NOVPUBAnother side.
Far away, thousands of kilometers to the southwest in the Capital Bulerida of Crystal, is the bustling district of Manhattan in the city center.
Deep into the night, Lanci and Talia strolled through the expansive Broadway Central Square, where the central fountain shimmered brilliantly under the illumination of the lights.
Overtaking the tepidly slow vehicles, darting across the intersection as the traffic lights just changed—
They were rushing toward the Brielda Opera House, with its grand Crystal modernist architecture, the opera house’s five-story tall glass curtain walls emanating a warm light, reflecting the massive poster on the exterior wall "Holy War Romance – Grey Princess Chapter."
"Hurry up, we’re going to miss it!"
"We still have about fifteen minutes before it starts."
Lanci and Talia had run all the way here.
Gradually, they could see the main body of the Brielda Opera House, extensively clad in beige sandstone, and through the ring of glass curtain walls, one could glimpse the glittering inner hall.
At the entrance, there are five massive revolving glass doors and two symmetrical circular fountain pools, with walls built from brown granite, the water columns rising and falling to the rhythm of the music.
The closer they got to the Brielda Opera House, the more congested the traffic, but fortunately, both of them ran fast.
After sending Elsa and Ursula back to the Saint Kray Temple, Lanci immediately turned around and hurriedly made his way to the Brielda Opera House in the central district of Bulerida. 𝔫𝔬𝖛𝖕𝔲𝖇.𝖈𝖔𝖒
Before leaving the Saint Kray Temple, he and Talia had both changed their appearance to disguise themselves.
Not only had Professor Landry recently become quite the talk of the town, but there was also the need to consider the spies from the Blood Clan. It was safest to be recognized as Professor Landry in the opera house; otherwise, if any acquainted Imperial Nobles came to chat with him, it could disrupt his plan to get close to Abigail.
But under their disguises, Lanci and Talia had no issues with their identities, and if they were really questioned, they could quickly revert to Landry and the acquaintances of Landry.
The Cerryti Empire didn’t have the rigid laws against the use of Concealment Magic to change one’s race as per the Protoss Empire. For some well-known individuals, they were allowed to disguise themselves at their discretion.
Now they looked like a pair of dark-haired handsome men and a grey-haired beautiful woman who had agreed to come to the Brielda Opera House to watch a play.
Approaching the opera house, Lanci and Talia blended into the crowd of guests in the front plaza.
The gentlemen were dressed in tailored, well-fitting suits or tuxedos, buttons gleaming with tones of brass and mother-of-pearl, while the ladies draped themselves in fashionably luxurious evening gowns, each radiating grace and opulence.
"Actually, I did see the previous performance, but truth be told, I’m really looking forward to today’s premiere."
"Do you think they’ll come up with something new?"
"It’s unlikely, but we can’t rule out the possibility of some slight changes to tonight’s performance."
Lanci and Talia walked on, overhearing the lively conversations around them.
The joyful sounds were filled with anticipation for the artistic feast they were about to enjoy.
They weren’t surprised, as to their knowledge, the Brielda Opera House covered nearly ten thousand square meters and featured unique "garage-style" stage design. It possessed the most advanced stage magic-guided machinery and sound systems in the South Continent. Even for those who lived in Bulerida, performances at this theater were considered a rarity.
With approximately 27 operas staged per season, including both classical and modern works, the opera house buzzed with activity throughout the season, staging operas from the Empire’s famous ancient playwrights, Verdis, Puccinica, to contemporary ones.
They just weren’t quite sure what made today’s performance different from the usual.
But there was no time to understand it tonight as they hurried.
Without a word, the two quietly passed through the bright and wide lobby; they were greeted by the dazzling light of the interior as Lanci and Talia made their way quickly to the ticket check.
"Your seats are in the VIP section, enter through door number one, then head straight along the right-hand staircase to find your seats the fastest."
The staff meticulously inspected their tickets one by one, then with a standard and polite gesture, guided them into the grand halls of the Brielda Opera House.
"Thank you."
Lanci took back the stubs and, along with Talia, stepped through the thick, finely carved double doors, as if entering another era.
The moment they entered the theater hall, they both relaxed a little.
Fortunately, they made it in time, even with about ten minutes to spare before the start.
Lanci and Talia ascended the marble stairs covered with thick red carpet.
Inside the opera house, dozens of meters high, the domed ceiling hung chandeliers, with countless transparent crystals refracting a bewitching light under their luminescence, scattering a gentle yet bright grid of light over the wine-red carpet, weaving a tapestry of enchanting dreams.
Every few steps, the beaming staff diligently and attentively directed guests to their respective seats.
"You’re pretty good at time management planning."
Talia found their seats and complimented her male companion.
Tonight, she hadn’t worried about anything, whether it was finding the way or considering the time. Just like the previous date in Floral City Pariel, she emptied her mind and followed Lanci to enjoy a comfortable experience.
While she had recognized Lanci’s reliability back in the land of Nanwantina, she only regarded him as an employer at the time. It was only now that she truly believed Lanci to be an excellent companion for outings.
"I’m never late, students can be, but a principal cannot."
Lanci took his seat, his breath held in anticipation amidst the all-encompassing noise of the sound system.
He had not forgotten his primary purpose.
Lanci’s gaze swept the VIP seats casually.
