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Ronin went to watch the play about a fable. He has two objectives for attending this theatrical performance.

One was to scout what Sordido was planning now. He does not know if this spy plans to go as far as becoming member of the act itself, or stay as someone from backstage.

Either way would be easy enough for Ronin, as he slipped some peering stones on the backstage and side-line area while also pretending to be a troupe member right before the performance.

He has his glass resting on his lap to watch in case he didn’t see Sordido performing, and to pretending to be watching while peering at the backstage through this glass.

The second objective…..

Was to gain some victims for the Flame stealing.

He can feel himself becoming hungrier for Flame the higher his levels become. Or more accurately, the spirit of Fausforus inside him wanting to take all of these people’s essence at the rhythmic sound of their beating hearts drumming on his ears.

Perhaps he can take some 4 or 5 students, have them act as a friend group talking about the wonderful performance.

Then, he will lead them all the way to his dorm room while everyone was busy with enjoying the Week’s End. Have them sit at the resurrection chair, and make them forget anything happened.

He can utilize Lovushka’s weekly plays to become his own weekly Flame feeding time. All it requires were his skills and discretion, only taking 20-40% of Flame through the slow process of suffocation.

Once everyone had taken their seats, and the lights of the shutters of the Ampitheater were closed for maximum darkness… The tale of the Lion and the Hyena had begun.

“I have never heard of this fable before.” He heard one of the excited male fanatics told his other friend. “Do you think Queen Lovushka will be playing a pretty character again? But fables meant everyone are animals, so I wonder what animal he will play as.”

“Maybe a graceful swan?” One guessed.

“Or a cute little kitten?” Another one rubbed his hand in anticipation.

But as soon as the curtains open for the beginning of the play, they saw cobwebs…..

And a Lovushka not wearing feminine clothing, but masculine ones of a gentleman.

“Greetings, humans.” He was wearing a high black top hat with white stripes.

His whole ensemble were black and white, and aimed to emphasize his lean and lanky figure, taking away all the fake curves the implements while pretending to be a woman.

His black sleeves had tiny holes in them revealing the white shirt underneath, that looked like many eyes.

Even the tails of his coat were elongated, and he moved at a strange, quick and rickety movement of a spider. Silver chains and lace decorated his whole outfit in tangles that resembled the webs that were also present on stage.

“I am Father Spider, your Storyteller for this tale. Your Weaver of Fate.”

He flashed a great smile as he bowed, earning the applause of the audience who were thoroughly confused.

“This is the first time I have seen Queen Lovushka in a men’s attire….. Yet somehow, he’s still attractive?” The male fans blinked in confusion.

The female fans have a much more accepting reaction. “Ah, I want Father Spider to cocoon me in his web and have his way with me all night!”

They were anticipating what more surprises this play will bring, as they didn’t really expect much of anything from a fable.

After all, aren’t all fables the same? Animals interact with one another in stereotypical, predictable ways. Acting more as symbols rather than people.

The crow was smart and cunning. The wolf was ferocious and always power-hungry.

In a way, these transmigration stories procured by Shimeifen were also like fables. There was the hero, who was valiant and brave. There was the villain, who was vengeful and hell-bent for the hero’s defeat.

And like any proper villain, Ronin could not care about these fables. He was focused on his two objectives, checking his peering glass to sight Sordido.

Lovushka as Father Spider continued to speak. “It has come to my attention that you humans care for stories. As entertainment, as a past time. It is a matter of interest, and interest alone.”

“But stories are not just that, my dear tiny mortals.” His grin grew impossibly wider. “There is a popular saying from where I have once came, from my tiny Cave of Wonders…..”

He paused for a while, his gaze seeming to reach past the rows and rows of seats and into one specific spectator that was not paying attention and looking down.

“Those who have listened to the tales of the past but has remained deaf to it or forgotten it….. Were bound to make the same mistakes as the ones before them over and over again.”

Ronin finally spotted Sordido, who turned out to be the one who were pulling and pushing the curtains.

“Those who forget are the most pitiful, because it was the same as dying. If you have forgotten a whole day, the person you were that day died. If you forgot your whole life, only taking it for granted—-“

‘Father Spider’ cut a thread of silk hanging from his arm with his own sharp nails.

“You have already died, living life as someone else. Unable to think, unable to feel, just an empty shell walking.”

“So do not forget, mortal children. Do not forget stories. Because stories are not just meant to be a temporary past time.”

“Stories are lessons in life.”

It was a very basic prelude to fables. As children, we will hear our teachers always asking us what were the moral lesson of fairytales and the stories we have heard.

Upon hearing this, and the lament about forgetting, Ronin suddenly heard a voice.

“Stories are lessons, little one. I am not just reading them for you so you can sleep in bedtime.”

It was followed by another one, a younger and more high-pitched voice.

“But Mama…. What is the lesson about Anansi becoming the father of stories?”

“Well, what did Anansi do to become the owner of stories?”

“Trick people?” The childish voice answered.

“Look deeper than that, little one. Anansi did trick the Phyton, the Hornets, the Leopard and the Fairy….. But that was to take the stories from Nyame, the Sky-God, so it may be shared to everyone.”

“And despite being an insignificant spider, he succeeded in his endeavor.” The child’s mother told him. “Was it simply because he was clever?”

“That was not enough. What he needed was also the courage to do so, and the sense of purpose. Without purpose, we all go astray.”

“When we do things and start to forget the purpose of them, our success would be futile. Because success relies on your belief in it.”

The childish voice said: “I don’t understand, Mama. You talk too deep.”

The mother seemed to be smiling as she said: “Ah, it comes with being a college literary professor, I suppose. But someday, you will understand.”

“Find your real purpose, little one. Find your true story.”

She continued:

“There will be lies and illusions along the way. Perhaps its because of what people say to you, or their perception that you have come to believe. Perhaps it was the role that they gave to you, that you came to take as your own.”

“But you are smart, Ou. I trust that you would not be swayed by the lies.”

“Push forward for your true path. And once you find it, never forget it, and never let it go.”

And soon, the voices were gone.

Ronin found that his peering glass was stained by water droplets.

Did it rain?

He looked up, and of course it didn’t rain. The Ampitheater had an enclosed roof.

He wiped the water stain again like it was filth.

Father Spider had finished his prelude, and will soon introduce the characters in his Spider Tale.

“I hope you will remember this tale of one Lion and one Hyena.”

Soon, two actors appeared, wearing the costumes that like their storyteller, resembles that of animals.

One had his skin painted gold, and the other painted pure black.

“It was a tale of meaning, of friendship, and ties.” Father Spider said.

“Long ago, in the jungle were two Kings. The King of the Jungle was the Lion, yes. He ruled over the entirety of the land, watching over with his eyes both the lives of predators and prey.”

“But there was also the king of the dead, the King of Scavengers. The hyena that feasts on those who have passed, and under him were the vultures, the jackals, the flies…..”

Ronin went back to paying attention to the glass, as he had seen Sordido peering his head a little from the curtain, wearing his disguise. He seemed to be scouting for someone….

(There you are. Now, all I need to do is strike you with this…..)

Ronin knew very well that he was looking at him, and this spy doesn’t know that he was also observing him from a mirror.

But he wasn’t the only one observing through a glass.

[Platinum with impurities of Palladium, white-gray variant.]

Calla Lily frowned at the person she was looking at.

“Edelweiss, dear….. That man over there. He has a Garnet Heartstone, has he not?”

“Yes. Well, basing from the red color.” Edelweiss said. “Why?”

Her face darkened. “Someone is wearing a disguise.”

And she knew very well which brothers have a Platinum Heartstone.