but outside, we cannot keep communicating like this."

"Even though he's just a child, if the doubts in his heart accumulate slowly, he might eventually identify the flaws we are pretending to play— and once recognized, we would likely be immediately defeated."

Aiwass spoke calmly.

His expression remained unchanged, still exuding a kind of confidence in his grasp.

But inside, Aiwass couldn't help breaking out in a cold sweat.

—He was so close, Aiwass nearly fell asleep himself.

Even with him voluntarily relaxing his mind... The effect of Lulu's song was so good that he was taken aback.

Her voice was incredibly clear and transparent, with a crystalline ethereality. Even though it came from "Annie's" body, it hadn't diminished much.

...Such strong fundamentals?

Are you really from Avalon?

At this thought, something stirred in Aiwass's mind.

The young girls from Avalon who have mastered the Path of Beauty...

—Could "Lulu" be Princess Isabel?

He recalled that Isabel too had mastery over the Path of Beauty, and it was not weak. In the game's "Autumn of Cruelty" event, it was she who, along with Aiwass, accompanied the player characters in their flight to the Eternal Theocracy, becoming a member of the main cast.

However, whether she was the princess or not didn't really affect Aiwass's plan.

Rather, if she really was... Aiwass might find flirting with her even more invigorating.

—It's simple.

Let's just test the waters a bit.

"...What an incredible voice," Aiwass showed a sincerely admiring smile, genuinely praising, "Even if you weren't a Transcendent, you could surely become a continentally famous opera singer."

"Isn't that so!"

Lulu's eyes suddenly lit up, revealing the pure and delighted smile of someone praised by a person they respected: "More than painting or sculpting, I actually prefer singing and dancing..."

"Speaking of which," Aiwass spoke as if something came to mind, "'Lulu'... is that name taken from the opera 'Lulu's Magic Flute'?"

"Mr. Fox has heard of it too?"

Lulu said excitedly.

"It's an extraordinary opera."

Aiwass affirmed, praising from his heart.

It was indeed extraordinary—this opera contained four spells of the Path of Beauty, which only Transcendents with a certain level of artistic insight could perceive and comprehend.

—Even two of them were essentials for the advanced level thirty profession "Piper," and the level fifty profession "Queen of the Night."

"Right, right!"

Lulu spoke happily, her eyes sparkling, beaming: "I was really young when... my grandma took me to see the play, and I could sing it after hearing it just once. It was that part, 'Pa, pa, pa, pa Papageno!' that part!"

"Oh, I know," Aiwass nodded, "The part where Papageno and Papagena dance together, right?"

—Despite Aiwass's smooth reply, he actually had never seen it.

But his screenwriter buddy had told him that "Lulu's Magic Flute" was based on Mozart's opera "The Magic Flute" from Earth, with content and tunes essentially the same.

In this world, its creator wasn't Mozart; it was a fairy named "Lulu."

Fairies are small Phantom Demons with a childish heart and wings, usually wind-attuned as demons are often attuned to Darkness.

Aiwass had seen "The Magic Flute." Of course, he was familiar with some of the scenes... While he definitely couldn't sing it, he could bluff a little.

"Mr. Fox is amazing, I thought this opera wasn't well-known in Avalon!"

Lulu momentarily forgot about the promotion ceremony, excited by finding a kindred spirit and recognition.

She sang spontaneously, "[Will you be mine forever? Will I be yours forever! Now you are my wife, now you are my true love...]"