1:30 p.m.
Across the Yala Moat from the Ikerite Crown Group, in the downtown commercial district of Ikerite's Northern District, stood the Ikerite Opera House. Situated at Penny Point in Yala Port right beside the Yala River Port Bridge, it occupied an area of roughly 1.9 hectares.
Designed in a modernist style featuring an innovative shell-shaped roof, the entire complex comprised multiple massive triangular concrete "shells" and glass curtain walls. Resembling a set of billowing sails, it exuded an imposing grandeur, and the striking visual impact and boundless imagination imbued into its architecture made it an outstanding example of expressionist design.
"Darling, Antanas told me that today's opera is definitely going to be fantastic!"
Iphatia led the black-haired noblewoman ahead of the sluggish traffic, crossing the intersection just as the signal changed. Striding across the broad North Bank Cathedral Central Plaza, she pumped a fist in eager anticipation as she spoke.
In order to enjoy the best possible viewing experience, she had deliberately avoided attending even a single rehearsal, nor had she let Michaea watch any with her.
"Strictly speaking, right now I'm your sister-in-law, so calling me 'darling' might be a bit improper."
A smile danced in the dark-haired woman's eyes as she replied.
"I don't care, I don't care! A sister-in-law is my best friend too, so why shouldn't I?" Iphatia clung willfully to her "Minel."
Because today's wildly popular performance at the Ikerite Opera House had drawn a huge crowd of media and celebrities, the Duke had once again disguised himself as Minel Aransal for convenience, avoiding pursuit by overzealous fans.
"To be honest, I'm not worried about your sister. She doesn't have a suspicious bone in her body. As long as you bypass her lie detection, she won't doubt the result in the slightest. But that fellow Lanqi is extraordinarily sharp," Minel mused.
Today, she had even arranged for a puppet resembling Michaea to sit in the VIP area. When the time came, their friends would see Michaea and Minel appearing at the same time, which would further dispel any lingering suspicions from Lanqi and Talia.
"What if Lanqi guesses anyway?" Iphatia couldn't help asking with a trace of worry.
"He won't. He has no logical basis to deduce it. Setting aside our figures, I'm over ten centimeters shorter than Michaea right now. There's no reason to connect us as the same person. Even if our temperaments share some resemblance, at most he'd just assume we're brother and sister," Minel said, shaking her head.
"That's great then! Hehe."
Iphatia could now enjoy her outing with Minel with complete peace of mind, even in front of Lanqi and her sister.
They walked toward the Ikerite Opera House, gazing up at the magnificent multi-story floor-to-ceiling glass curtain walls of the Hutton modernist building and the radiant lights glowing within. Projected across the exterior wall were giant posters of *Holy War Romance: The Half-Demon* along with a promotional music video.
Crossing the North Bank Cathedral Plaza, the main building of the Ikerite Opera House came into view, its exterior clad in extensive expanses of pristine white sandstone. Through the glass, one could glimpse the resplendent golden main foyer.
In the fountain plaza before the main entrance's twelve revolving glass doors, columns of water within the beige granite basin rose and fell in time with the rhythm of the music.
"Ikerite's traffic is as congested as ever, though it's still much better than Brillda."
Michaea felt certain that setting out early had been the right call.
It was both a weekend and Saint Valentine's Day. The closer one got to the Ikerite Opera House, the more hopelessly clogged the roads became, making walking nearby the best option.
"It's fine. We have Yabo! If I give him a call, he can just open a portal and bring us right over."
Returning to Ikerite after so many years, Iphatia had spent a thoroughly delightful morning with Michaea.
The Hutton Kingdom didn't have laws strictly banning concealment magic to alter one's species like the Protos Empire of the Northern Continent did. High-profile figures were permitted to disguise themselves as needed; they only needed to maintain a verifiable identity to pass security checks and have their tickets validated today.
Minel Aransal happened to have valid credentials from the Aransal Ducal Mansion, which had allowed smooth travels across the Southern Continent all these years.
To onlookers, Minel and Iphatia merely looked like a black-haired noble lady and a young duchess meeting up to watch a hit play at the Ikerite Opera House.
Drawing closer, Iphatia and Minel blended into the throng of guests across the front plaza.
The gentlemen wore impeccably tailored suits or tailcoats, their buttons gleaming with the soft luster of silver and mother-of-pearl, while the ladies were clad in stylish gowns, draped in dazzling jewels and radiant elegance.
By comparison, the two great nobles were dressed quite casually, yet their inherent aura alone made them instantly recognizable as a duke and a princess.
"Honestly, I saw the first installment performed by the original cast in the Creti Empire. It was genuinely incredible—you could never guess what was going to happen next second."
"Will they pull off some new tricks today too?"
"Unlikely. Word is the funniest female lead isn't performing today, and the promotional music video seems to lean toward a more poignant, tragic style."
As Iphatia and Michaea walked forward, they overheard the lively chatter of the surrounding patrons.
The joyful buzz brimmed with anticipation for the impending artistic feast.
The opera house housed multiple performing arts venues, including a concert hall, an opera theater, a drama theater, and a playhouse. The main auditorium could accommodate nearly six thousand spectators simultaneously, making it the heart of Hutton's performing arts and hosting over fifteen hundred concerts, operas, dance recitals, and plays each year.
Many renowned performers and artistic troupes across the Southern Continent had graced its stages.
As an iconic landmark of Ikerite, the Ikerite Opera House had become a symbol of Hutton's culture and tourism.
Its striking architectural design, superb acoustics, and flourishing performing arts scene had earned acclaim across the entire Southern Continent, filling both Iphatia and Michaea with pride.
"By the way, I helped film that promotional music video too," Iphatia told Michaea.
"It really is you."
Michaea looked up at the promotional music video playing on loop across various large and small screens throughout the Ikerite Opera House.
In it, Iphatia and several other Greater Demons appeared merely as cameo cherubs, occasionally entering the frame to watch the protagonists from afar, with a brief performance near the end. Beside her were four other female Greater Demons.
As the footage concluded, it began playing from the top once more.
"..."
Michaea gradually fell silent, focusing on the screen mounted high on the opera house's wall.
A punchy rhythmic drumbeat began, transforming into the sound of high heels clicking against the floor.
Onscreen, heels clicked briskly against the marble surface in a crisp, rapid cadence.
Michaea had initially assumed this was merely a promotional short Abigail had thrown together on a whim—which would explain why she had recruited five easily available Greater Demons—but now it appeared to be an artistic, masterpiece-tier cinematic music video.
The female lead in this short film was still played by Hyperion.
As the opening came into focus, she was shown striding briskly through an Ikerite office building, wearing a black dress. People seemed unable to see her, allowing her to weave among them freely.
Yet simply by casting her gaze upon a woman before her and then upon a nearby man, she could cause them to fall in love. Her character was conceived as a Cupid-like figure—her gaze cold, devoid of emotion.
As the god of love, her duty and ability were to make mortals fall in love, yet her divine nature meant mortals could never see her. She possessed the power to make anyone in this world fall in love, yet she herself could never receive love.
Thus, across the long river of time, she drifted through crowds in numb solitude, fulfilling her duty while being consumed by loneliness.
Then the scene shifted to the Hutton Art Museum one day.
Before an enormous epic oil painting, Cupid Hyperion noticed the male lead casually admiring the art nearby.
The male lead was played by none other than Lanqi, whose character was a painter.
Cupid should have turned her gaze to another woman to find a partner for the painter, but this time, as if spellbound, she couldn't tear her eyes away from him.
And so, Cupid began following the painter everywhere, searching for his figure out of curiosity, neglecting her duties entirely.
Soon after, amid a torrential downpour, she made her resolve. Accepting the baptism of the mortal realm, she shed her divine vestments and laughed with mad relief.
The next day, a knock suddenly sounded on the painter's door.
When the painter opened it, standing before him was the Cupid played by Hyperion, now transformed into a human. Dressed in a white sundress, she looked as gentle and lovely as a young maiden, having seemingly summoned all her courage just to knock.
Then, through music and song, came their silent conversations. They swiftly became acquainted, fell in love, and shared sweet moments together, the montage documenting their blissful life. The beauty went on.
One would have thought such happy days would last forever.
The scene shifted to a day when Cupid and the painter had a date, preparing to meet across an intersection.
As the traffic light changed, the bustling crowd stepped onto the zebra crossing, and across the street, the painter waved with a warm smile as he walked toward Cupid.
Cupid, her face filled with delight, stepped forward to meet him.
Suddenly...
A figure emerged from behind the painter.
At that exact instant, the music abruptly cut out, replaced by an eerie, ringing echo.
The figure appearing behind the male lead was another Cupid, played by Talia.
She offered a quiet, wordless smile, fixing her gaze straight on Hyperion.
In that suffocating silence...
Hyperion blanched.
She realized her transgressive act of crossing the divide between mortal and divine had been discovered by her superior. In her panic, her divine powers accidentally surged back, and she inadvertently glanced at another passing woman with light hair.
Just like that, the painter, who a frame earlier had been smiling at Hyperion...
Was momentarily obscured by passersby. When he emerged again, the smile was gone from his face.
It was as if he had no memory of Hyperion, or couldn't see her at all.
Instead, his attention was drawn to the light-haired woman, whose purple eyes met his gaze in return.
The two appeared to take a mutual interest in each other, but whether a story unfolded between them was left entirely to the audience's imagination. The screen froze at that precise moment, cutting to a close-up of Hyperion looking utterly lost and despondent.
As the song reached its conclusion, Hyperion was a Cupid once more, clad in elegant robes, strolling aimlessly along the cathedral's cloisters. She was drawn in by singing in the distance.
*"Awaken~"*
*"I would not resist the phantom that follows you everywhere~"*
The voice was ethereal and soothing, like a lullaby and a morning hymn all at once.
She walked slowly toward it, coming upon a divine statue where five cherubs danced beneath flying buttresses and murals, singing and dancing with serene ease to comfort her.
With that, the screen faded to black, leaving behind a teaser title card for *Holy War Romance: The Cinderella*.
"Darling, darling!"
Iphatia shook Michaea's arm repeatedly before Michaea finally snapped out of it and pulled her gaze away from the music video.
"Could you five Demon sisters just form an idol group already?" Michaea asked Iphatia, looking back at the promotional video that was looping from the start on the opera house's indoor crystal screen.
Iphatia and her sister Talia, the Ice Witch Almis, Guardian Minister Antanas, and Lawbreaker Minister Sinnola each possessed unique charms. Perhaps as a spin-off of the opera, this promotional music video would garner even more adoration from the public, because the performances of the five Greater Demons were simply breathtaking.
"Ah, was the music video that good?" Iphatia asked Minel.
"Even though you all acted as bystanders—sometimes playing passersby brushing shoulders with the leads, waitresses, or gallery docents, with Talia and Almis handling most of the singing—every one of you was captivating. The final shot practically lingered on the radiant glow of your figures," Michaea assessed.
If people discovered that not only the Demon King was skilled at acting, but that the other Greater Demons were natural stars as well, the restoration of the Posen Demon Realm might gain immense support from human fans, accelerating the process exponentially.
The Greater Demons' roles were akin to little divine messengers scattered across the mortal realm. Visible to humans, they maintained certain orders of the world while observing Cupid as detached onlookers, just as the lyrics sang:
*"What ending is it you truly desire?"*
They offered pity and counsel toward Cupid's struggle against fate and pursuit of love, yet repeatedly reminded and questioned her as mere observers.
"Is that so? When Abigail dragged me in to perform, I just thought it was fun and didn't think much about it," Iphatia said, scratching the back of her head bashfully.
At first, she had assumed Michaea was merely showering her with praise out of fondness, but hearing Michaea's earnest critique, she realized Abigail had exercised extraordinary artistic control over the promotional short.
"The ghostly Cupid played by Hyperion ultimately failed to attain the love she sought. Yet when she walked away in the end, she was no longer clad in black. Having realized mortals and gods walked different paths, she found peace between fleeting love and eternal unrequited longing," Michaea continued explaining to Iphatia.
"I think the message the video conveys shares the same essence as the ancient legend of Cupid and the deeper meaning of today's opera. Love is unexpected and mysterious; at the same time, there's no need to fixate on the outcome, for the fiery journey itself was reason enough to be fearless in the first place."
Michaea finally looked away from the repeating visuals on the high crystal screen, lost in thought.
Although the music video's plot had nothing to do with the main storyline or historical background of *Holy War Romance*, watching this promotional short alone was enough to guess the tone of today's performance.
It would likely be a tragedy, but one with bittersweet moments throughout and in its conclusion.
"So that's how it is... As expected of you! To grasp so much from just a promotional music video! I didn't think about any of that when I was acting!" Iphatia clapped happily. Everything she hadn't understood clicked the moment her beloved explained it.
Michaea indeed got along well with Lanqi and Abigail when it came to art, so it was only natural she could perceive Abigail's vision as a director.
"Still, could it maybe be a comedy today...?" Iphatia suddenly pouted wistfully. She still preferred comedies. How wonderful it was when everything was merry and lighthearted!
"Hardly likely, unless I completely misread what Abigail wanted to express in this short film," Michaea could only comfort Iphatia in advance.
She was certain the story would be magnificent, but by the end, Iphatia probably wouldn't be laughing the way she had during the Cinderella installment.
"All right then." Iphatia tightened her hold on Michaea's arm, leaning into her side. Even if she was about to watch a tragedy, she had someone beside her to offer comfort.
The two passed through the bright, expansive foyer as the opera house's dazzling lights washed over them. Michaea and Iphatia arrived at the auditorium's ticket check.
"Enter through Gate 2, then head straight along the left stairway. That will be the quickest route to your seats."
The staff member in formal attire examined their tickets, astonished to see they were VIPs seated in the very front row—tickets that were likely harder to obtain than private boxes upstairs.
The staff member promptly offered a courteous, practiced gesture guiding them into the grand hall.
"Thank you."
Minel took back the ticket stubs and stepped through the heavy double doors alongside Iphatia. The moment they entered the main auditorium, they both relaxed.
There were still over twenty minutes until the show began.
The house was already packed with spectators, with numerous media reporters holding equipment in the back rows, while quite a few familiar faces could be spotted toward the front.
Beyond Lanqi and Hyperion's friends from Ikerite Academy, Countess Rosalinda from the City of Flowers and Demon Realm Lord Aetio had both arrived for their scheduled vacation, and one could even spot the Imperial War Gods seated near Abigail.
Many Hutton nobles passing by casually attempted to exchange a word with today's director, Abigail, hoping to make the acquaintance of this famous imperial director and magical engineering prodigy.
"Abigail brought the most advanced stage magitech machinery and sound systems in the Southern Continent. Even imperials who live in Brillda all year round find such equipment extraordinary. The reason Ikerite is cooperating fully with Abigail is partly due to her reputation and fame as a director, and partly because of the technical support she provides."
Minel and Iphatia chatted as they leisurely descended the marble staircase covered in thick red carpet.
Starry lights were embedded into the opera house's soaring ceiling dozens of meters above. Innumerable crystal-clear prisms caught the illumination, refracting a hazy brilliance that cast soft yet vivid rays onto the burgundy carpet, weaving a fantastical wonderland.
Every few paces, beaming staff members from the Ikerite Opera House attentively guided VIPs toward their seats. Theirs was easy to find—they just had to keep walking straight ahead.
Once they reached this area, however, Iphatia ceased being as physically affectionate with Minel as before, letting go of her hand and walking alongside her merely like close sisters-in-law.
"There really are a lot of familiar faces," Iphatia murmured, her eyes casually scanning the VIP section.
Yet none of them recognized Minel, because the puppet posing as Michaea was already seated there among the gathered elites of Ikerite high society.
"None of my business," Minel said, shrugging nonchalantly.
Nobody would recognize her anyway, and having the puppet already seated there was more than enough proof they weren't the same person. Today was airtight.
Walking forward, they soon reached their prime VIP seats and sat down. Glancing to the side, Abigail was seated right next to them.
"Ipha, you're here! And this is...?"
Abigail always supervised from the audience. Her gaze drifted from Iphatia to the dark-haired beauty beside her.
She had never seen a woman so utterly captivating. The seamless blend of temperament and appearance seemed like the Creator showing off. An occupational reflex as a director made her instinctively wonder if this woman could become a phenomenal actress.
"Minel, my sister-in-law," Iphatia introduced warmly.
"Ah, the young lady of the ducal house." Abigail offered a polite greeting according to etiquette.
"Thank you all for taking care of my family," Minel replied with an unpretentious curtsy.
After a brief exchange, Iphatia grew curious about her sister's whereabouts and glanced around. As far as she knew, her goddaughter-sister was supposed to have gone on a date with Lanqi at Golden Bee Amusement Park this morning.
Since she had brought Lanqi back to the theater, she should have arrived early by now.
"Where are my sister, Hype, and Bro... I mean, Lanqi?" Iphatia asked Abigail.
"Lanqi and Hype are very dependable. They prepared well in advance. Hype is still in the dressing room chatting with Tata, while Lanqi is waiting backstage. He seemed to need a quiet space to rest—you could tell he was a bit tense and exhausted when he rushed over."
Abigail reassured Iphatia and looked toward the curtain.
Behind the stage curtain...
Aside from the stage crew bustling with arrangements and final calibrations, Lanqi sat atop a crate in a quiet corner. Looking solemn, he held Boss Cat to his ear and gave instructions through the communication magic card cradled in the little black cat's paws:
"The final hurdle today is getting them out of the Ikerite Opera House. You must stagger their exits across three separate time slots, avoid the reporters, and escort the three of them out of the three private boxes. Understood?"
Having reached this point, Lanqi felt he had survived the bulk of today's tribulation.
The sole remaining challenge was for Loren to successfully escort the three women, situated in close proximity, out of the opera house after the show.
"Understood, Drillmaster," Loren's voice came through the communication magic card in Boss Cat's paws.
"Do your best."
Leaving those three words, Lanqi ended the transmission and set Boss Cat down. Throughout this entire ordeal, Lanqi couldn't guide Loren directly; everything hinged on Loren's own execution.
With the plans he had laid out, it should be fine. Loren was a quick study and had already shown marked improvement today. Even if Lanqi tried his hardest later, there was little more he could do to assist.
He would be bound to the stage for two full hours.
"Lanqi, you do your best too, meow! The performance has to go smoothly!" Boss Cat cheered him on.
"It will."
Lanqi rested his chin in his hand and closed his eyes to rest his mind, waiting for the female lead to arrive. This was his only spare moment of respite.
1:40 p.m.
Time flew on Saint Valentine's Day.
Because today was a day everyone had looked forward to, the more relaxed and joyful it was, the faster the moments slipped away.
Inside the Ikerite Opera House, numerous crew members scurried through the corridors.
Beyond the main stage, the opera house boasted rehearsal halls, dressing rooms, costume and prop workshops, and other supporting facilities. Staff bustled through narrow passages and crossed wide, luminous halls.
At the end of the troupe's backstage area stood the door to the dressing room for *Holy War Romance*. It was a spacious, orderly room.
Brightly illuminated, mirrors covered three of the walls, lined with an array of cosmetics, wigs, and small props. Several leather chairs with plush cushions sat in the center of the room.
"Honestly, I'm pretty nervous. I'll be revealing my true half-demon appearance in front of so many Ikerite citizens," Hyperion said, seated before the vanity mirror, speaking to Tata who had come to keep her company.
Talia took Hyperion's hand.
"Don't be nervous, Hyperion. I was terribly nervous at first too, but after eating a few pastries on stage, I calmed right down," Talia comforted her, passing on her seasoned wisdom.
As an experienced Demon who had been through it before, she had plenty of practical insight.
"Hehe." Hyperion couldn't help but chuckle.
She had rehearsed for an entire month, whereas Talia had been thrown onto the stage unprepared, without even having time to memorize the script. Yet she had somehow pulled off a miraculous performance.
From that alone, one could tell just how absurdly formidable Tata's mental fortitude was.
"Abigail's troupe is very lavish. The pastries placed on stage are fresh confections bought specifically for the show, not prop models. If you get hungry on stage, you can just reach out and eat one," Talia continued.
"No, no, I'm pretty sure Abigail avoids prop food purely for better visual authenticity. It's not actually meant for the actors to fill their bellies." Hyperion smiled, and her nervousness melted away, revealing her breathtaking beauty.
The liquid foundation gleamed softly under the lights, the makeup highlighting Hyperion's features like an artist's paints, making her look even more radiant.
"In any case, rest easy. With that fellow Lanqi anchoring things, nothing will go wrong," Talia said. Though reluctant to admit it, a trace of tenderness surfaced in her gaze.
"Mm. With Lanqi by my side, I'm not afraid," Hyperion affirmed with a nod.
Men's makeup prioritized structure over defined lines; normally, it didn't even require eyeshadow, just a bit of residual contour powder dusted around the eyes. Lanqi's makeup had been done far faster than Hyperion's, and he had headed backstage to wait long ago.
"Then I'll be watching your performance closely." Talia released Hyperion's hand, preparing to see her off to backstage before heading to the auditorium herself.
Suddenly, Talia felt Hyperion's palm turn icy cold. Hyperion gripped her hand tightly—so hard it actually hurt.
"Hyperion?" Talia looked at her in alarm.
She saw Hyperion's gaze had gone completely blank.
"..."
The colors in Hyperion's vision inverted entirely, turning into a pitch-black void.
Immediately after, an agonizing pain erupted from deep within her body, surging through her meridians and seizing her limbs and joints, causing wandering purple veins to surface beneath her skin. She clutched her chest in agony, her pupils tinting a deep, dark amethyst.
"Hyperion, what's wrong?" Talia rushed to support her.
"I..."
Hyperion's breathing turned ragged and rapid.
She felt the rejection reaction flaring up again within her.
"Hyperion, I'll call Antanas over. She's in the audience right now." A communication magic card instantly appeared in Talia's hand.
"I can... manage." Hyperion glanced at the clock, knowing there wasn't nearly enough time for someone to come and go.
Even if Antanas were summoned, Hyperion should be backstage by now. Besides, this sort of pain couldn't be instantly cured by Antanas's healing potions; she had to endure and overcome it on her own.
"Hype, don't force yourself."
Hyperion stumbled. Taking just two unsteady steps, she nearly collapsed, caught just in time by Talia. Talia knew full well how agonizing it was to be eroded by a toxin similar to Melogas's.
During the battle in the final Shadow World, Talia had suffered Melogas's venom—a savage toxin capable of tearing one's insides apart, unbearable even for a Demon King, let alone trying to endure it while performing on stage.
"I..."
Hyperion bitterly cursed her own body. Had she not suppressed her demon talents from childhood, she wouldn't be going through this chaotic transition of demonic and human factors clashing and reconciling right now.
Perhaps she had sacrificed too much good karma over time, causing fate to play a cruel joke on her at this critical juncture. Or perhaps the demonic legacy of Melogas within her was stirring restlessly, wanting to indulge in some chaotic fun at this very moment.
Yet today's performance could not fall apart.
"Hyperion..."
Seeing Hyperion in such agony pained Talia deeply as well.
She wished she could bear the affliction in Hyperion's place, allowing Hyperion to smoothly perform alongside Lanqi today.
Wait.
Talia seemed to realize something.
"I think I have a way," Talia muttered.
"Tata, do you really have a way?" Hyperion asked weakly, a glimmer of hope rising in her eyes. Talia was the only one close enough to help her right now. Perhaps the Demon King truly possessed a solution.
"Antanas mentioned before that your toxic reaction stems from the conflict between your demonic and human bloodlines. Because you suppressed your demonic half for so long, your body couldn't adapt to such an abrupt surge upon awakening. Therefore, if your body becomes more purely demonic, it might be able to handle the change," Talia analyzed.
"Then what should I do?" Hyperion asked.
Even Antanas couldn't concoct a medicine to immediately resolve this condition; the body simply had to adapt gradually.
"Use this."
Talia turned her palm, revealing her Epic-grade equipment: the Demon Fusion earrings.
The earrings looked as though they had just been refined from the ancient purgatorial abyss of the Demon Realm, absorbing and reflecting the faintest wavelengths of light in the dressing room, shifting unstably between deep crimson and dark purple in the afternoon light.
If the two demon princesses fused into one, becoming three-quarters demon, it would significantly reduce the self-rejection caused by Hyperion's bloodline awakening.
After fusion, the appearance might still be Hyperion's, but the consciousness would belong to Talia. She would have to perform in Hyperion's stead for this play.
The duration of Demon Fusion depended on affinity. Since their fusion affinity was quite low, they would probably separate by tonight—unlike her fusion with the Great Compassion Poet, which had lasted for an agonizingly long time.
As long as she helped Hyperion deliver a steady, decent performance for today's opening show, tomorrow's second show starring Hyperion would undoubtedly still be packed to the brim.
"I'm counting on you, Tata."
Hyperion had no choice but to trust Talia. Gripping Talia's hand, she took the demon-tail earring from Talia's palm and fastened it onto her own ear. In her eyes, Talia had always been her most trusted and reliable family member, and Talia happened to be skilled at acting in operas.
To ensure today's theatrical performance succeeded, this was likely the only optimal solution, and time left no room for hesitation.
"Rest assured. I know the original *Holy War Romance* like the back of my hand. I can improvise the whole thing just by glancing at the script," Talia assured Hyperion with immense confidence, putting on the other earring.
Lanqi had always made snide remarks about her "Talia-style acting method" being flawed. She would prove to him today that there was nothing wrong with her acting at all.
Talia brushed aside the hair by her ear and donned the demon-horn earring.
The magical barrier in the room, previously as solid as bedrock, began to ripple with waves triggered by the supreme might of demon bloodlines. Surging tides of silver-white and purple gathered, enveloping them both.
Amid the magical fluctuations, Hyperion's figure blurred. The boundaries of her physical form began to dissolve, rapidly transmuting into motes of light that merged with Talia.
The incantations hovering in the surrounding air flashed with increasing speed, veiled in a mesmerizing, pale purple mist.
It was not merely a fusion of flesh, but of power, consciousness, and even soul.
Magic gathered, cocooned, wove together, and dispersed in midair. Moments later, the demoness slowly opened her eyes once more.
"Am I Tata right now, or Hype?"
Standing before the vanity mirror, the demoness realized she had assumed Hyperion's exact appearance after the fusion.
She looked herself over. When they first met over a year ago, Hyperion's figure had been similar to hers, just slightly taller. Looking down now, certain areas had completely surpassed her own—something one could only truly appreciate from Hyperion's first-person perspective.
"Whatever. Right now, I'm Hype!"
Dominating the consciousness, Talia felt her heart flutter as she admired Hype's features in the mirror. This breathtaking, lovely, and adorable visage was enough to melt her heart.
Thinking for a moment, she retrieved a translucent orange magic card engraved with petal patterns.
Ever since their last parting, Lanqi had frequently fostered Ranf with her.
Lanqi had suggested having Talia take custody of Ranf long ago, and putting it into practice had spared Lanqi a massive headache. Nowadays, the Great Compassion Poet had practically become their shared property.
Keeping the Great Compassion Poet with her made it much easier for Talia to fuse into the Fanatic Love Demon King whenever needed.
The Great Compassion Poet's figure instantly stepped out from the condensing orange radiance.
"Whoa, Tata! You really look completely identical to Hyperion! So this is Hyperion's physical body!" The Great Compassion Poet circled "Hyperion," declaring with absolute certainty.
Even if Hyperion's own mother were here, she wouldn't doubt for a second that this was anyone other than her daughter.
"Ranf, take this ticket. If Lanqi doesn't see me in the audience, he might get uneasy or suspect something about me on stage." Talia had no time to explain at length, handing her original seat ticket to the Great Compassion Poet.
"Honestly, Lanqi has no reason to be prejudiced against me. I can act well too. Nobody understands Hype better than I do," Talia muttered to herself.
As long as Lanqi didn't open his eyes, she was her niece.
"Sure thing! So I just need to dress up as you to keep everyone from getting suspicious."
The Great Compassion Poet already had a ticket to today's performance, but since Tata needed her help, she was duty-bound to oblige. With that, the Great Compassion Poet began searching the dressing room for gold-colored contact lenses.
"Mm, thank you, Ranf," Talia said gratefully.
Lanqi always liked having the Great Compassion Poet impersonate her during card crafting; who would have thought that skill would come in handy today? Disguised as her, as long as the Great Compassion Poet didn't speak, she looked remarkably like the real Talia.
"No problem, Tata! Perhaps my life's true mission was to make you happy, but that fellow Lanqi contracted me first. Whenever you need help, just say the word!" Having been looked after by Talia lately, the Great Compassion Poet's greatest desire was to live with Talia permanently.
That beast Lanqi had no idea how to cherish her; only Talia treated her like a precious treasure.
"I'll make you something delicious when we get back." Talia, in Hyperion's form, patted Ranf's head and withdrew her hand, leaving her to put in the colored contacts.
"Off to watch the play!"
With just a few quick touches in the dressing room, the Great Compassion Poet already bore Talia's everyday appearance. Clutching the ticket, she hummed a tune and jogged out.
"Lanqi, you're dead meat..."
Though a natural smile graced the Great Compassion Poet's face, she ground her teeth, letting slip an almost imperceptible murmur.
Talia, in Hyperion's guise, watched Ranf leave.
Confident that the Great Compassion Poet would serve as the perfect substitute to watch from the audience, she picked up the script from the vanity table.
A strange wave of confidence washed over her.
She had succeeded under far worse circumstances last time; this time would be an absolute breeze. Besides, she was intimately familiar with the script for the Half-Demon chapter.
She flipped open the rather thin booklet.
"..."
"...?"
"Wait, why does this script only have Act One? And why are only my lines here?"
Talia flipped through the booklet, her panic mounting as she turned the pages faster and faster, checking back and forth until she examined every blank back page.
Finally, she concluded that the actors didn't seem to hold the full script, though there was a teleprompter this time.
Calming down, she scanned through the script for Act One.
It seemed largely faithful to the original work. Looking at the fill-in-the-blank gaps, she could tell at a glance how they should be completed.
This was simply too easy.
She knew every single one.
*Abigail is quite clever, using this method to train Hyperion so she could experience the difficulty of improvising like I did back then!* Talia instantly grasped Abigail's "deeper intent."
Her confidence gradually returned, swelling even stronger than before. After skimming through it, she closed the thin script.
She knew the original *Holy War Romance* by heart.
Wasn't this just acting in a sequel with Lanqi?
"Hmph."
Talia, wearing Hyperion's face, crossed her arms proudly and curled her lips in a smug smile. "Lanqi, count yourself lucky that it's your master. Just you wait and enjoy yourself on stage!"
As everyone knew, *Holy War Romance* was a historical comedy. She would simply carry forward the signature style of the Cinderella chapter!
Chapter 881