Academic gathering with a lich-Chapter 232 - 219 Learn to Let Go

The chaos among the audience made the opera house seethe for a moment, making it hard to imagine that everyone present was part of a high-class concert.

"Ladies and gentlemen wishing to return to their original species, please assemble your skeletal structure in your seats or activate your resurrection device. The opera house’s soul restoration magic allows your spirit to retain a certain degree of recyclability. Please refrain from making noise, stay in your original spot, and if you still experience cognitive difficulties with your ghostly form, we will provide an assistant for your resurrection."

An ethereal figure circled the ceiling of the opera house, his voice deep and sonorous, imbued with a reassuring calm. Lyle had learned that this was Mr. Moles, one of the leaders of the opera house, an artist and an administrator.

"For those brothers and sisters who want to join us, please take corridor number two to the partition to see the administrative staff of the Secret Pivot Council to change your identity records. We will guide you later on how to live as a ghost in the City of Wandering, Also, my orchestra welcomes new, talented musicians."

"Those gentlemen and ladies who have been resurrected, please check your bodily components or the functioning of various organs carefully. Be aware that after every Requiem of Mourning, one in twenty audience members becomes one of us due to various oversights, obligating our opera house to become one of the areas with the highest accidental death rates in the City of Wandering—a significant blow to our reputation. If you truly love music and support our Requiem Choir, please be responsible for yourself."

"Oh, of course, my Lich friends, this reminder does not include you—I know you are my most loyal supporters, souls and Liches united..."

"Oh, and that includes my Zombie friends..."

"Slime monster friends..."

What followed was a long list of undead creatures, read off like a menu.

"Mr. Moles has a slight obsession, he is a perfectionist," Alianna whispered in Lyle’s ear. After the vibration near his ear ended, Lyle could finally hear her voice. Her palm was now warm and soft, with a heartbeat; Alianna had donned her disguise to feel that excitement.

"Have you learned the Soul Scream, Lyle?"

Lyle could feel his body, which was like a car crammed with viscous honey in every duct, just one step away from being scrap metal. He felt lucky that he hadn’t exploded into a meat firework on the spot, thanks to Nia.

"Nia?" Lyle found his little companion on the ground, resembling a half-melted rubber ball.

"Are you okay, Nia?" Lyle extended his hand and touched Nia’s soft body. Like popping a balloon, Nia suddenly stretched out her form, her grill tendrils forming a large net in the air. She held her arms across her chest, head held high, and as a screeching squeezing sound filled the air, cracks formed under her mask helmet, with fragments flying off, revealing lips parted in a chasm from which the Soul Scream poured forth.

Nia had grown a mouth and also learned the Soul Scream.

Nia ate her little sweets at the side, not stuffing them directly into her stomach as before. Although she ate as politely as a young lady, her sharp teeth made a mess on her tentacles.

Alianna turned her head, "If there were cuter things in Lyle’s brain, I believe Nia would be much cuter."

Alianna voiced her dissatisfaction while Lyle could only smile awkwardly, "Don’t worry, Nia is still young and will go through a teething period, probably every day from now on."

"Since Nia has learned the Soul Scream, Lyle, have you learned it as well?"

"No, I still haven’t, Alianna. The Requiem of Mourning really works, maybe if I had let my guard down back then, I would have learned it just like Nia."

"No, Lyle, I’ve examined your physical condition, and you’ve already pushed yourself to the limit of your capabilities. I don’t want you to hurt yourself. Why are you so insistent on learning the Soul Scream when the final exam for soul studies is creating a Soul Stone? Lyle, the Soul Scream isn’t that relevant to making a Soul Stone. Not learning it won’t affect your graduation scores at all."

"But all my friends can do it; it’s just a fundamental ability."

"Lyle, you’re a human, and that alone makes you special. I understand your desire to do everything well, but don’t forget who you are, and don’t abandon yourself in the pursuit of perfection," Alianna said, holding Lyle and resting her chin on his shoulder. "Just like me, Lyle, I know I’ll never surpass my sister Helena, no matter what I do. If I try to become just like her, I’ll only face more defeats and pain. I used to be like you, wanting to turn into another Helena, not because of any lofty beliefs but simply out of my own competitive spirit. Being Helena’s sister comes with a lot of pressure, but once I learned to let that go, I realized that I just needed to be myself—Alianna who loves Naslan, who loves her sister, who loves music."

"Alianna..."

"Excuse me, Mrs. Alianna, lover of sisters. As your sister, I was just subjected to an ear-splitting ordeal, and now I’m experiencing a bit of hearing loss. My dear sister, could you repeat that touching confession for me? The part about finding your self-worth?" Beatrice rubbed her ears as she watched Alianna puff up her cheeks.

Alianna rolled her eyes. "My dear sister, ’I infuse all the love I have for you into your pranks.’ Whose life motto is that, I wonder? I’m just applying it. You wouldn’t expect me to be the victim of your jokes forever, right?"

Beatrice stomped her feet on the spot and turned to walk toward the door.

"Night is falling, and I’m going to get plastered at my bar. No one come looking for me. You two keep hugging like a merged creature until the end of time!"

Watching the direction Beatrice had left, Lyle expressed his apology.

"Is Beatrice okay?"

Alianna offered a helpless smile.

"She’ll be fine. When someone gains something, they lose something else."

"Did she lose Beatrice?"

Alianna kissed Lyle gently on the cheek.

"What she lost was time, time to herself. I’m sorry, Lyle, but tonight Benny needs me more."

"Of course, Anna, you’ve already helped me a lot today. Go to Beatrice, don’t let her get too drunk."

"I can’t do that. The best I can do is minimize the damage she does to her surroundings when she’s drunk and get her home safely," Alianna said as she fixed her clothes and bid farewell to Lyle.

"Lyle."

"What is it?"

"If you still have doubts in your heart, I’ve heard that witches can mimic the Soul Scream with magical power. You might want to give it another try."