Melody of glass and steel - To serve the heart

“Now then, time for a little appetizer,” Noa said with a sly grin, like a predator toying with its prey. The soft, cloud-like aura she’d displayed moments ago suddenly shifted—sharp, dangerous. It was as if something feral was lurking within that fluff.

Amelia clutched her cards tightly. In a flash, she felt as if she had been dragged into a vast, barren battlefield. Before her, she could clearly see Elana facing off against Gumber.

She and Noa weren’t just playing a card game anymore—they were witnessing the battle unfold as if it were real. The sheer intensity confused her. Was this the difference between a pro and a casual player?

“Battle!” Noa declared, her voice booming.

“Gumber, attack Elana!”

Gumber charged with his sword drawn, dashing toward Elana at high speed. Reacting quickly, Elana summoned a magical barrier to defend herself—but the shield shattered, and Gumber’s strike landed clean.

Elana was defeated and returned to the Guide Zone.

“I’ll deal direct damage with both Gummy Minions!”

Each Gummy Minion had 1,500 ATK.

Amelia’s LP dropped to 7,000.

“Turn end,” Noa said, lifting her head and smiling at Amelia. “Now then—let’s see what kind of dish you’ll be serving next.”

Amelia exhaled sharply. This was the first time she’d ever felt pressure like this while playing Guide Rise.

So this is what a defending champion feels like…

The weight behind each move—it’s on a whole other level…

“Draw!” Amelia snapped herself back to focus. If her opponent wasn’t holding back, then neither would she!

“OP Limit increase! Generate 3 OP!”

“Guide Call! Elana, descend once more and bless this battlefield!”

“Elana’s ability activates!” Amelia announced. “I reveal one ‘Divine Instrument’ card from my hand!”

Once again, she revealed Upright Piano.

“With this, I can activate one ‘Divine Instrument’ from my hand for free!”

She placed a card in the far-left slot of her Support Zone, deliberately leaving the center space open.

“Divine Instrument, Calibratic Cymbals!”

“All of my opponent’s followers’ ATK are halved—and my follower gains the total lost ATK!”

Gumber: 3,500 → 1,750

Gummy Minions: 1,500 → 750 (each)

Elana: 2,500 → 5,750

The moment Amelia resolved the effect, Noa could hear it—the clash of cymbals echoing in the battlefield illusion. The sound sent a chill of delight down her spine.

If only this were a serious match, Noa thought wistfully. In an official duel, I’d try to counter or bait out her tricks—but to think I’d witness raw talent like this… The world really is vast.

“Now I pay 3 OP to activate Upright Piano!”

The barren field around them transformed once more. A soft, elegant melody filled the air like a warm breeze blanketing the battlefield.

“I recover 1,000 LP!”

Amelia LP: 7,000 → 8,000

At least I’m back where I started…

“Harmonious Harmonica’s other effect activates!” Amelia continued. “As long as I control three ‘Divine Instruments’ with different names, I can Attach them all to one follower on my field!”

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“I attach all three instruments to Elana!”

Noa’s eyes narrowed slightly, intrigued. Attach, huh…? Her gaze dropped to the board, watching closely. Let’s see what you’re planning.

“Attach” was a core mechanic of Guide Rise, where special support cards—called Attachments—were bound directly to followers. These empowered them with passive or activated abilities, turning the tide of battle with proper setup.

Attachments remain on the Support Zone, just like Fixed Supports.

But there was a key difference—if the follower they’re attached to is destroyed, the Attachments are also destroyed alongside it.

“Battle!” Amelia declared with force.

“Elana’s other ability activates! For each Attachment linked to her, she gains one additional attack!”

“That means this turn, Elana can attack four times!”

“Elana, attack Gumber!”

Elana raised the harmonica in her hand and played a piercing melody. The notes reverberated through the battlefield illusion like a sacred hymn. Gumber staggered and fell to his knees.

Amelia looked across at her opponent—Noa was smiling.

“Noa… you look happy?”

She didn’t understand. The situation clearly wasn’t in Noa’s favor. Yet that cheerful smile stayed bright on her face.

Noa looked up at Amelia, eyes gleaming.

“Because this is fun,” she said simply.

“Fun?” Amelia echoed, bewildered.

Noa nodded, her tone gentle.

“I can feel it so clearly—the kind of prayer you’ve poured into your deck. Watching you fight with everything you’ve got... it makes me happy.”

Amelia stared. That sort of sincerity caught her off guard.

“Even if you’re about to lose?” she asked, without hesitation—so confident in her position.

“Win or lose doesn’t matter. A battle is always fun.”

Noa’s reply felt like a quote—something passed down from someone important.

“…That’s what my teacher taught me.”

She reached forward, lifting one of her Gummy Minions off the board and placing it into the outside of playmat.

“Gumber’s ability activates!”

“When Gumber would be destroyed in battle, I can sacrifice one Gummy Minion instead to protect him! And when I do—Gumber gains 1 Sweet Counter for each Gummy Minion destroyed this way.”

“What?!” Amelia gasped. She hadn’t expected another layer to Noa’s defense.

She didn’t yet know what Sweet Counters did—but something told her it’d be dangerous to let too many pile up.

“Turn end,” she said reluctantly, lowering her hand.

“You should’ve kept going,” Noa said softly, almost disappointed.

“And just let you reach whatever goal you're aiming for?” Amelia shot back, a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

Noa laughed cheerfully.

“Maybe. If you kept attacking, I might have gotten what I wanted.”

“But what if my goal… was to make you end your turn early?”

“Doesn’t that mean I’ve already gotten the dish I wanted?”

Amelia swallowed. She looked at Noa, trying to read her.

But despite her bright, cheery smile, she couldn’t see anything beneath it.

“Since you’ve shown me your deck’s flavor…”

“…Allow me to serve mine.”

“My turn. Draw!”

***

“I see…” Vio nodded deeply after listening to Liora’s explanation.

The two of them were sitting on a bench in a small riverside park near Vio’s store. The clear water flowed gently in front of them, offering a rare moment of calm.

Liora had just told Vio about her strained relationship with her little sister—Amaya, the real identity behind the idol "Amelia."

“But I still don’t get it…” Vio turned to look directly into Liora’s eyes.

“Why put that distance between you and your sister? From what you’ve told me… I don’t think you ever needed to.”

Liora felt like Vio’s gaze could unravel her thoughts in an instant, so she looked away.

“I’m afraid…” she muttered, her voice quieter than usual. Her shoulders suddenly felt unbearably heavy.

“I’m afraid that if she sees the real me…”

“If she gets too close and realizes how disgusting I truly am…”

“…she’ll hate me.”

Vio sighed.

“I think you’re just overthinking it—”

“I’m not!” Liora snapped, cutting her off.

“Amaya… Amaya sees her big sister as a beacon of light. Someone kind. Helpful. Compassionate. Someone good.”

“If…”

“If she ever realized how many corpses lie beneath my feet… how much blood stains these hands…”

“…wouldn’t she hate me?”

“She doesn’t know the choices I’ve made... the people I’ve hurt just to survive. I didn’t always have the luxury of doing the ‘right’ thing. If she knew the things I’ve done…”

Vio stood up, then crouched down in front of Liora.

Vio stared at Liora for a long second. Then, without a word, she exhaled, slow and heavy—like she was holding back a wave of emotion. Her brows furrowed, not with anger, but something close to heartbreak.

And then—pinch.

Without warning, she grabbed both of Liora’s cheeks and pinched them hard.

“Ow—!” Liora cried, rubbing her now-red cheeks. That actually hurt.

“What was that for?!” she asked, confused and a bit annoyed.

“That’s punishment for being an idiot,” Vio replied firmly.

“You’re being stupid, Liora!”

“How can you be so sure she’d hate you?”

“You didn’t even give her the chance to knock on your heart. Worse—you didn’t even let her get close enough to knock.”

“That’s…”

Liora wanted to argue back—but no words came to her.

“…I just want her to always smile happily.”

“By covering her eyes and ears?” Vio shot back, voice sharp.

“You do realize you’re treating her like a little kid, right?”

Liora’s lips parted, but no words came out. Her chest tightened. For a moment, her vision blurred—just for a second—and she quickly looked away.

“Open your eyes, Lia.”

“Your little sister’s grown up. She’s an idol now—someone who stands on stage and shines for others to see.”

“I’m sure she’s seen her fair share of this world’s ugliness by now.”

Vio reached out and gently, but firmly, held Liora’s face, making her look up.

“That’s why you need to talk to her. Really talk to her. Heart to heart.”

Vio’s voice softened, barely above a whisper now. “Because... I think she’s waiting for you to reach out, too.”

“And then you’ll know whether things are as bad as you’ve imagined.”

A soft, peaceful smile bloomed on Vio’s face. It wasn’t her usual teasing grin—this one was tender, calming, and sincere.