Chapter 190 - Prima Donna (2)

2

“So.”

The Gillfin Folk's splashing was ferocious. The bathtub emptied in an instant, and at the Paladin's command, the Black Dragon leader had to refill it.

“Anyone watching would think I'd done something wrong, dear. I even helped you clear your quest,” the Black Dragon leader grumbled.

Apparently accustomed to her shamelessness, the Paladin merely sighed.

“Why did you summon me? Do you need my [Lie Detector]?”

“I told you, no. It's not your skill I need. It's your musical talent.”

“... My musical talent?”

The Paladin furrowed her brows. The Black Dragon leader nodded.

“Yes. You used to play all the time before joining the Vigilantes. You earned much more than your current salary there, didn't you? With a little exaggeration, weren't you practically raking in money?”

“How far back are you reaching...? That was before I even earned my epithet.”

Listening quietly beside them, I was bewildered.

The Paladin. Rank seven. Deputy leader of the Vigilantes, responsible for public safety in the City of Heavenly Ascent. Since the Sword Star's retirement announcement had left the leader's position vacant, she was effectively acting as their leader as well.

I knew she was a refugee from Venezuela and had graduated from music college, but that was it. Like my other companions, she rarely spoke about her past, so I knew almost nothing about the deputy leader.

“Raking in money? What are you two talking about?”

“Nothing. Just a worthless bit of the past...”

“It's not a well-known story. She used to earn money giving jazz concerts.”

Despite the Paladin's efforts to evade the subject, the Black Dragon leader stated it bluntly. The Paladin glared at her, but she merely shrugged.

“Back when we entered the Tower, there was hardly anything to do for fun. Most people entertained themselves by drinking or getting high. But whenever the Paladin held a concert, hunters would flock to it...”

“Black Dragon leader!”

“For some reason, she gets angry like that whenever I bring up those days. So touchy. Oh, her nickname back then was the Night Sky's...”

“One more word and this really is a declaration of war!”

“All right. Sorry.”

Huh. This was news to me.

Before regressing, I'd been a fairly devoted fan of most famous hunters, though not as devoted as I was to the Flame Emperor. I religiously collected magazines featuring the Black Dragon leader, the Saintess, or the Inquisitor on the cover. But...

'There are so few records from the Tower's early days.'

There were still stories I knew nothing about, like this one. I searched my memory.

'Come to think of it, the Paladin never had a single photo book...did she?'

She'd never even appeared on a magazine cover, despite being one of the hunters who served as the Tower's conscience alongside the Saintess and the Alchemy Ministry Head.

'Is there some secret reason behind it? Could there be a secret behind the helmet she always wears to hide her face, too, rather than it just being a fashion choice?'

For the first time in ages, my heart as a hunter fan of ten years fluttered. But I restrained myself, afraid I might end up invading her privacy.

“...”

When our eyes met, the Paladin cleared her throat.

“... You still haven't answered why I was summoned. Black Dragon leader, if you merely wanted to show the Death King what I look like as a mermaid, I'll gladly expose your embarrassing secrets as well.”

“Oh my. Dear, what embarrassing secrets could I possibly have?”

“The things you write in your spare time and publish anonymously...”

“Death King! Show the Paladin your performance, too.”

The Black Dragon leader spoke hastily.

What? What secret? We were all supposed to be companions, so why were there so many secrets only I didn't know? Now I was dying of curiosity.

“What do you write anonymously?”

“Gongja.”

The Black Dragon leader seized my shoulder. No joke—dark aura was rising from her body. An ominous smile even twitched at her lips.

“Everyone has a secret they don't tell others, dear. Don't you agree? You often brush things aside with ridiculous excuses about being a prophet yourself, Death King.”

“Ack.”

She'd known that was bullshit!

“But I don't question you more deeply than necessary. Because you're my companion and comrade-in-arms. True friendship is proven not by what we tell each other, but by what we don't.”

“Th-that's very wise.”

“Gongja, we're friends, aren't we?”

I managed a nod with difficulty. If the fingers digging into my shoulder had been just a little less forceful, I would have nodded readily.

“Y-yes. We're friends. Of course.”

“Yes. My dearest, closest friend.”

Just like that, I'd become the Black Dragon leader's best friend.

“I'd be so happy if our Death King showed the Paladin his Cavefire play, too.”

I made her happy. How could I ignore a request from my best friend?

“...”

The Paladin remained silent throughout the Cavefire play.

The troupe members were slightly taken aback to arrive at work early that morning and find themselves rehearsing before a bloodsucking aristocrat and a member of the Gillfin Folk. It was impossible not to be distracted by the huge bathtub in the audience and the Gillfin Folk's tail splashing inside it.

“... I see.”

Ignoring the troupe members' pointed looks, the Paladin murmured.

“Remarkable. Death King, did you devise that yourself?”

“No. Cavefire plays already existed.”

“Really? Plays combining dance and music already existed?”

“Oh, not that part. I just thought it would be good to introduce choreography and music...”

A curious light entered the Paladin's eyes.

“Why did you think that?”

“Cavefire plays began as an art of aura in the first place. Learning choreography based on martial arts forms would make the actors more familiar with aura, and learning to play music with it would make them more inventive...”

“Ah, I see. It arose from an entirely different line of thinking!”

The Paladin's mermaid tail swished over the water's surface. Judging by the dog-tail interpretation method, she was probably excited.

“Death King, don't you realize what a fascinating discovery this is?”

Her eyes sparkled as she looked at me. I'd never seen her like this before, either.

“Wh-what is?”

“You've created a synthesis of the arts through aura,” the Paladin said, her breath charged with excitement.

“We usually consider opera and musicals to be syntheses of the arts. But [music] has always remained an unresolved problem within them. However naturally you incorporate it, however much care you take to make it seem natural, music remains fundamentally separate from the actors in some respects.”

“Uh...”

What was she talking about?

“I mean the actors cannot directly influence the music.”

The Paladin went on, even more excited.

“Whether you play background music or hire an orchestra, the music resounding through the theater isn't created by the actors. They can sing in musicals, but even that has its limits.”

“Hmm...”

Let's just nod for now.

“The audience knows perfectly well that [the music I'm hearing is actually coming from speakers], yet they must force themselves to accept the illusion of [music unfolding within the story onstage]. It's a tacit agreement. But in the Cavefire plays you've created...the actors even play the music themselves! Through aura!”

The Paladin raised a hand.

“This is a tremendous step forward!”

She snapped her fingers twice, sending an aura-infused rhythm ringing through the air. The melody was far more varied and nimble than anything I'd played.

“Wow.”

I was genuinely impressed. Was this what made a professional different?

“Oh, right. I'd like to learn music from you, Paladin. So I can play for Raviel...”

“No! That's not important right now!”

The Paladin thumped her chest in frustration.

[That's not important]? That was awfully harsh.

“You need to understand what a magnificent discovery you've made, Death King! Dancing or acting while immersed in music someone else recorded has meaning, of course. But being able to draw music, dance, and acting directly from within yourself is extraordinary! It's revolutionary! Imagine a figure skater not only performing, but producing the music with aura as well. How utterly...!”

“Sorry, could you sum that up in one phrase...?”

“It's fucking awesome! Satisfied?”

So it was a compliment after all. She could have just said so.

“Thank you. It was nothing, really.”

I grinned broadly and scratched the back of my head.

“... Unbelievable.”

The Paladin thumped her chest and looked upward, seemingly deeply aggrieved.

“To think the very person who made this discovery understands nothing about it... Death King, this could give rise to a movement called [aura art]. This is monumental.”

“Oh, come on.”

I thought she was exaggerating wildly.

“It's common enough to strengthen your voice with aura when singing, isn't it?”

“I'm not saying you created something that never existed. I'm saying you linked things that already existed, but that no one had paid attention to.”

The Paladin let out a long sigh.

“When all the hunters saw aura only as something [for combat] or [for strengthening the body], you discovered that it could also be a [transparent instrument]. Now actors can draw out the music within themselves freely, without relying on props or equipment. And why stop at actors? Musicians, dancers, singers, everyone...”

“And,” the Black Dragon leader smoothly joined in, taking the Paladin's shoulder, “we'll have something to boast about to the outside world.”

She grinned.

“People outside trash us every day. When we fight, we're barbarians who know nothing but fighting. If we don't make money, we're beggars. Once we start making money, we're vulgar creatures who care for nothing else. Now, what will they call us if we achieve something extraordinary in the arts, too? Artists who make good money? Would that even be an insult?”

“Black Dragon leader...”

I had mixed feelings.

“It's not really my place to say this, but you're far too competitive with the outside world. Sometimes I feel sorry for you.”

“Quiet. That's because you don't know how much they look down on our Tower.”

Her words were harsh, but her expression was soft and sunny. The way she looked at me...it was as if I were a blessing sent her way.

With a satisfied smile, she placed her hands on the Paladin's shoulder and mine.

“Death King.”

“Yes?”

“Paladin.”

“... What? This sounds ominous.”

“I'd like to push this as a national project.”

The Black Dragon leader smiled like an angel. It was a smile she never showed her companions—a business smile she occasionally wore only during interviews for the outside world or magazine photo shoots.

“I looked into it a little, and this dear Death King has adapted his experiences into Cavefire plays. And isn't he our Tower's proud rising talent and most popular star?”

“...”

“I think it would be wonderful to bring these over, perform them in Babel Tower, then film them and distribute the footage outside. Wouldn't artists in the outside world be stunned and rush into the Tower to master aura themselves?”

“Hmm...”

The Paladin, who had initially looked displeased, began to change her expression.

“We've actually received several movie offers, but I turned them all down. I was afraid they'd make some bizarre adaptation and ruin our Death King's image.”

Movie offers? We'd gotten those, too?

“Now that I've seen this, I think Cavefire plays would be much better than a movie. Yes. We tell the story of our Tower's greatest star through an art form created right here in our Tower. How wonderful is that?”

I was flustered. This was growing far bigger than anything I'd imagined!

“No, wait a moment. I don't really...”

“Indeed.”

The Paladin nodded slowly. Her flounder tail swished, too.

“Whatever else we may have, our Tower is sorely lacking in the arts. There are a fair number of jazz performances and novels to enjoy, but almost no large-scale performances.”

“Exactly. We've tried forcing things along a few times, but every attempt failed. The royalties we pay to keep screening movies made outside are enormous. They deliberately charge more when dealing with our Tower. Isn't that infuriating?”

“Hmm.”

“Let's strike back. Only we hunters in the Tower can use aura. We'll finally stop being a cultural importer and become a cultural exporter.”

“Not a bad idea...”

Uh-oh.

The Black Dragon leader and the Paladin both stared straight at my face.

“...”

“...”

They nodded, then smiled.

“Death King, you're truly incredible.”

“Indeed. To come up with something like this, you must be a genius.”

Uhhh. What was this? I had a bad feeling.

“Wh-what's gotten into you? You're embarrassing me...”

“No, I mean it. You rival the Sword Star in martial arts and match me in aura, don't you? And now you're venturing into the arts, too. I used to rank second, but I really can't compete with you.”

“Death King...just how far does your talent intend to reach?”

No.

“The Tower's greatest genius! The greatest newcomer of all time! Ah, perhaps the word talent was created just for you. Whenever I look at you, that thought simply comes to me...”

“Damn it. Why did the heavens give birth to the Death King, then to me as well...?”

My head was spinning.

“Wait, everyone...just a moment...”

“Without the Death King, we'd still be dithering around without even clearing the tenth floor!”

“Is that so...? How dreadful... We've practically leaped beyond the thirtieth floor thanks to him, haven't we?”

“Exactly! Of course I lost my second-place ranking. What good would it do for someone like me to stay in second place?”

“As one of the Tower's founding members, I feel ashamed... Death King, your very existence puts me to shame. If I am a shadow, you are the sun. When you rise, I can only hide behind someone else...”

Holy shit.

“No...everyone, wait...”

I was seriously dizzy.

“You're magnificent, our Death King! To think you're my comrade-in-arms. I'm so moved that I'll have to make it the greatest boast of my life!”

“Yes. Even after my death, having climbed the Tower with the Death King will remain a legend that makes others envious. That's how great a joy it is.”

“Please...”

“Incredible!”

“Remarkable.”

“Absolutely extraordinary!”

“The Death King is a legend...”

“I believed in you, damn it!”

“I simply can't believe it!”

I couldn't breathe.

“Th-thank you. I appreciate the compliments...so please leave it at that...”

“Then would you mind if we set up a separate arts guild and made you its Guild Leader? May we borrow your oh-so-sacred name for a little while?”

“Yes...whatever you want, just stop... I think I'm going to die...”

“I plan to join as Deputy Guild Leader, too. Don't worry. You need only lend us your name. We'll take care of everything else. We couldn't possibly trouble someone as magnificent as you.”

“I'm dying...”

“Yes, just stamp your seal here, please.”

Guild Leader?

I didn't know what was happening, but I stamped the seal the Black Dragon leader placed in my hand.

“Thank you, Death King. Don't be too surprised if a lot of money suddenly appears in your bank account.”

“We'll put it to good use.”

Through my spinning head, I heard the attendant spirit sigh from over there.

—Tsk, tsk. What a fucking pushover...

—...

And Sonia watched us with an unreadable expression.