After our discussion, Stella and Ginevra gathered the cups on the table in the kitchen and began cleaning them.
I overheard Stella complaining about the chores, saying, "If the android were still around, they would be doing all these boring house chores for us. Nonetheless, it is not bad when I am doing house chores together with you."
Ginevra replied teasingly "You definitely would be a good housewife."
Stella responded bashfully "Huh! I won't have a partner."
It was surprising to hear her say that. I always thought she was the type of girl who didn't enjoy doing minor household tasks. However, she didn't shy away from doing what no one else wanted to do, taking on a motherly role within our band.
It was this quality of hers that had propelled Stella to become one of the top singers in the Singa Sanctuary. Meanwhile, when I glanced at Setsuna, I saw her lying alone on the sofa, engrossed in writing her novel. She stared at the holographic display, legs crossed. Fortunately, she was wearing a pair of jeans this time. She was the complete opposite of Stella; Setsuna only did what she felt like doing in the moment.
At the same time, I noticed Bridget had already headed to the garage to work on his job.
As for Shan, when I subconsciously looked at him, I noticed his face was frozen in shock, as if he were witnessing a beautiful artwork before him. His eyes were fixed on Setsuna. But when I smirked at him, he quickly looked away and went upstairs, claiming he was tired and needed some rest.
In that moment, I wanted to ask Setsuna what she was writing about, as she had never shared the details of her stories with anyone.
"What are you writing about?" I asked.
She briefly glanced at me and replied, "It's a secret. If I tell you, I won't be able to finish this project." Then she returned to her state of concentration.
It dawned on me that sometimes she could be passionate about the things she loved and become very serious. It wasn't surprising, considering she had mentioned being diagnosed with ADHD, and using it to fuel her creativity in writing. Nonetheless, it had been years since I had seen her working on numerous novels under different pen names.
I wondered if I had ever unknowingly read one of her novels.
Shifting my attention from Setsuna, I headed upstairs and entered my room. I noticed Shan was napping, so I didn't disturb him.
I also took a nap, reflecting on the events of the day. My time spent with Stella made me feel grateful for being alive after my encounter with the Orc Demon Lord in TWOD.
To me, TWOD wasn't just a game. The world government was hiding something from the public eye, completely changing my perspective. This made me realize that this so-called Utopia had many mysteries concealed beneath its surface. I had tried to turn a blind eye to the flaws in this world, but now I could no longer ignore them. I was too afraid to be different, to be a black sheep. But if the world government was truly hiding something, could I muster the courage to reveal the truth that TWOD was more than just a game?
But doing so would jeopardize my chance to further my education and become a judge, securing a stable life. I still wanted to be accepted by the world government, as they ruled this world.
In a sense, I had been nothing but a hypocrite all this time. I truly wanted to find myself and discover what I truly wanted to do in the future. Perhaps my desire to be a lawful judge was merely an excuse to attain a stable and ordinary life.
Perhaps, I was afraid to stand out. I really want to know myself, not just live life according to society's expectations. Discovering my true self and my dreams is proving to be more complicated than I initially thought.
As I lay on the bed, my head resting on my hands, I slowly drifted into a relaxed state and eventually fell into a short sleep.
I couldn't tell how much time had passed when suddenly, I found myself in a dream or vision. In this strange event, I saw giant tree branches gradually engulfing the entire planet, breaking through the protective dome shield. I noticed familiar faces such as Setsuna, Hyun Hee, and Shan, but Stella was nowhere to be seen.
Abruptly, I was awakened from my dream as I felt my body being shaken and a voice calling out my name. Opening my eyes, I saw a man with brown skin and red hair standing beside my bed.
Bridget said, "You've been sleeping for 2 hours. We need to get ready before 6 pm."
"Damn," I murmured and quickly got out of bed.
I rushed into the bathroom to wash my face and hair. Then, I applied the Nedro spray all over my body to feel refreshed. The spray immediately absorbed into my skin, returning it to a normal temperature. I grabbed my backpack from the shelves near the entrance of the room and opened it to take out a pair of new socks, replacing the old ones.
I noticed that Shan and Bridget were already dressed. Shan wore a typical dark blue henley shirt, while Bridget had on a black fur jacket over a white shirt, showcasing his well-defined physique. Despite being shorter than me, he had an impressive build.
A few minutes later, we all gathered in the garage. I noticed the girls chose modest outfits, with minimal skin exposure. Their clothes were plain, yet they exuded a mature and cool vibe, fitting the image of our band.
"You're really quick, getting ready in just a few minutes," Bridget said, patting my back.
"I'm used to being rushed all the time, so this is nothing," I replied.
Stella approached me from behind and said, "Let's get going. We don't have much time, and don't forget about the card Zane gave you."
I nodded, taking the card out of my jeans pocket. As I turned it over, holographic information about the person I needed to contact when I arrived at the Zero Zone Island appeared.
The information displayed the name, ID number, and title: Razen, the Small Hall General Manager of TEO. Quite a lengthy title...
This person must hold an important position within the Entertainment Tower, so I should be careful with my words around him.
I placed the card back into my jacket pocket and then helped everyone load the equipment and instruments into the back of the van. Once everything was secured, we all got into the van and left the garage as the metal door opened.
As soon as the van was outside, the metal door closed shut. Bridget, seeing the door closed, activated the emergency mode of his vehicle's AI program to get us to the Zero Zone Island as quickly as possible.
The flying van levitated into the sky, revealing a breathtaking view. The dark sky was illuminated by neon lights from numerous islands. At night, the dome shield transformed into a holographic display of stars, constellations, and countless shooting stars, creating a vibrant and enchanting cityscape.
Our destination was a small floating island, covered in a jungle and with a pristine lake at its center. Only one tower stood on this island, specifically designed to host multiple concerts and performances. As our van approached the island, I noticed a crowd of hundreds of people holding signs, seemingly protesting something, on a street near the edge of the island.
I hoped that their protest wouldn't affect our performance.
Bridget grumbled in an annoyed tone, "There they go again. These protesters have been here for an entire day."
Setsuna asked, "What are they protesting for?"
Before Bridget could answer, Ginevra chimed in, "They are demanding that the world government reveal the truth about the explosion in TWOD and that the current president be removed from power."
I understood why these protests were happening only in the Vibrant City. It was a place beyond the absolute control of the world government. In stark contrast, I wouldn't even witness a protest in Sector 1, Sector 2 Dome, or the entirety of Singa Sanctuary contient.
Yes, there were occasional troublemakers or rebels who would try to expose the truth or spread false accusations about the world government. However, they would quickly be detained or go missing. It was widely known that this utopia was just an illusion, and the world government only portrayed themselves in a positive light in public. But that didn't mean they were a force for good.
They did enough to make the public overlook their darker actions.
Besides, most people didn't care about politics or the truth anymore. Those who did would come to the Vibrant City to live a carefree life or save up enough money to leave for another artificial planet.
Our vehicles flew through the protesting crowd and glided through the jungle area. Within moments, we arrived at an open area where multiple flying cars were parked. Thousands of people roamed the streets, with bars, clubs, and restaurants offering various dishes. Bridget landed our vehicles in an open spot, and we quickly got out, grabbing our equipment and instruments. We only had an hour left, so we needed to hurry.
In the distance, I could see a crowd cheering and neon stage lights shining through the dome shield. The protests behind me paled in comparison to the excitement coming from the stage several kilometers away.
It seemed that the only stage attracting thousands of people at the moment was the Second Stage. A famous band must be performing there, but since I hadn't checked the news, I had no idea who it was.
Meanwhile, I dialed the number I saw on the card Zane had given Stella. After a few seconds, someone picked up the call.
"Hello, this is Razen, the General Manager of Stage Selection within the Entertainment Tower and Zero Zone Island. Who are you?" an old man's voice came through my tablet. His voice sounded intimidating, as if he had no time for nonsense.
"I am the band leader from Renegade 3," I replied.
The old man's tone immediately became fast-paced and filled with excitement. "Ah, it's you guys! Zane told me about you. Where are you right now?"
I looked up at the large holographic sign above the sky in this area, which revealed the name of our location as Area Three.
I relayed the information to Razen, saying, "We have arrived at Area Three. Please send someone to collect our equipment."
His response sounded hesitant this time. "I'm sorry to tell you this, but due to the protests at the edge of the island, we have to move your performance from the Fourth Stage to one of the halls in the Entertainment Tower. The protestors are heading towards areas one and two, and possibly area three."
But I could see the Second Stage filled with a crowd, and even from a distance, I could feel their energy.
Perhaps the protestors didn't plan to go there, allowing the Second Stage to continue operating.
Another unexpected situation had arisen. I needed to inform my friends first. I looked at them with concern, and they stared back at me, except for Stella, who seemed to already know what was going on, despite my not having said anything to anyone yet.
"Can you please wait a moment and stay on the line?" I requested Razen.
"Sure," he replied shortly after.
I then informed my group about the change of plans. "We are going to perform at the tower instead, due to the protest activity on this island heading towards areas one and two."
Shan responded, "You already have our answer."
Stella also chimed in, "I knew this would happen."
Setsuna gave me a thumbs up in approval, while Bridget and Ginevra smiled, showing that they agreed to follow my decision.
I informed Razen, "Okay, please send someone to collect our equipment."
"I will personally come and see what is so special about you guys that Zane would go as far as to personally recommend you to perform on this island," he said with excitement.