Kaito practically staggered as he ran toward the door of TM Opera O's exclusive lounge.
He sported two enormous dark circles under his eyes, and several suspicious "love marks" were visible on his neck, which he had barely managed to disguise with bandages. His entire being exuded the desolation of someone completely exhausted.
However, when he saw the door in front of him, he was completely amazed.
It was a large white European-style door, carved with intricate rose motifs. The brass knob was polished to a shine. In the center of the door hung a luxurious purple sandalwood plaque, with an English inscription in elegant calligraphy: "The Opera".
"My goodness! This isn't a lounge, it's practically a branch of the Palace of Versailles! (Q ﹏ Q)"
Kaito took several deep breaths, straightened his messy collar, and, with a feeling akin to a pilgrimage, gently pushed the door open.
Then, he was completely stunned by what he saw before his eyes.
If Gold City's isolation room was "minimalist hell", then this place was "luxurious heaven".
Soft velvet sofas, enormous lit mirrors on the vanities, and walls adorned with various styles of magnificent performance costumes that undoubtedly cost a fortune.
The floor was covered with a thick, dark red carpet that absorbed all sound, and the air was filled with the scent of high-quality black tea and expensive perfume.
And the absolute protagonist of this small opera house sat gracefully drinking black tea on a single sofa, situated in the center of the room like a "throne".
"You are late, my dear backstage supervisor"
TM Opera O didn't even look up; she simply set down the fine porcelain teacup in her hand, which emitted a crisp clink.
Her voice remained elegant and pleasant, but with a hint of undeniable displeasure.
"It seems you haven't fully understood the value of time, especially for an unparalleled Overlord like me; every second should be used to radiate brilliance"
"I am so sorry! Miss TM Opera O! Because last night..." Kaito bowed quickly in apology, almost saying he had been ambushed"
TM Opera O interrupted him with a wave of her hand.
Her purple eyes finally rose and looked at him.
"Apologies are the cheapest thing in the world, I do not need them"
She stood up and walked slowly toward Kaito with an elegant step, like that of a cat.
"Before beginning your 'work', you must first complete a sacred ritual"
"Use the most magnificent, noble, and incomparable words you can imagine to praise the brilliant and irreplaceable protagonist you are about to touch"
Kaito: "Eh?"
He was stunned.
What kind of strange demand was this? Was it a show of dominance?
No, judging by her absolutely confident expression, this was probably... just her daily routine.
If he simply praised her with phrases like "You are so beautiful" or "You have a great presence", he would surely be dismissed for offering boring flattery and kicked out.
Kaito's mind raced at an unprecedented speed.
Instead of speaking immediately, he turned around and walked toward the enormous floor-to-ceiling window, pulling open the heavy velvet curtains with a swoosh.
The bright sunlight instantly flooded the area, acting like a spotlight that hit TM Opera O's magnificent figure with precision, covering her with a golden outline and making her look even more dazzling.
Kaito turned around, bowed slightly toward TM Opera O, who was bathed in sunlight, and spoke with an absolutely sincere tone, as if appreciating a work of art:
"The sun's radiance cannot be embellished with poor words"
"For us mortals, simply looking up and appreciating is the greatest honor"
This statement cleverly echoed what she had said in the hallway yesterday, while also comparing her to the unique sun in a much more sophisticated way.
Sure enough, the coldness on TM Opera O's face melted at a visible speed.
At first she froze, then her lips curled uncontrollably upward, forming an extremely delighted and perfect smile.
"Heh, heh... ha, ha, ha..." She let out a joyful laugh.
"What a good improvised dialogue, it seems you are not just a boring extra"
She spread her arms in a gesture of embracing the world and lifted her chin proudly toward Kaito.
"In that case, begin!"
"Allow me to personally experience the magic of those hands, hands that captivated Gold City herself, and even went so far as to... (She looked significantly at the bandage on Kaito's neck)... leave their mark!"
Ufff—
The first obstacle was overcome.
Kaito sighed in relief secretly and stepped forward, preparing to begin his real "work" of the day.
However, the moment his fingers touched TM Opera O's shoulder, a cold warning system suddenly rang in his mind!
[Warning! Target detected with an extremely high ego mental barrier!]
[The mental calming effect generated by the conventional primary massage technique has been reduced by 70%!]
[Physical level effective, mental level... almost ineffective! ]