Chapter 528: Song

Perspective shift.

Sunlight filters through the gaps in the leaves, scattering onto the ground in a patchwork of light and shadow.

Ilya sits on a bench, her hands resting on her knees, tilting her face upward to look at the Robin standing not far away.

The servant today wears a simple everyday outfit, her blue long hair gently fluttering in the breeze, and her lake‑green eyes filled with a gentle smile.

Sunlight falls on her, coating her delicate outline with a faint golden rim.

Zhigengniao Jiejie.

Ilya tilts her head, "You just said you're a singer?"

Robin nods and sits down beside her.

"In the original world, I guess so."

Her voice is soft, carrying that reassuring gentleness, "I sing on stage, and occasionally tour different planets."

Ilya blinks, a bit surprised by the answer.

Her understanding of the concept "singer" basically stays at the idol groups that sing and dance on TV, or the pop songs on the radio whose lyrics she doesn't understand.

But coming from Robin's mouth, it feels different— as if the word suddenly became much more refined.

Ruby floats in midair, the rainbow‑hued light on the Magic Staff's shaft flickering a few times: "Singer? Doesn't that mean you can sing many songs? Come on, sing one for us— Ruby Jiang loves listening to music; yesterday when Ilya was taking a bath I played music for her, even though she made me Bi Zui."

Ilya's face reddens slightly: "That's because the music you played was too loud!"

"Noise is a style too~"

Robin watches the banter between the person and the staff, the curve of her mouth deepening a few more degrees.

She stands, walks to the center of the clearing, turns around to face them.

"What would you like to hear?"

Ilya thinks for a moment, then shakes her head: "I don't know either; just sing any song. Anything sung by Zhigengniao Jiejie is bound to be beautiful."

Robin lets out a light laugh.

She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath.

Then she begins.

"Mend your pace, sway to the beat—"

(Adjust your steps, sway with this beat—)

The moment the voice sounded, Ilya's pupils dilated slightly.

It wasn't a deafening high note, nor a flashy melismatic turn.

The voice seemed to drill straight into the ears, flowing through the veins throughout the body, each note gently tapping the heart.

Gentle, clear, yet bearing an indescribable sense of power.

"Hands up! Embrace who you want to be—"

(Raise both hands! Embrace the self you wish to become—)

Ruby floats in midair, unusually silent, simply hovering.

The ever‑chatty Magic Staff now seems to have its mute button pressed.

"We are reaching heights unseen—"

"Feel the fire deep within—"

Ilya doesn't know when she stood up.

She only feels the song as if it had substance, pulling her up from the bench.

She tries to move closer, then closer still, wanting to be nearer the singer.

"You're the key where my trust begins—"

"Join my dream, it's just the right time—"

Robin opens her eyes and looks at Ilya.

In those lake‑green eyes reflects the silhouette of the silver‑haired girl, gentle as a spring pool.

She extends a hand, gently placing it atop Ilya's head.

"Leave it all behind—"

"Get ready now—"

The final note falls, Lingering Aftertaste slowly dissipating in the air.

Ilya stands there dazed, silent for a long moment.

Ruby drifts over, unusually without teasing, gently landing on Ilya's shoulder: "…Beautiful."

Ilya nods, her voice a little muffled: "Hmm."

Robin crouches down, looking level with her: "What's wrong?"

Ilya scratches her head, smiling a bit embarrassed: "Nothing, it's just… so beautiful I don't know what to say."

She pauses, then adds: "It's more beautiful than any song I've ever heard."

Robin smiles and rubs her hair.

"Thank you."

Ruby finally regains its vigor, floats between the two, and in a lively tone says: "Ahahaha, truly worthy of a Caster servant; if this singing were used as a Magic attack, the enemy would probably surrender after hearing it— moved to tears kind of surrender."

Ilya can't help but laugh: "Ruby, what's that line of thinking?"

"Ruby Jiang's way of thinking has always been quirky~"

Robin stands and sits back on the bench.

"Robin sister." Ilya suddenly speaks.

"Hmm?"

"The purple‑haired woman from yesterday…"

Ilya paused, "Is it that you think she's impressive?"

Robin thought for a moment, nodded, "Very impressive. Her ability is bizarre; those tentacles are impossible to defend against."

Ilya looked at her a bit nervously, "If we meet her again, can we defeat her?"

Robin lowered her head, a gentle curve forming at the corner of her mouth.

"I was just summoned yesterday, still unfamiliar with combat."

Her tone was Calm, yet carried a reassuring certainty, "But it's different now."

Ilya was momentarily stunned, then nodded vigorously, "Yeah! I'll also protect Zhigengniao Jiejie!"

Ruby clicked twice beside them, "Ilya, the way you say that makes it sound like Robin is the one who needs protection. I'm a Caster, Magic A+, Noble Phantasm EX. And you? You're a Magical Girl who can't even fly steadily."

Ilya's face flushed red, anger and shame mixing as she reached out to grab Ruby, "Bi Zui!"

Ruby dodged while shrieking, "Oh dear, I'm angry and embarrassed~"

Robin watched their scuffle and couldn't help letting out a light laugh.

Everything seemed so Calm, so beautiful.

And then—

A powerful surge resonated from afar.

Robin's smile narrowed slightly; she stood and looked toward the edge of the park.

Ilya also sensed something, halted her chase of Ruby, and followed Robin's gaze.

"That is…"

A streak of violet‑black light shot upward, carving a fierce trail across the distant sky.

The magical aura emanating from that light, even from such a distance, felt suffocating.

Ilya's palms began to sweat.

"What a terrifying aura…"

Robin pulled her back protectively, her lake‑green eyes fixed intently on that direction.

At that moment—

A beam of sapphire‑blue light erupted from that area!

That light was even more dazzling and massive than the violet‑black one!

It coalesced mid‑air, expanded, and finally formed a colossal phantom dozens of meters tall!

It was a fox.

A sapphire‑blue fox!

It let out a sky‑piercing howl, opened its massive maw—large enough to swallow a building—and snapped down fiercely!

The violet‑black light twisted within that huge mouth, then vanished completely!

Ilya's eyes widened, her mouth forming an O.

"W-what is that...?"

Ruby froze, the gem on her staff flashing wildly, "I—I don't know! What is that thing?! Heroic Spirit?! No, there's no Heroic Spirit that big!"

Robin said nothing.

She merely clutched Ilya's hand tightly, her gaze locked on the sapphire‑blue silhouette in the distance.

What is that thing...?