Chapter 36 Star of the Desert, Showtime
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The morning arrived with a stillness that made the previous night’s “sweet chaos” feel like a distant lie.
The light filtering through the windows melted gently into the dusty air of the theater.
I started by sending the elves, whom I had been sheltering in the theater’s basement, back to their forest homeland. My convenient servant, Ashraf, displayed a fearless smirk as he deployed a Magic circle, sending them off into the glowing light.
The sight felt somewhat like a detached, routine ritual.
Just to be safe, I used Teleportation to travel to the elven village myself. I wanted to confirm with my own eyes that the shady Ashraf hadn’t simply dumped the elves in some random, godforsaken place.
The crisp air of the forest and the scent of the soil tickled my nostrils. After finishing my greetings and report to the elven elder, Elysion, I immediately pulled a U-turn and headed straight back to the theater.
Morning sunlight filled the theater’s VIP room with a refreshing glow. Lyphia, the other three, and Kyle remained behind.
The women had strongly requested to live by my side, so they were to reside here from now on. I had already obtained permission from the elven elder just moments ago.
It was a type of hostage situation, as well as proof of our alliance.
Furthermore, the room had gained one more resident. Kyle.
Though he looked completely hollowed out this morning, as if his very soul had escaped, he had already fully regained his senses.
Within his eyes, the flames of rivalry and caution toward me were flickering and burning once more. He was resilient, a truly tough man.
…No, it wasn’t just that. Surely, he possessed a certain “talent.”
I had the five of them equip a Magic artifact [Ring of Transformation] that I had crafted. The rings adjusted to their fingers, releasing a faint glow that altered their appearance into human forms. With this, they could live in human society without drawing unwanted attention.
Their immediate assignment was to guard the theater.
In particular, I decided to entrust them with the exclusive protection of the “dancer and songstress” sisters I had won at the auction, Pharma and Leela.
* * *
There was precious little time left until the theater’s grand opening.
That night, I sat in the spectator seats accompanied by Lyphia and the others. It was time to verify the final production values. The leather seats were comfortable. The Zahara crest gleamed in brilliant gold upon the stage’s curtain.
Everything seemed flawless.
The dishes brought to our table were variations of traditional Zahara cuisine. The stimulating aroma of spices rose alongside the steam, thoroughly whetting the appetite.
Before long, the house lights dimmed, plunging the entire hall into silence. A delicate spotlight poured onto the stage as mystical music resonated through the room.
First came the passionate, voluptuous performance of the dancers, centered around Pharma.
With every strike of their feet against the floor, miniature vortexes of sand whipped into the air. Their movements were soft yet fierce.
The crimson and orange of their fluttering silks swayed like wild flames. It was truly an overwhelming performance that shook the very souls of those who watched.
As the dance concluded, the spotlight locked onto the younger sister, Leela. Her silver hair shone with a faint luster.
The moment she began to sing, the atmosphere in the room completely transformed. A voice fragile yet beautiful, as if moonlight itself had been given form, gently enveloped the entire hall. Her singing voice was like a blessed rain falling upon a parched desert.
”…Simply marvelous~desuwa”1 Lyphia murmured, letting out an entranced sigh beside me.
The other three were equally impressed.
Even Kyle, sitting a few seats away, muttered his praise from a haughty, elevated perspective: “…For mere humans, they aren’t half bad.”
This will work.
My intuition told me so.
The heavy pressure of eight hundred thousand gold coins weighed tightly on my shoulders. I needed this theater to accurately earn back every single coin of that investment.
If operations went smoothly, it would take two years…. If we kept drawing massive crowds day after day, we might even recoup it in a single year.
Whether I wanted to or not, my expectations continued to swell.
* * *
The following day, the Theater-style restaurant [Star of the Desert] finally opened its doors.
From day one, we had a full house.
The town’s influential figures and nobles practically competed to attend. The bustling roar of the hall faintly reached all the way up to my private chambers on the upper floor.
After witnessing the success of the afternoon show from the wings of the stage, I finally caught my breath and used Teleportation to return to the mansion.
My maids, Lilia and Mina, had already returned to the estate. My bedroom was immaculately arranged, without a single speck of dust.
The afternoon light streaming through the window reflected brilliantly against the polished floor.
It happened just as I sat down on the edge of the bed. There came a soft, reserved knock.
”Xenos-sama, you have guests waiting,” Lilia announced as she stepped inside.
A faint look of bewilderment seemed to float across her face. The visitors were my fiancée, Cecilia Vermillion, and my classmate, the Count’s daughter Lizel Blanchett.
The moment I opened the door to the reception room, the first thing that caught my eye was Cecilia, with her burning crimson hair and deep azure eyes.
Upon seeing me, she let out a sigh of pure relief.
Beside her, Lizel—a petite girl with her bright pink hair tied into twin tails—fidgeted uncomfortably, looking entirely out of place.
It seemed the two of them had accidentally crossed paths here by pure coincidence, leaving a tense, awkward air settling over the room.
* * *
”My apologies, have I kept you both waiting long?” I asked.
Cecilia offered a worried smile.
”Xenos-sama…. You have been absent from school for three whole days, so I was terribly deeply concerned. Your complexion… you look a bit tired as well.”
Her gentle kindness seemed to slightly soothe the exhaustion built up over the past few days.
”H-Humph! It’s not like I was worried about you or anything! I just came to check up on things to see if something happened, okay? That’s all there is to it!” Lizel countered, averting her gaze.
Her cheeks pouted slightly as she gave her characteristically prickly, sharp response. That stubborn, dishonest attitude was so perfectly like her that it brought a smile to my face.
”Thank you, both of you. You came to see how I was doing. It makes me happy,” I said as I took a seat on the sofa, looking back and forth between them. “Since you’ve gone through the trouble of coming all this way… why don’t you stay the night?”
The moment I asked, the two of them instantly locked eyes, as if trying to gauge each other’s reactions.
Cecilia’s azure eyes betrayed a hint of hesitation. Meanwhile, Lizel’s deep purple eyes snapped right back to me.
Then, in a quiet voice.
”…Y-Yes. If it pleases you,” Cecilia answered, her cheeks flushing a delicate pink.
”…W-Well, I guess. I suppose I wouldn’t mind staying over for you,” Lizel muttered under her breath, her face turning bright red.
Watching the reactions of the two girls, I couldn’t help but let my lips curl into a smile.
—
Summary:
Xenos returns from relocating the protected elves and successfully executes the grand debut of the theater restaurant. The magnificent, contrasting routines of Pharma and Leela yield high expectations from the VIP audience, minimizing the immediate burden of his heavy financial investment. The following day brings massive crowds along with an unexpected, highly awkward confrontation between his fiancée Cecilia and classmate Lizel within his mansion chambers.
—
Trivia:
The Magic artifact[Ring of Transformation] works instantly on contact, blending into the skin of the user to comfortably shield demi-human features from human eyes.
Xenos tracks the project’s financial debt with corporate precision, aiming to fully break even within a compressed timeframe of twelve to twenty-four months.
Lizel and Cecilia did not arrive together intentionally; their presence at the mansion resulted from a highly uncomfortable accidental encounter in the corridor.
—
Translation Notes:
Notes:
• de – A particle used in the aristocratic name of the Margrave Albion de Blanchefort.
• Ashraf – As Xenos’s powerful demon butler, Ashraf serves with elite decorum, masking a dark, experimental past and pleasure-seeking nature behind a formal uniform, pitch-black sclera, and golden pupils. Though possessing a shady, untrustworthy aura, he is a loyal, shadow-bound anchor capable of deploying magic circles to teleport individuals across long distances, acting as a silent, independent servant.
• Elysion – The wise elder of the elves and bearer of the Elfheim lineage, he is a venerable leader distinguished by long white hair, emerald eyes, and a vine-wrapped staff. Tasked with managing tribal security and diplomatic relations, he seeks to preserve his community’s peace after witnessing the overwhelming military strength of Xenos.
• Lyphia – Princess Lyphia Elfheim, an elegant elf with platinum-blonde hair and emerald eyes, is a symbol of alliance between her people and Xenos. Rescued from the Blanchefort dungeon, the resolute princess now resides in Xenos’s theater VIP room as a voluntary hostage. She embraces this role and offers herself as a political bride to settle a profound debt of gratitude, driven by a selfless will for peace.
• Kyle – A muscular elven warrior with short golden hair and emerald eyes, he is a skilled protector of the forest and theater guard. Devoted to Princess Lyphia, he distrusts Xenos due to an intense rivalry and desperate attempts to stop the sacrifices. His failed intervention leaves him emotionally devastated, ultimately reducing this once-loyal, resilient fighter to an empty, broken shell.
• Pharma – A black-haired dancer, purchased at auction, performs a passionate, highly coordinated routine alongside her younger sister, Leela. To fiercely protect Leela and their safety, she wears a transformation ring that conceals her true appearance from the world.
• Leela – A silver-haired songstress from the desert kingdom of Zahara, she performs fragile, atmospheric routines that captivate theater audiences. Once sold at auction, she now relies on a transformation ring to conceal her true identity. Deeply protected by her older sister, Pharma, she remains a hidden talent, masking her true self from the world while using her voice to weave magic through her music.
• Lilia – A voluptuous, mature former slave and dedicated maid at Xenos’s underground facility, she balances sycophantic devotion with professional care. She tenderly tends to Xenos’s daily needs, sensitive to his mana, while collaborating with Mina to prepare the mansion for high-society visitors. Marked by a chest tattoo and nullified crest, she serves with absolute loyalty and a sweet fragrance.
• Mina – Kai’s sister, separated by slavery, is an innocent maid and caretaker at the Grimlock estate. Distinctive for her soft brown hair, anxious eyes, and white rabbit kigurumi, she works alongside Lilia to maintain Xenos’s private rooms and VIP suite. Though she wears a dancer’s outfit at his request, her childlike demeanor masks a deep loyalty to Xenos, despite her persistent fear of strangers.
• Xenos – Reincarnated as House Grimlock’s “Zero-Mana” heir, he masks immense power and a Magic Seal constitution behind an incompetent facade. A calculating strategist and theater manager, he manipulates politics and the underworld to dismantle enemies. This anti-hero masterfully subjugates noblewomen and elven slaves, orchestrating alliances and relationships to assert dominance as a future military leader.
• Vermillion – Cecilia Vermillion hails from a distinguished, multi-generational noble house of sorcery. Her family’s prestige and influence are underscored by a high-profile engagement to the protagonist, Xenos, cementing the Vermillion name as a central pillar of the story’s political and magical landscape.
• Blanchett – Lizel carries the noble Blanchett family name, which defines their highborn identity and dictates their societal relationships and obligations.
• Blanchet – A noble family line carried by Lizel.
• Cecilia – The eldest daughter of the Vermillion Duchy is a graceful noble with crimson hair and cobalt-blue eyes. Cold and status-driven, she despises her non-magical fiancé, Xenos, seeking an annulment while secretly courting Prince Liam as a potential concubine. Despite her political maneuvering, her soul is marked by Xenos’s crest. Privately, she loves beastfolk advocacy and playful, themed cosplay.
• Lizel – A petite, graceful count’s daughter from the Blanchet family, this magic academy student features vivid pink twin-tails and deep purple eyes. A powerful wind mage with a volatile temper, she is Luca Dalton’s fiancée and Kai’s master. Though she plays the bullying victim, her prickly tsundere exterior hides a vulnerable side and deep romantic feelings for Xenos, whom she shadows constantly.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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