Based on recent broadcasts from the Voice of Mysteries, both Barnus and
Yet they had never anticipated anything like this. Watching the mage floating in midair, watching the pitch-black "curtain" gradually take shape at the center of the square alongside the intricate silver-white patterns, they were struck dumb for a long while.
It was only when those silver-white lines lit up one after another, emitting a brilliant yet soft glow, that Barnus and Ali snapped out of their shock. Craning their necks to peer ahead, they were equal parts excited and bewildered.
"Live broadcast? Could it be that today's Voice of Mysteries studio is set up at the Lentat Kingdom Grand Theatre?" Although Ali had heard the term "live broadcast" and its basic concept on the Voice of Mysteries, he had no real idea what it actually looked like.
The term "studio" was something he had learned from a pen pal's letter. The weekly Allens Impressions had once published a special issue dedicated to demystifying radio stations and interviewing famous hosts — as the Arcane Council's latecomer yet most prestigious gossip weekly, Allens Impressions was beloved not only by Archanists but also eagerly followed by Lentat citizens curious about the daily lives of mages and the scandals of the elite. It had gradually spread beyond Allens, reaching the literate classes of Lentat and the major cities of the Holm Kingdom, with circulation surpassing both Arcane and Arcane Magic. It was yet another alternative example of mages striking it rich.
Barnus didn't understand the term "studio" at all, but he was stunned by "Lentat Kingdom Grand Theatre." Stammering with extraordinary excitement, he asked: "We can listen to the entirety of Valkyrie?"
The Holm Kingdom was a nation that loved drama, oratorios, and opera. Even though its overall musical standards still lagged far behind Altor, in these respects it was second to none. On the other side of the
Therefore, even as an ordinary citizen, Barnus had an extraordinary love for drama and opera, and had long yearned for the Lentat Kingdom Grand Theatre, renowned as a sacred ground for both. Of course, due to his limited finances and the scarcity of opera singers in his small town, he and Ali mostly watched dramas, and only on special occasions — the Baron's birthday, the town's founding day — could they spend their savings to attend an opera performance.
"If 'live broadcast' really means what the Voice of Mysteries said it did, then we're definitely going to hear Valkyrie today!" Ali was beside himself with excitement.
Given the Voice of Mysteries' broadcast length, it could normally replay only a few classic pieces at most — there was no way it could play an entire opera in full. And the opera singers a small-town baron could invite would surely be mediocre; there might not even be one who could be called a true vocalist. So even though they wouldn't get to see those singers they had long admired, being able to appreciate this top-tier opera in real time was something that made them truly grateful from the bottom of their hearts.
The finest musicians, the finest singers and opera performers, the finest theater — who would have thought that commoners like them could once enjoy the kind of "luxury" only high nobility could experience!
Barnus rubbed his hands together in excitement: "Heh heh. We get to be lords for a day! But what's that curtain for? Why not just broadcast the audio? It would sound the same either way."
"It's probably meant to enhance the visual display, right? Hmm, maybe it's to improve the experience. On the Voice of Mysteries before, Miss Nightingale often mentioned that due to signal issues, some listeners might experience varying degrees of noise..." Ali wracked his brain for a reasonable explanation.
Barnus clapped his hands: "Right! How could I have forgotten that? Ali, you really do have a good head on your shoulders."
Ali raised his chin in satisfaction — he had told Barnus long ago that he was smarter!
After the silver-white lines had fully lit up, layers of ethereal yet exquisite patterns appeared around the "curtain," arranged in marvelous spatial structures that left Barnus, Ali, and the others unable to look away or find words, feeling only that this was a beauty they had never witnessed before.
The mid-level mage floating in midair completed the final adjustments, uttering strange sounds like an aria. A star in the sky suddenly blazed to life, showering down a cascade of brilliant radiance.
"This..." Barnus's jaw dropped once again. Could mages command the stars? Was that not the prerogative of gods?
In this dreamlike and awe-inspiring scene, the black "curtain" was suffused with a layer of pure, immaculate light, resonating with the stars above, while the scattered "fluttering" lights alongside it together created a picture of exquisite beauty.
The starlight gradually dimmed, returning to normal and stabilizing, while the black "curtain" seemed to become transparent. Inside, silvery moonlight slowly brightened, dispelling the darkness.
A gentle, tranquil melody drifted out, as beautiful as a clear lake shimmering under moonlight, drawing one's soul into stillness and imbuing it with faint sweetness, peace, and melancholy — at once somber and serene.
Barnus and Ali were both intoxicated, intoxicated by the silver moonlight slowly spreading across the curtain, intoxicated by the indescribable, dreamlike melody. The square fell completely silent.
They were no strangers to "Moonlight," the most beautiful piano sonata. Not only did upscale restaurants hire musicians to play it, allowing passersby to catch faint strains, but the Voice of Mysteries also frequently used "Moonlight" as background music for its segments. Yet this performance surpassed any they had ever heard before, allowing them to truly appreciate the most wondrous facet of the piece. Combined with the enchanting atmosphere, how could they not be mesmerized?
The cool moonlight grew brighter, and from the darkness behind the "curtain," a white piano slowly emerged. Beside it, turned partially toward Barnus and the others, was a woman whose long hair reached her waist. She wore a black evening gown that exposed more than half of her snow-white shoulders, her profile gentle and serene, her features exquisitely delicate.
The "moonlight" fell upon her, draping her in what seemed a silvery-white gossamer gown, while her slender, graceful fingers danced ceaselessly in the luminous glow, "creating" the most beautiful of notes.
"So beautiful..."