"Smile~"
"Even if your heart aches faintly~"
"Smile~"
"Even if it's already broken~"
It was a light and melodious classical song whose lyrics encouraged people to keep smiling even in difficult times.
Several arranged versions had already been heard in the city-states of the Land of Eternal Night.
This was Little Night City's oldest hotel. It attracted not only generous wealthy merchants, but was also the first choice of Great Lords hosting distinguished guests.
Hekto City, the orc city-state in the deepest part of the Land of Eternal Night, was also known as Little Night City. It stood quietly on the edge of the vast snowy night, seemingly located at the end of the world and shrouded in eternal twilight.
The daylight at noon was merely a brief interlude in the curtain of night, vanishing in an instant.
Heavy snow covered the spines of the mountains, turning them into a group of silent gray giants that wordlessly witnessed the passage of time.
Snowflakes fell over the city-state all year round. Draped in silver, it was held tightly in the arms of the goddess of winter.
The square served as the heart of the city-state. Beside it stood a towering, tower-like building, exquisitely carved from dark stone bricks.
Snow piled on the conical roof streamed down like a silver-white cloak. Crystal wind chimes hung beneath the eaves, swaying lightly in the breeze and playing a pleasant melody.
In a spacious and luxurious administrative suite on the top floor, the room was always bathed in gentle light, no matter how fiercely the wind and snow raged outside.
Now and then, the faint sound of pages turning came from beside the tea table, while a Magic Device radio played a song.
"Today is the seventh day since you arrived in the northern Land