### Chapter 6: Harpist Academy (25)
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In stark contrast to Sani’s heroic and tragic tale, Brite’s dream was steeped in delicious irony.
When he woke up in another world, he found himself surrounded by several stunning beauties all sharing his bed. Such a sudden romantic twist almost made him stop thinking altogether.
Although he hailed from a royal lineage, by the time his grandfather came along, they had already been reduced to a branch family. Sure, he had earned the title of Mage thanks to the bl**d of the Four Warriors that ran in his veins, but he never had any intentions of hitting the battlefield.
You see, Brite was passionately in love with the art of singing—something his regal family regarded as completely beneath them. While he did carry a solid reputation among the citizens of the Imperial Capital, to the high-class nobles, he was still relegated to the lower tiers of society.
This time, the Harpist Academy was in a pinch and they called both him and Betty in to host an event. They wanted to leverage his name to quell the crowd of citizens stirred into a frenzy because they couldn’t get inside.
Turns out, Brite and Betty made the perfect duo! They expertly captured the audience with their humorous commentary about the various goings-on in the venue, making the crowd believe that listening to them was more entertaining than actually watching the performances live.
He had a feeling that once the graduation evaluations wrapped up, his fame would spread like wildfire, leading even the snobbish nobles to recognize his talent and status. Just like the common folk, they would be cheering for him in sheer excitement!
But, lo and behold, as he anticipated Edith to triumph in the upcoming musical showdown against the Foreign Woman, the latter sparked chaos. With a bizarre trick, she inserted herself into the “Battle Overture,” instantly dragging Brite into a whirlwind of darkness. When he finally resurfaced, he found himself surrounded by a bevy of n*ked women and the overwhelming sensations nearly made him drop his proverbial arms in surrender.
And just when he was about to give in to the luxurious chaos, he noticed the endless twilight outside, punctuated by a constant rustling sound.
However, he quickly became distracted by the plethora of soft bodies nearby, immediately abandoning all rational thought.
Such debauchery was something he’d only ever dreamed of experiencing, so it had to be a dream, right?
But then, his hands brushed against one of their soft spots, and the overwhelming sense of reality sent shivers down his spine, prompting him to leap up.
No, this couldn’t be real…
He should have been indulging in the pleasure of being fawned over by all these beauties, just as he had always fantasized.
But why was there this nagging feeling of something being off, like an oppressive weight pressing down on his chest, leaving him blind to the truth?
As he struggled, suddenly the translucent skylight shattered, sending shards raining down like confetti mixed with sand onto the unsuspecting crowd below.
The beauties squealed and scattered like startled cats.
But they were soon blocked by a battalion of golden-armored soldiers that had seemingly appeared out of nowhere.
These soldiers, encased in gold armor, didn’t exhibit an ounce of mercy as the sharp blades sliced into the beautiful bodies, spilling bl**d that was quickly engulfed by the encroaching sand. Soon, all that remained were cold, glimmering soldiers inching closer to him.
Help! Help!
He wanted to flee, but looking around, all he saw was a vast, swirling sandstorm. Not a single living soul, just him.
As the enemies’ blades were poised to strike, Brite suddenly realized.
This was a desperate, indulgent last stand of a noble besieged by enemies.
He couldn’t even d*e valiantly on the battlefield.
Instead, he had chosen to squander his last moments reveling in the embrace of women.
Ha! What a pitiful fool! Such shame for the Empire!
But just as his consciousness was drifting into chaos, he spotted a noble coat of arms emblazoned on the wall… Wasn’t that the insignia of his royal branch?
With his last ounce of strength, he tore open his shirt and found his familiar birthmark in its rightful place.
Ah, what a coward he was.
…
And with that, Brite jolted awake, frantically glancing around.
Although the scenes had lasted mere moments, the shock was monumental.
He felt an overwhelming relief that he was alive, but the thought of dying in such an embarrassing manner in a future dream was utterly intolerable.
That couldn’t possibly be him, right?
Was the Empire really facing imminent doom in just a few years?
No! It was all an illusion! Just an illusion!
Brite desperately reassured himself.
But soon, as he noticed Betty shaking her head with tears in her eyes, completely in denial about reality, and all the other magical assistance staff appeared either crying or laughing in shock, a thought hit him like a ton of bricks.
Could it be that they had all glimpse their own futures through the magical melodies?
The ruins of the Imperial Capital buried beneath endless sands, countless merciless golden-armored soldiers, and the excruciating pain and despair of swordplay—though their fates differed, these three elements seemed to permeate everyone’s dreams.
Under this relentless psychological torment, they could only lessen their burdens through sharing their fears.
Amidst the chaos and noise,
Lin Nan slowly rose, and the extravagant harp before her vanished, replaced by her icy visage and pitying gaze.
At the same time, the regal Dean stood up and swiftly approached Lin Nan.
Several camera gems captured the tense standoff from various angles.
Janet, the only remaining SS-level Harpist in the Empire, faced off against the mysterious and powerful Foreign Harpist.
No one knew her level, but every Harpist in the academy understood that the melody they had just collectively experienced wasn’t one of the 248 pieces in the repertoire.
This clearly shattered their preconceived notions, and that Foreign Woman, the first to appear before the Empire without noble bloodline, became the focal point of everyone’s attention.
“What’s the name of that song?” Janet inquired.
“The Nightingale,” Lin Nan replied coolly.
“I see. A legendary bird said to traverse through future and past.”
Janet pondered for a moment, then asked, “Can the future we saw be changed?”
“The future is shaped by our present actions,” Lin Nan replied. “Changing it is precisely what we are about to do.”
Janet fell silent, deep in thought.
Suddenly, a harp emerged next to her that was just as ornate as Lin Nan’s.
Especially in the sunlight, the diamond-studded instrument glimmered magnificently.
What was she planning?
Was Lady Janet about to make a move on behalf of the Harpist Academy?
Absolutely! The Foreign Woman’s recent display was far from benevolent, and the Harpist Academy wouldn’t let such an opportunity for exorcising evil slip away.
Sani, too, clenched his fists, knowing if this woman was not dealt with, the Empire would one day find itself in disarray, struck by widespread panic.
