5th Floor (Labyrinth Island)

1 month after Mika was taught by Virgo

| 🎼🎵🎶🎶🎵🎶🎵🎶🎶🎵🎶🎶 |

The warm, soul-soothing music sounded soft to the ears. The absence of notes that break and disturb the harmony makes it perfect.

Naeva, who had been listening carefully to Lyra's voice, found no deviation in pitch or tempo. This was amazing, considering the performer had only been learning this song for a month.

TENGG

"How was it?" asked Mika right after the song finished playing.

Naeva slowly opened her eyes.

"You have good hand movements."

"So I passed, right!!?" Mika was excited to get a compliment from Naeva.

Naeva nodded, "Yes."

"YATTTAAA!!!!!!!"

Mika jumped up in excitement. She also spontaneously hugged Virgo who was standing next to Naeva.

"THANK YOU VIRGOOO!!! YOU'RE THE BEST TEACHER!!!"

[ E-Eh...? ]

Virgo became a bit mischievous.

[ ....... ]

Scratching her cheek awkwardly.

[ ...You're welcome... It's also because you understand quickly, really ] Virgo replied happily.

"Hehehehe!"

Naeva stood up, walked slowly towards Mika and patted her on the shoulder.

"Then, as I promised. I'll teach you from now on."

"Everything you need to know about Lyra Erato."

Mika, "!"

Sometimes Mika completely forgot about the fact that Naeva Winter, this calm teenage Irregular Conqueror was actually a Grand Master, the teacher of the founders of the Grand Families. Perhaps it was because, as long as Naeva wasn't being serious, her behavior was casual and went with the flow.

Mika suddenly knelt down in front of Naeva. A confident and arrogant smile was painted on her face.

"I can call you Master now, right?"

~★

PACHII

Naeva, "......"

Slightly widened eyes.

".... This kid..."

Naeva flicked Mika's forehead.

"Ittahh..."

Mika spontaneously held his slightly reddened forehead.

"What you do, Master!!!" she grumbled.

"Since you're so eager to become my student, there's no need to waste time," Naeva said.

Mika, "?"

Still with her calm face, Naeva pointed at 3 numbers with her finger.

"I'll teach you one thing and give you 2 tasks for opening."

"Eh? Right away?" was Mika's surprise.

"I've just become a student! How come I got my homework right away?"

Even if Mika wanted to complain, it was pointless. From now on, Naeva was her boss and teacher. It was impossible for Mika to fight Naeva. Well, she couldn't fight her from the start.

"........"

Naeva remembered Ruka's words. Mika was actually a person who moved for profit. It was easy to get that girl excited.

"Hmm... Rokka's information usually pays how much?" Naeva asked.

Mika, ".... What?"

"Answer."

"Eh? Ah... That..."

Mika was surprised by the sudden question.

"It depends on the difficulty of getting it, though... If it's easy, tens of thousands of Carmela... If it's medium, hundreds of thousands of Carmela... If it's difficult, millions of Carmela... Important confidential information could be tens of millions to billions of Carmela..." Mika replied.

"That's for regular customer cases. For personal Rokka, we usually get a monthly salary. And sometimes we get a bonus for every piece of information we releases. In a month or so, we can get paid hundreds of thousands to millions of Carmela. The millions are usually for Rokka Ranker. The bonus itself is about half the price of the information."

Indirectly, Mika was telling her that personal Rokka would still get a large amount of Carmela even if they did nothing.

"Master, why did you ask me this? Do you want to pay me?" Mika was excited.

Naeva thought for a moment. She wondered how much Carmela should spend so as not to lower Mika's self-esteem and not burden her wallet.

"........"

✨ ✨ ✨ ✨✨✨✨

Mika really hoped that the amount Naeva spent on her was a large amount.

"I'm not a Ranker yet, but I'm still one of the high-level Rokka! Got Threadvision again! My salary can reach 5 million, right? Especially since the one paying me is Grand Master-sama!!!" Mika thought impatiently.

As a reminder, the value of Carmela currency is the same from dollar. 1 Carmela is worth one dollar. In other words, the 5 million that Mika was referring to was comparable to 5 million dollar. One month.

"...... that's about it first, she doesn't deserve to be paid more," Naeva lied.

"One million is enough, right?" said Naeva in the end.

DENG DENGGG

"O-One million!?" gasped Mika, disappointed.

"Yeah, I know I'm not a ranker, but as a student I don't have the right to demand much... But... Butt! I'm still a high-level Rokka!!! The one with Threadvision!!! And offered contracts by many big guilds!!! Why only 1 million!!???" she cried inwardly.

"HUAAAAAAA!!! STINGY MAST-"

"One day," Naeva continued.

"Eh?"

Eh?

Eh?

Eehh????

"Master... Just now..."

Naeva tilted her head slightly.

"Less?"

"Don't be too greedy, it's already quite a lot for your size. Then, as for the bonus, I'll give it to you after your duties as an informant are completed."

Mika was still gawking on the spot.

"........"

"One... Million for... one day...?"

Her head was still processing Naeva's words.

"Meaning... My monthly salary is..."

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

".... 30... MILLION!!!?????"

That's 6x more than she expected!!!

Mika bowed her head.

"Master... No, Master-sama..."

Naeva, "?"

As soon as her head was raised again, Mika's face became extremely radiant, her eyes also seemed to give off a dazzling blink blink and there was an illusion of $$ symbols in both eyes.

"Whatever information it is, I will definitely get it for Master-sama!!! Definitely!!!"

"O-Ok..."

Naeva was speechless. The method Ruka said really worked. 300% successful.

Still with a blink in her eyes, Mika asked excitedly.

"So what's my duty, Master-sama!?"

"I'll do it right now!!!"

"But don't forget my salary bonus too, Master-sama...."

"......💧💧"

Naeva, who was speechless on the spot and confused facing Mika, really made Virgo, who had been watching, chuckle. It was funny to see that behind the calm and cool face of her master, there was a hidden difficulty.

It seemed that more than the other children who had been with Naeva in the Tower, Mika was the one who had confused Naeva the most. Virgo remembered that Liliana Erato was the same way. Naeva's current temperament was similar to how Naeva had dealt with Liliana back then. Although the methods Liliana and Mika used were completely different.

[ Blood can't be lied to, huh... I so want to see another Erato ] Virgo smiled.

Naeva cleared her throat, trying to break the ice.

"Those two tasks of yours..."

"First, close all my information from the database. No matter how small it is."

Mika understood why Naeva was asking that. Well, after all the commotion the fake Ice Princess had made at the 4th Floor Ascension Exam, asking for that was only natural. Especially if Naeva still wanted to live a quiet and relaxed life and did not want to get into trouble with the Grand Families.

"Ohh, that's easy. Okay, Master-sama. Give me 15 minutes," nodded Mika.

[ Only 15 minutes? ]

CRACK

Mika brought her hands together and spread them up and to the sides. Her eyes began to close.

As soon as Mika reopened her eyes, she went into her serious mode.

"........"

Mika quickly took out her holographic screen and keyboard. Coding was quickly done by Mika. No wonder Mika could quickly master Lyra's game which not only required memorization, but also required fast and precise hand and finger techniques. Mika was used to moving her fingers super fast. She can type thousands of words in a short time. Mika didn't even need to look at the keyboard to do so. The girl's eyes were only focused on the screen. Making sure there were no mistakes in the flow.

Mika quickly entered the Tower's database, Tower Security unable to touch it for now. Protecting and sealing information was much easier than breaking into it. All Mika had to do was locate Conqueror Naeva Winter's information in Tower's database and lock it with the External Security she had created to prevent outsiders from opening it. That way, the information about Naeva was protected by Double Security. The Tower's built-in Internal Security and the External Security that Mika added.

Mika pressed the last key on her keyboard.

"Phew... This is enough, right?"

"There's not too much information that can be accessed in the Database. Most of the information is from the beginning of the Highest Level Information that even Rokka Ranker had trouble opening."

"First task, completed Master-sama," Mika smiled smugly.

Naeva smiled slightly, she picked up a useful child. Likewise with Virgo who was standing next to Naeva.

[ Great... It hasn't even been 15 minutes... But she's already solved one of Master's biggest problems for now... ]

[ Thankfully the Half Erato that was born in this gap, can benefit Master. I was worried that the Half Erato born during this time would bring damage and imbalance to the entity. Hopefully, this child is the only Half Erato born in the last hundred years ]

| Conqueror Naeva Winter Transfers 50 Million Carmela to Conqueror Mika |

Mika, "!!?"

With trembling hands, Mika pointed at the screen of her Carmela account.

"Ma-Master-sama... This...?"

"Your bonus," Naeva said calmly.

[ Master, isn't that too much? ]

"It's fine."

Mika, "......."

Still with a slightly trembling body, Mika stayed in place. Before finally running to hug Naeva.

"MASTER-SAMA DAI DAII DAIII SUKIIII!!!!!!"

Of course, Naeva dodged so that Mika tumbled forward.

BBRUUUGGGHHHH

"Master-sama is bad!!! Why did you dodge?" Mika complained sadly while holding her nose that was reddened from the impact.

Naeva let out a tired sigh.

"That's your bonus. I gave you more on purpose."

"It's a down payment. Work hard."

"OKKYYY!!!!!" Mika replied excitedly. Well, who doesn't like money, right?

"Then for your second task..."

BLINK BLINK BLINKK ✨✨✨✨

Mika's face really showed the contents of her mind.

"What is it Master-sama? Just tell me! I'm ready! Super superry ready!!!"

Naeva pointed at Lyra Erato who was placed in a standing position not far from them.

"Play that again."

Mika, "Huh??"

"Why should I play it again? Did Master-sama like that melody? Or did something go wrong?" confused Mika.

Naeva had not finished speaking.

"This time... with the song too."

"Eh? Are there lyrics?" asked Mika.

"Of course it does. Why do you think it doesn't?" replied Naeva with another question.

"No... I thought it was just the strains... It's just the melody, it requires a technique that's not easy because the song is complicated..." Mika thought.

"That's why I thought there were no lyrics... It's a song that focuses on the flow..."

Naeva remembered her student, Liliana Erato, playing that Lyra with a melodious voice back then.

"That song..."

"I made the tune. And Liliana put lyrics to that tune," Naeva said nostalgically.

Mika, "......."

At times like this, Mika really feels that Naeva is truly the Grand Master.

"She named this song Whispers of Love."

"Whispers of love? Eh? It's a love song? Uwaahh... even though the tune is soft and painful... But how come it's a love song? It doesn't really fit..." Mika thought.

Naeva looked straight into Mika's eyes.

"Mika, this is your duty as Erato and my student. Not as Rokka."

"Play this song once every half year. At the beginning and middle of the year. Play it perfectly, both the tune and the lyrics. Repeat if you make a mistake. Understood?"

Mika nodded. It seemed like this was not the time to be duplicitous or overzealous.

"Yes, Master-sama..."

"I'll do that. Just play it for half a year once, right? Okay..."

Naeva patted Mika's head lightly.

"Good."

"I'll give you three days to study and put the lyrics."

"For now, listen carefully. I'll only model it once."

"Master-sama wants to sing!?" was Mika's surprise.

[ Master will sing!!? ]

Virgo was equally surprised.

How long had it been. Since the last time the Master let a note out of her mouth. The Master had not sung since her two disciples, Erato and Euterpe left her. Because before this, only the two of them liked to force the Master to sing with them.

"Virgo."

With just one word from Naeva, Virgo understood what she meant.

[ Yes, Master... ]

Virgo pulled out a Lyra from nothing. The Lyra that slowly formed as if water had begun to freeze, left Mika completely stunned. Even though this was not the first time she had seen it. But her eyes could not look away every time the Lyra was taken out. Similar yet different from hers, the Lyra that Virgo brought out was very beautiful and fit the image of Ice Princess Naeva.

Some of you might have guessed it.

Yeah, that Lyra is Virgo's weapon form, if she comes out as Lyra Virgo.

[ Master can already start ] Virgo said once the Lyra was fully released [https://img.wattpad.com/fd549c97241803402f942d426fc5197fb302684c/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f3068786542457a642d4b2d684f513d3d2d3333322e313738393861356563366432633634633137393832333337393136372e6a7067?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]

[ Master can already start ] Virgo said once the Lyra was fully released.

"Hmm."

Before starting her singing, Naeva took a deep breath and pondered first. Imagining the moment when she sang with Liliana several centuries ago.

"Liliana..."

"Your song... Master will not let it be lost..."

"Don't worry. I will ensure that the tragedy that befell your son will never happen again."

Naeva began to sing, accompanied by the melody Virgo played.

[ Song ]

https://youtu.be/3D4Rs4RAjEc?si=gDq6y16YvayN8ix-

(Verse 1)

In shadows she stands, a poet's tranquil grace 🎶

A mother's love, an eternal heart's embrace 🎶

Defying her kin, confronting the darkest night 🎶

For a lost child's memory, she'll stand and fight 🎵

(Chorus)

Whispers of love in the deep of the night 🎶

Guiding her family towards eternal light 🎶

In the face of sorrow, she rises in rhyme 🎶

With grace and strength, whispers of love's chime 🎵

(Verse 2)

She treads a path, forged in tears and plight 🎶

Guarding her dear ones from despair's cruel bite 🎶

The Lyra's tune, like tears, gently entwines 🎶

A mother's saga, in every verse it shines 🎵

(Chorus)

Whispers of love in the deep of the night 🎶

Guiding her family towards eternal light 🎶

In the face of sorrow, she rises in rhyme 🎶

With grace and strength, whispers of love's chime 🎵

(Bridge)

Through tempests she stands, unwavering and tall 🎶

Shielding against the cruelest nightfall 🎶

Her love, a lighthouse in the deepest sea 🎶

For her family, she persists, forever free 🎵

Hearing Naeva's singing accompanied by Virgo's playing, Mika's tears unconsciously flowed.

"What? Heh?"

Mika tried to wipe away her tears. However, instead of stopping, Mika's tears continued to flow.

"How come? Why...?"

"I-It's... supposed to be... a love song, right?"

Mika could not hold back her tears.

"But why does my chest... Feel so tight..."

Virgo gave Mika her handkerchief.

[ Mika... Do you know why this song was made? ]

Mika accepted it.

"Eh? Why...?"

With a sad smile that radiated sadness, Virgo answered her.

[ This song... was written by a mother who had just lost her child ]

[ She created this song, to prevent other mothers of her offspring from losing their children. Master... Realizing that mother's feelings, into a tune ]

[ That's how, Whispers of Love was created ]

Mika fell silent. She had guessed wrong.

"Ah... So that's why..."

Her sobs became even more unbearable.

"...What I've been thinking... Love is... not just about love with the opposite sex..."

"This song... Contains a mother's love for her child, huh..."

"No wonder... It feels suffocating..."

(Chorus)

Whispers of love in the deep of the night 🎶

Guiding her family towards eternal light 🎶

In the face of sorrow, she rises in rhyme 🎶

With grace and strength, whispers of love's chime 🎵

(Outro)

In the end, her love shall transcend 🎶

Through sorrow's storm and its relentless rend 🎶

Whispers of love, they eternally reside 🎶

A legacy of hope, forever by her side 🎶🎵