Chapter 34: Keep Playing, Keep Dancing!
Ciaccona couldn't believe the scene before her eyes.
Just moments ago, she, Rover, and Aeron had all been trapped in that empty space created by the playwright specifically to imprison Aeron.
Yet now, the entire space had transformed into a vast plain stretching to the horizon under a blue sky.
Simultaneously, the grassland was filled with countless... musical instruments of all kinds?
Horns, harps, lutes, timpani... numerous instruments stood silently across the expansive green prairie.
Of course, what surprised Ciaccona most was something else entirely—
"Wait, wasn't it supposed to be 'this body made of swords'? What are all these things around me?"
Aeron casually pulled out a guitar planted beside him, wondering what was going on.
"What kind of stuff is this? Shouldn't the projections be swords?"
[Correct, this is "Reality Marble," not "Unlimited Blade Works." We must be precise about the setting.]
"Damn system, you're still such a lore nerd!"
Ciaccona stared blankly at Aeron, her mind completely shutting down. Tears still streaked her cheeks—the heart-wrenching grief and the chilling touch of his body temperature from moments ago had felt utterly real, but now—
"Huh, why are you crying?"
Only after finishing his argument with the System did Aeron notice the little poet kneeling beside him, her face stained with tears.
"B-because you just..."
As if suddenly remembering, Aeron waved his hand casually, that familiar expression returning to his face.
"I told you, I'd handle the rest. I've had enough of that guy for a long time."
He reached out and gently wiped away Ciaccona's tear stains with his fingertips, his movements so natural as if that tragic scene had never occurred.
Just then, Rover flashed to their side. She glanced at Aeron with complex emotions in her eyes, though relief predominated.
Without asking too many questions, she said succinctly, "No time for chit-chat. Did you... do all this?"
"Just acquired a new trick. Like it?"
Aeron casually tossed the guitar he'd pulled out onto the ground, surveying his newly obtained ability—Reality Marble, a world that materializes the user's mental landscape.
"Well now, looking at this, my psyche seems quite healthy."
Gazing at the boundless, vibrant plain before him, Aeron couldn't help but marvel at how positive and sunny his mental state must be.
The only thing he didn't understand was why there were so many musical instruments around. Were they supposed to form a band with Rover and Ciaccona?
[Is it possible that the projected mental landscape doesn't belong to you, Host?]
"Then what is this projection?"
[Resonance source: Ciaccona Toccata]
[Since you are not a Resonator but merely serving as a 'speaker,' you're projecting her frequency in the form of a Reality Marble.]
"Huh?"
Aeron froze, his gaze falling upon Ciaccona who still hadn't recovered her composure.
This grassland, these instruments—they didn't originate from him, but were reflections of Ciaccona's inner world.
Phrolova must have reported to Cristoforo about his inability to be killed. He had specifically prepared this space so that even if recruiting Aeron failed, this ordinary person without resonance power would never escape.
Aeron's countermeasure was simple: since this was Cristoforo's domain, he would simply overwrite it.
What he hadn't anticipated was that he didn't hold complete control. To escape this place, certain preliminary steps were required.
"...Ciaccona."
Aeron shed his joking demeanor, his tone turning serious.
"Thank you for speaking up for me earlier. I never knew I held such an image in your heart."
"Th-That—"
The moment Ciaccona recalled what she'd said, her face flushed crimson. She opened her mouth to speak, but was quickly cut off by Aeron.
"Since you trust me so much, I can't possibly fail to respond to that trust."
As he spoke, Aeron turned and once again positioned himself in front of Ciaccona.
"The truths and secrets concealed by the Order harmed the Toccata family. You can't just let that go unanswered."
Ciaccona stared blankly at Aeron's back, her heart still pounding from the earlier shock, yet a strange warmth gradually welled up from within.
"Don't worry. No matter what happens, I'll stay with you until the end."
And with those final words, Aeron built the sturdiest first line of defense for Ciaccona.
Kneeling on the soft grass, the tears on Ciaccona's cheeks had dried, but the earlier scene remained vivid in her mind—Aeron's body being torn apart, blood staining her hands, the cold sensation feeling all too real.
'Honestly... again with this...'
Self-blame and anger churned within her. She'd always been nothing but trouble for Aeron, yet even now, the sight of his annoying expression couldn't help but ease her tension.
'But since he said that...'
Watching Aeron and Rover step forward, separating her from the Fractsidus members, Ciaccona slowly rose and approached her lute, picking it up from the ground.
She could feel it—this grassland, these instruments, everything resonated with frequencies familiar to her. This was a world of poetry and melody, the domain of Ciaccona Toccata.
Her fingertips plucked the strings, and every instrument within the bounded field sounded simultaneously, responding to her melody.
Taking a deep breath, Ciaccona inhaled the fresh grassland air. She stood up, emerald eyes reignited with a vitality more intense than ever before.
"Then, it's showtime!"
As Ciaccona began to play, notes flowing from countless instruments floated into the air, then materialized into tangible blades under the influence of her resonance.
This is how it should be—a bounded field should have Unlimited Blade Works! Tradition must be upheld!
Surveying the scene resembling an instrumental version of Unlimited Blade Works, Aeron took a deep breath.
This is way more satisfying than exporting!
But now wasn't the time to stand around admiring the view. Aeron turned to see Rover watching him with a complicated expression.
"...Doing this again? Having fun?"
Fun indeed. At least Bunny-Head would approve.
"Haven't we found a solution? It's about time we reclaimed this stage."
In response to Aeron's request, Rover nodded slightly, a faint smile curling at the corners of her mouth.
Though this man remained shrouded in mystery, at least for now, he was a trustworthy companion.
"Next, I'll handle things my way too."
"That's exactly what I wanted to hear."
Aeron once again summoned "Arsène" from the shadows, grabbing a sword that materialized beside him. He stepped forward, pointing the tip toward Cristoforo in the distance.
"Come on, keep the music playing, keep the dance going!"
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