The plaza of the Empire of the Brave was filled with noise and excitement as the Star Gazers' concert continued. Phoebe, Lucas, and Ryze were cheering enthusiastically while watching the performance. Bright lights illuminated the stage and the elevated platform, bathing the idols in dazzling colors.
As the three of them enjoyed the concert, Phoebe suddenly heard someone sneeze nearby. She turned toward the sound and saw a woman with rose-colored twin-tail hair wearing a brown cloak, dark shades, and a brown beret.
At first glance, Phoebe immediately recognized her.
"That rose hair… I can't be mistaken. Isn't that Sera Hexin?" Phoebe said, pointing in her direction.
Lucas followed where Phoebe was pointing. "Oh yeah, I see her."
"Sera? Is she your classmate?" Ryze asked.
"No, she's from Class B. She's a Lumier. We only met her during the entrance examination back then," Lucas explained.
"Yeah, but what's with all the disguising?" Phoebe asked, frowning in confusion.
"Well, remember—she's from the Inner Continent and belongs to one of the three great god races. If her people found out she was here mingling with commoners and not acting the way her race is supposed to, she'd definitely be punished," Lucas said.
"Being from the Inner Continent is really strict, huh?" Phoebe said with a smirk.
As the three of them chatted, Phoebe noticed Sera looking around the plaza. Soon, Sera's gaze turned toward them. Phoebe raised her hand and walked in Sera's direction.
As Phoebe approached, Sera grew visibly anxious, unsure why Phoebe was coming toward her.
"Hi, Sera. How are you?" Phoebe greeted her with a soft smile.
"U-Ugh, it's you—the lowly human girl from before," Sera replied with an awkward smug expression.
"If you don't mind, I wanted to ask—are you enjoying the concert?" Phoebe asked politely.
"N-No! It's just… ugh… I was simply walking through the street," Sera stammered. "Then I saw a crowd gathering and noticed a concert was being held, so I checked what was going on…"
"I see," Phoebe said. "So, are you with someone right now?" she asked, tilting her head slightly.
"W-With someone?" Sera hesitated. "Oh—yes! They just went to take care of a quick errand somewhere."
"Oh, you're waiting for someone then?" Phoebe smiled brightly. "Do you mind if I stay with you until they arrive?"
"W-What? Why would you?" Sera asked anxiously.
"Why not? It's more fun that way," Phoebe replied with a smirk. "Since your companions aren't here yet, I can keep you company."
"Oh… it's j-just that they w-won't…" Sera muttered, her voice trailing off.
"What did you say, Sera?" Phoebe asked, tilting her head.
"I-I mean! I just remembered they won't be coming back anymore," Sera said nervously. "They already went home, haha."
"Oh? So you're alone now, then~?" Phoebe said teasingly.
"What are you implying…? Well, um… yes. Affirmative," Sera said, crossing her arms.
"That's great then. How about you join us?" Phoebe said warmly. "I'm with some people—we can all watch together."
"You're with others? Are any of them from the academy?" Sera asked.
"Yes. There are three of us. The ones from the academy are me and Lucas," Phoebe replied.
"I see… then if you'll excuse me, I might prefer to watch al—" Sera began to decline.
"We won't tell anyone we saw you here," Phoebe said softly. "I promise."
"…Well," Sera paused, then cleared her throat. "Since you insist, I'll politely accept."
"Great! Then follow me," Phoebe said cheerfully.
When they returned to Lucas and Ryze, Phoebe noticed the two of them blushing while talking closely.
"I was gone for just a minute… what's with this atmosphere?" Phoebe asked with a smug grin.
"W-What do you mean? I have no idea what you're talking about," Lucas said, scratching his head.
"Good timing, Phoebe," Ryze said politely. "Oh, you brought someone with you. Hello there, madam."
Ryze and Sera exchanged glances, and Sera nodded slightly.
"It's surprising to see you here, Sera," Lucas said. "But it's nice seeing you."
Sera simply looked at him and nodded again.
"…This girl. Not even a word? Seriously?" Lucas muttered with an awkward smile.
"What reaction do you expect me to make?" Sera asked flatly.
"Huh? Why would you ask me th—" Lucas began, but Phoebe interrupted him.
"Now, now. Let's stop this before it turns into an argument," Phoebe said with a gentle smile. "Lucas, can we just enjoy the concert?"
"W-Why only me?" Lucas said awkwardly, sweating slightly.
Phoebe shot him an irritated stare, and Lucas immediately shut his mouth.
The four of them continued watching the concert together. While Phoebe observed Lucas and Ryze happily enjoying the performance, she soon noticed something else.
Sera's eyes were glittering.
She was staring at the stage with the same expression as a devoted superfan watching her idol.
Phoebe couldn't help but laugh softly.
"What is it, lowly human?" Sera asked, casting her a sharp glance. "What's so funny?"
"Your mood changes quickly," Phoebe said politely. "I was just surprised. You're completely different from my first impression of you."
"Hmph. And what impression did you have of me?" Sera asked calmly.
"I thought you were strict and cold," Phoebe admitted. "But now I see another side of you. You're actually cheerful and interesting."
"It can't be helped," Sera replied. "I have to act properly, especially when my race is on the line."
"You have a point," Phoebe nodded. "But honestly, this side of you is much better. If only you could act freely more often… such a shame."
"Much better, huh?" Sera said. "Still, don't you dare tell anyone that I watch things like this. If you do, I will hunt you down wherever you go."
"Y-Yes! Don't worry, we won't tell a soul," Phoebe said quickly. Ryze and Lucas nodded anxiously beside her.
"But judging from your behavior, my instincts tell me I can trust you," Sera said with a soft smile. "Don't disappoint me."
"Well, we don't have any reason to betray you," Phoebe replied. "And if we wanted to harm you, I wouldn't have approached you in the first place, right?"
"Hmph. You have a point," Sera said with a faint smile.
After a moment, Sera seemed to recall something.
"By the way," she said seriously, "how did you come to possess an artifact? Did you join an expedition to a Genesis Tower?"
Phoebe paused. Since she couldn't reveal the truth, she quickly made up a story.
"Well… honestly, I don't know either. Someone just gave it to me back then," Phoebe said with an awkward laugh.
"What kind of idiot would do that?" Sera said, stunned. "That artifact could be sold for an enormous amount of money."
"Well, he wasn't planning to give it to me at first," Phoebe explained nervously. "But something happened, and the artifact accidentally formed a soul bond with me. After that, he couldn't retrieve it."
"I see," Sera said thoughtfully. "That person seems decent. He could've killed you to take it back, but he didn't."
"Yes… that's exactly what happened," Phoebe said.
"And your ability?" Sera asked. "How did you obtain that?"
"I got my ability during the same incident," Phoebe replied. "Please forgive me—I'm not comfortable reminiscing about that past."
"…I see," Sera said, closing her eyes. "Lucky you, I suppose."
"But you also have abilities, right?" Phoebe asked. "The one we saw during the examination?"
"That wasn't an ability," Sera replied calmly. "It's a racial trait of the Lumier. We can modify the environment around us and copy the trait of other race."
She continued, "And before you ask—using a racial trait is different from using mana. It consumes mana unconsciously, guided by emotions and surroundings. Abilities, on the other hand, require conscious mana control."
"O-Oh, I see. Thanks for explaining," Phoebe said with a small laugh.
"Do you have any more questions?" Sera asked. "It's hard to hear you with all this noise."
"N-No, that's all. Let's just watch," Phoebe replied.
The four of them continued enjoying the concert, cheering along with the crowd. Cool smoke poured out from beneath the stage lights, mesmerizing everyone as the performance grew even more vibrant.