The room fell into silence after that moan.

Everyone looked at each other, then all three looked down at the spear on the table.

“Oh my. Sorry about that. It has been so long since I got a good smithing.” The spear said, ignoring how all three guys' faces looked like they had just eaten a bitter bug and drank lemon for breakfast.

Karl tapped on Eldrin and Nanok’s shoulders, smiled, and tried to walk away.

“Oh no ya don’t.” Eldrin grabbed Karl’s shirt, almost ripping it apart. “What the hell is this? Why is the spear speaking? And why the hell is it moaning after we hit it?”

Karl smiled as he turned back and looked at the craftsman duo. He pushed Eldrin's hand away from his shirt. He stuck up his chest with confidence and gazed at the spear. He shifted his eyes at the two with a smile and gave them a thumbs up. “Good luck.”

[Heavenly Demon Art – Moonless]

Before Eldrin and Nanok could react, Karl ran away. Top speed.

“Ya damnnnnnnn youngsteeeeeeerrrrr,” Eldrin shouted at the top of his lungs. Karl could still hear his shout even when he was already at the end of the block. A Dwarf’s voice sure was mighty.

As Karl slowed his steps, he thought about the things he had to do.

Money is rolling in nicely. Aria is helping to finish the item. Eldrin and Nanok already had much to do. The mansion is also coming along. That leaves Sera. I should ask what she wants.

Asking around the trading district, Karl started to look for a theatre troupe that was holding an audition that day.

-----

It was the same that day.

“That was brilliant Young Lady Kanehiro. But I’m afraid our troupe is too small of a stage for you.”

It was the same excuse every time.

Sera walked away from the troupe with tired heart. Since she moved to NorthStar, every day had been a battle. Studying at the academy, training her magic, looking for theatre to join, training her singing. Every day was the same circle repeating itself.

The same could be said for the rejection they gave her.

Her mom had warned her about this. But she didn’t want to listen. She believed that as long as her talent and hard work shone through, it would be fine. There wasn’t any mountain she couldn’t climb over.

But she was wrong, she wanted to believe that hard work was enough. It wasn’t.

On her eighth rejection, someone in that troupe approached her. The big sister was also someone from Blue Dragon Country. Sera felt a heartwarming connection between a fellow countryman with the big sis when she tried to help Sera by telling her how to get into the troupe.

Yet, once again. Her expectation was stomped and dragged through the mud.

What the big sister said was similar to what Sera’s mom told her. If she wanted to be accepted in a troupe, she had to play along with their political game and play dirty if she had to. Since every troupe was owned by a noble family or clan, what they wanted most was to expand their connection and control. If it came to that, Sera could introduce her family to the troupe she wanted to join and let her parents take care of the rest.

Sera found the very thought of doing so repulsive and disgusting.

What was supposed to be a pure form of art, something that brought joy and happiness to the people was treated like an emotionless tool for their political wants.

Every single one of them welcomed Sera when she introduced herself as the Young Lady of the Kanehiro family from Blue Dragon Country. But when she showed hesitation in connecting the nobles in the troupe to her family. They turned their head away in a heartbeat.

“Those guys were jerks. I’m sure we can do it when we meet someone nice for once.”

Talia Starlight, a one-in-a-hundred-thousand talented mage, her new friend, cheered Sera up.

Sera met Talia when they first entered Class A. They sat next to each other in the first class and quickly became close after they talked with each other.

Talia was an adopted child from Earl Grey’s family in Regalia Kingdom. Sera had heard from Matsu about how that Kingdom treated their people and how the noble families there kept their power and status. As an orphan adopted by a noble family, Talia’s fate was a sad one.

The only lucky thing about Talia’s situation was how she got a head start because Earl Grey’s son could only enroll in NorthStar next year. Talia had one year to turn things around and change her fate.

Sera watched as her friend fought even harder than her, not for a dream, but for the right to live.

She couldn’t help but want to help her friend to succeed.

That was why she dragged her friend, who had the singing voice of an angel, with her. Sera didn’t want her friend to ruin herself by working three jobs every day after school. If Talia got accepted into a theatre troupe, then it would give her even more Tal than working at those jobs.

“Uh huh. Next one, we will get in on our next try for sure.” Sera encouraged herself and her friend.

She then tried again. And again. And again.

Finally, fate seemed to smile on them at last as one of the troupe leaders accepted them.

“Brilliant performance.” He clapped. “Please come into our guestroom, I want to discuss your future here.” He invited the two of them.

It was a normal office room with a wooden table and two chairs in front of the table. There wasn’t anything else in that room besides a small table to the side of the room. On that table was a tea set and some refreshments.

“Congratulate you two for your astonishing performance. My heart was captured fully the moment you two sang. My heart felt like barren soil when rain finally fell after a drought. Magnificent. Absolutely magnificent.” The troupe leader said with a smile as he sat on his chair.

“Thank you for your kind words, troupe leader.” Sera bowed the way she was taught to.

“Thank you very much,” Talia also bowed.

“You two must be great friends. I saw you two went in and performed together. The way you two support and enhance each other voice. I can’t even put such a poetic performance into words. We could only let the audience feel such a thing. Never put them into words.” The troupe leader put his hand on his heart and looked up with closed eyes as if he were feeling their songs.

“But I have bad news, young ladies.” He sighed.

Oh no, it was happening again.

“My troupe had enough performers and I can only hire one more. This position will focus on singing in the background for our play. But you can always make a name for yourself later on through your talent alone.” He looked at the fidgeting girls and smiled like a snake. It was the same smile Sera's dad’s guests had sometimes when they visited the Kanehiro territory.

“However. I can’t allow myself to lose either one of you to any of the other troupes. So, here’s my offer.” He clapped, then used his hands as a support for his chin.

“One of you can take the position of background support singer now, while the other can work as a stage supporter who helps with preparing the stage. It is not a singing position, but. You will still be part of my troupe. And when the time comes when our troupe’s name spreads far beyond NorthStar, both of you will be my shining stars. How about it?”

Sera felt like the troupe leader stabbed her with a knife.

Who would do such a thing? How could he even suggest that? It was outrageous.

He wanted one of them to have an opportunity, not even a good position in the troupe, just an opportunity to get into the troupe. While the other should be a servant? He might put it like the stage supporter was part of the troupe but they were never treated like so.

Sera had seen what these troupes do to those poor people. She swore to herself that no matter what troupe she got into, she would change it for the better.

But now, they want to ask either her or Talia to be treated like that. How could this man do such a thing?

“Sir, may I ask something?” Talia said. The trouped leader nodded. “How much does the stage supporter position pay?”

“Talia?” Sera turned toward her friend. Her expression was unreadable but her determinated eyes were clear.

“One thousand Tal per day. Not including extra pay.” The troupe leader answered.

“I’ll take that position,” Talia said without delay.

“No.” Sera slammed her hands on the table as she stood up.

Silence surrounded the room as no one said anything else. After what felt like forever, the troupe leader said, his face almost a seer. “Take your time to decide young ladies. Whatever your decision is, I’ll respect it. But be sure to let me know tomorrow. I can’t delay it any longer than that.”

Sera and Talia nodded before coming out of the room.

Alone in the cold, dark room with orange warm light covering every inch of it, the troupe master took out his communication clock and called someone.

“I made the offer. Those two chicks must be feeling quite complicated right now.” He crackled with a voice that sounded like a witch.

“Good.” An emotionless voice replied. “Follow the plan and I’ll reward you as promised.”

“Of course, master. I’ll be awaiting your reward.” The troupe master turned off his communication clock.

“Ha, ha ha, hahahahahahahaah” He laughed uproariously. “To get such a great reward just by messing with two little chicks. Hahahaha. How did I get so lucky? Hahahahaha.”

Outside of the troupe’s theater, Sera was walking ahead of Talia at a quick pace.

“Sera, please, wait.” Talia ran up to her and pulled her hand.

“Get off me.” Sera slapped Talia’s hands away.

“Ouch,” Talia winced as Sera’s nails scratched her hands, leaving behind two small red lines. The wound wasn’t what hurt Talia the most. It was her friend’s reaction.

Sera heard Talia and turned back. When she saw the saw drop of blood dripping down Talia’s hand, Sera quickly pulled out her tailor-made, hand-woven handkerchief and wiped the blood away while taking Talia’s hand in both of her.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” Tears welled up in Sera’s eyes as she wiped the blood away while saying sorry.

Talia hugged her friend and said, “How about we sit over there for a bit.”

The two young girls sat down at a refreshment store nearby, Talia ordered strawberry tea, their favorite.

Sera kept her head down from the start, she refused to look at her friend. Not until she heard Talia called out to her. “Sera.” Sera flinched and slowly looked at her friend.

Talia’s smile made Sera feel like her heart was about to burst out of her chest. It hurt so, so much.

“You know, we met barely over a month ago. Before that, I thought I was and always will be alone. I had to fight for everything I wanted. No one was on my side.” Talia gently grabbed Sera’s hand.

“But that was wrong. You’re here. Helping me gain you nothing but trouble. Yet, you still did.” Talia squeezed her hand with a bit more force. “Remember when that prince and his subjects were belittling me? You stepped in. Not only did you slap him, but you even knocked him down with that strange move of yours.” Talia giggled.

Sera giggled too, “Hehe, that guy was a bastard. I'm glad I learned that move from my brothers.”

Talia looked at Sera with the same warmth her family looked at her. “You didn’t just help me once, you’ve helped me again and again. Before, now, and in the future.” She placed her other hand on Sera’s. “So let me help you with this.”

“…But you want to sing too.” Sera shook her head.

“…That’s true.” Talia agreed. “But that doesn’t mean I won’t have a chance.”

The two friends held each other hands for a long time without saying a word. Talia had already decided on what she wanted to do and what she was willing to give up. But for Sera, she wasn’t as determined.

She wanted to sing, she wanted to dance, she wanted to be the center of all the cheer the audience gave. But she wasn’t willing to achieve all that at the expand of her friend. So she could only hold her friend’s hands a little tighter.

“Oh, hey ladies. Fancy seeing you here.”

Sera turned toward the familiar voice, to the person she grew up with. “Big brother.”

“Hum? What’s wrong? Why are you crying? Who the fucker do I need fuck up this time?”

He always used that rough and thug-like language when someone bullied her. That profanity-filled way of speaking didn’t fit a noble at all. Yet, somehow, it made Sera feel like all the bad things would go away.

“It’s like this.” She recounted what happened as her brother pulled out a chair and sat next to her.

When she finished, she held her friend’s hand tighter unconsciously, the warmth she felt gave her a bit more courage to face the disappointed look she thought her big brother would show. He had never done that, but Sera couldn’t help but fear the worst.

She was wrong, he didn’t look disappointed.

Her big brother always had a silly smile as he messed around, which brought a lot of trouble to their house. He never caused any serious trouble, it was always something silly. And he always smiled.

But he didn’t smile this time. At least, it wasn’t the smile she was familiar with.

His mouth was smiling, but his eyes weren’t. If anything, his eyes looked even more terrifying than those of the monsters she saw. It was cold, it was ruthless, it was bloodthirsty. His eyes looked like those of a monster that would bury the world beneath its feet.

Those weren’t her brother’s eyes. Sera shivered at the thought.

“Ok,” He nodded. “Leave it to me.” His eyes returned as he thumped his chest.

“But before that.” He took out a faceless doll from his shirt. “Want to try being an idol?”