Chapter 47: The Dream of Flowers

On the top floor of the Apex Star Tower, inside the mayor's office.

Secretaries and public officials were bustling about, dealing with various issues and repercussions brought about by the city lockdown. Not far from the crowd, inside a black glass partitioned booth, three people were conversing.

"Mr. Mayor, the notification has been sent out." A young secretary in a gray suit walked up to a middle-aged man and reported the situation.

"Mhm, leave it at that for now." The mayor nodded slightly. Shortly after, the secretary exited the room, leaving only the middle-aged mayor and an elegant noble lady.

"Lady Isabella is still so caring toward the children; I almost forgot about this matter."

"It's just that my attention tends to dwell more on these things. Mr. Mayor, you have far too many matters demanding your concern." The noble lady picked up the coffee cup before her, gently blew across the surface, and took a small sip.

"Indeed, I am somewhat fatigued." Unlike the stern demeanor he projected to outsiders, the mayor appeared quite relaxed in the presence of this noble lady. He leaned back into his chair, his voice laden with exhaustion.

"I originally thought it was just some troublesome mice, but I never expected there to be biting sharks beneath the water." He sighed.

"We also owe thanks to Purlin for holding her concert the day before yesterday. The area was already under martial law back then, which prevented the situation from escalating further."

"Problems in the underground world have been accumulating for a long time. Successive past mayors chose to shelve them, and I simply didn't have the energy to look into them either. I originally thought maintaining the balance as in the past would suffice, but now it seems that won't work anymore."

"We have no way of knowing just how many laboratories and bases that dangerous fellow has hidden underground. Perhaps all of them have been discovered, or perhaps some slipped through the net, but we cannot afford to gamble."

"Therefore, cleansing the entire underground world has become imperative."

"Relying solely on the city's police and armed forces is not enough; we will have to requisition a portion of our forces from superiors. I suppose that will mean another hefty expense." He rubbed his temples.

"One should always look on the bright side. If not for this premature discovery, had we truly waited until the situation turned critical, I'm afraid neither you nor I would be sitting here right now." The noble lady shook her head.

"That is true." He sighed, then sat upright.

"Lady Isabella is still as adept at comforting people as she was in the past. When I first met you, I was merely an ignorant university student." He was only human, whereas the noble lady before him was a half-elf, possessing a vastly longer lifespan.

He then reminisced about the past, recalling how, while studying in the Central Star Domain, he had seen Lady Isabella give a guest lecture at his university.

"At that time, you probably didn't know me. After all, there were far too many students present."

"Hyacinth Academy? That truly feels like a distant memory." The noble lady mused.

Before retiring to seclusion here, she had been a senior committee member of the Federal Artists Association and an honorary professor at numerous prestigious universities. Even though she no longer held an active official post, she still wielded considerable influence in the educational and artistic circles.

Although she possessed elven blood and hailed from a prominent family in the Central Star Domain, her status as a half-elf made it difficult for her to fully integrate with her pure-blood elven relatives. Thus, following her seclusion, she had relocated to a remote region to live.

The reason she chose Soundwave City was because the city had been named by her senior family members, carrying a poetic and fateful meaning—"The Soundwave Movement of Hammering Steel." Given her status, anywhere she chose to live would be quite comfortable.

"Glass Dream" was a venture she had funded and operated alongside several local acquaintances, serving primarily as a spot for her to sit and pass the time. After all, no matter how magnificent the scenery, without someone to share it with, it would feel devoid of color.

It was precisely because she resided here that former songstresses and musicians like "Butis" and "Andusia" came to work at this establishment after retiring from the entertainment industry. As for "Forose," she was the junior of a friend who, wishing to avoid the complex power struggles within her family, had chosen self-exile and was introduced here to live.

The two chatted for a while longer, transitioning from past memories to the younger generation of songstresses today.

"Yulandojia once taught Purlin for a period of time, and their styles are quite similar. However, compared to the 'Emerald Serpent' Yulandojia, 'Flame Candy' Purlin Cocoa is vastly more endearing."

"Lately, though, Yulandojia has discovered another promising talent. Her luck has always been exceptionally good."

"A promising talent? A new songstress?" Hearing this, the mayor's interest was piqued.

"I suppose I won't be able to keep it hidden from you for long anyway. That's right, a very young songstress, only about sixteen years old, named Hersia Tresa. She is currently working at 'Glass Dream'."

"How delightful." The mayor rubbed his chin, pondering how to leverage this songstress to generate publicity and momentum for his city.

"You should dismiss those thoughts for now. The child is still young and currently unsuited for exposure to the general public, or it will disrupt her growth trajectory." The noble lady shook her head.

"Very well, since Lady Isabella says so." Imagining that it would likely be several years before this songstress matured—by which time it was uncertain whether he would still even be in office—the mayor's enthusiasm waned.

"In any case, it is good news. If she achieves great success in the future, even the Star Domain Governor will have to heed her advice, and the Four-Leaf Crystal Star Domain might regain some vitality and vigor." The mayor contemplated quietly, tapping his fingers rhythmically against the table.

"For now, we should simply protect her well. By the way, where does she live?"

"Rumored to be in the lower residential district."

"How can that do? It's far too unsafe down there." Having experienced this recent incident, the mayor no longer felt at ease about the lower levels at all.

"Do not presumptuously interrupt someone else's life trajectory." Lady Isabella shook her head helplessly.

"Besides, she will soon be attending high school and won't be staying in the lower levels for long."

"Since she was previously able to struggle and bloom from that darkness, she naturally won't be trapped and die there in the future. We, as elders, need only watch quietly from the sidelines. Pulling the shoots to help them grow is hardly a beneficial thing. In the past, I have witnessed too many talented individuals whose futures were ruined by early arrogance and conceit, preventing them from continuing on their paths in the art world."

"Providing her with a fair and stable platform is enough; she will walk upward step by step on her own." The noble lady slowly stirred the coffee in her cup.

"As expected of Lady Isabella, you who once nurtured multiple Moon-tier songstresses. If Yulandojia had listened to more of your guidance back then... that child is truly a regret for our Four-Leaf Crystal Star Domain as well." The mayor gave a slight shake of his head.

"As for her, though she has stepped down from performances, I'm sure her present life is quite joyful. Life offers more than just one path; one should not pass definitive judgments on people too hastily."

"Just like myself—several of my older sisters urged me to remain in the Central Star Domain, but eventually I grew weary of it. In truth, after keeping such a great distance, my relationship with my sisters has actually improved considerably. Nowadays, I can take a faster-than-light spaceship back to visit them a few times each year, unlike the mutual discomfort of the past."

"Let us conclude our conversation here for today. Mr. Mayor presumably has many matters to attend to, so I shall not disturb you further."

Following this, the noble lady stepped out of the top-floor office suite, entered the adjacent vertical elevator, and looked down at the night view of the subterranean metropolis.

"Although it lacks the dazzling splendor of the Central Star Domain, the echo of steel reverberating through this dark underworld feels like a giant beast steadily marching forward. Perhaps an industrial city like this is truly the myriad backbone supporting the Federation."

"Flower of Golden Flame, Icenisa, the wish you left behind back then has now blossomed across numerous star domains within the sea of stars. We, the elven race, will likewise follow your will, filling planet after barren, iron-gray planet with forests and grasslands, causing myriad flowers to bloom in your wake."

She pressed a hand to her chest, the golden rose ring upon her finger shining brilliantly in the darkness, resembling a genuine blossom.