Chapter 214: Watching A Play "So where are we going?" Azel asked as Nari continued pulling him forward. He glanced around the wide cobblestone path that ran through the academy’s inner district. He couldn’t remember seeing Nari in the game, but she was proving to be interesting. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢 She was mischevious, bold, and playful. And honestly? She gave a good tour. She talked a lot, sure, but it was the fun kind of chatter, not the type that annoyed. Lorraine, on the other hand, trailed behind them like an awkward third wheel. She tugged at her dress. She looked annoyed, embarrassed, and a little cute all at the same time. "Well, Lori wanted to see a play today," Nari finally answered with a mischievous grin. She reached into her storage ring and pulled out three slips of pieces of paper. They glowed with a golden seal pressed into each corner. They looked like tickets. She waved them dramatically in front of Azel’s face. "We had an extra ticket. Then we bumped into you. Sooo... you’re coming with us." Azel raised an eyebrow, smirking. "If I wasn’t here, who would you have given that last ticket to? Miss Brown?" He said it half as a joke, but part of him was serious. Even if the woman was a spy — she still needed chances to keep up her flawless act. She deserved it at least, No one could play perfection without breaks. "Yes," Nari said without hesitation. "If she wasn’t busy refitting your coat. But she is. So you win the seat." "Fair enough." Azel chuckled. Behind him, Lorraine breathed a tiny sigh of relief. She didn’t dare look at him directly, but she was secretly happy she hadn’t invited Miss Brown. The thought of sitting through a romantic play while Azel sat beside that impossibly perfect woman made her chest tighten. She didn’t even have the courage to reach for his hand while Nari held on to his arm so boldly. But still... she didn’t want him to feel like he didn’t belong. The three of them walked until a large, elegant building came into view. Unlike the training halls or libraries, this one was different. Its roof curved high with silver tiles, and wide stained-glass windows shone with warm lights from inside. The sign above the double doors read: [Astralis Theatre] Azel tilted his head. "This is inside the academy grounds?" "Yep," Nari said proudly. "They open on Saturdays and Sundays. Students and professors pick what kind of play will be staged each week. Tickets sell fast. It so happens that this week’s pick was a romance play." He nodded, impressed. What gamer wouldn’t want to see new things in their favorite game? He was also intrigued on what how plays would be like here. Two guards stood by the doors, not knights in shining armor, but tall men in neat uniforms, it was a fresh change from the usual knight or mage guards. Their sharp eyes scanned each visitor, but when Nari flashed the three tickets, the guards stepped aside without question. Inside was a single massive room. Rows upon rows of cushioned chairs stretched out in gentle slopes, circling a wide wooden stage. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling, crystals glowing faintly blue, while velvet curtains framed the stage itself. The air was filled with excitement. Students chattered, couples whispered to one another, some professors leaned back in their seats with wine glasses in hand. Almost every chair was full. "Dang," Nari muttered as she scanned the crowd. "We came late." She led them quickly toward the back, sliding into three empty seats near the farthest row. Luckily, the theater was designed well. Even from the back, the view was clear, every seat slightly raised above the one before it. The moment they sat down, the crystal chandeliers dimmed as if they had been waiting for the three of them. The velvet curtains swayed, then parted. A single spotlight flared to life. On stage stood a young man dressed in a flowing white tunic, his hand pressed to his chest as though weighed down by invisible pain. His face was angled toward the audience, eyes glittering with grief. "O, cruel fate," he cried, his voice carrying across the silent room. "Why do you part me from my beloved? Why must love bloom, only to wither in the shadow of duty?" From the opposite side of the stage entered a girl clad in a gown the color of moonlight, her long hair pinned with silver roses. She walked slowly, gracefully, each step echoing in the silent room. Her glowing crimson shone with sadness. "Because love is dangerous," she whispered, her voice trembling as if pulled from the very strings of her soul. "Because the world demands I choose duty above my heart." The two drew closer. Their hands reached out but stopped just short of touching. The audience let out an audible oohhh. Some even sighed aloud. Azel raised his brows. ’Not bad.’ It was like those old scenes he saw with his mother when he was young. He wasn’t really the type to swoon at staged romance, but he could admit it: the performance was done beautifully. Beside him, Lorraine sat stiff, her fingers gripping the edge of her robe. Watching the actors whisper about forbidden love reminded her too much of herself. She darted a glance at Azel, then quickly looked away, cheeks pink. Nari, of course, noticed immediately. She grinned wickedly and leaned against Azel’s arm, pretending to wipe a tear from her eye. "Ah, tragic love stories... don’t you think they’re the best?" Azel side-eyed her. "You’re enjoying this too much." "Maybe," she whispered with a smirk. On stage, the actors now circled one another like planets caught in orbit, voices rising and falling in perfect rhythm. "Even if the stars themselves forbid it," the young man declared, falling to one knee, "I would rather burn in the flames of rejection than live without you!" The girl gasped, tears spilling down her cheeks. "And I..." her voice broke, trembling, "...would rather betray the world than betray my own heart!" The audience erupted. Some clapped, others sighed loudly, and more than a few couples in the seats leaned against each other, whispering sweet things as if inspired by the performance. Lorraine swallowed hard. Her heart pounded in her chest. She risked another glance at Azel, only to see him watching the stage calmly, one hand resting casually on his knee. ’Why does he look so calm?’ she thought nervously. ’Doesn’t he feel anything?’ Meanwhile, Nari nudged his arm. "So, Azel," she teased softly, "if you were in his place, would you defy fate for love?" Azel chuckled, low and thoughtful. "Depends who the love is." He already had defied fate on many occassions... especially for Edna who was supposed to die by now. Lorraine’s heart skipped. Nari’s smirk widened. ’Perfect.’ Operation: Get Them Together was moving along nicely. The play continued with dramatic flair. There were sword fights under moonlight, betrayals by jealous friends, and desperate reunions at midnight bridges. It was a well-done play. By the time the final act came, the audience was completely absorbed. The lovers stood once more on stage, hands finally clasped, bathed in the glow of the spotlight. "No force in this world can sever us now," the young man whispered. "Not even death," the girl answered. And as they leaned in for a kiss, the curtains swayed closed, the music swelled, and the theater burst into thunderous applause. Azel joined in, clapping slowly. "See?" Nari said proudly, "I told you this would be fun." [Author’s Note] My first time at writing a play, Ah doesn’t look too bad.