“What’s wrong with that, Cara?”

Her lips moved soundlessly.

“It’s wrong to believe in someone like that. There was never anyone like that for me. If one person can change this damned world for the better—why is it the way it is now? Why is it so wretched and poor?”

She looked at him, in the middle of some crisis he didn’t understand. Lantal opened and closed his mouth.

“I don’t know, Miss Cara. Truly. I don’t know what you speak of. All I know is that here and now, we need your voice.”

“But I’m just an actor I don’t—”

“You have the power no one else has! This is your responsibility!”

He shouted at her. She jumped, and he saw some of the color come back into her face. The panic began to fade. Lantal took a breath. He regarded her.

“Maybe it cannot end this battle. Perhaps not even the greatest of [Singers] could do that. But a song is not worthless. Or we would never bother singing them. You made Sasi and Culin laugh and smile. I am their father and I couldn’t do that. We need you to sing, Miss Cara. Sing for us, please.”

She looked at him. And came back to her senses. Cara gazed around besieged Afiele and saw the fighting. Her objections about the way this world worked—her reservations—all of it was secondary. She nodded.

“I’m—sorry.”

He nodded. But the defense of the walls was too pressing. He reached out, tugged her back from the edge of the roof in case she tripped.

“Sing as long as you can.”

He left her there. Cara looked around. It was still wrong. But they needed her. So she sang.

She sang there, standing on the rooftops as day turned to dusk. Until her voice failed her and she collapsed. But Violetta and Idelt were there to help her down.

[Singer Level 18!]

[Skill – Carrying Voice obtained!]

1.14 P

That night, Cara lay so exhausted that she had to be given a stamina potion and mana potion each. The singing had boosted morale and energy across the wall—at cost to her.

But the mental toll was greater. Cara had sung at Lantal’s request and even leveled for it.

“Level 18? You’ve jumped in levels so fast—”

Violetta exclaimed as Cara whispered her replies. Lady Risel nodded.

“Leveling under pressure or during sieges is common. It’s called ‘counter-leveling’. Your father, Miss Violetta, is another product of that. Or would you disagree, Mister Idelt? Our hero of the day.”

The [Blacksmith] blushed and ducked his head.

“You’re too kind, milady.”

His hands were bandaged; he’d broken bones fighting the Draug. But he had leveled up to a Level 8

[Brawler] after passing out for a while. It was apparently beyond quick by any standards outside of war.