The Opera House

"Aina, what is that building?"

Xia Lun pointed at a massive building in front of them and asked Aina.

If he didn't know something, he would just ask. Aina was his wife, so there was nothing to be embarrassed about.

After all, Xia Lun and Aina shared intimate moments every day, and they never felt embarrassed exploring all sorts of novel ways to pleasure each other.

It was a semi-circular building, built in a terraced fashion against the trunk of a massive tree, with stone steps radiating outward.

The building was surrounded by a ring of thick marble pillars, so numerous that it was impossible to count them at a glance.

The entrances were huge, and there were several of them, all featuring heavy, tower-like gates.

At first, Xia Lun thought it was a colosseum or an arena, but upon closer inspection, it really didn't look like one.

"Oh, that? That's an opera house," Aina explained.

Xia Lun nodded slightly. Through the thick walls, he could indeed faintly hear melodious singing coming from inside the building.

He hadn't expected opera houses nowadays to be built so grandly and on such a massive scale... In the past, Xia Lun had never heard of an opera house like this anywhere.

"After all, there are no more wars now. The various races live together in harmony, and life is gradually becoming more prosperous, so naturally, people have begun to pursue spiritual enjoyment." As his wife, Aina could easily guess what Xia Lun was thinking just by observing his expression. She then smiled sweetly and said, "It is all thanks to the Lord Hero."

Xia Lun shook his head. "It is all thanks to you, Aina."

"So, do you want to go in and take a look, Xia Lun?" Aina linked her arm with his.

"I don't have much interest in operas." Xia Lun scratched his head. He lacked any artistic appreciation. A crude adventurer like him only knew how to fight—fighting monsters, and fighting Aina.

"We're already here." Aina pulled Xia Lun and prepared to walk inside.

"Let's... let's just forget it, Aina. I won't understand any of it."

Xia Lun considered himself a layman. To his ears, all music and singing could basically only be described with two adjectives: good or bad.

For example, the sound of Moke playing the lute was very pleasant, but his singing voice left much to be desired.

"Well, I want to go in and take a look... Xia Lun, are you really going to let me go in alone?" Aina stomped her little foot, turned her head away, and pouted. The Demon King looked boundlessly cute and charming.

Even though they had been an old married couple for who knew how many years, Xia Lun still felt his heart thumping like a startled deer.

"Xia Lun, the audience seating is pitch-black, I'll be scared... If I run into some perverts who see how pretty I am, they might even take the opportunity to take advantage of me..." Aina pitifully wiped the corners of her eyes and sneaked a peek at Xia Lun. "Even so, are you still unwilling to go in with me?"

Looking at the Demon King acting so pitifully and coquettishly toward him, Xia Lun now felt as if his heart had been pierced through by the antlers of a wildly muscular buck, hung on its head, and thrashed around.

"What's wrong, Xia Lun? Does your chest hurt?" Seeing Xia Lun clutching his chest, Aina was slightly taken aback. "Although this is the territory of the Elves, there shouldn't be any problems with the heart of the Divine Tree of Life..."

"It's nothing, Aina, I'm fine... Let's go in together." Xia Lun wrapped his arm around Aina's shoulders.

It was still very bright right inside the entrance. Silver, sparkling crystal chandeliers hung above, and the pale yellow floor was as smooth as a mirror.

Well, today Aina was wearing an elegant long black dress.

Xia Lun suddenly thought of something and stared intently at the smooth floor, but he regretfully found that hoping to see anything clearly was just a fool's dream.

"Xia Lun, what are you looking at? Is there something on the floor?" Aina asked softly.

"It's nothing." Xia Lun shook his head.

"What's there to look at? When we get back, you can look as much as you want... Even if you want to take them off and put them over your head, I wouldn't mind." Aina covered her mouth and giggled.

Xia Lun's face darkened with imaginary black lines. He would never do such a thing; wouldn't that make him a real pervert?

Then Xia Lun clicked his tongue slightly. "Aina, do you know mind-reading magic?"

"No... I just mentioned it casually. Xia Lun, I didn't expect you to actually be thinking about that kind of thing?" Aina covered her mouth in feigned surprise, her tone seemingly a bit flustered. "If you really want to put it over your head... I'd better give you a new pair. Even if it's me, there will still be a smell. Plus, seeing you like that..."

"Stop! What are you thinking?" Xia Lun interrupted Aina's bizarre thoughts. "I just thought the floor was too smooth, and I was worried someone else might see you!"

"Mhm, I see. That is very much in line with your character, Xia Lun." Aina's tone returned to its usual composure.

The two walked quietly for a distance.

"Do you really think I'd put your... that thing over my head?" Xia Lun couldn't help but ask. "I am your husband, you know."

"Ahem... We're here, let's go in, Xia Lun." Aina placed her small fist in front of her mouth and coughed lightly.

Of course, it was precisely because he was her husband that she wouldn't mind...

Aina didn't say anything more and gently pushed the door open.

The air seemed to be cleaved by an invisible blade. A clear, highly penetrating soprano voice suddenly soared upward, like a golden arrow at dawn, piercing straight toward the dome.

The actress's soaring singing voice instantly grabbed Xia Lun's attention.

Even as a layman, Xia Lun could hear the actress's superb singing skills.

Even after the actress finished her note, her voice seemed to continue lingering within the hall.

Thunderous applause erupted from the audience.

"It's not as boring as you imagined, is it, Xia Lun?" Aina's lips curled into a slightly smug smile. "Don't think of everything as being the same as before... Times have changed, Lord Hero."

"Have you heard similar operas before?" Xia Lun asked.

"Occasionally... After all, guarding your corpse on a snowy mountain every day for over a thousand years was quite dull. Occasionally, I would release a few blood bats to wander the world and listen to the sounds outside," Aina said softly.

"It must have been hard on you." Xia Lun sighed and gently pulled Aina into his embrace.

"It's all in the past." Aina revealed a beautiful smile.

Just as Aina had said earlier, the hall was very dark, with only a few bright beams of light shot from magical devices illuminating the stage.

There were many seats in the audience area. Although there was a good number of spectators, the seats weren't completely filled.

Aina led Xia Lun to sit in a row towards the back and off to the side. Because the view here was poor, there was hardly anyone around... The audience who had come to appreciate the opera were all concentrated right in the center of the seating area.

The actors on the stage were a female elf and a human girl... The female elf was likely playing the role of a man, wearing a sharp, form-fitting outfit with a handsome cape draped over her back. And the one who had just been singing loudly was the human girl.

Following that, the female elf and the girl shared a passionate kiss, and the audience below let out soft chuckles.

Xia Lun: ...

Liyana would probably love this opera.