"Thank you for waiting, everyone~"
On the central stage of Sumeru City's Grand Bazaar, the lights softly focused on Nilou.
She wore a gorgeous yet light dancing dress, like a Padisarah about to Bloom, and with a gentle yet confident smile, she bowed slightly to the eagerly awaiting audience below the stage.
"Allow me."
Her voice was clear and pleasant, spreading throughout the now quiet Grand Bazaar.
"To our divine ruler, I shall present the Dance of the God of Flowers."
As soon as she said this, the eyes of everyone below the stage filled with anticipation.
After the previous turmoil and fear, the dance of the Sabzeruz Festival felt especially precious, seemingly symbolizing life returning to normal and the Bloom of hope.
Dehya had changed into comfortable casual clothes, crossing her arms and leaning against a nearby pillar.
She looked at Dunyarzad beside her, whose cheeks were flushed with excitement and whose hands were clasped tightly to her chest, and couldn't help but smile, feeling:
It's truly wonderful to see Miss look so happy again.
On the other side, the scene was completely different.
the quartet somehow managed to procure super-sized buckets of popcorn and fizzy iced cola, and they sat brazenly in the specially prepared front-row seats, looking exactly like they were watching a blockbuster movie.
"It's starting, it's starting!"
Jesse excitedly shoved a handful of popcorn into his mouth.
"Shh! Be quiet!"
Zane glared at him, but couldn't resist taking a sip of cola himself.
Lumine was getting a little anxious because her view was blocked by the people in front of her due to her height.
Seeing this, Matt quietly squatted down and carefully lifted Lumine with his massive hand, placing her on his broad head.
Lumine gasped, then settled down securely, having acquired the VIP Supreme Viewing Seat: "Thanks, Matt!"
Paimon followed suit, floating over to the Wolf King.
The elegant werewolf butler bowed slightly, letting Paimon sit on his furry shoulder: "Paimon-sama, please hold on tight."
"Wow! The view is amazing! Thank you, Wolf King!"
Paimon happily swung her little feet.
Meanwhile, in an inconspicuous shadowy corner that offered a complete overview (where Momonga had cast a Perception-Negating Spell), the true "divine ruler" was sitting on the shoulder of her "guardian."
Nahida's small body sat straight, her emerald eyes fixed on the stage without blinking, her face radiating a pure and happy smile.
It had been a very long time since she had been able to relax and enjoy a dance dedicated to her like this.
Momonga held a strawberry-flavored lollipop in his mandible, feeling the long-lost sweetness spread across his "tongue," and his mood was quite pleasant.
He looked at Nahida's happy profile, then at the girl about to start dancing on stage, and felt that he could make the scene a little more perfect.
He elegantly raised a bony finger, and a tiny, complex magic circle flashed on the fingertip before disappearing.
The next moment, a miracle occurred!
On the stage, soft golden light, like the morning sun, showered down, enveloping Nilou and making her seem as holy as if she had truly transformed into the God of Flowers.
Along the edges and sides of the stage, countless vibrant, dewy flowers burst through the soil, sprouted branches, budded, and instantly bloomed at a visible speed!
A magnificent flower wall was formed, yet not a single leaf or petal interfered with Nilou's dance steps.
Even more miraculously, countless multicolored specks of light, like living sprites, materialized out of thin air.
They danced lightly to the rhythm of the music, circling Nilou, sometimes wrapping around her arms like ribbons, and sometimes adorning her skirt like stellar rings, perfectly complementing her every spin and jump!
"!"
Nilou was startled by this sudden magical spectacle, but her professional dedication prevented her from stopping her movements.
She quickly glanced out of the corner of her eye and immediately spotted the small figure sitting on the skeleton's shoulder in the shadowy corner, completely engrossed, as well as the Skeleton Supreme Being who had just lowered his hand, radiating majesty yet somehow also a little... cute?
It's Lesser Lord Kusanali-sama! And Supreme Being-sama!
Nilou's heart leaped, immediately followed by a surge of immense excitement and responsibility.
The divine rulers are watching me! I absolutely cannot mess this up!
After the initial nervousness subsided, seeing Nahida's completely immersed, joyful smile, Nilou gradually relaxed and became even more dedicated.
Her dance movements became more graceful and expansive, as if she had truly merged with the surrounding magical light specks and the blooming flowers.
Every glance, every raised hand, every turn was filled with praise for life and piety toward the divine, reaching the peak of her professional career!
"Wow!!!"
"So beautiful!"
"Is that magic?!"
"Has the God of Flowers manifested?!"
The audience below the stage erupted in bursts of uncontrollable gasps and applause, completely captivated by the beautiful stage effects that surpassed imagination.
They were immersed in this dreamlike scene, and few people bothered to investigate the source of this miracle, much less notice the two "culprits" in the corner.
As the music ended, Nilou struck a perfect final pose, and the flowers and light specks reached their most magnificent peak before slowly dissipating.
She was slightly breathless, fine beads of sweat on her temples, and she offered a grateful and brilliant smile toward Momonga and Nahida, nodding solemnly.
Momonga, still holding the lollipop, returned a subtle nod of appreciation.
Then... the Supreme Being who had just created the fantastical stage gently patted Nahida's calf and spoke in a magically processed voice audible only to Nahida:
"That was a good dance. Alright, time for business."
Nahida, still immersed in the emotion and lingering resonance, softly asked, "Eh? Business? Mr. Suzuki Satoru, where are we going next?"
The red light in Momonga's eyes flickered slightly as he pointed toward the Grand Bazaar exit where tempting food aromas were wafting from, his tone carrying a trace of imperceptible eagerness:
"The Food Street."
Having said that, he hoisted the still-dazed Nahida onto his shoulder, turned, and melted into the crowd, heading purposefully toward the grilled squid, Tahchin, meat rolls, ice cream... and other delights!
After all, appreciating art is important, but the essence of any festival is always the street vendors!
Especially since he could finally taste things now!