Chapter 68

Once introductions were out of the way, they got down to business. Alice wanted to station Sun Knights at concerts to catch assailants, and Joseph objected, because he was afraid they would disrupt the shows. Their argument gave Nick a stomachache. “But there have been frequent incidents. I’m going to station Sun Knights around the venues even if you won’t let me place them inside. Are you okay with that, at least?” Alice asked. “That would be reassuring. I really don’t want to trouble you all, though,” Joseph responded. “Are you afraid of troubling knights you don’t know? Do you want to join the Sun Knights, Nick?” Alice offered. “Very funny. I’m not remotely qualified,” Nick said. Facing a Sun Knight with your employer in this manner was a common occurrence for an adventurer. The Order of the Sun Knights protected the populace, but they didn’t consider the financial concerns of those they guarded. They also prioritized catching criminals over saving victims. Many people decided to hire adventurers as guards, instead of Sun Knights, for those reasons; adventurers had to safeguard the interests of their employer. Nick had thought this meeting was an extension of some kind of turf war. He figured that Joseph would act angry at first and then look for a compromise. But he had been completely wrong. “Don’t be humble. We’re grateful for your cooperation. You heard about the identity of the assailant, right?” Alice asked. Nick answered while counting off on his fingers. “He’s a D-rank adventurer, an idol fan, and he was caught having assaulted a victim. Now he’s in prison, eating slop.” “He says he bought the counterfeit tickets from a hooded man in a back alley in south Labyrinth City. His memory of when he committed the crime is hazy, so I think the ticket either triggered a state of extreme excitement or placed him under hypnosis.” Nick and Joseph visibly reacted to Alice’s words. “So if we can just capture that hooded man…,” Nick said. “It’ll be case closed. The dangerous nature of the tickets points to the seller being a demon-god worshipper. They’re quite knowledgeable when it comes to special magic items and lost magic and technology. I want to get this counterfeit ticket dealer into custody,” Alice said. Nick breathed an internal sigh of relief. He realized why this knight was so passionate about her work. There was no greater achievement for a Sun Knight than capturing demon-god worshippers, who were known to work in the shadows. She wouldn’t give them much trouble as long as they didn’t get in the way of her efforts to distinguish herself. But just as he was starting to get comfortable, Alice gave a warning. “We can’t relax yet, Nick of Combat Masters. We barely have any leads on the seller.” “That’s my last party. I’m a member of the Survivors now,” Nick said. “Do you know any demon-god worshippers?” she asked. “Of course not. I’d arrest them if I did.” “You know a man named Garos.” “…He’s a C-rank adventurer. He wields a katana and fights on the front line for Combat Masters. He spends his free time on booze and women.” “I heard he went to your apartment recently. What did you talk about?” Nick looked down, wondering why she was asking that. Deciding he wouldn’t be able to fool her with a lie, he braced himself and told the truth. “He brought money to repay a debt.” “Interesting. Where do you think he earned that money?” Alice asked. “I was kicked out of Combat Masters. If you want to know about Garos, you should ask him or current members of the party,” Nick said. “Combat Masters filed for a break from the Adventurers Guild,” Alice replied. Nick felt his heart rate quicken. That news made sense, given what Garos had told him, but hearing it now only gave him a bad feeling. “We’re unable to locate them. The whole party disappeared shortly before you all defeated White Mask. You met with Garos after he moved out of his inn and vanished,” Alice said. “I don’t see where you’re going with this. Do you think Garos is the one selling the tickets?” Nick asked. “The rate of demon-god worshipper activity decreases the more active Combat Masters is. As soon as they took a break, White Mask began wreaking havoc in the Garbage Heap.” Nick barely held back a gasp of surprise. He had never heard anything of the sort, and he didn’t believe for a second that his former comrades were demon-god worshippers. But he couldn’t deny they were suspicious. That wasn’t just because of what Alice said; looking back, Garos’s behavior during his sudden visit was very strange. Nick pressed on with the conversation, not knowing what to believe. “But…that would make Argus and the other members suspects, too. Don’t you have any other potential demon-god worshippers? No one in Combat Masters can even use magic. They’re too simple to worship a demon god.” “A person without magic can still use a magic item or a talisman. In fact, wouldn’t a less magic-oriented party be even more accustomed to using them in combat?” Alice retorted. Nick had no response. What she said was true. The Survivors didn’t use many talismans or magic items because Tiana, Zem, and Bond could all cast their own spells, but Nick had spent plenty of one-use talismans when he was in Combat Masters. Even Garos and Argus, who were skilled with weapons and hand-to-hand combat, didn’t mind relying on magic items and talismans. They actually made good use of them. “Garos is the last member of the party to be seen, and he chose to meet with you,” Alice said. “But…I defeated White Mask.” Nick was unable to manage anything but that excuse. He knew it didn’t prove anything, though. White Mask’s holy armor copied the skills of its past users and enabled the current wearer to use them. If Garos held back from using his own skills and only used capabilities given to him by the holy armor, Nick would have had no way of knowing it was him. One of the purposes of White Mask’s armor was likely to hide the identity of the wearer. “That’s right. You defeated White Mask and brought peace to that area of the city. You should be proud of that accomplishment. Many adventurers have faced White Mask and failed. How did you do it?” Alice asked with a captivating smile. She wasn’t leaving without an answer. “Strategy. Ability. Resolve. Luck. It all came together at the right time,” Nick replied bluntly. “Did White Mask let you get away because you’re a former party member? “No. Shouldn’t fighting White Mask be enough to make my affiliation clear?” “You must have some kind of special power to fight demon-god worshippers without any connection to them and come out alive. Does it come from your lineage? Is it innate ability? Or could it come from an ancient artifact that you excavated from a labyrinth? I don’t know which it is, but you must have some kind of power that most people don’t.” Nick felt sweat run down his back. “Mind if I get my lawyer?” he asked. “We’re just chatting. Is your lawyer good at livening up a conversation?” Alice asked. “My lawyer runs a cross-dressing bar in the southeast district. Beautiful and, yes, a good conversationalist.” Alice barked a laugh. “Good one. It takes guts to joke around in a situation like this. You’re an adventurer to the core.” “Thanks,” Nick said, keeping it to himself that what he’d revealed wasn’t a joke. Joseph gave Nick a look asking if he needed help, and Nick signaled back with a glance that he was fine. “What kind of adventurer do you want to be, Nick?” Alice asked. “I’m perfectly satisfied with going on adventures and spending my free time going to see idols,” said Nick. “My instructor and my old party members taught me some skills, but I only use them to feed myself. I’m not gonna reveal those skills in casual conversation, and I wouldn’t misuse them, either. All adventurers have one or two talents they want to keep a secret.” “Just one or two? Are you sure you don’t have a few more secret skills than that?” Alice pressed. “You think you know all about me, don’t you? Are you a fan of mine?” Nick asked sarcastically. Alice smiled. “Ha-ha, yes. I am a fan of yours. You joined the incredibly skilled party Combat Masters as a young boy with no family and became an adventurer. You then went independent, recruited talented adventurers, and defeated one of the demon-god worshippers lurking in the dark underbelly of Labyrinth City. You sound like a hero out of a minstrel’s story.” “You’re giving me too much credit. I have no intention of becoming a hero.” “The citizens of this city are under threat. A day will come when people’s ordinary lives are turned completely upside down. The weak will be preyed upon—that’s the nature of this city. Don’t you want a hero to appear to fight injustice?” “Yeah. Of course.” “I do, too.” “Let’s cut the chitchat and get back to work. The counterfeit-ticket seller is still out there.” “Yeah. Let’s make it a competition.” “What?” “Whoever catches the culprit first wins.” Nick had been trying to figure out what he had gotten himself into as he answered her questions. He didn’t know if he was walking into the den of a lion, a dragon, or something even more dangerous. That was why he’d been avoiding questions he didn’t want to answer, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that she had a trap waiting for him at the end of the conversation. The thought made him anxious. “Remember. You can listen to someone’s breathing to tell if they’re lying.” Nick heard Diamond’s voice. He was sure he didn’t imagine it, but he also knew it wasn’t Telepathy. He clearly heard her voice in his ears. “Hmm? Did I say something weird?” Alice asked. “Yeah, you did,” Nick responded. Alice and Joseph must not have heard. Nick quickly realized how she had spoken to him—she’d used Vocal Guidance, controlling the direction and reverberation of the sound to send her voice directly to Nick’s ears like a billiard ball. “You don’t need to respond. Keep your face straight and continue your conversation. She’s not just after Garos—she’s after you, too. I don’t know why, though,” Diamond said. “Just to make sure we’re on the same page…you want to compete instead of cooperate?” Nick asked Alice. “Oh, do you want to work together? I’d welcome your transfer to the Sun Knights,” Alice responded. “Observe your opponent. No matter how perfect a script she’s following in her mind, she has to speak using her lungs, throat, and mouth, just like any other flesh-and-blood human. Once you know her breathing, you know her rhythm. And grasping her rhythm will let you feel her emotions. Align yourself to those emotions, and you’ll be able to win her over. Don’t allow her song to rule you. Make this your own stage.” How do you expect me to understand all that idol lingo? Nick thought, but he did as Diamond said. He strained his ears to listen for Alice’s breathing. It was perfectly steady; he couldn’t sense her emotion at all. It was discouraging at first, but then he noticed that something was off. Her breathing was too calm, as if it were following the perfect, mechanical rhythm of a clock. No person’s breathing could remain that steady without special training. She was taking care to make herself look calm and prevent her emotions from showing. Just like a card or roulette dealer. “That’s it, Nick. No human is unbeatable. Good luck,” Diamond said. “What happens if I lose?” Nick asked Alice. “I know a place where we can be alone,” Alice said, smiling. “So you want to interrogate me.” Alice was teasing him and pretending like this was nothing more than a pleasant chat. That was a sign that she was feeling anxious. “But you can’t tell what I know, so you’re hesitating to bring me into custody. You’re afraid that you might end up helping the demon-god worshippers by doing so. Is that right?” Nick said. “I won’t deny it,” Alice replied. Why was she anxious? It had to have something to do with his accomplishments. He had been intentionally avoiding certain topics, but those might be useful to get the upper hand now. “I see what’s happening here,” Nick said. “The Sun Knights have been after White Mask for a while now, and it won’t do your reputation any favors if it turns out he really was defeated by simple adventurers. You need to achieve something even greater than defeating White Mask to make up for it.” Alice’s breathing was disturbed for the first time. Her goal may have been to catch demon-god worshippers, but that didn’t explain why she was questioning him so persistently. Nick realized she wasn’t fixated on him because he was a former member of Combat Masters; it was because he’d defeated White Mask. “Did you make this a competition in order to set me loose and see what would happen? The demon-god worshippers are sure to come for me. They won’t leave me alone after I embarrassed them like that,” Nick said. That was when he realized that this was the opportunity he needed. It was good that he discovered her weakness, but it wouldn’t benefit him to rile her up further. Offering her some kind of compromise would be best. He was fine with letting the Sun Knights get the credit for exposing White Mask’s identity and finishing them off. But there was still something he had to say. Diamond’s words echoed in his head. Make this your own stage. “Are you sure you don’t want to be a Sun Knight? You suddenly have me on the defensive,” Alice said. “I’ll tell you everything we learn about the demon-god worshippers. I don’t need credit or money. But I don’t regret anything I did during that case. I won’t apologize for beating you at your own game,” Nick declared. Alice’s face stiffened. Nick knew he shouldn’t anger someone of her station, but he couldn’t stop himself. “Martha Canning. She was a daughter of the Canning family, which runs an armor store on Blacksmith Street. She was ten years old. She had blond hair, a mole on her neck, and burn scars on her left wrist. Her parents were late to submit a missing persons report because she had a habit of running away from home,” Nick began, counting off on his fingers as he reeled off facts about the girl. “That’s…” “That’s the name of a girl that the Steppingman—that Nargava—kidnapped. She contracted yellow demon fever in confinement and died. She was almost buried in a communal graveyard without being identified.” Nick had never had much love for the Order of the Sun Knights. That feeling was shared by most of Labyrinth City. The Sun Knights worked hard to catch petty thieves but did little to catch serious criminals. They also accepted bribes and did their best to please nobles and wealthy merchants. That said, they were unexpectedly helpful when needed, and it was true that people had no choice but to rely on them. Nick had come to accept the Sun Knights’ laziness for what it was, and he didn’t think much of the adventurers who actively opposed them. He’d realized something recently, however. He didn’t just slightly dislike the Sun Knights. He hated them. “We searched for the missing children, and when we found one of them dead, we gave our all to saving the rest and bringing the case to a close. Isn’t that what fighting injustice is all about?” Nick asked. “That should be the desire of any knight,” Alice replied. “You said we should make this a competition. Whoever catches the counterfeit-ticket seller first wins, right? If you win, I’ll do anything you ask.” “Are you sure about that?” “But if I win, I want you to apologize to the girl who died. Tell her you’re sorry for being completely ignorant of her.” Alice nodded silently, turned around, and walked out. Her easygoing, joking attitude had disappeared completely. Her footsteps were heavy as Nick and Joseph watched her leave the building. “I’ve really done it now,” Nick said. “That is an understatement,” Joseph responded candidly. “I’ve never seen an adventurer speak so aggressively to a Sun Knight.” Nick bowed his head in apology, belatedly realizing he had roped Jewelry Production into a fight. “S-sorry.” “Don’t apologize. I understand what you’re angry about,” Joseph said. He didn’t look upset; his expression appeared closer to satisfaction. “Now then, Nick. There are no events or concerts today, so you are free to do as you wish as long as you leave a few people to guard the building. I’ll let you deploy guards as you wish.” “Huh… Are you sure?” Nick asked. “Just make sure you catch whoever’s selling the counterfeit tickets before the Sun Knights. Forget the competition—you can consider that an order from your client,” Joseph said. “Thanks… That’s not something I should’ve done without consulting you. Sorry,” Nick responded. “I’m not nearly brave enough to jump into a conversation like that,” Joseph said with a wry smile. “Really? You look like you’ve been through more than a few battles to me.” “Ha. No. I get that a lot, but I assure you, I am no fighter.” Joseph smiled and shook his head. “That’s enough about me. You may have a hard time explaining this to your party members.” Joseph was exactly right. Picking a fight with the Order of the Sun Knights wasn’t exactly the smartest thing to do. “I don’t think I’ll be much help to you there. Good luck,” Joseph said. He smiled, clearly amused, and left. “Oh well… Better go confess and apologize.” Nick steeled himself and began to search the building for his party members so he could explain what had happened. He asked an employee where they were, and they directed him to the training room. “Hey, guys. The meeting’s ove— What are you doing?” “H-hey! Don’t startle me like that!” “Oh, hey. We meet again.” Nick had opened the door and entered the training room to find a few familiar faces among the idols. Karan was there, having changed out of her armor and into workout clothes. She was with another female dragonian who was the same height as she was but seemed more put-together. Unlike Karan, she had blue hair and blue scales. It was Daffodil, Karan’s cousin that Nick had met recently. Zem was sitting in a chair behind them, watching over Ares, Daffodil’s child. “Umm, Daffodil? This is an idol agency,” Nick said timidly. “Yeah. I know. It’s also my place of work. I told you I’m a dance instructor,” Daffodil shot back, as if he’d said something stupid. “Seriously?!” Nick exclaimed. “I wouldn’t be let in the building otherwise.” Daffodil sounded a little annoyed. “Wow… That’s amazing. You’re the real deal,” Nick said. “I’m retired from dancing, though. I was never as famous as the girls here,” Daffodil admitted with a self-deprecating shrug. “But training promising girls and choreographing their dances is really fun.” She smiled kindly. To Nick, she seemed like a broad-minded, motherly person. “It’s a small world,” he said. “How did it go, Nick? I heard that a Sun Knight showed up…,” Karan said, approaching Nick with concern. Nick had decided to be careful and not use Telepathy during the conversation with Alice, so his party members didn’t know yet what had happened. This wasn’t the place to say he’d picked a fight with a Sun Knight, so he avoided the question. “Those clothes look good on you. That style is perfect for tall people,” he said. “Aren’t they great?! They’re luxury workout clothes made by a sports apparel company! They’re stylish enough that we could do her hair and makeup and send her out onstage as a dancer just like that!” Daffodil gushed. “D-don’t be stupid! I’m an adventurer!” Karan protested. Amber, Agate, and another idol walked up behind her. “Right? I knew it wasn’t just me! When I saw her at the concert, I was confused about why an idol was working as a bodyguard,” Agate said. “She has such a cool silhouette. She’d immediately improve the aesthetics of any show,” Amber commented. “Yeah, I think she’s ready for her debut already. We can be her mentors!” the other idol agreed. The three girls talked excitedly about Karan while ignoring her protests. Nick couldn’t help but smile as he watched her expression shift between troubled and embarrassed. “Go easy on her, you all,” he said. “We’re strict teachers, so we can’t make any promises… Oh, I haven’t introduced myself, have I? I’m Topaz. It’s nice to meet you,” the girl with Amber and Agate said. Nick didn’t need the introduction; he was more than familiar with this blond-haired, carefree idol. “N-nice to meet you, too,” Nick said. “You can count on us to keep you safe.” Agate, Amber, and Topaz were popular as a unit who’d entered the agency together. They all had their solo activities, but they often performed together, too. Nick knew a lot of Amber and Topaz fans, and he began to sweat, knowing that he was learning secrets he couldn’t tell them. Nick also felt his irritation from the previous conversation fading. Karan was clearly having fun interacting with a world she’d had little contact with. He knew that as the party leader he should tell her to get back to work, but he wanted to watch her for a little longer. “I won’t tell you to stop dancing, but make sure you do it in moderation. We’ve never said members of our party can’t have side jobs,” Nick said jokingly. Daffodil cheered, seeming to take his words seriously. “Yay! Your leader gave his permission! Is the makeup artist coming today?” “He didn’t mean it, Daffy! And you watch it, Nick!” Karan said hurriedly. Daffodil calmed her down with a wink. “I’m joking, too. We should talk about this later, though.” “Ugh, I’m exhausted…” Karan sighed deeply. “Is Diamond here, by the way?” Nick asked. Daffodil looked around. “Huh? She was here earlier… Do you know where she is, Agate?” “Nope. That’s our elusive Sergeant for you,” Agate responded. “Sergeant?” Nick echoed. Agate clapped a hand over her mouth. “Please don’t repeat that to anyone. We all call her ‘Sergeant’ and ‘Demon’ because of how strict she is in practice.” “I’m pretty sure she can hear us… Eh, whatever. My lips are sealed,” Nick said. He pivoted to walk away. “Hmm? Where are you going?” Karan asked. “I have a bone to pick with someone,” he responded. Nick walked the halls of the agency alone, looking for Diamond. Once he found a spot with no one around, he spoke out loud with a normal, conversational volume. “Thanks for earlier, Diamond. I want to talk.” The hallway remained silent. But Nick could feel that Diamond had heard him. Nick looked up at one of the ducts running along the ceiling. “You can hear conversations from any room with a duct running through it, can’t you? They look like they’re for ventilation, but they’re actually there so all voices in the building travel to you. Am I right?” he said. “Where are you hiding anyway? You’ve got a concert coming up. Do you really have time to mess with me?” Nick’s intuition had been good recently. Learning the spell Magic Sense, which allowed the user to detect mana in things they touched, had enabled him to sense faint presences and irregularities. Using it while fighting an opponent let him sense the flow of their mana and predict their next move. He could also sense the subtle flow of mana beneath the ground on which he stood. Day after day we fought. It was then that Nick noticed a mana-drenched voice coming from Diamond. It didn’t travel directly to his ears like last time. It was more that he’d happened to pick up a sound wave that leaked out of the duct. We were terrible cooks, even worse than we thought. Nick started to walk, climbing staircases and moving through hallways as he searched for where Diamond’s singing was coming from. He drew steadily closer. On cold days it was a blanket; on hot days water. We fought for the sake of fighting. Nick could feel her rhythm, and from that, her emotion. He found himself wandering after Diamond’s voice, forgetting why he was looking for her in the first place. He opened doors that were likely only meant for employees, climbed fire escape ladders, and ended up in an attic. The attic had been repurposed into an empty room with acoustic foam wedges covering the walls and ceiling to absorb sound. The fine wooden floor was marked all over with tape, and Diamond was standing in the center of the inelegant room, intently practicing a song. “Hey, here you—,” Nick started to call out, but he broke off. I cursed your name for being that way But now I see those were happy days I wish the right words had come to light I love you, please hold me tight I wonder if we’ll ever meet again Once the journey’s over and winter ends Diamond continued to sing, dancing on the old wooden floor, which looked like it should have creaked from the smallest amount of pressure. Sunlight streamed through a window in the ceiling, and her smallest movements kicked up dust that shone faintly in the light. Despite all that, her dancing was modest and quiet, as if she were the star of her own little world. “All right. Sorry about that. I wasn’t ignoring you. I just wanted to focus on getting through that song,” Diamond said once she was done. “That was ‘Undying Love Song,’ the third song after your debut,” Nick said. Diamond smiled in acknowledgment. “It was actually my most popular song last year. How was that performance? I’m sure it felt different, hearing it up close like that.” “It gave me chills,” Nick responded. “Yikes, is that all you have to say? I wanted to see if you’d go full idol fan and gush over how amazing I was,” Diamond teased. “Shut up,” Nick retorted, embarrassed. A hundred words of lavish praise would hardly be enough to convey his feelings after seeing her practice that song up close. That was how beautiful Diamond and her voice were as she sang. His intention to deride her for slacking off and for interrupting meetings while she worked her junior idols to the bone had vanished like smoke. Diamond did practice. She took her job more seriously than anyone. She valued Jewelry Production and all its idols as much as she did herself. “I’m pretty skilled, you know. And my hearing is superb. I hear nearly everything in this building, so I know if any suspicious people arrive or if any secrets are divulged. I know people call me Sergeant Demon, too,” Diamond said. “I believe it. You knew exactly where my conversation with the Sun Knight was going,” Nick responded. “I often prevent trouble at concerts when I go to support my fellow idols, too. Sun Knights are no match for me.” “I always thought you had a quick temper.” “I was a real troublemaker back in the day. I’m definitely in no place to judge you.” Diamond giggled with an impish grin. Her expression quickly turned calm again, and Nick felt himself drawn to her serenity. She looked like both an innocent girl and an adult woman who had tasted the sweetness and bitterness of life. “I’m going to be spending a lot of time practicing from now on, so I won’t be going to many meetings or training sessions,” Diamond said. Her resolve was visible despite her nonchalant tone. “I’m gonna perfect my singing and my dancing. That’s why I want you to protect me and the other idols at this agency.” “Why me?” “Because you passed.” “Huh? So there was a test?” Nick asked. He was trying to sound upset, but he wasn’t a good enough actor to fool Diamond. “I wanted to know if you all could use Telepathy, but you all hid that from me. People who rely too much on that spell tend to get careless,” Diamond said. “I happen to know some people who paid dearly for that mistake,” Nick agreed, thinking of the Iron Tiger Troop. “Focusing too much on the conversation in your head can cause you to lose track of what’s in front of you. There are also ways to mess with people who can use Telepathy.” “Huh? Like what?” “You can remove the limiter on the spell and send a high-density thought into someone’s mind to knock them out. It’s terrifying.” Diamond was acting as if she was just remembering an old prank, but Nick could tell she was speaking from experience. “I’m scared to ask how you know that…,” Nick said. “I learned it through this job. I once worked with a magic laboratory to see if we could dream up a new kind of concert that used Telepathy. They withdrew after saying it wouldn’t be profitable enough.” “Whoa, that sounds amazing.” “Every now and then some naughty kid will use a telepathy orb to try to spy on the agency, too. Protecting the new idols from people like that is a full-time job.” “Is that why you don’t use telepathy orbs? You’re afraid of getting careless and being sensed by others?” Diamond smiled painfully. Nick got the sense she was regretting something from her past. “I want you to have this, Nick,” Diamond said, tossing Nick a small jewel-like object. Nick caught it suspiciously. “What’s this? I’m guessing it’s not just a gem…” “It’s a severance orb. It casts Discommunicator on yourself. Use it when you want to prevent someone from reading your mind or if someone sends you dangerous thought waves,” Diamond said. “That sounds really valuable,” Nick replied hesitantly. “If there’s anything else you want, just ask for it. To protect others, you have to protect yourself first. We don’t know where the demon-god worshippers are. You can’t be too careful.” Nick pocketed the severance orb while feeling the weight of her words. “I appreciate it. It seems like I’ve got the Sun Knights to worry about now as well as the demon-god worshippers,” he said. “That Alice girl is interesting. I don’t know if our interests align or not, but she has more integrity than I expected. After you denounced the Sun Knights for their systematic dishonesty and indolence, I felt shame rather than anger from her voice and gait. This is just instinct, but I think you’ll be able to rely on her,” Diamond shared. “…That kinda sucks to hear after picking a fight with her,” Nick replied. “Debating ideals is not fighting. It’s like a pair of lovers sharing a kiss,” Diamond said, putting a finger to her lips. It was a beautiful gesture, fitting for the most popular idol in the city. Nick felt a rush of admiration for her. “If I’m being honest, you’re scarier than that Sun Knight,” he said in awe, but Diamond didn’t respond. Instead, she changed the subject. “All I want is for everyone to smile,” she said. “Yeah?” “That includes people who feel trapped in life. People who are buried in regret. People who have been hurt by others or have hurt others without meaning to. I want more fortunate people to smile as well. I hope that, at least while they listen to our music, they can forget all the difficulties in their life and be happy.” “I definitely have fun when listening to your songs.” “But we had to do so much to reach this point. It’s been really hard… Making it to our one hundredth anniversary is a big accomplishment.” “Yeah, it’s really impressive.” “I need to narrow my focus so I can give my all to this moment. And that means rendering myself defenseless,” Diamond said, performing a spin. That simple movement was executed with a flawless, crystalline beauty. “I have connections to stronger adventurers than you, of course. But sometimes you need more than strength. I want someone with ideals, who I can count on to get up and keep going when those ideals prove insufficient and carry them directly into a wall. Just like idols. That’s the only way you’ll gain my trust and that of my girls. I admit you’ve had plenty of reason to complain, though.” “I excel at complaining and fussing over details. Guild employees tell me how annoying I am all the time.” “That’s just what I want. You’ll stand up to the Sun Knights and fight injustice… I love that. It’s so cool. It even makes my heart flutter. You pass the test.” “Geez, I had to make your heart flutter to pass? Talk about pressure.” “You should consider that an honor. I’m the most popular idol in Labyrinth City, if you can believe it.” “Trust me, I know.” “Oh, are you a fan of mine?” “Of course. Aggie’s my fave, though.” “That’s a bummer. I’m gonna be jealous.” “I’ll catch whoever’s selling the counterfeit tickets. I won’t let any false paladins ruin your concerts, either. The demon-god worshippers and the Sun Knights won’t get the best of me. You just focus on making your own stage.” “I’m counting on you, my bodyguard.” Nick nodded in response to Diamond’s affectionate words. The idol glided across the room and stood on a white X of tape on the floor. It was the center of the practice room, where she imagined herself onstage, surrounded by fans. Her presence here was proof that she stood above all the other hardworking idols in the city. “Can you listen to one more song? I want to practice it,” Diamond asked. She began to sing. Nick turned his back and listened, standing guard so that no one would interrupt.