### Chapter 5: The Harpist (8)
In the dimly lit and narrow tavern, an eerie silence hung in the air.
Ever since the demon tribe settled in Black Stone City, they had been enjoying themselves every night, drinking and laughing in the tavern, but at this moment, they were gathered in greater numbers than ever yet remained unnervingly quiet—as if time itself had paused, leaving a chilling sensation in its wake.
Morris immediately sensed the shift in atmosphere.
But right now, he was determined to speak up for Trissa.
As the saying goes, a timely gift in the snow shows true kindness. If he could help her out of a tight spot this time, Trissa would surely be forever grateful. And her father, the Minister of Foreign Affairs from the Imperial Capital, wielded immense power. If he could curry favor with that connection, it would undoubtedly propel his own ambitions to great heights.
So even if it meant telling a white lie, he was set on publicly putting that demoness in her place.
“Have you all figured it out? Which of our lovely ladies has the superior skills and sweeter melodies? Think carefully before you vote!”
Morris repeated himself.
Everyone knew what he was getting at behind the scenes.
But their second performer had just delivered a performance so mesmerizing, it resonated deep within their souls and brought them joy beyond all measure.
Yet their boss, Count Morris, was forcing them to betray their own consciences.
Once they voiced their opinions, it wouldn’t just be a betrayal of their inner selves; it would also break their oath to the God of Harmony, Muse.
This made them hesitate, caught in a dilemma.
On one hand, there was the pressure of reality, on the other, a fierce inner struggle.
What were they supposed to do?
At that moment, Trissa, who had been in a daze, snapped back to reality.
Let’s not kid ourselves; the oaths made before the God of Harmony were almost akin to an inviolable law for harpists.
If they broke their vows, even if the Muse herself didn’t show up to punish them, their skills would inevitably decline, and they’d never be able to reach that peak again.
The thought of the harsh consequences of the bet suddenly weighed heavily on Trissa.
Was this the price of her youthful arrogance?
Thinking she was the best in the world, when in reality the road of harpists was just like the path of cultivators—there was always someone better out there.
She had stumbled hard, but hey, it was no surprise.
Fine, she could just gracefully back off and never play again.
Once she accepted that idea, it didn’t seem like such a big deal anymore.
Seeing Morris ready to back her up, Trissa desperately tugged at his sleeve and shook her head. “Forget it!”
“Forget it? How can you just forget it?!”
Morris exclaimed dramatically. “You really think Trissa’s skills can’t compete? I don’t buy it!”
Trissa sighed, but asking her to bow down to Lin Nan right this instant, well, that pride was hard to swallow.
As Morris’s antics continued, the embarrassment was turning Trissa’s cheeks a fierce shade of crimson, wishing she could just run on stage and slap his big mouth shut.
“You bunch of wastrels, if you can’t figure out how to support Lady Trissa, just follow my lead.”
Morris puffed out his chest and shouted,
“By the God of Harmony above, your loyal cultist declares Trissa the winner of this competition!”
While his territory wasn’t too close to the Imperial Capital, the splendor of the capital was as apparent as its murky underbelly.
Behind-the-scenes shenanigans were as common in the capital’s political arena as eating and drinking, and of course, the old bureaucrats would put on a show, swearing to uphold fairness before getting back to their usual shady business.
If the gods were really to punish them, half of the bureaucrats would probably be toast.
So, whitewashing the truth was a daily routine for Morris.
How could one enter politics without lying? Ha! That’s just a joke!
Once this was over, he anticipated being summoned by the Minister of Foreign Affairs. After all, restoring his daughter’s reputation wasn’t a trivial matter.
For a harpist, reputation was far more significant than life itself.
Morris finished his spiel without a hint of conscience, casting a smug glance at the expressionless Lin Nan on stage, then shifted his gaze to his lackeys.
“What are you all waiting for?! Hurry up!”
Two of Morris’s loyal cronies jumped in, yelling,
“Lady Trissa is the best harpist in the world! How could anyone surpass her? Those previous performances were mere tricks by the demon race that twisted our perceptions, making us mistakenly believe that demoness was a harpist extraordinaire. But it’s all false—only Lady Trissa’s performance is the true art!
By the God of Harmony, we vote for Lady Trissa!”
At that moment, Adeline couldn’t help but shout from afar,
“Hey, I say, do you even have any shame? The skill of lying with your eyes wide open is truly…”
“Adeline, shut up!” Morris slammed his hand on the table. “This isn’t the place for your comments!”
Adeline’s tears instantly flowed down her cheeks as she lowered her head, hesitating to resist any further.
Right, to them, she was nothing but a plaything.
If she spoke back, she might as well sign herself up for misery.
Xi stood up, his face cold as ice, holding two joker cards tightly in his hands, waiting for Morris to announce the results—his head was ready to explode like a bomb for the sake of Morris’s lies.
Trissa was turning red in panic, repeatedly pleading, “Count Morris, no, this isn’t right! Don’t do this!”
Morris chuckled nonchalantly, “Oh, dear Trissa, you can rest assured we are all making an honest judgment here. Plus, we have the God of Harmony as our witness; there’s no way this result could be wrong.”
He pointed at a few still hesitating among the demons, exasperated.
“You lot better vote already, or I’ll kick you out faster than you can blink! You’ll never set foot in the capital again!”
But Lin Nan on stage seemed completely oblivious to the ugly scene below.
She gently stroked her exquisite harp, as if preparing for yet another grand performance.
After years of studying at the Harpist Academy, Trissa could no longer bear Morris’s blatant inversion of reality.
For her, if someone was better, then they were better! If she stooped to dirty tricks for a hollow victory, she’d be betraying the very trust of the God of Harmony. Even if she didn’t destroy her harp, she probably wouldn’t be able to progress any further, and would just have to scrape by in her career with simple tunes.
She was the daughter of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, why should she tarnish her own reputation?
Summoning her courage, Trissa stepped onto the stage and bowed her proud head toward the serene Lin Nan.
“I’m sorry, I lost. I will honor my pledge…”
Morris flared up; what does that mean? I’m trying my hardest to rally support for you, and you’re going off to be a good person?!
What the hell!
But at that moment, a dazzling white light suddenly split the night, enveloping the entire Black Stone City.
