Miss Witch Doesn't Want to be a Diva

The magnificent silver full moon rises from the horizon to the whole sky. This grand spectacle is like a cold wind sweeping through thousands of years, blowing across the desolate land that continually stretches, with no end in sight, so vast and remote, yet so ancient and vast.

In such a world, Masha feels a bit unstable, unable to believe her surroundings, even once suspecting it to be some special illusion technique rather than a real heart-image world.

But all her senses tell her that this is indeed a genuine heart-image world, and as a songstress, the profession representing the peak of mental consciousness, she would not fail to discern this.

Yet, how could a young songstress, barely in her early twenties, possess such a vast and remote heart-image world? How could her mere 20 years of experience construct such a grand and unshakeable heart-image world?

Meandering through this desolate world resembling the surface of the moon, Masha continuously passes looming cold-colored rocks standing on the ground; the original tree sea and grand hall where both once were have vanished, as has the young girl. Only the faint hum from afar guides Masha through the labyrinth constructed of these massive stones.

If the heart-image world is constituted by a labyrinth, it often indicates that the individual holds complex and introspective emotions; frequent reflections on various fragments and domains shape such a vision. Although there is a labyrinth here, it holds no traps. The large stones forming the labyrinth are tall and majestic, offering no concealment or deception, portraying an impression of honesty and integrity.

A rather peculiar child, indeed, Masha shakes her head slightly, considering Tilan's age as akin to that of an undeveloped child compared to her experiences.

The soft humming persists, mellow like a lullaby, as Masha's fingers caress the cold stones at her side, following the direction of the sound onwards.

After countless twists and turns, past countless stones, Masha eventually senses the sound growing closer until reaching the last stone and finds herself before a tranquil sea of flowers at the labyrinth's center.

Under the night sky bathed in moonlight, black leaves gently sway. Amid the rustling wind, flower buds tightly closed like bells slowly bloom, and glimmers of firefly spill from the pouch like fireflies dancing in the night while the midnight blue flowers also bloom in the pitch-black darkness.

In the flower sea's center, Masha sees the humming young girl, but at this moment, her appearance seems even younger, about 12 years old. The young girl sits among the flowers, facing away from Masha, with many books beside her: textbooks from school, colored picture books her mother bought her, skewed diaries she wrote herself, recounting in a juvenile, unsophisticated manner. Lastly, the booklet in her hand contains lyrics, likely songs taught by the teacher at school.

Perhaps hearing the footsteps, the young girl turns around, her innocent eyes untainted by worldly experiences, filled with anticipation and beautiful imaginations for the future.

"Are you the sister here to teach me singing?" She clutches the lyric booklet, running lightly from the flower sea, wearing a black and white dress like the wind in March.

"I..." Masha wishes to explain something but finds herself at loss for words.

"The teacher taught us many songs today, and I liked them all. Later, the teacher asked us to choose one to learn and sing at school for everyone tomorrow." The girl lifts the lyric booklet, her expression joyful.

"It's a pity that sister isn't home; she sings so beautifully, I can never match up to her."

"Mom asked me which song I liked, and I hesitated for a long time, sitting here till the sky turned dark."

"Anyway, anyway, I finally made my choice." The girl hands the open page to Masha, the familiar lyrics stirring her emotions, unrelenting and unsettled.

"Why choose this song? It's quite difficult." She touches the little girl before her.

"Isn't the rule to choose your favorite song?" The girl questions Masha.

"..." Masha remains silent.

"Can you tell me why you like this song?" Masha crouches, handing the open booklet back to the girl.

"Because that day, mom also asked me a question, she asked what kind of person I wanted to be?"

"And your answer?" Masha continues to inquire.

"Kind." The girl replies proudly and happily to Masha.

"I love seeing everyone happy and joyful together. Mom said that's kindness."

After listening, Masha does not immediately reply, instead, she stands up, continuing to gaze at this sea of flowers and the world, as the young girl before her gradually dissipates.

The gentle hum in her ear never ceases, as Masha proceeds forward. Upon entering this flower sea, she discovers that beneath the midnight blue flowers and black grass leaves lie numerous thorns, these thorns preventing outsiders from peering in, guarding the serenity of this flower sea.

Masha pays no heed to this, instead, pushing aside the thorny stems and leaves, following the sound onwards, stepping over the waist-deep midnight blue flower sea, eventually once more encountering the young girl within.

At present, the young girl remains seated beside a pile of books, surrounded by various childhood booklets, yet she has long grown, and her humming now carries no childish naivety but an air of melancholy and reminiscence.

"Is this your past?" Masha stands at the girl's back.

"Filled with solitude, contemplation, quietude, and a slight yearning for truth, goodness, and beauty." She describes her feelings during this journey.

"I originally thought you were an impulsive and naïve child, but it seems I was mistaken. To reach this point today, you must have encountered considerable conflicts and struggles." Masha gazes up at the immense silver full moon in the sky.

"I never expected to witness a new Color-level Songstress in my lifetime." Such an immensely grand Heart Image World, even a Sunshine-level Songstress wouldn't possess such a presence.

Though she was merely a Moon Level Songstress, she wasn't far from the Sunlit Level and had begun to touch its threshold.

"It's just the luck brought by Talent." The girl stood up, her singing ceased, and a gentle breeze swept through the sea of flowers, lifting a few faint blue petals, dancing with the fireflies in the night breeze.

Her black gauze gown and long silver hair fluttered slowly, and in this firefly-dotted night, her azure eyes seemed especially vast, as if they saw through the present to a distant future.

"Masha, can you assist me? Help release this country from decadence." She spoke again, this time without using any power to influence the other's mind and emotions.

Masha just turned slightly, gazing at the moonlit land and sea of flowers.

"I want to refuse, for I don't like forcibly making others do things; I prefer everything to happen naturally."

'A nation, like the life of nature, has birth and death, strength and decline, which it inevitably goes through according to historical cycles.'

"Given that the current Federation doesn't live up to its position, and no longer earns belief and following, letting it disband and end is a kind of renewal."

"Don't attempt to save a person steeped in madness and desperation, or it will only drag you down." She bent slightly, gently stroking the soft, azure petals.

"I know your wishes and thoughts, and I understand your feelings, but I also have my own rightful beliefs. Since I am a Songstress, I must be responsible for myself and those who support me."

"I will not save the grease-mouthed people of the Central Star Domain, nor will I let the children of my hometown die on meaningless battlefields."

"They created everything today, and they must pay for it."

"Tilan, kindness should not be given to those undeserving, they will not be grateful." Masha cautioned.

"After so much has been said, I know you still won't listen." She shook her head, turning once more to face this new generation of Color-level Songstress.

"I can agree to your request and even help you connect with Songstresses in other Star Regions of the Southern Star Region and persuade them."

"But I have one condition: You must create a brand-new nation from scratch, one that begins anew after everything is torn down, unlike Emuralin, which was merely a reform."

"I don't want the prosperity and stability achieved through numerous sacrifices to be seized by those people again. I wish for a future that breaks the old system, a brighter and more hopeful future."

"So you must become the true founding leader of this country, not the third-generation Color-level Songstress trapped under the shadows of Isenisha and Emuralin."

"Since you want to persuade me, let's see if you have that determination." Masha put on her veil again, resuming her usual Status.

The moonlight gradually dispersed, and the two returned to the great hall within the orange-red Tree Sea.

By now, the Sun had slanted westward, the sunset burning across the sky like fiery orange, and the Flying Birds called out alone, as the sky neared dusk.

If Tilan's original plan was to garner support from the Southern Star Region, ascend to a Sunshine-level Songstress, intervene in the Central Council, gain control over the Federal Center, gradually dismantle various tumors and obstacles, and restore the Federation's justice and strength, then Masha's idea was: why bother with everything old in the Federation and work in shackles? Why not establish a brand-new, pure national system yourself.

Since it's already decayed, let it fall into historical dust. The great history of the Rose Federation will end one day; its merits will not be forgotten, and its lessons will be remembered.

Is it really necessary to do this? The girl's eyes reflected the distant fiery clouds. Though she asked herself, in truth she already knew the answer but had been unwilling to admit or mention it.

Indeed, it's necessary. If she is to carry out her own thoughts and beliefs, this path is almost mandatory. Yet, the girl always felt indebted to the grace from the two previous generations of Color-level Songstresses and didn't want to reach this step.

In the end, she took this step. She felt somewhat helpless—when trying to save a country, the best way isn't to support it but to let it crumble and then rebuild.

"I promise you, and those who support me, I will bring everyone a new world, full of justice, openness, and happiness." Her gentle voice ascended like Flying Birds to the sky.

"That way, I can be relieved." Masha knelt slowly on one knee before the girl, one hand gently pressing her chest, their shadows drawn long under the setting Sun.

"I like everything to happen naturally. Since it's for all lives in this world, I should stand by your side, reflecting the world falling into twilight."

"I am the Songstress 'Falling Cloud Gauze' Masha, willing to serve you, to burn like a fervent bird, bringing firelight to every corner of the earth."

The vow's voice was particularly peaceful and steady. As Masha recited, a faint Fire Feather Mark appeared on her brow, while at the same time, a special resonance surfaced between them. Via this connection, Tilan could even vaguely perceive the consciousnesses following Masha. If ordinary Songstresses could expand their influence through a 'Song Festival,' as a Color-level Songstress, she could even leverage other 'Songstresses' to achieve a broader spread of influence, making this the highest alliance rite among Songstresses.