Chapter 525 : Wingless Angel
Chapter 525: Wingless Angel
"Clang——Clang——Clang—"
Along with the melodious toll of the bell, the stage—once shrouded in darkness—suddenly brightened.
"Wow! It’s an angel!"
The opening scene depicted a group of angels with pure white wings bowing in reverence to the Lord of Heaven.
With holy, gentle lighting and a misty, ethereal set design, combined with the actors’ realistic white wings, the stage’s opening image alone made the audience gasp in awe at its stunning realism.
"The Nightingale Opera Troupe’s prop design this time is clearly far better than that of 《Song of the Ocean》."
Even the usually critical Jenny couldn’t help but praise the effort put in by the Nightingale Opera Troupe, watching each angel’s lifelike wings sway gracefully under the light.
"Still, no matter how realistic the props are, they’re only embellishments. What truly makes an opera great is its story—"
"Where is Isabelle?"
Just as Jenny’s thoughts began to wander, the Lord of Heaven—played by Siwen-Rogers—spoke from his throne. His deep, commanding voice filled the theater.
"Great and holy Lord, Isabelle is on her way—"
"Hmph! She’s clearly late on purpose!"
The one who responded to Augustine was one of the two female angels standing below him: Freya, who played Elysiel, and Hill, who played Hilamel.
"Aside from Siwen-Rogers, all the other actors were also in 《Song of the Ocean》."
Although Freya and Hill now wore silver-white wigs and completely different makeup than in 《Song of the Ocean》, Jenny, who had watched the pirated crystal projection multiple times, recognized them instantly.
"Strange… Why are all the other angels’ hair silver-white, but the Lord of Heaven’s is black?"
Ding-dong—
Just as Jenny began to drift off again, the gentle melody of a harp flowed across the stage like running water. The lights dimmed slightly, and through the drifting mist emerged a slender figure with black hair, holding a delicate harp.
"That’s...—"
Even though the mist obscured her face, Jenny’s breath quickened as she sat in the audience.
Even without seeing her clearly, Jenny recognized the person from her silhouette alone.
"It’s Janna!"
Ding-dong—
The harp’s music echoed once more, and as the mist lifted, the mysterious figure finally appeared before everyone.
"Hiss——"
Her black hair shimmered like polished ebony; her skin was flawless as white porcelain. Her delicate, stunning features—framed by the silver feather-like markings near her eyes and the white jade gem on her forehead—made Janna look like a true angel. As she stood upon the stage with her harp, every member of the audience drew a sharp breath in wonder.
Though Siwen-Rogers as Augustine, Freya as Elysiel, and Hill as Hilamel were all beautiful in their own right, when Janna—playing Isabelle—appeared, it was as if all the light gathered around her alone. The other actors instantly dimmed in comparison, and every gaze in the hall fixed upon her, unable to turn away.
"Holy Lord, I have come late."
Unlike her sweet tone as the Mermaid Princess Olivia in 《Song of the Ocean》, Janna’s voice as Isabelle was noticeably lower—gentle but distant, filled with restraint and chill.
"You dared to be late for the Lord’s morning rite, Isabelle! Do you intend to desecrate the Holy Light?"
"Enough, Hilamel. Isabelle was merely carrying out her duty guarding the Seed of Divine Flame. She did not mean to be late—"
At the mention of the Seed of Divine Flame, Hilamel, who had been scolding harshly, faltered for a moment before snapping again,
"She’s nothing but a defective angel without even a Pair of Angel Wings! What right does she have to guard the Seed of Divine Flame?"
"Silence."
Just as Hilamel was about to continue, the Lord of Heaven Augustine spoke, his voice halting her instantly.
Isabelle, who stood quietly at the side, only hugged her harp tighter and said nothing.
"Isabelle, the Seed of Divine Flame still lacks the spark it needs to fully ignite. Only human desire can fuel its growth. Thus, I command you to descend to the lower realm and gather the desires of humankind—to serve as nourishment for the Divine Flame."
"As you command, Holy Lord."
At Augustine’s order, Isabelle bowed deeply, showing her utmost respect.
Satisfied, Augustine nodded slightly. After issuing a few more instructions, he dismissed the other angels from the stage.
"Hmph! A mere defective product acting all high and mighty like a great archangel—it’s disgusting!"
After Augustine exited, Hilamel, who had always despised Isabelle, snorted coldly and left with the others into the mist, leaving Isabelle alone.
"The opening plot is a bit cliché—and that angel called Hilamel acts more like a petty human than an angel."
Watching from below, Jenny couldn’t help but sympathize with Isabelle, who stood isolated on the stage. Yet, she also felt a faint boredom at the overly familiar dramatic setup.
"Never mind, let’s keep watching. After all, Isabelle’s solo performance is just about to begin—"
Whoosh—
A gentle breeze drifted across the stage, dispersing the remaining mist to reveal the pure white yet eerily desolate scenery of “Heaven.”
At that moment, Isabelle, who had kept her head bowed, slowly lifted her gaze toward the angels’ departure. Her slender fingers brushed against her crystal-clear harp.
"Ding-dong—"
She plucked the strings softly. Though only a few notes sounded, the music carried a sorrowful tenderness that seemed to blow straight into everyone’s hearts.
"I have never felt the embrace of the wind, nor the caress of the clouds——"
"O Holy Light, have you ever heard the longing in my heart—"
"O Holy Light, why must the proud bird lose its wings—"