Chapter 322

Chapter 322: The Completed Promise, Ideal Homeland

The night was beautiful, with clear stars shining.

The lights on the stage danced, but the true glow lighting up the surroundings came from giant wooden structures set ablaze.

Flames quickly shot up from the bottom to the top, and the brilliant light carried sparks, spilling out magnificent fireworks. When the fire died down, it fell like raindrops, decorating the night sky.

There were many large bonfires nearby, where adults dressed in firefighter suits stood behind shelters, enjoying beers, watching the bonfire, and chatting while looking at the stage.

Although there were some safety risks, in the town wrapped in Sparkling Blessings, like a fairy tale, everyone could overlook these dangers and fully enjoy the night’s celebration, cherishing this wonderful time that comes once a year.

The scene, along with Sister Ellie’s words, made everyone at the table suddenly remember the many moments they had when they first saw Charlotte.

But…

The campfire back then was not as lively as it was now.

Kirimi Miyuki looked up and smiled; she was the first to respond:

"Of course we should go! We agreed long ago to perform on stage together."

Xie Qingxuan took a headband from her bag and gathered her platinum-colored hair into a high ponytail. She placed the gift bag on her lap, glanced at the distant campfire, and nodded, saying:

"Yes, today is Charlotte’s birthday. Completing our promise at this moment will surely make her very happy."

Tang Liuli hugged her package and agreed:

"That’s right, and we haven’t had a chance to give her the birthday gifts yet. After we perform, we can all surprise Charlotte together."

Chu Wang Shu looked dazedly at the three little seniors who were chatting among themselves.

How strange, what promise? Why didn’t she know anything about it?

Could it be… is this an understanding only for Little Qing’s girlfriend?

Chu Wang Shu’s small face turned serious; she felt a strong sense of being left out. How many secrets did Honey Qing and the little seniors have that she didn’t know about while they were messing around privately?

The girl glanced at Sister Ellie, sighed in her heart, pouted her lips, and held back her desire to complain, replying:

"If Sister Charlotte agrees, I have no reason to oppose."

"Also, as long as we don’t use [Heart Flow], going on stage now will help us recover our strength."

Although all four of them were awake and able to move normally, that stage had drained all their magic, and the Artificial Lanterns blended into [Cocoon of the Heart] were all very dim.

Actually, this problem wasn’t that serious.

If she didn’t go on stage, Chu Wang Shu could rest for a day and fill the lantern with the Meditation Method to return to normal. As for the others, it was even easier; they just needed to take turns sleeping once with the Pure White Witch.

However, even though the conditions had been met, being unable to build the Magic Armor and officially become a magical girl felt like reaching the required number of pulls but not being able to draw from the limited card pool, which was truly frustrating.

Sister Ellie smiled.

"It seems you all have a good relationship with Charlotte, but there’s no need to rush. Like in past celebrations, this child will be on stage for a long time."

The nun’s toffee-colored eyes narrowed slightly, her smile warm and kind. It seemed she sensed something, and in a very gentle tone, she softly said:

"So, after she finishes performing with Little Qing, you can go to the waiting room to find her?"

"For now, let’s eat something to fill our stomachs. The apple pie that the children made tastes wonderful, so come and try it."

Tang Liuli obediently took a piece of apple pie, eating it bite by bite like a hamster. Looking at Sister Ellie’s familiar face, blurry images occasionally flashed in her mind, as if she had a deep impression of her.

This was also quite natural.

As long as one was friends with Chu Yuanqing in the first playthrough, they would basically know that Sister Ellie was the other’s guardian, and apart from Charlotte, she was one of the few family members besides the other children at the orphanage.

In other words, from the perspective of the three little idols, Sister Ellie could completely be viewed as a mother-in-law, and without rounding off, she deserved to be called mom.

Well, from this angle, Charlotte was simply winning too much.

Xie Qingxuan curiously looked at Sister Ellie. Unlike Little Sakura and Liuli Cat, who were brought back to Final City by Chu Yuanqing and had lived there, she had hardly met Sister Ellie.

Furthermore, since her memories had not fully restored, Sister Ellie seemed like a mysterious elder figure to her, and she had only recently begun to piece together her impressions of her.

In summary, she should not display her attitude towards her sister and should learn to be more like Little Shu, someone who could win the affection of elders.

That said, the golden retriever had still been rather quiet these days (she had tried), but she had seriously controlled her expressions and presence, completely forgetting that Sister Ellie was blind, which made Liuli Cat, who was observing, want to laugh.

While Kirimi Miyuki obediently ate her meal, she kept an eye on the little friend beside her and used that topic to chat with Sister Ellie, fully displaying the charming demeanor of a sakura girl, leaving the nearby socially awkward Liuli Cat and golden retriever with no chance to join in.

Chu Wang Shu, benefiting from her "granddaughter" buff, quietly sat next to Sister Ellie, earning her affection without needing to think much. She admired how knowledgeable the nun was, being able to speak Daxia language so fluently.

Not far away on the stage, the townsfolk showcased the special skills they had prepared for a year. Some performed acrobatics and magic, some sang and danced, some recited poetry, and some engaged in performance art.

After quite a while,

The Last Diva walked onto the stage with Chu Yuanqing. She wore a beautiful dress that was more elaborate than a Roman gown, and her silky, azure hair was braided and cascaded over her back.

Charlotte felt very happy; as her pink lips curled up, it was as if pink bubbles floated all around her, sparkling and radiating like shining light, showcasing the powerful presence of a star. As she stepped on stage, she caught everyone’s attention, shining brightly.

The Pure White Witch’s golden eyes looked over, her hair tied back in a low ponytail, and she wore a suit that matched her hair color, resembling a knight dressed in casual clothes, ready to protect the noble young lady.

The little idols in the audience watched with bright eyes, took out their phones to start taking pictures, and secretly hoped for something thrilling, wanting to see this version of Honey Qing elsewhere.

At the next table,

Chen Yining was contemplating how to reach the outrageous idol power of Charlotte, while vigilantly watching her childhood friend to prevent her from being unfaithful.

Lin Baor, however, was deep in thought, murmuring quietly to herself:

"Although Teacher Chu is the one being kissed, she is standing in a man’s position and dressed like one, so could Charlotte actually be the kind of tempting person people talk about online?"

To sort through her complicated emotions, she had spent these few hours sneaking into various fan support groups for female LGBTQ+ couples, reading many playful fanfiction stories, and learning a lot from the group members, making her understanding much deeper than before.

Liang Xiaoxiao glanced at a certain spot high above; after merging with the Blood Throat Gene, her sense of awareness increased significantly, and she could vaguely sense the nano cameras of the program group.

The girl worked hard to maintain a neutral expression, pretending to be an innocent passerby, not revealing even the slightest hint as someone in the know. She seemed afraid that when the show aired, online viewers would fabricate strange theories about her.

On the stage,

Charlotte cheerfully waved and greeted the townsfolk. Outside, she was the national flower of Austria, the Holy Maiden of the United Nations, an idol stepping into the world; but in this small town filled with family and friends, she was just the girl they’ve watched grow up little by little.

Everyone found the town’s atmosphere magical, and the reason the celebration had not changed over time was due to Charlotte’s consistent charm and brilliance.

Without this charm that had captivated the entire town since childhood, it would be impossible to create such a strong bond in such a vast network of relationships, like a fairy tale.

For the townspeople, they did not need to hear Charlotte sing; just seeing her smiling and chatting was enough emotional value, and they looked forward to the next birthday celebration.

So, the response from the audience was very enthusiastic.

When Charlotte finished her words of gratitude and mentioned that the happiest moment of the year was meeting Chu Yuanqing next to her, the entire town erupted in waves of excitement.

The men drinking beer set down their bottles and looked at the Pure White Witch on stage with the gaze of a father-in-law, but a second later, they compromised in their thoughts that "this girl is as lovely as Charlotte," abandoned their previous thoughts, and raised their glasses in laughter.

Gossip spread from the inner circle to the outer circle, and table after table of townspeople stared with the multitude of eyes and complex emotions of several hundred aunties, making Chu Yuanqing on stage feel uneasy.

The children from the little church were happily discussing, and some of the more mature ones were certain that Sister Charlotte was definitely talking about love, not just friendship.

Liang Xiaoxiao was greatly shocked.

Even though the wording was subtle and could be seen as friendship, looking at the outfits on stage and the atmosphere below, how was this different from an official announcement? It was even like a public coming-out in front of all relatives and neighbors!

Yes, the social anxiety of a social horror.

If this part aired on the program, I wouldn’t know what kind of heavy bullet comments it would attract.

Charlotte did not pay attention to the loud excitement below; she looked like a playful fairy who had just played a prank. She turned back and smiled at the person beside her, stepping to the lazy melody.

A famous Spanish violin piece filled the air.

The stage lights changed to soft, natural light.

Charlotte walked toward her, placing her palm on Chu Yuanqing’s shoulder, leading the rhythm, and starting to dance a classic tango.

Kirimi Miyuki watched this scene with a bit of envy, but inside she felt a little confused. No wonder they took more than half an hour; they must have been learning this in the waiting room.

Tang Liuli blinked her eyes; she had learned a little tango, but only danced with her teacher. She had never specially looked for a partner, and after learning it, she hadn’t danced again. She could review it with Honey Qing later.

Xie Qingxuan had also learned tango; her innocent eyes filled with expectation. She quietly measured her height and showed a slightly disappointed expression. She was originally 171 centimeters, but she had grown a bit recently, almost reaching 173 centimeters.

To be honest, this height was a bit too tall for an idol; it was already a risky stage. Normally, in a debut group, the chosen members’ heights were usually similar for stage effects.

In their group, 165 was the average height according to guidelines. Being too much above or below this number could cause a lack of coordination and increase the workload for the costume designer and the company.

Of course, the golden retriever was not upset about this; she was upset about her height and that Honey Qing could only dance the male steps in tango.

Although Chu Yuanqing had grown a little in the past two months, she was still just over 164 centimeters tall, and even with 11 centimeters added to her height, she looked out of place, making it as difficult as walking on stilts.

However… watching Honey Qing dance the female steps didn’t seem like a bad thing?

Xie Qingxuan imagined that scene and immediately felt better.

Chu Wang Shu quietly observed the eager expressions of a few older students nearby, feeling sympathy for Honey Qing and thinking that she would probably need to dance three more tangos when she returned.

On stage, the lazy melody shifted into a minor key, creating a passionate and varying feeling, and then changed back to a major key with the dance steps.

Perhaps it was because they had great chemistry,

Even though it was their first time dancing tango in public, the two still fully displayed that contradictory yet harmonious style, interpreting the complex emotions between lovers from "Por una Cabeza" in their backward and forward dance steps.

When the dance finished, the applause from the audience was thunderous.

Liang Xiaoxiao clapped along with the atmosphere, feeling that this set of skills was very powerful, completely sealing the cupboard door that had just a small gap.

These scenes would be shown on the program without any editing, and Daxia’s "Dazzling Stage" was sure to create a popular couple, soon evolving to punch "Meet You in the Mist," step on "Qingcheng Qingguo," while lying behind was the body of "Qing Ci Li Qu."

On the other side, the young idols, who had been "arranged," after watching this tango, entered the waiting room with prepared birthday gifts, blocking Chu Yuanqing and Charlotte, who had just changed clothes.

Chu Yuanqing asked everyone about their well-being, feeling somewhat guilty and nervous, afraid someone might notice the ring on Charlotte’s ring finger.

Fortunately, the chaotic scene did not begin.

Chu Yuanqing temporarily escaped trouble; the others pushed her back to her seat in the audience, obediently sitting next to Sister Ellie, looking at Charlotte who stepped onto the stage with her four teammates, feeling a mix of emotions.

The girl’s eyes reflected the bonfire; she couldn’t clearly express her feelings, which were relief, sadness, hope, and joy for fulfilling a childhood promise.

These intertwined emotions played a sorrowful melody, like a gentle stream echoing in her soul, turning past memories into fragmented slides that matched the scene before her.

"Little Shu."

Chu Yuanqing looked at the figure on the stage that surprised everyone, thinking of her daughter’s name, and couldn’t help but smile.

At that moment, no one could have imagined that by the time they fulfilled their promise, she and Charlotte’s daughter would be old enough to dance on stage together.

Time was truly magical, wasn’t it?

On the stage,

Charlotte’s smile was bright as she wore a stylish outfit and danced with everyone to the lively music, moving to the rhythm like a girl group.

This was one of the three dances that would be performed in the show.

Although she hadn’t practiced with Charlotte, for Miss Saintess, dancing on stage with everyone was a long-held dream.

So, every time she was in the dance studio, it looked like she was just resting, but she had actually memorized the dance steps practiced by the group, and now, she could easily take Chu Yuanqing’s place and dance the whole routine with them.

In a sense, this could be considered planned ahead of time.

Chu Yuanqing’s eyes sparkled brightly as she focused on the impromptu stage without a rehearsal, wanting to capture the moment when the girls’ hair flowed, the curves of their swirling skirts, their different smiles, and the unique styles from the past, all deep in her soul.

And during this process,

the Pure White Witch was handing out support sticks of different colors to the children, while in her hand were five sticks of different colors. She raised them high and waved them in time with the music, just like the fans who had watched her perform in the past.

How wonderful, was this how it felt to be an audience?

Your emotions were swept away, letting the colorful lights surround you, and all that remained in your eyes were the people on stage. Love and joy bubbled over like soda, filling your veins and quickening your heartbeat, making the sound of your heart clearer.

Therefore, the desire to hold onto this fleeting moment turned into an Encore that escaped her lips.

—Once more, please.

—Let’s relive that moment.

—Grant me the same happiness again.

Even without the blessing of [Heart Flow],

Chu Yuanqing was completely immersed in the performance, lost in the soft, shimmering light like flowing seaweed, as if she were a traveler in the desert, searching for traces of the past and picking up lost gems.

It felt like returning to a time of great abundance, where nothing was lost, and there was naturally no fear of any obstacles, with warmth in her hands hot enough to hold onto clouds, shifting sands, and rainbows.

This wonderful feeling of ease flowed through her limbs and bones after she relaxed completely, speeding up the rate at which the Lantern Gem absorbed her wishes with the flow of [Mercury Blood], allowing a surge of magical power to nourish the Flower of the Soul.

After a long time, the sound of cracking porcelain echoed endlessly.

On the branches of the pure white plant, which symbolized the traces of Patronus Magic, began to grow continuously and windingly in the surging flow of magical energy, causing all her [Mercury Blood] to bubble with excitement.

And when the dance on stage came to an end,

Chu Yuanqing’s eyes burned like lava, radiating a proud and dignified aura. She looked at the stage with a gentle expression, whispering in her heart.

Charlotte, the promise we made is now fulfilled.

The goal from now on is a brighter future.

With clear thoughts, the Lantern Gem grew even hotter, its vibrant colors deepening, and a greater magical power infused into it, causing the cracked patterns to move forward a few more steps, reaching wholeness.

In a daze, the beautiful starry sky cracked open, and an unknown dimension looked down, with a grand mirage stretching out, covering Sankt Wolfgang in an instant.

The message carved into the branches then surged in her mind, revealing the Patronus Magic after the one known as "The Forgotten Person of the World."

— "End of Utopia."