Day Four.
"We've arrived."
After half a day's journey, the two arrived at a remote city within Rinascita. Phrolova took the lead and introduced it to Noah:
"My former hometown had already turned to dust in history. Later, a brand new city was built upon that dust. My very first tour performance was held right here."
While Noah was inside the painting scroll space today, she had arranged for the Fractsidus craftsmen to book this entire concert hall for her.
Only the last one hundred people remained unrevived in The Lost Beyond. After this performance, she probably wouldn't have any more reason to keep Noah here.
Thinking of this, Phrolova's mood became incredibly complicated.
This was the first time she felt... that too few of her relatives and friends had died. It wasn't enough.
Never mind. Having these few days of experience already made her extremely happy. Thinking this, Phrolova forced a smile and handed Noah a handmade VIP ticket:
"Today, you are my only audience, and I will only perform for you. This ticket is for you… consider it a souvenir."
"Do you need me to cheer you on?"
"As long as you sit properly, I'll already be very happy."
Noah took the ticket, feeling a slight sense of loss. So it really was just an ordinary performance. He had thought Phrolova would bring many Fractsidus members to ambush him.
What a waste of anticipation.
Walking into the luxurious concert hall, the ornate chandeliers emitted soft, warm light. The stage was filled with all kinds of instruments. Noah sat down on a soft chair in the center of the front row.
After waiting for a moment, Phrolova finally walked onto the stage from a side door. She had changed into a black and white long dress, her expression solemn.
She raised the simple baton in her hand. Her Modulation ability instantly covered all the instruments. The first melancholic sound of a violin rose like a sob.
Then came the deep, heavy sound of the cello intertwining with the violin, creating a strong contrast yet harmonizing perfectly as if made in heaven.
Next were the woodwinds and brass instruments. The graceful symphony brought every note to life.
When low, it was like a heavy sigh. When intense, it was like the roar of a wild beast.
Noah didn't have high attainments in music and couldn't comment on what made the performance brilliant. He only had one summary—
He didn't understand it, but it sounded good.
Eh, if he switched to the Phrolova character, would he be able to understand it?
No time like the present. Noah immediately switched to Phrolova's character. The ensemble music instantly transformed into surging, turbulent waves, rushing toward him wave after wave.
Desolation, bleakness—he finally understood this unspoken frequency. His mind shook, and the world itself seemed to change.
The world before his eyes suddenly turned into that small town inside The Lost Beyond.
He saw Phrolova returning after a performance, saw the joy of her triumphant return to her hometown, saw the affection and love from the crowd, and saw the despair when the meteorites fell.
There were no shouts, no screams—only explosions and flames. Her homeland turned to ashes.
She shed tears amid death, reaching out to everyone lying in pools of blood. Thousands of surviving frequencies turned into countless desperate, unwilling hands that tightly wrapped around her, the sole survivor.
Their painful murmurs: Phrolova, live on… we want so much to live with you...
Carrying the heavy burden of the beyond, she was driven onto a bumpy and ill-fated path.
'I once bowed to the gods, hoping to save devout souls in exchange for the return of the departed. The indifferent gods remained silent, allowing ignorant people to see me as a freely plundered medicine.'
'I once sought science, hoping to use my flesh and blood to prove the possibility of reviving the departed. Foolish me, I failed to recognize people clearly and didn't know that hypocrites saw me as material to achieve immortality.'
'I once asked the crowd, hoping to learn whether Waveworn Phenomena had ever nurtured special life. The terrified people hurled vicious words, until the mob branded me a witch who brought destruction.'
'I no longer ran around pleading. I quietly tried again and again by myself, but without exception, I only harvested failure, failure, and still more failure.'
"Life is so fragile, like blades of grass trembling and crying in the winter wind."
"Why is our world like this..."
The final lingering notes faded. Noah slowly came back to his senses. On the stage before him, Phrolova was gracefully bowing to him in a curtain call.
"The performance is over? So fast?" he asked involuntarily.
"It has already been an hour."
Phrolova gazed deeply at Noah's face, her emotions complicated.
He just now... shed a tear for her? Could it be that he understood this melody?
No way... In previous performances, everyone praised how beautiful and pleasant the piece was. They asked her if there was an interesting story behind it. No one had ever understood her grief.
Thinking of this, Phrolova couldn't help but ask:
"What do you think... of this piece?"
"..." Noah turned his head away, took a deep breath, and calmed his emotions:
"It's too sad. I don't like it."
One sentence caused Phrolova's pupils to shrink sharply.
He understood. He really understood.
Just like how Arima Kousei finally understood the profound pain and hidden emotions behind Kaori's violin performance in "Your Lie in April," he had heard the sadness and desolation hidden in her melody and shed tears because of it.
If favorability had a progress bar, her favorability toward Noah would definitely be overflowing right now.
Suppressing her surging emotions, Phrolova quickly stepped forward and sat beside Noah. The corners of her mouth lifted with joy:
"Since you don't like something so sad, I'll compose a cheerful piece in the future and play it for you."
Noah did not answer directly and changed the subject:
"Let's go. Back to the beyond. My Resonance energy has mostly recovered. It's enough to revive your last remaining relatives and friends."
"Ah, this..."
So soon!
Phrolova felt anxious inside and tried hard to change the topic:
"Actually, there's no need to rush. We can do it tomorrow. Do you have other things to do today? My matter can be placed last."
"No more delays. Right now, nothing is more important than your matter."
Without allowing further discussion, Noah switched to Shorekeeper. A white light circle immediately unfolded beneath their feet, and he returned to The Lost Beyond together with Phrolova.
As soon as they returned to the beyond, he walked hurriedly and went straight into the painting scroll space.
Looking at Noah's impatient back, Phrolova's heart sank.
According to her original plan, she should have had at least half of today left.
But his sudden action shattered all her preparations, leaving her somewhat at a loss.
Fluctuations appeared again in The Lost Beyond. Phrolova's expression changed.
Not good. The Grand Architect had come, and at exactly this moment.
...
Top floor of the Surging Brightness Tower.
"Phrolova sister, we meet again."
Still wearing that petite appearance of Triss, the innocent and harmless face spoke in a tone completely mismatched with the appearance:
"Did you enjoy yesterday's troupe performance and today's solo concert booked through the Fractsidus? You should have had many opportunities to make him consume the Frequency Devourer, right?"
"No." Phrolova responded coldly: "He is very vigilant. I still need a little more time."
"Oh? Phrolova sister, has no one ever told you that your acting is terrible? All your thoughts are written on your face."
"Triss" paced unhurriedly to stand in front of Phrolova, looked up to observe her expression, and smiled faintly:
"You didn't make a move in an entire day. You wouldn't... have fallen for him, would you? Aiya, your eyes changed. Looks like I was right. I really didn't expect that."
"Triss" turned around and sighed softly:
"Looks like I can't count on you. No problem."
"Some people's seemingly noble character is actually a flaw in itself."
"I just need to casually send a clone to ask him for help, then reward him with the Frequency Devourer as payment. He should happily consume it, right?"
"Don't——"
Phrolova's pupils shrank. She cried out in alarm, her hands unconsciously clenching tightly as her nails dug deep into her palms:
"Grand Architect, don't do that. Noah… is a good person."
"Good person?"
The Grand Architect laughed as if hearing an extremely funny joke:
"When our Fractsidus was still the Star Group, who wasn't a good person?"
"But will fate go easy on you just because you're a good person? When you were deceived, used, and driven away, did they care that you were a good person?"
"If you reveal your identity now and tell Noah that you want to be a good person in the future, will he show you mercy?"
The Grand Architect suddenly turned around. His sharp gaze met Phrolova's. He watched as her face gradually turned pale:
"You are an important supervisor of the Fractsidus. I'll treat what you just said as youthful impulsiveness and short-sightedness and not hold it against you."
"Now, I don't want to say anything harsh. Noah is either a member of the Fractsidus or an enemy."
"I will not allow my subordinates to have unclear relationships with enemies. I'll give you one more day——"
"No need."
A soft whisper came from Phrolova's mouth. She took a step back, creating distance from the Grand Architect:
"I am withdrawing from the Fractsidus."
From the moment she crushed the Frequency Devourer, she had already given up any retreat.
In essence, she and the Fractsidus had always been using each other. Now that her relatives and friends were revived, the Fractsidus no longer held any meaning for her.
"Phrolova, you're actually willing to leave the organization for someone you've only known for a few days..."
The Grand Architect seemed not to have expected this situation. After a brief silence, like suppressed rage about to erupt:
"Have you forgotten the ideals of the Fractsidus? Everything we do is to allow humanity to step through the gates of eternity. Our goal is true salvation of the world."
"The humans you want to save do not include ordinary people."
One sentence caused the Grand Architect to fall silent again.
Ordinary people?
Hah, they were merely the firewood for civilization's burning—endless, inexhaustible, continuously supplied.
The Fractsidus could save a portion of the firewood, but there was no need to save all of it.
"Fine... It seems our ideals have diverged. But no matter what, please remember, we will eventually meet again on the same path."
He extended his hand:
"I approve your withdrawal. Hand over the gem."
Phrolova took another half step back and shook her head:
"I won't give it."
"Phrolova, you——"
"Grand Architect, this clone of yours is very weak. Will you leave with dignity yourself, or shall I send you away?"
Looking at Phrolova who had drawn her Red Spider Lily staff, the Grand Architect laughed angrily on the spot and retreated:
"Good, good, very good, Phrolova. Well done! I want to see how you will save your family without the support of the Fractsidus."
...
The Grand Architect left. Phrolova returned to The Lost Beyond.
All her relatives and friends had been placed by Noah inside the painting scroll space. At this moment, The Lost Beyond was empty except for her. The silence was terrifying.
On the open ground not far away were five vivid painting scrolls.
The first four scrolls were lifelike, as if all the people inside would leap out in the next second.
And the fifth one... was almost finished too.
She quietly sat alone on the flower field full of lavender, silently gazing at the light-colored dreamy starry sky in the distance.
That starry sky seemed separated by a thin layer of mist, hazy and unclear, just like her current heart—filled with confusion.
Finally, Noah walked out from the painting scroll space, like a chief surgeon who had just come out of the operating room. He explained the situation to Phrolova who had come forward to meet him:
"It went very smoothly. All your relatives and friends should wake up together in about two hours."
"Thank you."
Reviving her family was something very worth being happy about, but right now she really couldn't feel happy.
"By the way, Selene, I have something to tell you."
Hearing this, Phrolova nodded. However, her peripheral vision suddenly caught sight of the painting scrolls beside them.
If she revealed her identity now and a fight broke out, it would be bad if the scrolls were damaged.
Seeing that Noah was about to speak, Phrolova hurriedly interrupted:
"Let's talk outside. I also... have something to tell you."
...