This was the second time I had felt it.

The first was when I got caught in the Drainweaver Web cast by a Gravelurker.

In this world, whenever my Mana was nearly depleted, I could sense an emptiness inside me, like something vital had been drained away. It was a useful sensation, one that helped me avoid letting my Mana drop to absolute zero.

[Warning: Mana reserves are empty. Your HP will gradually decrease]

Just like in the game, running out of Mana completely meant my HP would start draining over time. The difference? Here, I could actually feel the pain. It wasn't unbearable, but it was sharp enough to be distracting.

To make matters worse, as a druid, I couldn't just chug a Mana Potion like other races. My only options were meditation or relying on natural Mana regeneration.

And my Mana regeneration? Not great.

Which meant I had no choice but to sit down and focus on meditation while enduring the persistent ache.

I crossed my legs and took a deep breath, steadying my mind as I began the process of restoring my depleted Mana reserves. It took effort, long minutes of concentration, but gradually, the pain dulled, then faded away entirely.

I exhaled slowly, my body relaxing as the discomfort subsided.

So, the Jasper Ring consumed the user's Mana to maintain communication. And activating it in the first place required a significant amount of energy. No wonder this item hadn't been released to the public yet.

But this thing had potential.

With a few improvements, it could be incredibly useful. My mind started racing with possibilities: different ways this ring could be modified, optimized, enhanced. Maybe I should do some in-depth research on it later.

Yeah... this was worth looking into.

***

Crystal Crescendo Opera House was the grandest and most magnificent theater in the Asterion Kingdom. Opera was one of the most popular forms of entertainment among the people, where renowned opera singers were considered important public figures with a massive fan following.

Not that I cared.

When I arrived at this opulent place, the doors were still closed. However, a guard stood at the entrance, and the moment he heard the name Vivian Greer, he wasted no time in escorting me inside.

I was led through the grand hall and into a luxurious corridor adorned with a red carpet. The walls were lined with elegant golden sconces, casting a warm glow over the intricate patterns carved into the marble. Eventually, we reached a waiting room.

The moment I stepped inside, only one word came to mind.

Extravagant.

The walls were adorned with large paintings, each portraying figures clad in lavish attire. Most likely renowned singers. A plush, oversized sofa sat in the corner, practically inviting me to sink into its embrace. The moment I did, I let out a contented sigh.

"I hope I can have this kind of sofa at home. I need to gather more stones," I muttered to myself.

The air was filled with an intoxicating fragrance, the kind that whispered wealth and refinement. This had to be a room reserved for the theater's most distinguished guests.

The guard who had led me here cleared his throat. "Please wait here. Lady Greer will arrive shortly." Without another word, he stepped out, closing the door behind him.

Left alone, I took the chance to examine my surroundings. My gaze wandered to the paintings again. Several beautiful faces appeared in these paintings, mostly women. Despite spending countless hours in the library digging through history books, none of these faces looked familiar.

Still, they must have been very famous.

I leaned back into the sofa, tapping my fingers against the armrest.

"Just what kind of person is the one I have to protect…?"

About thirty minutes had passed when the door finally swung open.

"I hope you didn't mind the wait," came a voice. Friendly, yet firm. A familiar figure stepped inside.

Just like before, Vivian looked impeccably neat, not a single wrinkle in her soft pink attire. It was almost unnatural how pristine she always appeared.

"Let's move to a different room," she said with a warm smile. "This one isn't exactly comfortable."

I blinked, momentarily taken aback. Not comfortable?

I glanced around at the luxurious setting. The plush sofa, the fragrant air, the sheer grandeur of the place. If this wasn't comfortable, I had no idea what was. But I wasn't in the mood to argue, so I simply got up and followed her without a word.

We didn't go far before stopping in front of a door. It was pink, with a golden star embedded in the center.

Vivian knocked twice and waited a moment before a familiar barbarian opened the door.

Agnar Terelin.

"Thanks for all your hard work. You're dismissed. We'll send your payment later."

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"All right," he replied curtly, his face unreadable.

Then his gaze shifted toward me. "Good luck, my little friend," he said before turning on his heel and walking away.

I gave him a nod in return and watched silently as he left us.

"Well then, shall we?" Vivian said brightly, already striding toward the pink door adorned with a golden star. "Time to say hello to your client."

The moment I stepped inside, I understood exactly what she meant earlier.

Compared to this, the previous room might as well have been a broom closet.

Instead of opening directly into a lounge, this space had an entryway, a hallway lined with smooth marble floors and sleek, modern lighting. Everything here was pink, varying from soft pastels to deep rose hues. Yet, somehow, it all blended stylishly rather than appearing gaudy.

Unlike the last room, where the walls had been adorned with paintings of nobles, these walls displayed paintings of landscapes and beautiful skies.

At the end of the hallway, we entered the main chamber.

A large portrait dominated the space. A striking image of a young woman singing, her expression filled with passion. Below it, the actual room sprawled out, far larger than I expected. A grand chandelier hung from the ceiling, casting a warm glow over the space. The massive sofa in the center looked like it could seat at least ten people comfortably.

Vivian gestured towards the room's occupant. "And here she is, the client you'll be protecting for the next few days. Gianna Elmira. I assume you've heard of her?"

I followed her gaze.

A young woman lounged on the sofa, exuding an effortless elegance. She looked to be in her early twenties, or perhaps even younger. Her face was a mirror image of the one in the painting. Large brown eyes framed by long lashes, matching the deep brown of her cascading hair. Her skin was porcelain-pale, with a faint natural blush on her cheeks, almost reminiscent of an elf.

She was dressed in pink, of course. A simple yet undeniably elegant outfit, devoid of excessive ornamentation but exuding quiet luxury.

Gianna glanced up at me, her gaze assessing. Then, with a slight tilt of her head, she smiled.

"So, you're finally here." Gianna greeted me, her voice melodious and smooth, carrying a playful and childlike tone.

"Hi, Miss Elmira. I'm Eryndor, and I'll be your bodyguard. Most people just call me Erynd," I introduced myself, trying my best to hide the fact that I had absolutely no idea who she was.

The young woman immediately stood up, revealing her tall, slender figure, slightly taller than me, even.

"Hi, Rin-Rin! Can I call you that?" she asked with an excited grin. "I was so amazed by your performance during the test! I watched everything from behind the glass." Her brown eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. "How did you even take down Agnar? He was several times your size! That was incredible."

"By the way, he is my temporary bodyguard, but I don't like him too much. He's too scary," said Gianna while shuddering.

Instead of answering, I blurted out the first thought in my head. "Wait… do I have to wear pink, too?"

Gianna gasped dramatically. "Oh, what a shame! You'd look so cute in pink. Unfortunately, we have another plan for you." Then, with a playful wink, she added, "And call me Gia. Everyone does."

I nodded, feeling relieved. I didn't even want to imagine myself in pink. If Muradin or Darwyn ever saw me in such an outfit, I'd never hear the end of it.

Before I could dwell on that horrifying thought, Vivian cleared her throat.

"Before anything else, let me explain your job briefly," she said, her tone turning serious. "As you probably know, Gianna has a lot of fans… and just as many haters. Recently, we've been receiving multiple anonymous threat letters. And, strangely enough, her previous bodyguards have all—"

Vivian hesitated.

I narrowed my eyes. "What exactly happened to them?"

Gia sighed and crossed her arms. "Come on, Vivi. No need to sugarcoat it." She turned to me. "Every single one of my bodyguards has met with… unfortunate circumstances. Some have gone missing without a trace. Others died in sudden, bizarre accidents. And a few just outright quit after receiving threats."

My brows furrowed. "That's…"

"Exactly why we need you," Vivian interrupted. "But we don't want you to act as a visible bodyguard. Instead, you'll be undercover. This was all Gianna's idea."

Gia flashed a proud smile.

"I've already arranged everything. You're going to pose as a special guest. Someone who won a contest to spend three days with Gianna," Vivian continued.

I raised an eyebrow. "Wait, that's a thing?"

Gia giggled. "It is now."

Vivian shot her a look before continuing, "No one will know the truth except the people in this room… and Gianna's manager, of course."

I exhaled, leaning back slightly. "Alright, I get it. But can someone explain what exactly is happening here in the next two days?"

Vivian frowned. "Don't tell me… You don't know?" Her sharp gaze bore into me. "Do you even know who Gianna is?"

I hesitated for half a second before shaking my head. "Not really. But I can guess she's a pretty famous singer."

Gia gasped, clutching her chest dramatically. "You don't know me?! Oh, this is the best day ever! I finally have a bodyguard who isn't a fanboy!" She beamed as if this was the greatest news she'd heard all year.

Vivian, on the other hand, sighed and rubbed her temples. "Gianna isn't just a singer. She's the most famous opera singer in the entire kingdom. Everyone knows her." Then she paused. "Well… almost everyone."

I shrugged. "Guess I'm the exception."

Vivian shook her head before continuing, "In a few days, the Crystal Crescendo Opera House will be celebrating its 150th anniversary. And at the grand finale of the event, Gianna will be performing three of her most iconic songs: The Cursed Cantata, Whispered Vows, and the most legendary of them all, The Lament of the Fallen Star."

***

The suite had two separate bedrooms. One for Gia and one for Vivian, while I was provided with a surprisingly comfortable sofa bed in the living area.

While Vivian and Gia enjoyed their lunch, I took the chance to do a thorough sweep of the place. Every corner, under every cushion, behind the curtains, I wasn't leaving anything to chance. So far, so good.

Afterwards, Vivian sat me down and walked me through my duties. In painstaking detail. She laid out Gia's schedule for the next two days. I nodded along, doing my best to keep track of everything without letting my eyes glaze over.

Eventually, she glanced at the clock. "It's time," she announced.

Gia let out a long yawn and looked like she wanted to melt into the carpet. "Ugh… I'm still exhausted. We barely got any sleep last night dealing with all those reporters and screaming fans," she muttered, dragging her feet.

Vivian gave her a sympathetic look. "Just for a bit, okay? Let's finish this soon."

With that, Vivian took the lead, sweeping out of the room, walking quickly. Gia and I followed close behind, matching her brisk pace down the hallway.

We walked quickly for a few minutes until we reached a set of enormous double doors. Ornate, imposing, and slightly intimidating.

Without missing a beat, Vivian pushed them open.

What lay beyond stopped me in my tracks.

My eyes widened as I took in the chamber before me. Grand didn't even begin to cover it. It was unlike anything I'd seen before, here or in the world I originally came from.

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