Starting with the defeated female knight

This thing is a byproduct of that knight belt... I mean, the Familia conversion device.

[I've been thinking about this for a while now. If the Familia Transformation Device can turn a person into a half-insect, why can't it turn them into something else?]

However, the research difficulty of this thing is still a bit beyond my expectations, mainly because targeted and precise control of pollution is very difficult.

However, I thought of a shortcut: I could just mix the materials in directly.

I know that when I asked you for your shed hair and some other things before, you probably thought I was playing a trick on you.

But actually, I'm tinkering with this.

[But to be honest, this thing is only somewhat useful to you and orcs like Ella, and not much at that.]

[It neither increases your combat power nor has any other effect; it's merely a change in appearance, and it also has a duration.]

But I think you'll like this.

So I did it.

The tentacles gently caressed her claws.

How do you feel about this New Year's gift?

silence.

His gaze moved over the claws, and his heartbeat quickened.

for a long time.

"......like."

And it's not just about liking it, nor is it just about the ointment.

Unfortunately, due to her personality, even when she was blushing, she could only utter those two words.

But it's okay.

She can't express herself, but there are plenty of ways to help her do so.

The needle travels upwards from the paws until it touches the mouth, brushing against the muzzle, and then hooks at the base of the fox's ears.

Since that's the case, shouldn't you reciprocate with a gift?

If you don't object...

I won't hold back then!

Because of her personality, the half-orc lady not only didn't have any New Year's gifts for herself, but also didn't prepare any for the tentacles.

But that's okay, because the best gift is right there in the world.

Then, as the orc lady began to suffer horrific torture.

Outside the cathedral, somewhere in the center of Dawn City, a group of people dressed in black robes were gathered.

The addition of the altar-like structure in the middle makes the scene look very eerie.

Don't get me wrong, this isn't some strange ceremony. It's a reality show called 'Dawn Stage' that Green had been planning to hold for some time now.

Although it's called a reality show, it's really just a large stage set up, with the priest in charge of lighting and the mage in charge of amplifying the sound and creating some special effects using magic.

Finally, place a row of seats and chairs around the perimeter, and you're all set.

There was no recording, no broadcasting, and no rehearsals. You could participate simply by signing up, and all you had to do was showcase your talent.

It was a very makeshift operation, and quite rudimentary.

However, after its release, it became unexpectedly popular, and even the priests who provided the lighting had to take turns vying for it because that spot was closer and offered the best viewing experience.

The reason for its popularity is quite simple.

Leaving aside the border barbarians who already struggle to survive and have little entertainment, even the members of the investigation team who came from the capital and have now settled there, thanks to the environment in the capital where everyone suffers and endures hardship, have actually never enjoyed anything good.

It's not that the empire never had any form of entertainment. In fact, the capital city originally had various theaters, bookstores, and a whole host of other artistic buildings.

But with the rupture of the blue heart and the growing obsession with bloodline theory, beautiful things are becoming increasingly difficult to maintain.

Weeds grew in the theater, musical instruments gradually rusted, and even the writing and painting supplies declined year after year.

The only things that gradually flourished were various underground arenas and all sorts of bizarre things that are hard to describe.

After all, for the increasingly spiritually gifted people of the capital, asking them to calm down and appreciate art is somewhat of a challenge.

In comparison, things that are twisted, bloody, and cruel, and that bring a more direct and visceral experience, are more likely to stimulate their senses and give them a feeling of 'being alive'.

As for the Dawn Grand Stage, although it is very simple, thanks to the atmosphere and diversity of Dawn City, not only is the viewing experience better, but the variety and effects of the programs are also quite abundant.

The high-bloodline performances include breaking large stones on their chests, splitting rocks with their hands, and occasionally even breathing fire and swallowing swords—it's thrilling to watch.

For those with lower to middle bloodlines, although it's not as intuitive, they can still use their strengths to perform things like the obsessive-compulsive ecstasy of stable cutting, stable distance measurement and estimation within ten meters, or even a synchronization rate imitation operation similar to the Pacific Rim, and the response has been quite good.

But in reality, the most viable ones were not humans, but orcs.

After all, even with differences in bloodline, humans are still humans, and no matter how much they mutate, they are still confined to the framework of the human race.

But orcs don't care about this or that; their main focus is on attacking.

Bloodhounds and cat trees are just desserts.

For those who are more ruthless, things like limbs regenerating or spikes shooting out indiscriminately are not uncommon.

For something even more extreme, there are those who tear steel plates apart by hand and swallow molten iron whole.

There were even attempts to perform milking cows and sell products along the way, but these were rejected by Green during the preparation stage.

However, none of these were the most surprising things for Green.

What surprised Green the most, and what was also surprisingly popular, was the light.

That eight-year-old, 1.9-meter-tall boy who liked to pick up small stones and was timid and shy.

Don't get me wrong, Deng doesn't have any really tough skills. Although she looks quite tall and is actually quite physically fit, her performance skills are very ordinary.

It's just singing.

Heaven knows where a bird that can't speak a word and can only 'coo coo' can get such good singing skills and expressive emotions.

In short, even without lyrics or accompaniment, she sang very well, relying entirely on her own performance, and was very popular with the audience.

They were even more popular and well-liked than the specially trained sheep-type orcs next door.

After singing it a few times, her "Gu Gu Gaga" not only became a regular feature on the big stage, but also gained a group of fans and an extremely devoted fan.

It's that wolf-like beastman with long, straight black hair that Tania and the others brought back when they went out before.

Her name is Hein.

Furthermore, after arriving in Dawn City, Tania and the others learned that although Hein was called the eldest sister in the tribe and had considerable fighting power, she was actually quite young.

If we convert it by race, they could even be considered to be the same age as the lamp (the development time and lifespan of orcs of different races also vary greatly).

He is also very interested in music—though it's mainly wolf howling.

Moreover, it wasn't just the orcs; on the eve of the Lunar New Year, Green even released the elves from the dungeon.

Although they were quite powerful, it turned out that these AI robots wouldn't do anything unnecessary without receiving instructions.

Even if they are released, they will just find a place to continue idling, just like when they were in prison.

Of course, Green couldn't possibly be completely unguarded against them.

Beneath those beautiful doll clothes, almost every joint and point of force exertion is firmly controlled by tentacles.

There was nothing unusual on the surface.

As for their captain, Melia, who was also the only one who wasn't so much a bot, she took a walk around Dawn City at Grin's suggestion.

It hadn't reacted much until it heard the clucking and howling of wolves coming from the Dawn Stage, at which point its pointed ears twitched a few times.

My heart beat faster.

Just like when those elves were asked about art before.

Strangely, she didn't experience that tearing sensation; instead, she silently retreated to a distance, and her ears stopped twitching.

Do you like music?

"......Um."

Why not go and take a look?

"...Art is dangerous."

Why is art dangerous?

"...It will attract 'He,' which is painful and dangerous."

Who is He?

"..."

His body began to tremble, as if it had triggered some extremely painful memory.

But in the end, after a long struggle, she still uttered that name.

"He is a friend."

She used to be her best friend.

They are also gods born from the elves' pursuit of art and beauty.

Kind, benevolent, and cheerful, she seemed to radiate light from head to toe, a veritable embodiment of beauty and art, and the most beloved and revered being among the elves.

"...all of that before she broke down."

After saying that, she went back into human-machine mode.

Moreover, it seems that this memory has taken a toll on her emotions, and it will probably be difficult for her to recover in the short term.

Finally, let's turn our attention to the mage section.

Like everyone else, Green also prepared a New Year's gift for Uri and even the mages.

Moreover, they prepared it together.

Are you all ready?

"Ready!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a soft 'click' sounded.

The key slowly turned, and the gears began to close.

Clang, clang.

The enormous body began to tremble, and thick white smoke continued to billow out.

Then, they began to move slowly.

Boom boom boom——

The dark golden monster drove out of the city gate and began to roar across the wilderness.

The loud noise attracted the attention of the residents in the surrounding fields and even the residents of Dawn City.

"My God, tentacles... Lord, what are those things?!"

"A carriage? But it only has wheels, no horses!"

"So fast, so cool!"

In contrast to the astonishment of others, the mage section erupted in cheers, their eyes practically overflowing with excitement.

"It's done!"

"It didn't explode!"

"It's moving!"

Yes, at the start of the new year, when everyone is immersed in joy.

The thing called the Magic Steam Vehicle drove out of the city gate and roared across the fields outside the city.