Academic gathering with Lich colleagues

The atmosphere in the bar remained lively, but it wasn't the unrestrained, wild dancing of the night. Every guest displayed the excitement of participating in a celebration, a pure, rational joy.

Lyle quickly found Ariana, who was sitting at the bar with her sister, the vampire Beatrice, chatting over drinks. When Beatrice's sharp gaze fell on Lyle, Ariana followed her gaze and saw her lover.

Lyle left the group of four and walked to that spot alone.

As his view zoomed in, Ariana's smile gradually became clearer in his vision, along with Beatrice's fangs peeking out from behind her back.

The novelty of tasting a cocktail seemed like a simple excuse; hardly any liquid was consumed from Ariana's glass. The once distinct layers had been shaken together, transforming into a mixed liquid with colors resembling the aurora borealis.

“You’ve timed it perfectly, Mr. Lyle. There’s about a quarter of an hour before the start of the Musical Life. We can definitely enter on time.”

"I'm always punctual."

Ariana narrowed her eyes, her gaze shifting to the cocktail in her hand that had been shaken for a while. "Benny told me some interesting stories about your first time at this bar."

The first time he arrived, when the succubus Anna was planning to trick him, some scenes with suggestive undertones did indeed occur. Lyle shifted his gaze to his sister-in-law, Beatrice, who was looking away, but the upturned corners of her beautiful profile clearly indicated she was anticipating something.

Does Ariana want to take her anger out on me?

The lich, dressed in a leather gown and tucking her hair behind her ears, blinked once, and Ariana's ordinary demeanor transformed into a captivating and alluring charm.

The wine glass was pushed to Lyle's side.

"Sir/Madam, would you mind paying for this drink?"

Lyle raised an eyebrow, smiled, and asked the price in return, "One Orihu?"

"Everything of yours." Ariana's voice turned cold and arrogant, like a queen issuing a decree.

"It was quite expensive... but it was worth it, so I accepted it."

Lyle was about to down his drink when he discovered that the glass had been snatched away by an enraged Beatrice, who then downed it herself. After finishing her drink, Beatrice glared at Lyle before stomping back upstairs.

Ariana took Lyle's arm.

“Benny didn’t want to participate in Music Radio; she’s never been very interested in music.”

"That's really unfortunate, it's just the two of us now."

Lyle's sarcastic tone successfully amused Ariana, who took Lyle's arm and walked out of the store.

"Hurry up and leave, or Benny will really tear you apart."

The address of The Sound of Music is in Zone 5, Elf Zone.

During his journey, Lyle saw Andre's companions.

Even clad in blood and flesh, they were still easily identifiable. Their movements had a strange incongruity, perhaps due to the stiffness of their limbs caused by long-term exposure to bones, or perhaps due to a lack of vitality.

The vast, rigid torrent converged in one place, reminding Lyle of his first time entering Andrei.

It was the gentleman who led me to understand Andrei.

And now, the gentleman is also present.

"Epidemic doctor".

The gentleman in human skin was still wearing the same gray-white suit as before, with a withered rose pinned to his chest, and a smile on his face, just like the first time they met.

Except for the Ankara black cat he was holding in his arms.

"Ms. Vera Liz".

Lyle's amber cat eyes had already spotted him, but were quickly drawn to Ariana beside him.

"Long time no see, Lyle, oh, I should say Mr. Plague Doctor."

The black cat's tail swayed casually, playing with the thorns on the gentleman's rose.

“What a beautiful lady.” The black cat peeked out from under the gentleman’s shoulder. “Would you like to become a witch? I’ll make you the witch mother.”

"Vera!" the gentleman reminded the cat, but his voice sounded more like a plea.

“I’m so sorry, Avenritter. I always forget my manners when I see a beautiful lady. Please forgive me if I have offended you, unknown lady.”

“I am Ariana Naslan. It is an honor to meet you, Veraliz, the mistress of witches.”

After a brief introduction, they didn't exchange many words, but quietly accompanied the man as they walked. Lyle and the gentleman did chat for a while, mostly about the music and the performance.

The natural scenery of the Fifth District is like a paradise on earth. Those druids are truly skilled.

The golden sunlight, the emerald green leaves, and the dappled light seemed to trigger Vera's instinctive reaction.

The black cat caught sight of the light, then reacted to the gentleman's laughter and gave him a cat punch.

As they ventured deeper into the Emerald Forest, the number of observing elves increased, but both sides maintained a certain distance.

The sunlight was fading as the shade of the trees overhead grew thicker.

Finally, Lyle and the others arrived at a huge tent covered in black cloth.

One by one, the liches were lining up and entering the only small door, about the height of a person, hidden under the black cloth.

That must be the audience seating area for enjoying the performance.

Lyle peered through a gap in the crowd into the tent; it was pitch black. It looked a bit like a movie theater.

There were no candle-like lighting devices inside, but branches extended from the sides of the wooden stake-like seats, with a few leaves shimmering with a faint green light.

These pretty, glowing little gadgets were used to mark the seats. Lyle led Ariana to a corner seat and waited for the performance to begin.

Everything in the elven quarter gave the liches a novel experience. They excitedly whispered among themselves in the darkness, like children on their first school trip. Although they could gain the liches' darkvision once they removed their disguises.

"In order to fully experience the nature and culture of the elves, our literary society entrusted the entire arrangement of this place to the elves. It seems that they have put a lot of thought into it."

"Darkness helps us concentrate and immerse ourselves in the music. It must be said that, as the first race to weave the harp, the elves' musical talent is just as great as their archery skills."

The gentleman quietly explained from the side.

Until the music truly began, along with the light, it appeared before Lyle.

It was an emerald tree, its shimmering green light gradually rising, illuminating the fairies sitting on its branches, playing various wooden instruments. They wore robes woven with gold and silver threads, crowns of flowers on their heads, and swung barefoot in the air like glistening fruits suspended in the wind.

But Lyle's first notice wasn't of those long, fair legs; he found that his vision seemed to be restricted, with black shadows cutting the scene into long strips.

A fence stood between the stage and the audience seats. All the liches noticed it, and the lich in the front row even curiously touched the long, vertical bars.

"It's made of ironwood, an ironwood fence."

The liches began to wonder why a row of fences had been erected here.

"I understand!" The gentleman seemed to have realized something, and he raised his voice to silence the murmurs. "That's not a fence, but a cage, a huge cage. It's definitely a form of elven art!"

"Elves are the race that most reveres nature. Their poems often express love for nature and a longing for freedom. I understand now. The theme of this musical creation is to celebrate freedom. These elves have locked themselves up, singing mournfully like caged birds. They have simulated a cage, which is a way of oppressing themselves, so as to celebrate freedom more authentically."

"So professional! These elves are truly outstanding artists. They have made such a sacrifice for art."

The lich looked on with a sense of awe and became even more focused on watching the elves' performance.

Lyle noticed something strange about it.

He leaned back quietly and reached his hand into the black cloth behind him. Sure enough, he found a new fence through the cloth.

So here's the problem: there's a fence in front of you and a fence behind you.

Who exactly is in the cage?

Lyle understood the truth.

Why did the lich walk through that small door into the audience? Why was the room as dark as a movie theater?

There's no such thing as the art of caged birds here; there are only dangerously isolated lich monkeys.

The central theme of music is not the priceless freedom, but the paramount importance of safety.

We, Andrei, are the ones who should be celebrating freedom.

We are locked in a cage.

Chapter 384 We Never Let You Down

Although the elves' actions were very unethical, Lyle did not expose them.

Peace is a precious thing.

More importantly, this was Andrei's first attempt at contact with outsiders. He wanted the liches to feel the goodwill of other races, even if it was false, what they perceived as goodwill. Lyle intended to use lies to maintain a beautiful world. The birth of music was a symbol of harmony and friendship between the literary society and the elves, and Lyle couldn't bear to destroy it. Presumably, the members of the literary society thought the same way, after all, they had observed so carefully…?

The emerald green light of the Emerald Tree filled the entire dark space; it was a bright but not dazzling light. It was precisely because of this bright light that Lyle had only now noticed the subtle movements of the liches around him.

Not far away, a white triangular pyramid stood, with arms extending from its sides. One hand held a quill pen, and the other held a parchment scroll. At the top of the pyramid, a sparkling gem was shining brightly.

My initial assessment is that he is a reporter.

The reporter was seen looking up and down from time to time, writing and drawing on the parchment scroll.

What is he doing? Taking notes at the concert?

Curious Lyle sent Nia out. Nia stretched her body and moved upwards, and just three meters off the ground, she found, sure enough, a horizontal fence—it really was a cage. Nia moved along the top fence, and then lowered an eyeball tentacle above the reporter's glowing gem.

With the help of the evil creation's excellent eyesight, Lyle saw what the reporter was writing.

It was an image composed of a large geometric structure with a certain regularity, and in certain places, the reporter would record some data.

Lyle had a gut feeling that this data must be of some use.

Is it some kind of code? A musical note left behind by the elves, or some kind of insight into knowledge?

Having been immersed in Andrei culture for a long time, Lyle developed a great deal of curiosity. In order to find out the truth, Lyle decided to ask for himself.

Several more black and red tentacles descended, one of which developed a crack at the tip and transformed into a lip, with teeth and a tongue forming within it. Then, the mouth emitted Lyle's voice.

"Sir reporter, sir reporter..."

The white triangular cone moved slightly when it heard the call. When it discovered the twisted tentacles hanging above its head, it was only briefly surprised before uttering a light, slightly lewd sound unique to the reporter.

"Is he the plague doctor?"

"It's me, sir. What are you doing? Is it some important research?"

The reporter smiled and said, "As expected of the plague doctor who is a member of the Salvation Society, you even noticed that."

“I am indeed observing something very important.” The reporter said mysteriously, “Plague Doctor, do you know? Those elves who play instruments and sing are the best of the elves. Their strength and beauty have been refined by the years. That’s why I chose them.”

"They hold a precious secret."