After listening to the woman's words, a wave of fatigue and weariness rose in Tang Xin's heart.
Was she surprised?
No.
After entering the circles of power, she had probably long sensed the truth of many matters, but she had convinced herself not to believe, wanting to preserve the innocence she held when she first stepped into this world of ice and snow.
"Did I disappoint you, Miss Tang Xin?" Marilynn combed the sky-blue haired girl's long hair, her tone calm.
"If it weren't for me, perhaps more ordinary people would awaken..." Marilynn showed shame. "They wouldn't sink deeper and deeper into the mire."
"That's not it, Madam Marilynn," Tang Xin suddenly said. "Even if they didn't choose you, another ordinary ‘Marilynn’ would stand up. You don't need to feel guilty about this."
Marilynn's combing stopped.
"You merely followed your own choice."
"What's more, you truly inspired many girls like me back then," Tang Xin smiled sweetly. "If it weren't for you, perhaps I would have given up on some night, or perhaps I would have taken an even more misguided path."
"Because of you, I met the most important person in my life on this path."
"People's minds have been trapped under thick ice for too long; awakening is a form of harm for them. The loneliness of the soul and the numbness of the body will only increase their helplessness."
"To save people, one must melt the ice that traps them."
Marilynn shook her head in shame. She had lived most of her life, yet she wasn't as insightful as a young girl when it came to certain things.
"Miss Tang Xin, would you like to become the new universal superstar?" she asked.
Tang Xin hesitated for a moment, then, after careful thought, showed a sweet smile: "If I still have the chance, I definitely will."
"I believe that one day, you will surpass me." Marilynn and the girl's gaze fell together upon the star-lit stage.
"No matter what decisions you make in the future,"
"At least for now, allow me to offer you my sincere blessings."
"May the gaze of the Stars forever fall upon you."
Tang Xin rose. The final moment had arrived. The girl walked towards the stage she had endlessly yearned for.
She would no longer follow anyone else's path, no longer imitate the figures ahead, no longer live in the shadow of others like a bird in a cage.
This time, she could finally follow the increasingly kind hope within her heart.
Even if she would pay the price for her choice.
Even if her wings broke, and she fell from the sky.
Oh, storm, she is coming.
"Welcome our final contestant, Miss Sevia!"
A thunderous applause erupted throughout the venue.
The dark red curtain slowly parted, letting a beam of light into the dark theater. It first illuminated the dome above the grand theater, then fell from the composite mural titled “Storm Song,” brightening the stage. The path of light landed precisely and entirely on one spot: the girl who commanded everyone's fervent attention.
Well-dressed people from all over the world stood up, cheering for Tang Xin, who stood at the center of the stage. The girl in the black evening gown elegantly held up her skirt, placed one hand on her abdomen, and performed a curtsy for the opening of the show.
At the same time, hundreds of thousands of eyes pierced through the curtain, all falling on the girl.
"Is that really Miss Tang Xin?"
"The Starry Daughter?"
"Sevia, didn't she lose her singing ability on the island? How did she make it to the final stage?"
"Don't forget, this Starry Daughter possesses more than just a heavenly voice."
The scattered lights fell around Tang Xin like golden glitter. She looked up, her gaze serene, at the area above. Behind the transparent floor-to-ceiling glass, a vampire with sunken eyes sat behind an ebony-carved long table, resting his chin in his hand, meeting her gaze. His scarlet eyes gave no hint of his thoughts.
"Then, I'll begin."
The girl's hoarse voice echoed through the empty stage. The previously lively opera house fell silent.
The rumors were true.
This Starry Daughter had indeed lost her singing ability in that disaster.
This only made the dignitaries from around the world more eager to see what surprise the girl could bring them.
A bow-shaped harp, taller than a person, appeared at the center of the stage. The girl sat on a gently flowing stream of water, like musical notes. Her slender fingertips slowly plucked the strings of the bowed harp, and her deep, serene eyes slowly opened.
"The starry sky, a world of ice."
"You and I, are merely travelers in each other's skies."
"Sometimes chasing birds, flying too fast,"
"Sometimes sinking deep into the mud, rotting in the mire."
In the dimly lit shadows, unnoticed by anyone, blood slowly trickled from the corner of the girl's mouth. The winding stream of water now felt like sharp blades, cutting across the girl's throat again and again, as she sang this sweetly sorrowful song.
"The dividing line of dusk,"
"The parallel lines of the world, walking, walking, then separated, leaving only oneself."
"Wandering, wandering, carried further away by the waves."
"The night is boundless and silent,"
"In the corners of the city, many,"
"Lonely people struggle,"
"Opening their eyes in the unknown,"
"Spending a lifetime,"
"Leaving many mysteries unsolved."
"The cold, frosted windowpane separates people's gazes."
"Separated souls cannot chase each other's intersections."
"If one day, I turn into a flying bird,"
"Circling around you,"
"Building an Eden."
"If our paths lingered here a little longer,"
"Could we resolve our prejudices?"
"Let me pick up a twig,"
"Flying through people's loneliness, building,"
"This Eden where there is no more sorrow."
"When the morning light falls, merging people's gazes,"
"You lonely ones,"
"Begin to forget the three thousand days and nights of the past."
"Losing barriers, no longer prejudiced."
"When the light melts this desolate ice plain,"
"Will anyone still remember,"
"The bird that brought the twigs?"
"A world of ice,"
"Wings thin beneath the snowflakes, broken,"
"Buried by heavy snow in the yesterday before tomorrow arrives."
"Don't stop,"
"Don't be sad."
"My longing for you is ceaseless, day and night,"
"Please believe, one day,"
"The slow wind will bring my love,"
"White parchment will record all the fleeting moments,"
"We will meet again."
Inside the Golden Pomegranate Bar, those with nothing to do were immersed in this sorrowful yet sweet melody. The invisible tune tugged at their heartstrings, as if at this moment, the hearts of millions of people in the snowy world were connected, creating a resonance.
"Miss Sevia..."
It wasn't until someone inadvertently whispered the girl's name that those immersed in the melody finally awakened.
"Are these her lyrics?"
"Why am I so sad?"
"Didn't she lose her voice? How did she sing..."
"Who said she can't sing? She's the Starry Daughter!"
"She sang beautifully." Luner sighed with emotion. After all, he was also a fan of Little Blue Bird, having followed that unknown girl from the very beginning. Who knew that in a blink of an eye, she was already a famous superstar of the Star of Art?
He had just been worried that she might perform poorly due to her voice.
He secretly observed the sky-blue haired girl sitting across from him and paused, only to see that Quinina's gaze was fixed on the girl at the center of the stage, tears silently falling.
"I saw it."
"Her, falling into the Starry Garden."
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