Chapter 196
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Chapter 196: A Shocking Entrance, a Chain Reaction, Old Dreams of the Past
The glow of dusk faded away.
The Danube reflected the stars at the edge of the sky.
Chu Yuanqing was silent; in her daze, she suddenly remembered Byron’s "The Spring".
—If we meet again one day, how shall I greet you? With tears, with silence.
For 17 years, Chu Yuanqing had thought about finding Charlotte. There were times when she felt the urge to list all the countries where German is spoken on a piece of paper, circling each country, city, and place, as if they were treasures waiting to be discovered.
How could she not miss her?
Those memories, those past times, those feelings, were like dust falling in the sunlight, rising and falling in the wind, colliding and scattering if one wasn’t careful, shattering the proud will and entangling a long and fragile loneliness.
Chu Yuanqing could not remember many things. When she first came to this new age, she had already borne the greatest curse, many threads and anchor points connected to her were eroded and broken, leaving only scattered fragments.
Charlotte is the greatest redemption in this little bit.
Chu Yuanqing would certainly think of her; even just a distant glance at Charlotte as a child, or even as a baby, could bring a little warmth and comfort to her heart.
But that would be too selfish.
Old and new change places, and causes break free.
Changing the timeline and correcting the roots of history bury each other’s past.
Charlotte is certainly Charlotte, but she will not be the Charlotte she should reach out to.
Chu Yuanqing had hoped for this too.
Hoping the other would regain their memory.
Hoping that one afternoon, the other would walk through the door, hug her bewildered and adorable daughter, and confidently say, "Call me Mom," then happily pinch her daughter’s cheek, casually put on an apron to cook, puff her cheeks, and complain about why she hadn’t come to find her all these years, saying she was getting angry and it would be hard to make it up to her.
Yet, until life enters a countdown, until she must shed her shell and be reborn, using the special powers of a witch to extend her life for a few more months, the scenes in her dreams could not become reality.
Chu Yuanqing understands that this is the natural outcome.
From the moment Charlotte took her own life in front of her, smiling as Final City sank beneath the sea, many regrets have already been sealed.
So, by reasoning, she should feel comforted that as her life nears its end, during her last trip with her daughter, she can see Charlotte shining on stage in this way, free from fate, which is the best result for both of them.
But…
"Charlotte, I really miss you."
That heavy longing covers her mind like a surging wave.
Chu Yuanqing wants to close her eyes, but the golden light in her pupils is like a flickering candle that makes the distant scenery clearer. The lantern in her hands spreads its glow, and deep in her soul, a withering flower slowly begins to bloom, as if the magic of the moonlight rushes like a roaring current, even the ends of her hair turn pure white.
The lantern is a manifestation of her soul, naturally feeling all of its emotions, causing her to waver at this moment, making the disguise she wore shake and peel away.
The light and shadow on the building’s glass changed, but that person’s smile remained the same. The color in her eyes was as bright as fireworks, shining like stars in the night, her soft lips moved like rose petals, and the gentle yet firm sounds of German weaved a beautiful melody through her breath and voice.
"The ruins city is still beautiful."
"I have been waiting a long time for your return."
"In my hand is a forget-me-not."
——βίος。
This is a song from "Guilty Crown," which fits perfectly now, like a long-lost greeting. In the passionate melody, it officially begins the flow of fate.
Chu Wang Shu also stared blankly at the scene; the girl inside looked so strange yet so beautiful. In a daze, she heard the roar of flowing blood, and her awareness paused for a moment.
At this moment, deep in her soul, the blue-green gem hidden for a long time, like a "Cocoon of the Heart," resonated with her. Its leaf-like patterns lit up, shimmering with beautiful colors, shining brightly in the intertwining waves of emotion, radiating a warm embrace.
This bond passed down through blood and soul created a wonderful sensation the moment she saw Charlotte’s face and heard that person’s voice. It made her instinctively slow her steps until she stood still, curiously looking up to observe.
"It feels so wonderful, who is she?"
Chu Yuanqing could not answer this question, perhaps… she did not need to answer it.
The images on the screen continued to play.
Charlotte was alone as she walked across the large stage, with the virtual scenery behind her endlessly shifting, creating ruins that had collapsed on a wasteland, while grass and plants struggled to grow from the concrete and dirt below her feet. Clear sunlight, like light silk, blurred the world with the strong wind.
It was the song of swaying souls, interwoven with gentle whispers like poetry, making the notes drifting in the air rise and fall passionately, as if trying to turn the world into a sea on fire.
"Raindrops are my tears."
"The wind is my breath and my story."
"Branches and leaves are my hands."
Kirimi Miyuki looked in the direction of the sound; she heard the melting of steel and the ringing of swords, while the pink in her eyes spread like ink, and heavy illusions lingered like scenes from a movie.
The gods in the black snow, the sacrifices born from betrayal, the blazing bonfire, the clashing of swords, and… that city of fairy tales, soaring in the clear song against the blue sky.
In that moment, dreams and reality seemed to intertwine in the unfamiliar melody.
Xie Qingxuan was lost in thought, her eyes misty, with a flickering dark star. Her heart raced more fiercely than when standing on stage, like a flowing river wrapping around her. The dream of Laevatain grew ever hotter, making the shining light on her body feel terrifying, like a divine spirit descending from the sky.
Those sealed, imprisoned, forgotten memories stirred like an unstoppable Calamity God in pure white, breaking free through the apocalyptic song, delivering a strong and bitter sense of déjà vu.
Charlotte’s expression was sad, yet her gaze remained firm. She prayed uselessly amidst the ruins, walking alone in the desolate land, showing her ethereal devotion in the changing sunlight, continuing to softly sing:
"For my body is wrapped in roots."
"When the season of thawing comes."
"I will awaken and sing a song."
Tang Liuli felt a bit lost. She admired Charlotte’s voice and was ashamed of her own defeat in skill. Yet, at the same time, a peculiar feeling rose within her, making her think it should be this way.
In an instant, those forgotten dreams flowed back like a rising tide, slowly filling her mind, and familiar voices echoed up and down.
"Liuli, don’t use it here."
"Final City needs you, and humanity needs you."
The whispers of the young man were mixed with a rusty smell; droplets of blood rolled down from the burned texture, hitting her face and creating a hot and bitter pain.
The hoarse voice that came from the person’s throat sounded as if a sharp object was squeezing the heart, watering the long-avoided sprout with blood, blooming into a unique rose.
The scene suddenly stopped, but at the moment that the words were heard, her chest was filled with a brave courage that rose from fear, a determination burning from anger, and a heavy love that was both strange and familiar.
Who is that? Is it from a dream I had before?
Tang Liuli felt strange; her heart raced, and she did not want to look at Charlotte’s stage anymore but turned her gaze towards Chu Yuanqing nearby.
Mysteriously, the green-eyed cat walked forward without a second thought, hugging the other’s arm, as if that would bring comfort; she sighed deeply, closed her eyes easily, and smiled.
Although she didn’t know why, the person in her dream had the same qualities as Little Qing. These qualities were different from the body; they were deep in the soul and spirit. As long as she held the other person, she wouldn’t feel scared.
Chu Yuanqing instinctively touched the cat’s head. She didn’t know how many frightening reactions Charlotte’s singing had set off. She continued to look at the familiar face in this new age, listening to the well-known voice, her brows softening and her lips curling into a smile.
Charlotte’s singing floated softly into her ears, the final words spiraling upward in an uplifting melody, as if it were a vow engraved in the soul and a greeting after 17 years, gently falling down.
"The forget-me-not you gave me is here…"
The song ended and people dispersed.
The person on the screen exited the stage.
Chu Yuanqing felt unsatisfied; she placed one hand on her chest, lightly tapping the lantern with her fingertips. The spell’s disguise was reestablished. The emotions in her heart were still swirling, but her face had regained calmness. She softly said:
"You sang beautifully."
This statement seemed to break the delicate atmosphere, prompting the little idols to quickly return to their usual lively selves.
Chen Xiaoxiao and the staff standing behind her did not find anything strange; from their perspective, their competitor had only paused for a few minutes to observe the future opponents in the Vienna region of "Dazzling Stage."
This behavior of scouting the enemy can generally be called being dedicated.
Kirimi Miyuki had already tossed aside all the messy thoughts with her idol spirit; her eyes sparkled with excitement and anticipation. Wow… Are there so many amazing people in the competition outside?
If she could win the debut position in the Sea City region, would she face off against them on different stages in the future?
Kirimi Miyuki looked forward to this very much.
Although Charlotte’s skill level is very high, in this video from "Dazzling Stage" in the Vienna region, she displayed a singing ability that surpassed Tang Liuli’s, even though the song in the video lacked much sound and didn’t include elements from "Heart Flow."
But isn’t that exactly why they are a worthy opponent to challenge?
She said:
"As long as we keep winning, we will meet sooner or later."
Chu Wang Shu shook her head to focus. She felt something strange; she found a stranger so warm and friendly. Could it be that… she liked beautiful girls so much?
She felt this way about Little Qing before, and now it was the same with this idol from the Vienna competition.
Thinking carefully about it, it really was too strange!
But that doesn’t make sense; clearly, Liuli, Sister Miyuki, and Sister Xie are also very pretty!
The lovely daughter fell into deep thought. She felt trapped in a scary cycle. This might be a difficult puzzle even world-class experts couldn’t solve!
Tang Liuli felt a little discouraged. She decided to practice her skills more. If she couldn’t compete in dance, and even struggled with being the lead singer, wouldn’t she lose all her competitiveness?
How annoying! Should she learn from the main character of a comic and develop some amazing special moves?
The green-eyed cat hugged Chu Yuanqing tightly, deciding to work quietly and discover her stunning talents, planning to amaze everyone one day and win Honey Qing’s heart!
The twinkling cross in Xie Qingxuan’s eyes faded away. She said softly:
"No need to wait so far, the competition rules of ‘Dazzling Stage’ are mostly similar everywhere. In the Vienna region, the other party might also be having a performance, and perhaps I could meet them while traveling in Austria."
The advertisements on the building changed to international luxury brands.
The young idols chatted while strolling along the city streets, making their way back to their resting place.
Chen Xiaoxiao booked the Sah Hotel, which is located in the heart of Vienna, next to Karntnertor Street. It is a luxurious five-star hotel with hundreds of years of history and is famous for its Sachertorte, directly facing the National Opera House.
Because the program group covers the expenses, not worrying about the budget, the five contestants decided to stay together in a 150-square-meter presidential suite, avoiding the confusion of deciding who shares a room with whom.
Chu Yuanqing’s room is located on the top floor, resembling a modern-style sky garden. Inside, you can see luxurious velvet-covered walls, stunning paintings, and antique decorations reflecting the richness of history.
Chu Wang Shu felt a bit uneasy, sensing that everything was too luxurious and out of place compared to her real life.
The girl tightened her cute little face, constantly reminding herself that all of this belongs to the wealthy of ‘Dazzling Stage,’ and has nothing to do with her. She must not let money corrupt her and fall into the trap of consumerism. She must enjoy the sweet moments and fight back!
Otherwise, even if she truly became a big idol, she would surely waste the money she earned right away. How would she achieve her grand dream of buying a new house in Sea City and allowing her dad to feel at ease quitting his job to rest at home?
Chu Wang Shu’s spirit was strong, and her will was determined.
Then, Little Sakura, who had never seen much of the world, happily waved to her.
"Wow, Little Shu, you can see so many sights from this terrace!"
"Really?"
Chu Wang Shu’s eyes sparkled as she walked quickly to the panoramic terrace, curiously leaning on the railing to look at the stunning city view below.
From the shimmering river lit by neon lights at night to the historic National Opera House, and even the nearby square, all could be seen.
—Beautiful, love to see.
Tang Liuli had lived in many castles, some even older than this hotel, but she felt little about them. As she soaked in the night, looking at the sights, she felt only pure joy of being out with friends.
Xie Qingxuan stayed back; she opened the map on her tablet and traced her finger over the attractions: Hofburg Palace, St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Vienna City Hall, the Royal Theatre…
There are many attractions near this hotel, making it easy for special soldiers to efficiently take photos and gather video materials for their vlogs.
If the aim is simply to complete tasks without any training, everyone can finish several tasks and earn 30 points in just three days at most.
After all, visiting ten famous spots for photos can be done in a day without feeling tired.
The hardest task is to attract the attention of a hundred people with a street dance, but for a team of five who all master[Heart Flow], it can easily be done in a busy area.
In fact, the program group does not limit the number of tasks that can be completed.
In other words, the commercial performance is not even a required main task; as long as ten side tasks issued by the program group are completed, the condition for returning is still met.
However, since the songs used in the three performances are the same as those for the commercial performance, they do not conflict; they progress alongside each other, so there is no need to avoid the commercial performance.
Of course, if you just focus on completing tasks, it will indeed be faster.
Chu Yuanqing’s team didn’t think too much; they were ready to use all 45 days. They planned to stay in Vienna for two weeks, practicing dance for at least three hours each day to train for one song before heading to other cities.
This situation is neither relaxing nor hard, but for the little idol who used to train eight hours a day, it feels like a happy life soaked in honey.
Chu Yuanqing watched her teammates interact warmly and, without thinking, took out the phone prepared by Chen Xiaoxiao.
This is the most advanced model available, and everyone on the team received one. It contains an Austria SIM card, and all the settings have been arranged to make travel easier, allowing the program group to reimburse the gifts.
Chu Yuanqing opened the Lycos search page and typed in a string of names, looking at the many entries that appeared. The most striking and prominent were a few media news articles, most of which were flashy and meaningless.
Among them were titles filled with adolescent fantasy, such as what they called the miracles of the Sacred United Country, the songstress of the voice that ends the world, and the national flower born from Sankt Wolfgang…
In short, it is clear that she has started to gain considerable fame throughout the Sacred United Country.
Chu Yuanqing turned off the phone screen and lay on the soft bed, unable to stop her wandering thoughts.
Since Qingxuan, who seems to be a former comrade, can regain some memories of the old times,
Then… why not Charlotte?
