Even if Klavier wasn't looking at the projection screen ahead of him, he saw himself walking from the back of a certain hooded figure. The person wore a predominantly black cloak, clad with set of matt armor. On the left of his waist was a strikingly familiar sheathed sword protruding out of his long sleeves.

He idled around in the tavern, downing another pint of booze in a single gulp. The crowd around him roared enthusiastically as he put down the latest cup to a huge stack on his right. In front of him was an armored person who was far more muscular than him. On his back was a flame-colored great sword and a set of fiery red wings. Just like the hooded man, his face was concealed by a jester's half mask.

"You're good, you know that?" the flame armored guy said, letting out a belch that stunk the room for a good few seconds.

"You should know by now that I'm great at this," the hooded man said, wiping the excess alcohol off his lips. "So, you're paying now, aren't you?"

"Hell no. I'm not yet done. Hey, one more pint."

"Sorry sir," the bartender said. "But we're out of booze."

"What? Hey kid, I don't like liars," he pulled the bartender up by the collar.

"How do you know that he is lying, Zero?" the hooded man asked.

"Shut up, Sirkius. If I don't get that last pint of beer…"

"You'll have to pay," a smirk surfaced on Sirkius's face.

"But sir, we really ran out of beer…!"

"Can you hear it?" Zero cracked his knuckles. "My hands needs to hit something."

"There he goes again," a medium-high pitched voice trailed from behind.

Sirkius turned around, his eyes set upon a person that wore a blue navy-like outfit, with a fitting skirt and high black stockings to cover her legs. Stashed on her waist was a rapier and a slender, small pink pouch. She pinched Zero by the cheek, twisting it so hard that he was forced to let go of the bartender.

"What was that for, Isole?!" a small teardrop of pain rolled down his eyes.

"You're about to hurt somebody innocent. Do you think I'll let you off easily?" she asked.

"Sheesh, shut up already crazy girl. Fine. I'll pay," Zero pulled out his wallet, cursing and swearing under his breath as he paid up for all the booze that they drank earlier.

"What else should you say?" she leered at him.

"Sorry about just now," the prompting brought the other patrons into a rouse of laughter.

"In any case," Sirkius stood up. "Let's make a move already."

"With your current state of drunkenness?" Isole asked. "Please. You're only going to make yourself a laughing stock if you go out there. For goodness sake, it's only noon and you drank as though it's at night!"

"You should know by now that I don't get affected by alcohol that easily," Sirkius demonstrated his claim by walking perfectly straight as opposed to Zero who struggled to maintain his balance, bumping into tables along his way.

"Geez," Isole punched Zero on the face hard enough to knock him out cold. "You're going to cause more problems awake than asleep."

"You have my thanks for taking care of that brute," Sirkius said, opening the door that led them out of the tavern. "So, where to now?"

"We should find a resting place for us to sleep in," Isole said, carrying Zero on her shoulder like he was a sack of rice. "We'll only begin our expedition once Zero is ready."

"Sounds like a plan. Follow me, I know a place where we can retire for the night."

It had been hours of non-stop walking, searching for an inn to rest for the night. It wasn't because SIrkius forgot where the inn that he was talking about was, just that it was the festive season in the Arcades Kingdom. That meant that all the resting spots were taken up by tourists and that left nothing for the trio. Sirkius could hear Isole swearing like a sailor, dragging the huge lump of meat that she knocked out earlier after her back started to hurt.

"Sirkius, if I have to move this guy for another hour, I'm going to make you carry him," Isole said. "Where's the inn you're talking about?"

"They're all full, including the ones that I regularly visit," he said.

"How do you know that when we did not even step into it?!"

"My gut feel," he returned a sheepish smile.

"You're crazy," she lifted her leg to chest level, kicking the door of yet another inn so hard that it flung open.

"You know, you could just knock on the door," Sirkius said softly, ignoring the startled stares the people made inside the giant house.

"H-How may I help you, ma'am?" an aged innkeeper asked, shaking almost uncontrollably at the intimidating stare of Isole.

"Can we stay for the night here?" she asked.

"I'm sorry, but it's full house today."

"Why?"

"The nobility is staying here for a few days and they came in overwhelming numbers. We would like to accommodate more but we don't have the means to," he bowed apologetically.

"Great," Isole said slowly. "We'll have to stay in the streets then."

"Aren't we the poor things?" Sirkius asked with a slight grin peeking out of his hood.

"That's the only option left, no?"

"I guess so," he shrugged.

"What's the commotion down there?" a voice of authority trailed down from the second floor.

"Looks like we made a few people angry," Isole raised her eyebrows slightly, putting down Zero to slouch at one corner. "Well, let's see who these people they call 'nobility' are about."

"Are you sure you want to pick a fight with them?" Sirkius asked.

"Are you implying that you're scared?"

"More like concerned of our own welfare."

"That's a very convenient way of saying that you're scared."

Before Sirkius could rebuttal Isole, a young lady with silky, snow-blonde hair walked down the stairs, glaring at both Isole and Sirkius as though she saw a criminal. Just as Sirkius was about to turn around and make a run for it, the noble's eyes softened slightly before greeting them with a smile.

"Are you travelers?" she asked.

"Ugh, miss, please, not too close," Isole said.

"Yes we are," Sirkius bowed. "We deeply apologize for causing a ruckus here."

"Mister," the noble called the innkeeper. "Would it be alright if I share my room with these people?"

"Most certainly," he answered, brimming with confidence.

"There he was telling us that there's no space," Isole grumbled.

"He is technically correct," Sirkius said. "We should be grateful that this lady here," he glanced at the noble woman. "Is offering her space for us to stay in for the night."

"What's your name?" the noblewoman asked as they made their way to their room.

"Sirkius," he replied with a slight smile.

"Neya," she offered her hand. "Princess of the Arcades kingdom."

The images conjured on the massive screen before them came to an abrupt stop, not because the music was not playing, but everything started to go off beat to the point that he had to halt. It was only then he took notice of his hands trembling from the lack of rest ever since they first entered into the realm of the Guardians. The conscious reminder to remain in composure simply wouldn't cut it anymore.

"Is everything fine?" Sodis asked.

"I need to take a rest," Klavier said. "I don't feel too well."

"As far as this is concerned, I don't think we can leave the room without completing the album. The pianists that played the songs without finishing the whole book died from an unknown disease shortly after they left the room for a rest," Sodis said. "So, the best bet we have is to let you rest here."

"I just need a bit of time. No one is leaving this place until this is done anyway."

"In that case," Sirkius sat beside Klavier. "I'll take care of it until master's ready to go again."

"Can you really do it?" Klavier asked.

"In case you don't remember, I was the one who taught you how to play the piano," he returned a wicked smile. Neya stared at him with probably the most dumbfounded expression Klavier has seen.

"Are you serious?" Neya asked.

"I'll let the music speak to you," Sirkius flipped the page backwards to the very top of the song where Klavier ended up stumbling on. The images on the screen remained still, moving bit by bit as the melody rung in their ears before going into full speed the moment he struck the point where the animation was interrupted.

The scene opened to a place where Sirkius sat in front of a grand piano in an observatory. On his side was Isole, trying to produce sounds apart from screeches on her violin. As if that wasn't bad enough, the place was an enclosed area and that meant that the horrendous sounds made by Isole bounced off the walls to create a music that made Zero cover his ears.

"Seriously, Isole," Zero said after she was done with it. "Please stop it. My ears can't take any more of that!"

"You should encourage her," Sirkius said. "Princess Neya wants us to sound good for the event tonight."

"I don't recall signing up for this," Zero said. "I'm a mercenary, not a freaking musician."

"Well, she'll pay us good if we pull it off."

"Is it?!"

"Yeah."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner? I would have put this crap together to give you the most awesome beats Grand Gaia will hear!"

"I believe I said it during our stay in the motel. Apparently you didn't hear me."

"That's your problem now, Zero. Meanwhile, I'm still trying to figure out how to use this," Isole looked at the violin.

But time was running short on them. No matter how much they practiced the song that Neya requested, only Sirkius was able to figure out how to play it while the other two struggled to the point that they gave up. With the princess's reputation at stake, Sirkius couldn't just let it stop them. He walked out of the observatory, navigating his way around the maze-like paths where maids and butlers roamed around completing their task at hand. He walked into the first kitchen that he saw, taking two cups, filled them up with water and sprinkled some dust on it. He mixed it with his finger, turning around to return to the observatory when a maid stared at him wide-eyed and her jaw hanging open.

"Good day to you, ma'am," a slight grin surfaced on his face.

"Y-You could have just used the spoon in the utensils rack, sir," she said without batting her eyes.

"I see. But I'm already done mixing the sugar in the water."

"Okay," she said slowly. "I'll pretend that I didn't see that."

"Have a good day," he said, taking his leave with the two cups of water.

By the time he returned to the observatory, he saw both Isole and Zero sitting side by side, leaning against the wall and looking up with dreamy eyes.

"…We're not going to make it at this rate…" they mumbled to themselves in a zombie-like manner.

"Hey guys," Sirkius said. "I brought some drinks."

"But I'm not thirsty," Zero said.

"Just take it. It'll make you feel better."

Without a moment of hesitation, Isole snatched it from Sirkius's hand, gulping it all down with just one breath. Zero took his shortly after she finished hers as though he didn't want to lose out to Isole for her initiative.

Perfect, Sirkius thought. Now, all he had to do was to wait for the event at night and everything else would fall in place.