After a brief casual chat, as Brant and Roccia joined the conversation, the discussion got to the main topic.
"We need to think about what kind of performance to put on that can overpower everyone else, take the top spot, spark thunderous applause from the crowd, and finally win the laureate!"
It has to be said, this was indeed a very challenging question.
"How about rehearsing a play? The troupe specializes in improvisational comedy; we're experts at creating lines and performances on the spot based on the situation and the audience's reactions."
Brant was the first to suggest:
"For example, a small-town craftsman sets sail on a rainy night, accidentally falls into ancient ruins, reincarnates and gains extraordinary abilities, invades space, and becomes the emperor of the galaxy!"
"No, too abstract!"
This idea was immediately rejected by Carlotta:
"We have ideas and time; we can completely polish a more wonderful performance. Moreover, as far as I know, the performance prepared by the Order is also a play."
Although the Order of the Deep's plays are monotonous, they endure and have a wide audience in Ragunna.
Hearing this, Brant obediently lowered his head, thought for a moment, then had a flash of inspiration and raised one finger (I'll make you a bowl of noodles, Iron Bull Beef Noodles!).
"If a play won't work, how about song and dance? Everyone in our troupe is skilled at singing and dancing."
"No, that won't do either. The program prepared internally by the Montelli family is song and dance. For innovation, we're using Vitreum Dancer Echoes to perform the dance."
The idea was rejected again, but Brant didn't get discouraged and proposed another:
"There's another plan: we can perform a skit or stand-up comedy type of verbal program!"
"Uh..." Carlotta shook her head slightly: "According to intelligence gathered by Montelli, the Fisalia family is preparing exactly that kind of verbal program."
"Ah! How come all the other forces only know how to plagiarize my ideas... cough cough, this isn't aimed at Montelli."
All ideas were rejected, and Brant couldn't help but fall into thought.
Noah also began to carefully reflect on how, in the original game plot, Rover obtained the laureate through what kind of performance.
In the original storyline, the Carnevale that Rover faced was celebratory on the surface but full of undercurrents behind the scenes.
The Order, Fractsidus, and Fisalia family joined forces to stop the Carnevale—not only controlling Lorelei and Cetus the Tidebreaker in an attempt to recreate the failed festival from ten years ago, but also causing Tacet Discords visible everywhere in the city to go out of control.
Among them, Lorelei and Gehinnom were preemptively suppressed by Rover, while the flood initiated by Cetus the Tidebreaker was blocked by Phoebe and Zani working together.
As for the out-of-control Tacet Discords in the city, Rover teamed up with Carlotta and the Troupe of Fools to defeat them while performing a temporary comedy—dancing on one side and fighting on the other.
In the end, Phrolova personally took the stage, dueling with Rover using Hecate, and subtly hinting to Rover about the truth regarding Ragunna.
Though in the end, Phrolova was nearly cleaved in half by the clueless Rover's scythe.
From the players' and Cartethyia's god's-eye view, this was indeed an extremely wonderful and varied performance.
But from the perspective of the audience on the ground... the ground audience couldn't see anything at all!
At the start of the performance, the ground audience could still catch glimpses of pant legs and shoe insoles, but as Rover performed, the fighting got higher and higher, eventually jumping into the sky to battle Phrolova.
No matter how good the ground people's eyesight was, they could only see two light points flashing in the sky; they couldn't clearly see what was being performed.
Thinking of this, Noah couldn't help but roll his eyes in disbelief.
He suddenly noticed a very critical issue: Rover's laureate was probably rigged!
Suppose you are the Threnodian Leviathan; you disguise yourself as Imperator to gain Rover's trust and thereby obtain freedom, but Rover is also Imperator's charioteer.
To put it more plainly, you are a provincial inspector general; one day, you discover the emperor traveling incognito, singing and dancing with the common people during the festival you organized.
Question—who should you award the laureate to?
"Hey, Tall Chestnut, what are you thinking about?"
Carlotta gently nudged Noah's elbow on the table, pulling him back from his diverging thoughts.
"Sorry, I zoned out. Where were we?"
Roccia kindly explained:
"We were just discussing the experience of the previous laureate winner. Miss Carlotta suggested performing a noble duo dance."
"Yes, perform a waltz. The other forces excel in various plays and verbal performances, so our Montelli will win with the ultimate quality of song and dance."
Carlotta slowly stood up, her gaze sweeping over the three people at the table, finally stopping on Noah. She lifted her skirt and gave him an elegant curtsey:
"So, Mr. Noah, would you mind dancing a waltz with me, to showcase the beauty of the waltz for everyone in the Troupe of Fools?"
"Me?"
Noah pointed at himself, then waved his hand:
"For a waltz, wouldn't it be too intimate? Should we switch to something else?"
"No need to mind; it's all for Montelli."
Carlotta's face flushed slightly:
"Moreover, this is just a small rehearsal. If you mind, you can keep your hands a slight distance away."
"That won't work either." Noah refused: "I'm not good at waltz."
"Hey!"
She had finally mustered the courage to dance with a man she wasn't very familiar with for the sake of the family, and yet she was repeatedly rejected.
Too hateful!
Carlotta felt a bit embarrassed and annoyed:
"Has no one taught you that repeatedly rejecting a girl is very rude behavior?"
"Fine then, I can only tell the truth."
Noah shrugged, looking helpless:
"I don't know how to waltz."
His artistic accomplishments on Blue Star only extended to playing a few guitar pieces; before pulling Zhezhi, his drawing was a complete mess. How could he know something advanced like waltz?
The repeated rejections made the second young lady clench her silver teeth tightly, a tic-tac-toe symbol appearing on her forehead.
At this moment, her obsessive pride and stubbornness overcame everything.
She squeezed out three words through gritted teeth:
"I'll—teach—you!"
Soon, gentle music played on the deck of the flower boat Echo, a man and woman standing face to face. The man elegantly extended his left hand, the woman demurely offered her right.
Palms and fingers tightly interlocked, looking at the exquisite and serious cheeks in front of him, Noah couldn't help but feel his heartbeat quicken slightly.
Carlotta placed her left hand on Noah's right deltoid, pressed down with her wrist, and raised her head:
"Your hand should touch below my left arm. Pay attention to my rhythm and center of gravity. If you have talent, I can teach you in just one go."
Carlotta took the initiative to lead the dance steps, beginning to instruct:
"First, we slowly step forward and back. You step forward, I step back; then I step forward, you step back..."
Following the rhythm, Noah and Carlotta lightly stepped, each time drawing closer to the girl; the intoxicating fragrance came and went, making Noah's throat inexplicably dry.
Close step, then close step again; the impolite approach awakened the most primal desire, until the distance reached zero.
"You stepped on my foot, Tall Chestnut."
Oops, stepped on a potato mine.
Noah sheepishly lifted his foot. Fortunately, Carlotta was very patient and didn't mind too much.
"While mastering the forward and back steps, let's try stepping while rotating ninety degrees. Four ninety-degree turns complete one full circle. Follow my center of gravity well..."
In the atmosphere of the dance steps and music, the embarrassment of stepping on feet faded, and the charming ambiguity climbed back into their hearts.
"You stepped on my foot again, Tall Chestnut."
"Sorry."
Stepped on a potato mine again! Noah lifted his foot, embarrassedly turning his gaze aside.
Carlotta took a deep breath, enduring the pain in her feet while maintaining a calm and composed posture:
"Don't be shy; your eyes should stare unblinkingly at me. After mastering forward and back steps and ninety-degree rotations, the zigzag steps and spins afterward will be simple."
"Okay."
"...You stepped on my foot."
"Sorry."
"...You stepped on my foot."
"Sorry."
"...You stepped on my foot!"
"Sorry."
"AAAAAAAAH how many times have you stepped on me, I'm going to explode!"
Realizing Carlotta's emotions were about to lose control, Noah quickly soothed:
"Don't give up, Little Potato. I feel like I'm gradually getting the hang of it; soon I'll be masterful."
"No! The waltz lesson is over."
Carlotta's petite chest heaved dramatically, her dazzling eyes seeming to shoot flames, like an angry lioness:
"Next is a freestyle brawl!"