Chapter 263

Leaving Luei to Melon and deciding to ignore him... the party proceeded without any major issues.

Reina was eating by Clael's side, and though only a little, she was also drinking alcohol.

Despite her appearance, Reina had a hearty appetite. Perhaps due to her strong resistance to status ailments, she was hard to intoxicate.

She stuffed food into her mouth as if packing items into a magical bag, astonishing the serving staff.

None of the main characters approached from there.

Eric was entertaining other guests, and beside him stood Carrot Laurel. From time to time, he glanced at Reina... but he didn't come any closer and wore a bitter expression.

Will was laughing with his male classmates. As if his previous stubborn and reclusive attitude had been a lie, he was exchanging jokes with them.

The problem, as expected, was Luei Biscuit. Even while keeping Melon beside him, he tried to approach Reina whenever he saw an opening, only to be driven back each time by the icy glares around him.

"Now then, we will begin the entertainment."

Eventually, the host on the stage spoke.

The chatting guests fell silent and turned their eyes to the stage at the back of the party hall.

"Today, we have invited a songstress from the western country. She is known as the possessor of a miraculous singing voice—Lady Shedelielya."

Prompted by the host, a woman appeared on stage.

She was a girl of translucent beauty. Her white hair and red eyes marked her as an albino. She wore a gothic lolita dress on her small, slender frame.

She exuded an aura so otherworldly, as if she had stepped out of a fantasy world, that everyone in the venue let out a sigh upon seeing her.

(No way... she's appearing at this moment...?)

Clael was sighing too. However... the reason was different from those around him.

The songstress Shedelielya.

She was a character who appeared in the paid additional content of Beyond the Rainbow Gleam.

She possessed a mystical voice that granted blessings to listeners. A bearer of miracles, different from the Saint.

She wouldn't appear unless the additional content was downloaded, but carried a heavy past and, depending on the route, could join as a companion character.

"She's kind of mysterious... isn't she, Lord Clael?"

Reina narrowed her eyes at the sight of the songstress on stage.

Shedelielya, too, was revered as a miracle bearer like the Saint, but she was not a Saint. Absolutely not.

The core of her abilities did not lie in the goddess's blessing, but in something far more abominable.

Yet... perhaps Reina felt something that resonated with her. She stared at Shedelielya with a troubled expression.

"Lady Shedelielya? I know her, you know."

Leaning drunkenly on Clael, Yurii let out a boozy breath.

"She's a songstress traveling the western continent, you know... I heard it takes a mountain of gold coins to get her to sing even one song, and she can even pull strings with royalty..."

"Ah, you're quite knowledgeable, Mr. Yurii."

"She's famous, after all. I'm a working adult, so I read the newspaper, you know."

"Yes, yes... since you're a working adult, try not to be overwhelmed by the alcohol. You reek, so please back off."

"Eep!"

Clael pushed Yurii's shoulder to move her away.

With Shedelielya appearing before Reina, that meant the additional content event had been triggered. There was no time to be careless.

(In the game, Reina is invited to the party right after downloading the additional content, and that's when she appears... and if Shedelielya appears, then that guy will come too.)

Considering everything so far, not everything was unfolding exactly like the game... but caution was necessary.

As Clael braced himself, it happened—just as he feared.

"Now then, let us have her sing. The song is her signature piece, 'Carol Dedicated to the Old Ones'..."

"Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

Just as the host said that, a scream erupted from the audience.

Immediately after, the glass window connecting the party hall to the garden shattered with a crash, and an enormous shadow leapt in.

"GROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAARRRR!"

It was a lion monster.

A jet-black lion, as large as an African elephant, leapt into the party hall and lunged toward Shedelielya on the stage.