In the dim music room, a beam of light slanted onto the stage. Then, delicate piano notes began to play, followed by the gradual accompaniment of other instruments.
On stage, a blonde girl held the microphone with her eyes gently closed. Her slightly crisp voice began to sing a song full of romantic undertones—soft and lingering, brushing against the cheeks like a breeze in a world of ripened fruit. Even the faint breaths between her vocal transitions were captured by the high-definition microphone, making the immersive experience feel like a whispered secret beside each listener—tinged with innocence and allure.
As rehearsal ended, the lights came back on.
“Evony, you sang with such a romantic vibe—could it be you’ve really fallen for someone?”
Everyone gathered around, eyeing the blonde girl in her white dress.
“No way.”
Evony laughed and raised her hands, waving them lightly to indicate she was still single.
Her family had strict discipline, so rumors like that weren’t good for her—and she truly had no interest in romance.
“Then how can you sing so well? I was totally enchanted.”
The other team members weren’t about to let this "Goldfish Princess" off the hook so easily. People used to say Evony was proud, but after spending time with her recently, everyone had discovered she was easy to get along with. She didn’t mind some harmless teasing.
“Well... probably just imagination.”
Evony tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and sat down.
“What I mean is, because I haven’t experienced it, I imagine it as something especially pure and beautiful.”
“And you don’t necessarily need to experience it. Like some novelists—never been in love, yet their romance stories are sweeter than anything.”
Evony made a somewhat bittersweet comparison.
“Hahaha, that’s so true.”
Laughter rippled once again through the group.
In another corner of the room, Thilan sat with a brand-new guitar in her arms, learning under Ge Yin. Though she might not be able to catch up in time for the performance, she still wanted to learn—after all, the guitar was used so frequently in modern music.
“It’ll be difficult to learn well in a short time, but if you focus on mastering just one or two pieces, it’s doable.”
That was the advice Botis had given Thilan during a call.
“Princoco learned guitar from me. Her current level is practically freeform—she can improvise a song on the spot. Her songstress traits lean toward ‘wild’ and ‘passionate.’ If you use traditional instruments, their timbre could easily get drowned out.”
“As for instruments with the strongest penetrative sound—those would be wind instruments. But those are just too inelegant. Thilan, you’re better off learning guitar.”
And so, during breaks between rehearsals, Thilan began learning guitar from Ge Yin.
Her fingers plucked the strings, and the metallic vibrations rippled out like waves. The tone was completely different from a violin—a whole new experience.
After chatting with the others for a while, Evony came over and bent down to sit beside Thilan, watching her strum the strings with a bit of clumsiness under Ge Yin’s guidance. The sight brought a gentle smile to Evony’s eyes.
Thilan really is just so adorable.
Time passed peacefully, and once the full team had been assembled, it felt like someone had hit the fast-forward button. Thilan’s band members were practically living in the music room, rehearsing various songs non-stop. A few days later, Thilan finally began to sing.
Standing on the stage, the black-haired, blue-eyed girl closed her eyes. She gently pressed her hands to the sides of her over-ear headphones. A pale blue glow rotated around the headset as a soft drumbeat began. Her clear voice rang out, and even in the darkness, one could almost see the vibrations of the eardrum through sound alone.
Then, in that quiet room, her voice echoed—ethereal like moonlight. So pure, so clear, that even the spotlight shining on the girl seemed tinged with divinity.
Everything seemed to freeze in that moment. Time's dust floated in stillness. The voice, stripped of worldly noise, carried traces of sorrow and grace. It told a ballad that transcended time—unchanging emotions, dazzling and distant ideals, the raw pain of falling into darkness, the repeated moments of struggle and hesitation, and finally, the silhouette of someone walking alone into the shadows. All those mundane, petty desires crumbled to dust, leaving only endless sighs and longing.
At last, the song ended. The lights slowly brightened, yet all eyes remained on the girl who had sung with closed eyes, unable to look away.
“That’s… a songstress.”
One member slowly opened their mouth, murmuring those words with disbelief.
They were part of the combat team for this competition. Though they had met and interacted with the new president during rehearsals, to these third-year students, this black-haired first-year still felt more like a little sister in need of protection—not someone who exuded authority.
“If it’s like this, then everything makes sense.”
Even though everyone liked Thilan, they had still worried whether she could handle this role. After all, being student council president wasn’t just about being cute—it represented the face of Edess Academy and came with authority most students didn’t possess.
Applause broke out.
After a few seconds of silence, thunderous clapping echoed through the music room. Many people stood up excitedly, eager to gather around Thilan, to get a good look at this slightly delicate, adorable girl—the songstress Edess Academy had hidden all this time—curious to see what she was truly like, and what made her so special.
“I’ve decided—from today onward, I’m a loyal Thilan fan! If she ever releases merch, I’ll buy every single one!”
A boy declared dramatically.
“Ahhh, little Thilan is so cute—I want to cuddle her in my arms and pet her!”
Said a third-year girl, resting her cheek on one hand and saying things that made Thilan a little nervous.
“Thilan really is unique. At first glance, she’s easy to overlook. But the more time you spend with her, the more she draws you in. And today’s performance revealed a completely different kind of charm—especially those eyes. When she opened them while singing, it was like she had a thousand unspoken words. My heart jumped.”
“I love Thilan~ (≧≦)”
“Can you all calm down a little? Thilan’s too shy to speak now.”
Looking at the bashful girl on stage, everyone smiled knowingly, then gathered closer and gently escorted her down.
“When did Thilan awaken her gift?”
“I had no idea… so our school has a songstress too?”
“This feeling—it’s amazing. I feel like I want to carry Thilan all the way to the top of Saint Ingo!”
“Is little Thilan even seventeen yet? Her vibe doesn’t match at all.”
“She’s so perfect. I finally understand why so many throughout history were obsessed with songstresses.”
“Come to think of it, wasn’t the founding of the Federation driven by a bunch of crazed fans with a common passion?”
“Even though we don’t know each other, sitting in the audience together, listening to the same songstress we all love—we somehow connected, started talking, started caring.”
“It’s unbelievable. Our Edess Academy actually had a songstress hidden away all this time. This is just… just too incredible!”
Emotions stirred in everyone’s hearts as they voiced their thoughts and impulses. Surrounded in the center, Thilan felt helpless—but she could only let these older brothers and sisters tease her, and selectively answered a few of their questions.
“Actually, I only awakened the songstress gift a year ago… I’m not that good at it yet…”
She tried to sound modest, so people wouldn’t place too many expectations on her.
“Wow, just one year and you’re already this amazing? Thilan, you’re incredible!”
“Hmph, with Thilan on our side, even ‘Fiery Sugar’ is nothing to fear!”
Though Thilan herself lacked confidence, the seniors around her brimmed with enthusiasm and ideas—almost ready to announce their joy to the whole world.
“This is why revealing your gift isn’t always a good thing,” the girl couldn’t help but think to herself in that moment.