Who hid My Corpse!

Because he hadn't seen Orenna.

Ever since he learned of Orenna's successful Ascension ceremony from the daytime until now, he hadn't caught sight of her.

And it wasn't just Orenna.

Daniel, Hewinia, and Tupac were also absent; he was the only Golden Note in the entire hall. Although Phinis knew where Hewinia and Tupac had gone, he still felt a certain sense of strangeness.

But he didn't show it and instead nodded politely. Then, under the gaze of countless people, he walked toward the Ancient Bell covered by a red curtain.

When the last firework had finished,

He would personally draw back the curtain.

Hewinia stood in front of the body under the tree.

Judging from the body's position and traces, it should have been hung on the tree previously and had fallen due to the commotion from Hewinia and Tupac's battle.

If it weren't for that, it's likely that no one would have discovered him.

But who exactly was he?

Apart from Hewinia, was there another killer in the Forbidden Forest?

...A Snow Thorns Beast?

But would a person attacked by a Snow Thorns Beast still have such an intact body?

Trail after trail of intense doubt surged in Hewinia's heart, accompanied by a strong disquiet.

Hewinia slowly bent down, quietly observing the corpse.

The corpse's face was unrecognizable, and its outer clothes were gone. One could barely discern from the silhouette that it was a man and that he had been dead for at least three days.

But who could it be?

At that moment, Bai Wei's voice arose, "There's something in his inner garment pocket."

Hearing this, Hewinia immediately reached out her hand, feeling for the inner garment pocket.

Sure enough, she touched a hard card, and upon taking it out, she saw it was a blackened name card.

The back of the name card bore a noble insignia that could no longer be discerned.

So, Hewinia flipped the card over to the other side, also pitch black.

Fortunately, it was only covered in soot. Hewinia wiped it gently in the snow, and the card became clear.

She flipped the card again, and at that moment, the last firework of the Seven Notes·Syllable ascended to the sky, turning night into day for an instant, and likewise illuminated the name card.

In that instant, Hewinia held her breath.

Fear involuntarily climbed into her heart.

Because the name was,

"Daniel Ether."

It was time.

The last firework had finished.

Phinis was timing the moment in his mind, and just as the firework faded, he forcefully pulled back the curtain.

The ancient, red clock symbolizing the Holy Sound Master appeared before everyone.

...Wait, red?

Phinis sensed something amiss.

He subconsciously raised his head.

Then he saw a naked woman lying atop the clock, her spilling blood staining the entirety of the clock red.

Phinis's position allowed him to look straight at the woman.

He slightly opened his mouth,

"Ore... Orenna..."

The library.

Ogg, alone in this place, blankly watched the last trace of fireworks disappear.

"How come you're not attending the opening ceremony?" A gentle voice sounded.

Ogg turned his head and looked in surprise at the man sitting in the corner, "Mr. Daniel, when did you get there?"

"I've been here all along; you just hadn't noticed me," Daniel said with a smile.

Ogg noticed the bloodstained sleeve on Daniel's arm, "Is your hand injured?"

"Heh, it's just a minor scratch, don't worry," Daniel inquired, "Why aren't you attending the opening ceremony?"

Ogg shook his head with a wry smile, "I can't... What about you, why aren't you there?"

"Me?"

Daniel lowered his head, looking at the arm with the rolled-up sleeve.

On the inside of the arm that Ogg couldn't see, silver music staffs bound the blood-stained Golden Seventh Sound, slowly dragging it down, positioning it alongside another Golden First Note.

In the flickering candlelight, the notes were like insects caught in a spider's web.

Daniel rolled down his sleeve, smiling and saying,

"I have already obtained what I wanted."