Register Song.
I should probably do one of each first. I have two song slots open as [Idol] is level one, so I should use this chance to learn as much about this skill as possible.
I was currently inside Helvas mansion’s training basement, one day after my spar with the guild master. Having finally gotten off my lazy butt, I’ve decided it was high time to use the idol system that Aurena specifically made for me. It was another part of my strength; if I wished to fully incorporate music and sound attacks into my battle arsenal, then I must learn how to use this system properly.
Unlike how I first learned to use magic, there was a tutorial. Thanks to that, I was able to grasp what I could do with the system immediately. It also helped that the description for both [Idol] and the Idol System were clear and easy to understand.
Its base function was similar to [Synergist’s Oath], which allowed me to give buffs to people. With only a few exceptions like my [Sanctified Blaze], the majority of buffing spells couldn’t be applied to other people, only to yourself, the caster. So, if a mage wanted to give their allies buffs, they needed to use [Synergist’s Oath]. It sounds like a great skill, but one downside about it was that it didn’t share buffs, it transferred them one by one. [Idol] was superior since it allowed me to share my buffs with everyone simultaneously, meaning I didn’t have to reapply all the buffs per person I buff up/
Buffs given through [Synergist’s Oath] also were restricted; only a percentage of the buff was applied depending on the level. Level one would only apply 10%, level two 20%, and so on. [Idol] was able to circumvent it through the [Music Resonation] buff.
Through my concert at Carine village and the tests I performed, [Music Resonation] had “invisible” requirements, as in, what exactly did “idol-like” mean? Naturally, to my understanding, it meant making the music more exciting to listen to, adding some dancing to attract more eyes, and making the show grander.
Maybe the skill was taking my definition of the word “idol-like” into consideration, as sharing the music or the show through [Telepathy] wouldn’t give the buff. As a musician, the performance must be experienced, not injected into your mind like some dosage. It was my pride.
In any case, as long as I sang some music or played an instrument, [Music Resonation] would apply to everybody. The more effort I put into it, the better my buffs. I didn’t need to level up [Idol] to give somebody 100% of all my buffs, I just needed to become a better entertainer.
This skill was such a good supportive skill that it made [Synergist’s Oath] look like a beginner one. The only caveat about it was that I could only apply it to people who could see or hear me, and it couldn’t be used with [Telepathy].
Between boosting my holy and acoustic attacks as well as the buff sharing, this skill was already extremely powerful, definitely worthy of its “unique” status. Then, how would I evaluate it with the Idol System attached to it? Limitless potential. At least, it was the optimistic viewpoint I wanted to have for it.
Let’s start with something easy first. Buffing.
The question is … which song should I choose? Does the theme of a song affect the effect of the buffs?
I received no answer from the System. It gave me a tutorial and instruction on how to use the system, but I thought it would be better if it could answer more detailed questions like these. It was like how math teachers taught you the basics of algebra, but then made you answer some difficult question that required some serious critical thinking. Hello? I wasn’t even sure why we were using letters instead of numbers now.
I wouldn’t be this worried if it could tell me if I could delete a song from the list or not. It would make me less reluctant to potentially “waste” a song slot … But then again, no risk, no reward, right? Wasn’t my first spell casting attempt filled with failures and failures? An idol should think positively!
The effect doesn’t matter, I just need to see how the system works. Afterward, I’ll level [Idol] up and use the newly acquired slots more efficiently.
I’ve decided on a high-energy, peppy song for the buffing spell. I was considering “Promise” to be my first song. It would be very fitting, but the ballad would cause me to be emotional. The lyrics had a profound effect on me since it retold the struggles I faced on my journey to become an idol. What if, instead of a buff, it caused a debuff due to the earnestness of the song?
So, what sorta high-energy, peppy song should I choose for my test run? There were many choices, ranging from anime, rock, metal, pop, techno, and their many sub-genres. I could either choose one of the songs I’ve already written, or just pick one from Earth. Considering the notification didn’t specify that both the lyrics and melody must be included, shouldn’t I be able to play an instrument-only song?
“Hey, Saori, do you think an anime song or the battle OST of a game would be better for a high-spirited, motivating song?” I asked her, explaining what I’ve been thinking until now.
Saori stopped her hands, pausing from taking my measurements, as she looked at me with a frown. “… I have never played a game nor have I ever watched a modern anime. You know this already.”
Oh yeah, right.
Aside from her, Tasianna, Ellaine, Svena, Josine, and Barathan were here with us. Quite an assortment, but the reason why everybody was here was due to a certain someone:
“Haaa, haaa, haaa, haa, haaa.”
That was the exhausted voice of Ellaine, panting heavily as her personal attendant Josine was wiping away beads of sweat from her forehead. Similar to why I told Svena about my secret, Ellaine also told Josine so we didn’t always have to exclude her from discussions concerning my party’s secrets, despite not being a top attendant of House Helvas.
I guess she took it to heart when I told her I considered Tasianna more like a friend than a retainer. I might have the princess title, but I had no intention of conforming to the standard and status quo of the nobles.
“Ellaine, don’t forget about hydration. Sweating drains salt and water from your body, so remember to drink! Barathan and Josine, please, make sure she drinks that specially-made drink.”
As part of Ellaine’s training, I decided to increase her physical fitness. It was far too low in my opinion. Yes, she was a mage, but that didn’t mean that she shouldn’t train her body. Surprisingly, Ellaine had a dream of becoming a knight like her father and brother—who was a squire at this point—after she graduated from the royal academy. It might not look like it, but Ellaine was a real romanticist with how she loved adventurous and knightly tales, which should have been obvious considering how interested she was in my Belzac forest stories.
As such, I prescribed some cardio. If she were to fight monsters or bandits in the future, she needed more than just magic to win. Stamina to prevent [Exhaustion] was paramount.
Saori even helped me create a proper training schedule for her which took her duties as a lady of House Helvas and her studies into consideration. For maybe the first time in ages, Saori was able to show her abilities as a former educator as she planned Ellaine’s weeks out. Barathan, Manuela, and Josine, naturally, gave their feedback, but they were quite satisfied with the end result.
Saori is the planner type, so this is right up her alley.
“Bwuaaah! This ‘sports drink’ tastes fantastic. Your world produces such fine beverages.” Ellaine drank the cup of pink water with enthusiasm and greed.
A sports drink was a drink filled with electrolytes and energy-high minerals to help an exhausted athlete recover. On Earth, most of them were overpriced sweetened water, in my opinion. There were a few brands that worked well in my experience, but most of them were scams.
To help Ellaine, who barely did any physical training, I wanted to concoct a sports drink that actually lived up to its name. In the one week I’ve been training her, through trial and error I developed a sports drink recipe that increased training efficiency.
Macula water for its high mana concentration to stimulate her body, crushed fulinoe leaves to get rid of her arcane corruption, and some fragassa juice to give her energy and turn the water pink. The last ingredient was salt, the electrolyte, from a harbor city called ‘Port Annencia,’ located in the Lecartiglio Duchy south of the Greenveil Duchy.
It was a simple recipe, but it covered all the resources you lost from sweating during training and practice. The price of the ingredients was a bit high according to Ellaine—to Saori’s chagrin, but 90% of the ingredients could be cultivated in our garden so she didn’t care in the end. I honestly had fun when I made it, feeling the same gratification and sense of success when I used to concoct my toxin vials.
After draining the glass empty, she continued her endurance training by running around the basement. She was currently wearing baggy jogging pants and a tank top, which exposed her cleavage and glistening white arms. It was a complete 180 from her noble clothes.
Initially, Ellaine and her attendants were against the clothes, as it was unsightly, but Saori argued it helped her body “breathe” more properly than her noble training clothes. The clothes were to make it easier for her body to sweat and feel comfortable during training.
Ellaine eventually relented, but she wanted a jacket to cover up her cleavage. Saori made one for her, but the sweat and heat got to her during training and she eventually threw the jacket away. She looked very much like a girl from Earth now.
While that was going on, Saori, Tasianna, and Svena were taking my measurements. Why? Svena wanted to make more dresses while Saori wanted to make a kimono for me. I could understand the dresses as I only had a single one fitting for noble occasions, but why the kimono? Apparently, it was for our future business, but she didn’t elaborate. How funny that I was being served by three maids; never would I have guessed this back on Earth.
“Lady Hestia, if I could give you my input? A song should be able to inspire whoever listens to you. Without flattering you, your voice is the most impactful part of your songs. I believe it would be wise to use a song that uses it to its fullest,” Tasianna suggested.
Kuek! I know my singing is better than my dancing, but it never stops hurting when I hear it.
Tasianna’s suggestion was solid. Regardless of my personal feelings, I knew I was a better singer than a dancer. It would be wise to heed Tasianna’s advice … but I wouldn’t be a musician if I only looked at that aspect. I was the daughter of one of the best conductors and violinists on Earth. Instruments were also part of the experience.
I’ve decided! Idol System, start!
A clap of thunder rumbled through the basement, catching everybody’s attention. Ellaine stopped running and the two maids and Saori yelped in surprise as they were the closest to me. It was the loud impact of a drum.
The beat then continued with the sounds of a bass, playing as low as it could with every pluck of its strings. The small tapping of drums followed along, keeping the tension. Naturally, all these sounds weren’t literally played by real instruments, they were made through [Aerokinesis].
Played at a moderate tempo, the melody eventually incorporated the rhythmic beating of more drums. As they kept playing, another loud bang woke everybody up again, the thunder vibrating and echoing inside the training room.
“Is this the fated battle, the light shines
It’s blinding my sight
But I’ve gotta hold on, the stage calls
The cries of a thousand, the flames of war will descend
The carnage of the blazing sun
Blood rain from swords and claws
The strive to pierce the sky
The light that beckons you forth
I couldn’t just stop now, my heartbeats
The show must go on
You cannot silence my voice now
Be dazzled, be humbled
I’m destined for the stars
Prepare for a beatdown, no mercy
Gonna overwhelm them
A chance for the spotlight
Don’t regret getting burned to ash
The carnage of the blazing sun
Blood rain from swords and claws
As the music drops, our emotions will run wild
Top the world
The strive to pierce the sky
The light that beckons you forth
The promise to stand fast
Against the tidal waves!
The Will to Fight and Survive! ”
As I continued the song, the eyes of everybody present was naturally drawn to me. As an idol, the gazes of a hundred people have already witnessed my singing, so having six people stare while I performed felt like nothing. No, I still appreciated them.
I haven’t grown conceited enough to thought I was above a few eyes. My goal was to bring happiness to people with my songs … Although, it wasn’t like fame and stardom didn’t captivate me. I was a dreamer, after all.
The positive reception I got from everybody’s entranced state gave me enough motivation to give it my all in the second half of the song. The ends of my mouth curled up and the volume of my voice rang louder.
At first, I did consider the opening songs of an anime; after all, they were designed to raise the energy of the viewer and make them crave the show. It worked similar to a jingle, an iconic little earworm. Then I had an epiphany. What was also iconic but fitted a battle well? Exactly, a boss battle theme. The signature background music for an exciting match against fate and heaven. If a boss battle is worth remembering, so will their theme.
Admittedly, the song was written on the spot. I used my parallel minds and my accelerated thinking skills to think of the lyrics for this new song. My goal was to give my allies a sense of heroism, to rally them forth against their enemies in an unstoppable charge to gain victory. With the haughty and arrogant sounding lyrics, I also wanted enemies to know they would have no chance. Music wasn’t just to motivate, it was also there to give people a sense of foreboding, just like a boss battle theme.
So, what was the result?
… Yeah, I’m convinced. That’s definitely Aurena’s style of speaking.
Technically, Aurena wasn’t speaking to me, but rather the voice I’ve been accustomed to since the first day of my life was. It was the voice of the Divine System, or System Voice like I liked to call it. It sounded like a woman was speaking but the monotonous nature of its tone made me imagine a robot.
Through the missive and my meeting with her, I caught a glimpse of how she liked to speak. Her voice was serene and filled with care, but her style of casual speaking was distinct enough. I was already suspicious when the System said the word “fighting” as an encouragement.
In Korean, there was a word pronounced “hwaiting” which translated into “good luck” or “do your best.” For English speakers, “hwaiting” sounds like “fighting.” The Divine System of Peolynca couldn’t know this word if it hadn’t gotten this information from Aurena, who did look at my memory in the past.
A name … Hmm, let’s stick to simplicity. The Will to Fight and Survive.
Why do I hear disappointment?! Come on, the name isn’t bad! Ja! Ja, this is the name of the song, System Voice!
Maybe I was being paranoid. The name was good. The name was good.
Was that last point necessary?! This is the first time I’ve been burned by the System notification. This is so not unbiased!
At that moment, I made sure to note down that [Idol]’s System Voice was an asshole. Regardless, the effect was tremendous. My eyes widened and my jaw dropped. The reason? It was this notification.
W-wait, wasn’t this a buffing spell?!
Yes, this was supposed to be a buffing song. I know I chose “Buffing” when the prompt came. So, pray, tell me why there was a debuff effect attached to the end of this description? It increased the chance to inflict [Fear] and [Terror], two crowd control effects.
They were practically the same, but I guess there was a distinction between them by the degree of being afraid. I could fear fighting something, making me fight more defensively. However, if I were to fight a frog or toad, that was pure terror. I would freeze in place, unable to defend myself.
In any case, that wasn’t the most egregious part. The “decrease Wisdom stat by 5%” effect was. Since all allies with [Music Resonation] also gained increased damage from their fire and holy elemental attacks—not only spells—this song allowed me to double down on the damage!
Wait, doesn’t this mean [White Flames] would become even stronger?
[White Flames] and the spell I made from it, [Sanctified Blaze], were considered as fire and holy elemental. [Divine Inferno] increased the power of fire spells, while [Idol] and [Venerated Saintess] increased holy spells. All three effects only affected magic.
But this buff? It affected every source of attack. That meant my spark-dust, my [Hellblade Edge], and [Corrosive Fire]. It was a tremendous buff. Aside from offensive buffs, there was also the infinite stamina part. Recover [Exhaustion (Minor)] and no stamina cost while this song was in effect? Crazy. Just Crazy. I could only imagine what a warrior like the guild master could do with this stuff.
That reminded me, I should spar with him again tomorrow.
This has to be my cheat, right? This idol system is such a cheat, what the fuck?!
In the beginning, I thought [Primal Magics] and its current form [True Dragon Lineage], were my cheat skills given to me by the gods. That, plus [Bearer of Kargryxmor’s Blood] and [The Light], helped me acquire quite a lot of magical power. I put in a lot of effort, but I couldn’t deny these titles and [Primal Magics] accelerated my growth.
But now?
“Oooooh! What is this?!” Saori exclaimed as I played the song with [Aerokinesis].
“My body feels so much lighter! Lady Hestia, please continue singing, I need to finish this lap!” Ellaine shouted, continuing her jog around the basement. She has turned into a fitness junkie.
“Wait, what is this? ‘Stamina cannot drop to zero?’ T-this is insane! How is this possible?!” Barathan was massaging his temples as he said that, looking more freaked out at the description of this song. “T-This shouldn’t even be possible for a saint or advance support Job. No, I’m too ignorant. I don’t know enough to make that claim.”
It was mass amazement. Everybody looked at their profiles to confirm the effects of my song. It seemed the description wasn’t lying when it showed me all those effects. It was genuine. It was broken.
Waaaaaah, what the hell was this broken skill? What the big F was [Idol]?! An AOE buff and debuff that would last forever as long as I kept on playing the song. I just did a test, and while [Telepathy] didn’t work, I could emulate my voice with [Aerokinesis] … and it would work! What, two parallel minds were needed to keep it working? That was a steal! I knew it! Idols transcended bards.
This is just broken … Wait, but that still didn’t answer my question. Why was a debuff attached to a buffing song?
It made no sense. A buff should buff, while a debuff should debuff. That was common sense in games. As Peolynca’s System was similar to video games, I thought this rule would also apply. Yes, there were attacks and spells which had duel effects, like attacks also including debuffs or crowd controls, or [Sanctified Blaze] which could heal and deal damage. But my problem was this song did buffing and debuff, and I had no idea how I did it.
“Images of being a force of destruction and inspiration.” Was it due to how I structured the lyrics or how I thought about being an imposing boss character while singing it? Or maybe it was both reasons? There was much to test out in the future it seems.
… Wait, was there a chance that there were more options than just damage and buffing songs?
Two options were too little for such a strong skill. It was a unique skill made just for me, after all. Would more options unlock in the future? I couldn’t answer it now, so I would let future Hestia deal with it. Now, I had to confirm one thing.
I knew it.
When an artist debuted their singles—their songs—it was almost impossible to change the name. Once they are released to the public, that was it. Under those rules, it made sense that you couldn’t change their names nor delete them. An ordinary idol on Earth wouldn’t be able to do that.
My cautiousness was rewarded with such a strong song. In the future, I had to be careful with how I write my songs. No more doing it on the spot, it would be too reckless to waste a song slot.
“I’ll be changing into my dragonewt form, everybody!” I gave everybody a heads-up for my experiments, causing Ellaine and everybody else who didn’t know my dragon and minor forms to snap their heads to me.
Once the mana mist dispersed, I got a bunch of interested stares from Ellaine, Barathan, and Josine, to the point they asked if I could show them my dragon form. Sadly, the training room was too small; I would crush everybody.
Regardless, the experiment here was to test if my dragonewt form could sing or not, but I still sounded like a croaking gecko, even now. I could pronounce words … marginally. It didn’t sound like singing, at all. Well, at least I could play [Aerokinesis] and dance, so [Music Resonation] would apply to everybody.
Sadly, it seemed until I changed physically, my [Humanize (Moderate)] form was the best for singing.
As planned, I also made a damage-based magic song. This time I took almost the whole day to think of the lyrics and melody to make sure I covered everything I wanted this song to do. Unfortunately, it wasn’t as powerful as [The Will to Fight and Survive] but it was decent enough, fitting for a unique skill.
After today, I spent a whole week doing whatever I could to catch up on my training. Using the mansion’s library to research magic, trying to make more custom spells, training with Farron, and discussing my party’s future business with Saori and Tasianna. And, of course, continuing my idol training.
As Saori made a training schedule for Ellaine, it meant that Barathan and Manuela could help Ellaine train according to my wishes. Barathan and Manuela were both combat-proficient, so it wasn’t necessary for me to always supervise Ellaine’s training. I could leave that job to her attendants so I could concentrate on my own stuff. And that was baking and cooking.
The planned dinner test was scheduled at the end of this week, so our party had to start figuring out different Earthen cuisine with the help of Peolynca’s ingredients. I wanted to recreate quite a lot of them, not for money’s sake, but for my own selfish reasons. I mean, delicious food could make the world go round.
That also meant that my schedule had finally become so full that I barely had any time for breaks. It felt amazing. Researching established custom spells and then using their logic in the creation of my own was exhilarating. It was like Master Kush told me, “A magician must also seek more knowledge and wonders.” Istari, the God of Magic and Knowledge, promoted the idea of traveling and learning about new stuff, as it was necessary for a mage to widen their horizon. I finally learned why it was so important.
To create more spells for [White Flames] and [Corrosive Fire] was my goal. I would make those two skills mine. Shiterno gave them to me, so I now had the obligation to usurp his right to call these skills his, by creating more and more custom spells. It would improve my strengths while giving me the right to brag.
But that wasn’t all. Training with Farron was also an important part of this week. He declined to be my martial instructor, explaining his lungs wouldn’t allow to workout for too long. Not to mention, he was more preoccupied with his job as a guild master to fully dedicate his time to my improvement.
Nevertheless, it just meant our sparring rounds were even more valuable. He began teaching me how to use both a spear and sword—his specialities—while also trying to improve on my footwork. Like I lectured Ellaine on, even if you were a mage, you had to be physically capable.
Unfortunately, due to this full schedule, we weren’t able to go on any Quests to earn money. Thankfully, Saori was able to keep our budget in check by working at the tailor guild. Her talents and practice until now made her not only an extremely experienced tailor but also a fast one. Nobody in the guild could possibly make as many clothing pieces as Saori, and she was making it all for rich merchants. The money was coming in, but they were drained quickly through our food expenses. Shame.
But these times of normality soon came to an end. Our time in Firwood wasn’t ending, but that didn’t mean we couldn’t go away from Firwood for a prolonged time for some adventure. A Quest arrived at the hunter’s guild and nobody else wanted to accept it.
Was it ‘cause of the money that we accepted? Was it ‘cause it was the right thing to do to help those people? Was it ‘cause it was the first rank C Quest our party would take since becoming adventurers? Nope. Nope to all those reasons.
There was only one reason why we accepted it.
“Ruins! Ruins from before the kingdom got founded! Hints of the pasts etched into stones that stood for time immemorial. Hestia, we will take this Quest!”
It was ‘cause Saori was a history nerd.
AbyssRaven Lol, NEEEEEERD! Okay, jokes aside, hope you guys liked that idol system dive.
For today's song, we have Persona 5's "Rivers in the Desert" Rawr
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Thank you for reading this chapter.
Register Song.
I should probably do one of each first. I have two song slots open as [Idol] is level one, so I should use this chance to learn as much about this skill as possible.
I was currently inside Helvas mansion’s training basement, one day after my spar with the guild master. Having finally gotten off my lazy butt, I’ve decided it was high time to use the idol system that Aurena specifically made for me. It was another part of my strength; if I wished to fully incorporate music and sound attacks into my battle arsenal, then I must learn how to use this system properly.
Unlike how I first learned to use magic, there was a tutorial. Thanks to that, I was able to grasp what I could do with the system immediately. It also helped that the description for both [Idol] and the Idol System were clear and easy to understand.
Its base function was similar to [Synergist’s Oath], which allowed me to give buffs to people. With only a few exceptions like my [Sanctified Blaze], the majority of buffing spells couldn’t be applied to other people, only to yourself, the caster. So, if a mage wanted to give their allies buffs, they needed to use [Synergist’s Oath]. It sounds like a great skill, but one downside about it was that it didn’t share buffs, it transferred them one by one. [Idol] was superior since it allowed me to share my buffs with everyone simultaneously, meaning I didn’t have to reapply all the buffs per person I buff up/
Buffs given through [Synergist’s Oath] also were restricted; only a percentage of the buff was applied depending on the level. Level one would only apply 10%, level two 20%, and so on. [Idol] was able to circumvent it through the [Music Resonation] buff.
Through my concert at Carine village and the tests I performed, [Music Resonation] had “invisible” requirements, as in, what exactly did “idol-like” mean? Naturally, to my understanding, it meant making the music more exciting to listen to, adding some dancing to attract more eyes, and making the show grander.
Maybe the skill was taking my definition of the word “idol-like” into consideration, as sharing the music or the show through [Telepathy] wouldn’t give the buff. As a musician, the performance must be experienced, not injected into your mind like some dosage. It was my pride.
In any case, as long as I sang some music or played an instrument, [Music Resonation] would apply to everybody. The more effort I put into it, the better my buffs. I didn’t need to level up [Idol] to give somebody 100% of all my buffs, I just needed to become a better entertainer.
This skill was such a good supportive skill that it made [Synergist’s Oath] look like a beginner one. The only caveat about it was that I could only apply it to people who could see or hear me, and it couldn’t be used with [Telepathy].
Between boosting my holy and acoustic attacks as well as the buff sharing, this skill was already extremely powerful, definitely worthy of its “unique” status. Then, how would I evaluate it with the Idol System attached to it? Limitless potential. At least, it was the optimistic viewpoint I wanted to have for it.
Let’s start with something easy first. Buffing.
The question is … which song should I choose? Does the theme of a song affect the effect of the buffs?
I received no answer from the System. It gave me a tutorial and instruction on how to use the system, but I thought it would be better if it could answer more detailed questions like these. It was like how math teachers taught you the basics of algebra, but then made you answer some difficult question that required some serious critical thinking. Hello? I wasn’t even sure why we were using letters instead of numbers now.
I wouldn’t be this worried if it could tell me if I could delete a song from the list or not. It would make me less reluctant to potentially “waste” a song slot … But then again, no risk, no reward, right? Wasn’t my first spell casting attempt filled with failures and failures? An idol should think positively!
The effect doesn’t matter, I just need to see how the system works. Afterward, I’ll level [Idol] up and use the newly acquired slots more efficiently.
I’ve decided on a high-energy, peppy song for the buffing spell. I was considering “Promise” to be my first song. It would be very fitting, but the ballad would cause me to be emotional. The lyrics had a profound effect on me since it retold the struggles I faced on my journey to become an idol. What if, instead of a buff, it caused a debuff due to the earnestness of the song?
So, what sorta high-energy, peppy song should I choose for my test run? There were many choices, ranging from anime, rock, metal, pop, techno, and their many sub-genres. I could either choose one of the songs I’ve already written, or just pick one from Earth. Considering the notification didn’t specify that both the lyrics and melody must be included, shouldn’t I be able to play an instrument-only song?
“Hey, Saori, do you think an anime song or the battle OST of a game would be better for a high-spirited, motivating song?” I asked her, explaining what I’ve been thinking until now.
Saori stopped her hands, pausing from taking my measurements, as she looked at me with a frown. “… I have never played a game nor have I ever watched a modern anime. You know this already.”
Oh yeah, right.
Aside from her, Tasianna, Ellaine, Svena, Josine, and Barathan were here with us. Quite an assortment, but the reason why everybody was here was due to a certain someone:
“Haaa, haaa, haaa, haa, haaa.”
That was the exhausted voice of Ellaine, panting heavily as her personal attendant Josine was wiping away beads of sweat from her forehead. Similar to why I told Svena about my secret, Ellaine also told Josine so we didn’t always have to exclude her from discussions concerning my party’s secrets, despite not being a top attendant of House Helvas.
I guess she took it to heart when I told her I considered Tasianna more like a friend than a retainer. I might have the princess title, but I had no intention of conforming to the standard and status quo of the nobles.
“Ellaine, don’t forget about hydration. Sweating drains salt and water from your body, so remember to drink! Barathan and Josine, please, make sure she drinks that specially-made drink.”
As part of Ellaine’s training, I decided to increase her physical fitness. It was far too low in my opinion. Yes, she was a mage, but that didn’t mean that she shouldn’t train her body. Surprisingly, Ellaine had a dream of becoming a knight like her father and brother—who was a squire at this point—after she graduated from the royal academy. It might not look like it, but Ellaine was a real romanticist with how she loved adventurous and knightly tales, which should have been obvious considering how interested she was in my Belzac forest stories.
As such, I prescribed some cardio. If she were to fight monsters or bandits in the future, she needed more than just magic to win. Stamina to prevent [Exhaustion] was paramount.
Saori even helped me create a proper training schedule for her which took her duties as a lady of House Helvas and her studies into consideration. For maybe the first time in ages, Saori was able to show her abilities as a former educator as she planned Ellaine’s weeks out. Barathan, Manuela, and Josine, naturally, gave their feedback, but they were quite satisfied with the end result.
Saori is the planner type, so this is right up her alley.
“Bwuaaah! This ‘sports drink’ tastes fantastic. Your world produces such fine beverages.” Ellaine drank the cup of pink water with enthusiasm and greed.
A sports drink was a drink filled with electrolytes and energy-high minerals to help an exhausted athlete recover. On Earth, most of them were overpriced sweetened water, in my opinion. There were a few brands that worked well in my experience, but most of them were scams.
To help Ellaine, who barely did any physical training, I wanted to concoct a sports drink that actually lived up to its name. In the one week I’ve been training her, through trial and error I developed a sports drink recipe that increased training efficiency.
Macula water for its high mana concentration to stimulate her body, crushed fulinoe leaves to get rid of her arcane corruption, and some fragassa juice to give her energy and turn the water pink. The last ingredient was salt, the electrolyte, from a harbor city called ‘Port Annencia,’ located in the Lecartiglio Duchy south of the Greenveil Duchy.
It was a simple recipe, but it covered all the resources you lost from sweating during training and practice. The price of the ingredients was a bit high according to Ellaine—to Saori’s chagrin, but 90% of the ingredients could be cultivated in our garden so she didn’t care in the end. I honestly had fun when I made it, feeling the same gratification and sense of success when I used to concoct my toxin vials.
After draining the glass empty, she continued her endurance training by running around the basement. She was currently wearing baggy jogging pants and a tank top, which exposed her cleavage and glistening white arms. It was a complete 180 from her noble clothes.
Initially, Ellaine and her attendants were against the clothes, as it was unsightly, but Saori argued it helped her body “breathe” more properly than her noble training clothes. The clothes were to make it easier for her body to sweat and feel comfortable during training.
Ellaine eventually relented, but she wanted a jacket to cover up her cleavage. Saori made one for her, but the sweat and heat got to her during training and she eventually threw the jacket away. She looked very much like a girl from Earth now.
While that was going on, Saori, Tasianna, and Svena were taking my measurements. Why? Svena wanted to make more dresses while Saori wanted to make a kimono for me. I could understand the dresses as I only had a single one fitting for noble occasions, but why the kimono? Apparently, it was for our future business, but she didn’t elaborate. How funny that I was being served by three maids; never would I have guessed this back on Earth.
“Lady Hestia, if I could give you my input? A song should be able to inspire whoever listens to you. Without flattering you, your voice is the most impactful part of your songs. I believe it would be wise to use a song that uses it to its fullest,” Tasianna suggested.
Kuek! I know my singing is better than my dancing, but it never stops hurting when I hear it.
Tasianna’s suggestion was solid. Regardless of my personal feelings, I knew I was a better singer than a dancer. It would be wise to heed Tasianna’s advice … but I wouldn’t be a musician if I only looked at that aspect. I was the daughter of one of the best conductors and violinists on Earth. Instruments were also part of the experience.
I’ve decided! Idol System, start!
A clap of thunder rumbled through the basement, catching everybody’s attention. Ellaine stopped running and the two maids and Saori yelped in surprise as they were the closest to me. It was the loud impact of a drum.
The beat then continued with the sounds of a bass, playing as low as it could with every pluck of its strings. The small tapping of drums followed along, keeping the tension. Naturally, all these sounds weren’t literally played by real instruments, they were made through [Aerokinesis].
Played at a moderate tempo, the melody eventually incorporated the rhythmic beating of more drums. As they kept playing, another loud bang woke everybody up again, the thunder vibrating and echoing inside the training room.
“Is this the fated battle, the light shines
It’s blinding my sight
But I’ve gotta hold on, the stage calls
The cries of a thousand, the flames of war will descend
The carnage of the blazing sun
Blood rain from swords and claws
The strive to pierce the sky
The light that beckons you forth
I couldn’t just stop now, my heartbeats
The show must go on
You cannot silence my voice now
Be dazzled, be humbled
I’m destined for the stars
Prepare for a beatdown, no mercy
Gonna overwhelm them
A chance for the spotlight
Don’t regret getting burned to ash
The carnage of the blazing sun
Blood rain from swords and claws
As the music drops, our emotions will run wild
Top the world
The strive to pierce the sky
The light that beckons you forth
The promise to stand fast
Against the tidal waves!
The Will to Fight and Survive! ”
As I continued the song, the eyes of everybody present was naturally drawn to me. As an idol, the gazes of a hundred people have already witnessed my singing, so having six people stare while I performed felt like nothing. No, I still appreciated them.
I haven’t grown conceited enough to thought I was above a few eyes. My goal was to bring happiness to people with my songs … Although, it wasn’t like fame and stardom didn’t captivate me. I was a dreamer, after all.
The positive reception I got from everybody’s entranced state gave me enough motivation to give it my all in the second half of the song. The ends of my mouth curled up and the volume of my voice rang louder.
At first, I did consider the opening songs of an anime; after all, they were designed to raise the energy of the viewer and make them crave the show. It worked similar to a jingle, an iconic little earworm. Then I had an epiphany. What was also iconic but fitted a battle well? Exactly, a boss battle theme. The signature background music for an exciting match against fate and heaven. If a boss battle is worth remembering, so will their theme.
Admittedly, the song was written on the spot. I used my parallel minds and my accelerated thinking skills to think of the lyrics for this new song. My goal was to give my allies a sense of heroism, to rally them forth against their enemies in an unstoppable charge to gain victory. With the haughty and arrogant sounding lyrics, I also wanted enemies to know they would have no chance. Music wasn’t just to motivate, it was also there to give people a sense of foreboding, just like a boss battle theme.
So, what was the result?
… Yeah, I’m convinced. That’s definitely Aurena’s style of speaking.
Technically, Aurena wasn’t speaking to me, but rather the voice I’ve been accustomed to since the first day of my life was. It was the voice of the Divine System, or System Voice like I liked to call it. It sounded like a woman was speaking but the monotonous nature of its tone made me imagine a robot.
Through the missive and my meeting with her, I caught a glimpse of how she liked to speak. Her voice was serene and filled with care, but her style of casual speaking was distinct enough. I was already suspicious when the System said the word “fighting” as an encouragement.
In Korean, there was a word pronounced “hwaiting” which translated into “good luck” or “do your best.” For English speakers, “hwaiting” sounds like “fighting.” The Divine System of Peolynca couldn’t know this word if it hadn’t gotten this information from Aurena, who did look at my memory in the past.
A name … Hmm, let’s stick to simplicity. The Will to Fight and Survive.
Why do I hear disappointment?! Come on, the name isn’t bad! Ja! Ja, this is the name of the song, System Voice!
Maybe I was being paranoid. The name was good. The name was good.
Was that last point necessary?! This is the first time I’ve been burned by the System notification. This is so not unbiased!
At that moment, I made sure to note down that [Idol]’s System Voice was an asshole. Regardless, the effect was tremendous. My eyes widened and my jaw dropped. The reason? It was this notification.
W-wait, wasn’t this a buffing spell?!
Yes, this was supposed to be a buffing song. I know I chose “Buffing” when the prompt came. So, pray, tell me why there was a debuff effect attached to the end of this description? It increased the chance to inflict [Fear] and [Terror], two crowd control effects.
They were practically the same, but I guess there was a distinction between them by the degree of being afraid. I could fear fighting something, making me fight more defensively. However, if I were to fight a frog or toad, that was pure terror. I would freeze in place, unable to defend myself.
In any case, that wasn’t the most egregious part. The “decrease Wisdom stat by 5%” effect was. Since all allies with [Music Resonation] also gained increased damage from their fire and holy elemental attacks—not only spells—this song allowed me to double down on the damage!
Wait, doesn’t this mean [White Flames] would become even stronger?
[White Flames] and the spell I made from it, [Sanctified Blaze], were considered as fire and holy elemental. [Divine Inferno] increased the power of fire spells, while [Idol] and [Venerated Saintess] increased holy spells. All three effects only affected magic.
But this buff? It affected every source of attack. That meant my spark-dust, my [Hellblade Edge], and [Corrosive Fire]. It was a tremendous buff. Aside from offensive buffs, there was also the infinite stamina part. Recover [Exhaustion (Minor)] and no stamina cost while this song was in effect? Crazy. Just Crazy. I could only imagine what a warrior like the guild master could do with this stuff.
That reminded me, I should spar with him again tomorrow.
This has to be my cheat, right? This idol system is such a cheat, what the fuck?!
In the beginning, I thought [Primal Magics] and its current form [True Dragon Lineage], were my cheat skills given to me by the gods. That, plus [Bearer of Kargryxmor’s Blood] and [The Light], helped me acquire quite a lot of magical power. I put in a lot of effort, but I couldn’t deny these titles and [Primal Magics] accelerated my growth.
But now?
“Oooooh! What is this?!” Saori exclaimed as I played the song with [Aerokinesis].
“My body feels so much lighter! Lady Hestia, please continue singing, I need to finish this lap!” Ellaine shouted, continuing her jog around the basement. She has turned into a fitness junkie.
“Wait, what is this? ‘Stamina cannot drop to zero?’ T-this is insane! How is this possible?!” Barathan was massaging his temples as he said that, looking more freaked out at the description of this song. “T-This shouldn’t even be possible for a saint or advance support Job. No, I’m too ignorant. I don’t know enough to make that claim.”
It was mass amazement. Everybody looked at their profiles to confirm the effects of my song. It seemed the description wasn’t lying when it showed me all those effects. It was genuine. It was broken.
Waaaaaah, what the hell was this broken skill? What the big F was [Idol]?! An AOE buff and debuff that would last forever as long as I kept on playing the song. I just did a test, and while [Telepathy] didn’t work, I could emulate my voice with [Aerokinesis] … and it would work! What, two parallel minds were needed to keep it working? That was a steal! I knew it! Idols transcended bards.
This is just broken … Wait, but that still didn’t answer my question. Why was a debuff attached to a buffing song?
It made no sense. A buff should buff, while a debuff should debuff. That was common sense in games. As Peolynca’s System was similar to video games, I thought this rule would also apply. Yes, there were attacks and spells which had duel effects, like attacks also including debuffs or crowd controls, or [Sanctified Blaze] which could heal and deal damage. But my problem was this song did buffing and debuff, and I had no idea how I did it.
“Images of being a force of destruction and inspiration.” Was it due to how I structured the lyrics or how I thought about being an imposing boss character while singing it? Or maybe it was both reasons? There was much to test out in the future it seems.
… Wait, was there a chance that there were more options than just damage and buffing songs?
Two options were too little for such a strong skill. It was a unique skill made just for me, after all. Would more options unlock in the future? I couldn’t answer it now, so I would let future Hestia deal with it. Now, I had to confirm one thing.
I knew it.
When an artist debuted their singles—their songs—it was almost impossible to change the name. Once they are released to the public, that was it. Under those rules, it made sense that you couldn’t change their names nor delete them. An ordinary idol on Earth wouldn’t be able to do that.
My cautiousness was rewarded with such a strong song. In the future, I had to be careful with how I write my songs. No more doing it on the spot, it would be too reckless to waste a song slot.
“I’ll be changing into my dragonewt form, everybody!” I gave everybody a heads-up for my experiments, causing Ellaine and everybody else who didn’t know my dragon and minor forms to snap their heads to me.
Once the mana mist dispersed, I got a bunch of interested stares from Ellaine, Barathan, and Josine, to the point they asked if I could show them my dragon form. Sadly, the training room was too small; I would crush everybody.
Regardless, the experiment here was to test if my dragonewt form could sing or not, but I still sounded like a croaking gecko, even now. I could pronounce words … marginally. It didn’t sound like singing, at all. Well, at least I could play [Aerokinesis] and dance, so [Music Resonation] would apply to everybody.
Sadly, it seemed until I changed physically, my [Humanize (Moderate)] form was the best for singing.
As planned, I also made a damage-based magic song. This time I took almost the whole day to think of the lyrics and melody to make sure I covered everything I wanted this song to do. Unfortunately, it wasn’t as powerful as [The Will to Fight and Survive] but it was decent enough, fitting for a unique skill.
After today, I spent a whole week doing whatever I could to catch up on my training. Using the mansion’s library to research magic, trying to make more custom spells, training with Farron, and discussing my party’s future business with Saori and Tasianna. And, of course, continuing my idol training.
As Saori made a training schedule for Ellaine, it meant that Barathan and Manuela could help Ellaine train according to my wishes. Barathan and Manuela were both combat-proficient, so it wasn’t necessary for me to always supervise Ellaine’s training. I could leave that job to her attendants so I could concentrate on my own stuff. And that was baking and cooking.
The planned dinner test was scheduled at the end of this week, so our party had to start figuring out different Earthen cuisine with the help of Peolynca’s ingredients. I wanted to recreate quite a lot of them, not for money’s sake, but for my own selfish reasons. I mean, delicious food could make the world go round.
That also meant that my schedule had finally become so full that I barely had any time for breaks. It felt amazing. Researching established custom spells and then using their logic in the creation of my own was exhilarating. It was like Master Kush told me, “A magician must also seek more knowledge and wonders.” Istari, the God of Magic and Knowledge, promoted the idea of traveling and learning about new stuff, as it was necessary for a mage to widen their horizon. I finally learned why it was so important.
To create more spells for [White Flames] and [Corrosive Fire] was my goal. I would make those two skills mine. Shiterno gave them to me, so I now had the obligation to usurp his right to call these skills his, by creating more and more custom spells. It would improve my strengths while giving me the right to brag.
But that wasn’t all. Training with Farron was also an important part of this week. He declined to be my martial instructor, explaining his lungs wouldn’t allow to workout for too long. Not to mention, he was more preoccupied with his job as a guild master to fully dedicate his time to my improvement.
Nevertheless, it just meant our sparring rounds were even more valuable. He began teaching me how to use both a spear and sword—his specialities—while also trying to improve on my footwork. Like I lectured Ellaine on, even if you were a mage, you had to be physically capable.
Unfortunately, due to this full schedule, we weren’t able to go on any Quests to earn money. Thankfully, Saori was able to keep our budget in check by working at the tailor guild. Her talents and practice until now made her not only an extremely experienced tailor but also a fast one. Nobody in the guild could possibly make as many clothing pieces as Saori, and she was making it all for rich merchants. The money was coming in, but they were drained quickly through our food expenses. Shame.
But these times of normality soon came to an end. Our time in Firwood wasn’t ending, but that didn’t mean we couldn’t go away from Firwood for a prolonged time for some adventure. A Quest arrived at the hunter’s guild and nobody else wanted to accept it.
Was it ‘cause of the money that we accepted? Was it ‘cause it was the right thing to do to help those people? Was it ‘cause it was the first rank C Quest our party would take since becoming adventurers? Nope. Nope to all those reasons.
There was only one reason why we accepted it.
“Ruins! Ruins from before the kingdom got founded! Hints of the pasts etched into stones that stood for time immemorial. Hestia, we will take this Quest!”
It was ‘cause Saori was a history nerd.
AbyssRaven Lol, NEEEEEERD! Okay, jokes aside, hope you guys liked that idol system dive.
For today's song, we have Persona 5's "Rivers in the Desert" Rawr
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