Before the current dissipated, ships couldn’t notice the reefs lurking in the darkness, with sailors intoxicated by the resplendent starlight above, lost in tranquility.

Lyle and his three companions returned to the Bloody Rose Bar, where Beatrice had unusually scattered the clouds hanging over the tavern, allowing sunshine and ribbons to illuminate this sleepless hub of revelry.

The atmosphere inside the bar remained lively, but instead of the unrestrained gyrations of the night, every patron showed the excitement of attending a celebration—a pure, rational joy.

Lyle quickly found Alianna, who was sitting at the bar with her sister, vampire Beatrice, conversing over drinks. When Beatrice’s sharp gaze fastened on Lyle, Alianna followed it to see her lover.

Lyle left his group and walked over to them alone.

As he drew nearer, Alianna’s smile on her face became clearer in his view, as did the vampire teeth Beatrice sneakily flashed from behind.

The novelty of tasting a mixed drink seemed just a simple excuse, as the liquid in Alianna’s glass had barely diminished. The initially distinct layers were now shaken into a blend as mesmerizing as the auroras.

You arrived just in time, Mr. Lyle, the beginning of the ’Music Event’ is about a quarter of an hour away, we can definitely make it on time."

I always am."

Alianna squinted her eyes, glancing at the long-stirred cocktail in her hand, "Benny has told me some amusing stories about your first visit to this bar."

On his first arrival, it was the enchantress Anna’s plot to entrap him, indeed of an episode laced with suggestive innuendos. Lyle shifted his gaze to his sister-in-law; Beatrice was looking elsewhere, but the upturned corner of her pretty side profile clearly anticipated something.

Is Alianna using me to vent her frustration?

The witch had worn her skin, gathering her hair behind her ear, and with a blink, Alianna’s demure aura shifted to one of seductive provocation.

The cocktail was pushed towards Lyle.

"Guest~ would you like to pay for my drink?"

Lyle raised an eyebrow, smiling as he asked back about the price, "One Oliou?"

"Everything you have," Alianna’s voice turned icy and arrogant, as if the queen had issued a command.

"A steep price indeed... but worth it, I accept."

Just as Lyle was about to down the drink, Beatrice, in a fit of pique, snatched the glass away and gulped it down. After finishing, she glared at Lyle menacingly before clomping back upstairs.

Alianna latched onto Lyle’s arm.

Benny doesn’t want to attend ’Music Event’, she’s never been much interested in music."

"That’s a pity, leaving just the two of us."

Lyle’s sarcastic tone got a laugh out of Alianna, and she pulled his arm as they headed out of the shop.

"Let’s hurry, or Benny really will tear you apart."

The venue of ’Music Event’ was in the Light Five District, Elf Zone.

On the way, Lyle saw companions of Andrey.

Even in their flesh disguises, they were easily recognizable. Their movements bore an odd dissonance, possibly due to long-term exposure of their bony bodies or the lack of the essence of living beings.

The stiff legion converged, reminding Lyle of his first entry into Andrey.

It was Gentleman Sir who led me, acquainting me with all of Andrey.

And now, Gentleman Sir was not absent.

"Plague Doctor."

Disguised in human skin, Gentleman Sir still wore the same grey-white suit as before, the withered rose pinned to his chest, his face wearing a smile, a scene much like their first meeting.

Except for the Ankara black cat he was cradling in his arms.

"Veraliz, madam."

The amber cat eyes had spotted Lyle long ago, but were swiftly drawn to Alianna by his side.

Long time no see, Lyle, or should I say, Plague Doctor, sir."

The black cat’s tail flicked idly, toying with the thorns by Gentleman’s rose.

"What a beautiful lady." The cat peeked over Gentleman’s shoulder, "Would you like to become a witch? I’ll make you Witch Mother."

"Veraliz!" Gentleman Sir remonstrated with the kitty, though the tone sounded more like a plea.

"Sorry, sorry, Avonreiter, the sight of a beautiful lady always makes me forget my manners. If I offended, I beg your forgiveness, unnamed lady."

"I am Alianna Naslan, it’s an honor to meet you, Veraliz, mother of the Witch."

After a brief introduction, they didn’t engage in much conversation but simply accompanied the gentleman as they moved forward quietly. Lyle and the gentleman, however, exchanged some small talk, which was mainly about the music and the performance at hand.

The natural landscape of Light Five District was like a paradise on Earth. Those Druids really knew their craft.

The golden sunlight, the green leaves, the spots of light that shone through seemed to trigger Veraliz’s cat-like instincts.

The black cat chased after the dots of light and then, amid the gentleman’s laughter, realized what was happening and threw him a cat punch.

As they ventured deeper into the Emerald Grove, the observing Elves grew more numerous, but both sides still maintained a certain distance.

The sunlight dimmed as the canopy overhead thickened with lush foliage.

Finally, Lyle and his companions arrived in front of a massive tent wrapped in black cloth.

Liches were queuing up, entering through the only low door beneath the black cloth.

That must be the audience seating for the performance.

Lyle peered into the darkness of the tent through gaps in the crowd, like a cinema.

There were no candle-like lighting fixtures inside, but next to the wooden stake-like seats, branches extended out with a few leaves that glowed faintly with green light.

It was these glowing trinkets that marked the seats. Lyle, with Alianna, found a spot at the edge and sat down, waiting for the show to begin.

Everything in the Elf Zone provided a novel experience for the Liches. They whispered excitedly to each other in the darkness, much like children on their first spring outing. They could have access to the Liches’ dark vision as long as they removed their disguise.

"To fully experience Elven natural culture, we left the arrangement of this place entirely to the Elves. It seems they put some thought into it."

"Darkness helps us focus, to immerse ourselves entirely in the music. I must say, as the first race to weave the harp, the Elves’ musical achievements are as remarkable as their Archery."

The gentleman whispered explanations from the side.

Not until the music actually began did the light appear in front of Lyle.

It was an Emerald Tree, its luminescent green light growing brighter, illuminating the Elves sitting on its branches, playing various wooden instruments. They wore robes woven with gold and silver threads, flower crowns on their heads, barefoot swinging in the air, like crystalline fruits dangling in the wind.

But Lyle first noticed not the Elves’ pale, long legs; he realized that his view seemed restricted, with black shadows slicing the scene into long, vertical strips.

There was a barrier, erected between the stage and the audience. Some Liches sitting at the front curiously touched these vertical strips.

"They’re made of ironwood, ironwood barriers."

Why erect barriers here, some Liches began to wonder.

"I get it now!" exclaimed the gentleman, raising his voice to silence the murmurs, "That’s not a barrier, but a cage, a huge cage. This is definitely a form of Elven artistic expression!"

"Elves are the race that reveres nature the most, and their poetry often reflects their love for nature and their desire for freedom. Now I see, the theme of the Music of Life is praising freedom. These Elves have enclosed themselves as if they are birds singing mournfully in a cage. They have simulated a prison, oppressing themselves to sing more authentically about freedom."

"That’s so professional, these Elves are truly exceptional artists. They’ve made such sacrifices for art."

The Liches nodded, as if they finally understood and were filled with admiration, focusing even more on the Elves’ performance.

Lyle, however, sensed something odd.

He quietly leaned back and stretched his hand toward the black cloth behind him. Sure enough, he found new barriers within the black fabric.

So, the problem was, there were barriers in front of him, and barriers behind him.

Who exactly was in the cage?

Lyle grasped the truth.

Why Liches had to pass through that small door to enter the audience seats, why the interior was as dark as a cinema.

There was no artistic expression of birds in cages here, but a dangerous quarantine of Liches.

The theme of the Music of Life was far from the invaluable freedom—it was safety first.

We of Ankara are the ones who should be singing about freedom.

We were locked in a cage.