The Male Lead Knelt Before Me

I remained motionless as I observed the priests tossing scented candles.

Sponsored Content

I figured it wouldn’t come to where I was.

Even if I do well, the person in front of me will receive it.

Natalie did not reach out either, perhaps because she thought similar to me.

Others, however, seemed desperate, in contrast to the two of us.

Many people reached for the scented candle, and some exclaimed, “It’s mine!”

It came to a point when one hand, among many, attempted to grab a scented candle.

The scented candle, which I thought was about to fall off, bounced back up when my hand intervened and hit it.

“Huh?”

“My scented candle!”

In front of me, I heard a scream.

And then the scented candle landed on my hand.

To be more specific, into my hand, which had unknowingly extended forward as someone touched my elbow.

“Huh?”

 

I blinked in a daze.
But I still had the flower-shaped white scented candle in my hand.

Why is this in my hand?

“Eonni! You got it, eonni!”

Mila’s exasperated voice pierced the eardrums.

As if asking me to stop denying and be aware of reality.

Nonetheless, I couldn’t believe it and remained motionless.

Because I never imagined I’d be able to get it.

Then someone said something to me and pushed me toward the platform.

“What are you up to, Lady?” If you get it, you should go up as soon as possible.”

“That’s correct.
You were chosen by a goddess.
Hurry up and go up.”

“What? Excuse me, but my friends…”

But people kept pushing me forward as if they couldn’t hear what I was saying.

I looked at Mila and Natalie, both of whom had grown distant.

The two were waving at me as if they were asking me to go.

* * * * *

 

There were already quite a few people on the podium.

And as I was nearing the end, only three or four more came up behind me, no more.

I glanced at the people on the podium

‘I think there are around twenty people chosen.’

As if it were thrown randomly, the ages of the people on the podium varied widely from children to the elderly.

Although most of them were young men and women.

‘Hmm… then, the next thing to do is to sing, right?’

I didn’t think much until I received the scented candle, but when I came on stage, I wanted to do well.

Sponsored Content

And apparently, the major contest is about singing.

Maybe I have become a little bit greedy.

Since I also wanted Kitara’s benefits.

Because of Mila’s eyes.

‘Then if I win, I’d tell Mila and Natalie to get Mila’s eyes treated.’

Of course, I have to win so I could talk about it.

“Candidate, can I have the scented candle?”

“Oh, here.”

The priest, who had already approached me, reached out to me, and I readily reached out the scented candle I received before.

The scented candle, which looked like it was made of several white petals, was transferred to the priest’s hand.

“Thank you, and this is the candidate’s number.
You can put it on your left chest.”

I looked back at the badge engraved with “16” in numbers.

Looking sideways, I could see people already wearing their badges.

“If you have decided on the song you want to sing, please tell me.
I have to tell the band in advance.”

“Can I know what songs people usually sing? It’s my first time participating in Kitara selection.”

“I see.”

The priest nodded as if he understood what I said.

“Most people sing the holy song.”

“Do the candidates have to sing only holy songs then?”

“That’s not the case.
Any song is okay as long as it’s not a song that insults God or disparages certain people and gender.”

“Regardless of the genre?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Oh, then…”

I lowered my voice to the fullest and whispered to the priest.

Soon, the priest raised his eyebrows as if he was surprised.

“Are you sure you want to sing that song?”

“Is it unacceptable?”

“No, it’s just that it’s different from the other candidates.
Anyway, I understand.”

The priest went to deliver the song I set to the band, and I put the badge on my chest.

The candidates stayed in the waiting room behind the podium until their turn came.

After writing the consent form and waiting while drinking the water that the priest gave me, my turn came.

Following the priest’s guidance, I went behind the podium and took a deep breath.

‘I can’t believe it’s my turn next.’

My heart was beating hard because it had been a long time since I had stood in front of people and sang.

The sound of my beating heart pounded in my ears.

‘Let’s calm down! Calm down!’

I breathed in and out deeply, and I heard a small but familiar melody.

‘It’s a holy song again this time.’

I listened to the song the 15th candidate sang as I remembered what the priest told me before.

As the priest said, most of the candidates sang the holy songs.

Sponsored Content

Among the 15 candidates who had performed ahead of me, 14 of them sang holy songs.

‘But just because others sing the holy song doesn’t mean that I also should sing the holy song.
And I shouldn’t forget that the one who hosts this contest is the temple’

I remembered the song I chose.

A song that will give the audience something new while moderately saving the face of the temple.

Still, the song I chose wasn’t something that was really new to the audience.

“Candidate no.16.
Please go up.”

“Yes.”

I climbed the stairs to the podium.

As I came up to the podium, a lot of attention turned to me.

My heart pounded like crazy at the gaze I received after a long time.

Putting my hand on my chest, I took a deep breath and nodded as I looked at the band.

At the same time, the band put their hands on the instrument.

Soon the accompaniment music started.

* * * * *

“When will Elena eonni perform?”

“I’m sure, she’ll perform soon.”

Natalie stroked her little sister’s head and said.

“I hope Elena eonni becomes Kitara.
Right, eonni?”

“Yeah.”

Natalie nodded her head.

She meant it.

If Elena becomes a Kitara, she will not only get treated by the priests in the temple but also have many benefits.

Good things are good, and Natalie and Mila wanted Elena to be full of good things.

Candidates who received the numbers went down the stage and the competition began.

The first person to come out was a young man.

The accompaniment music began and the man sang.

The man had a pretty good voice.

To the point where Mila was amazed and exclaimed “Wow.”

Neither the second nor the third were bad.

But if there was a problem, they all chose a similar song.

“Eonni, are they supposed to sing similar songs?”

Natalie didn’t know how to answer.

In fact, it has been a long time since Natalie watched the Kitara competition.

She had seen it with her parents when she was young, but she was too young back then and couldn’t remember the details.

After becoming a knight, she couldn’t watch Kitara competition because she was always on patrol during the Solenia festival.

Because of that, all she knew was stories she heard through her colleagues.

Natalie recalled what her colleagues had said before.

“Kitara competition? I’m tired of watching it since they only sing holy songs every year.”

And apparently, what her colleagues said is right.

Sponsored Content

In the beginning, Natalie was able to enjoy it.

However, she was quite tired and bored watching it since the candidates only sang holy songs.

Perhaps that’s the reason why Mila asked her because she feels as bored as her.

“Eonni?”

“Let’s wait a little bit.
A different song will come out soon.”

But Natalie, unable to disappoint her her sister, turned around with an awkward smile.

Fortunately, the next person sang a different song.

The problem was that the song was a lullaby, and the person who sang it was an extremely old woman.

“I’m sleepy…”

Mila nodded her head and leaned against Natalie.

Natalie held her sister’s shoulder firmly in case Mila collapsed.

The 6th candidate, the 7th candidate……

The same situation was repeated to the point where Natalie felt tired of counting.

Natalie seemed to know why the candidates came out with numbers.

That way, the audience can know how many candidates have performed and which candidate was performing.

At the moment, the 15th candidate just finished her performance and went down.

Subsequently, a woman with red hair, which was so colourful that it caught everyone’s attention, came up to the stage.

With the woman’s familiar attire and the shape of her mask, Natalie found out that it was Elena.

“Oh? It’s Elena eonni!”

Mila also seemed to have recognized Elena, seeing that she had brightened her troubled look and pointed at the stage.

Natalie glanced at Elena, who came out to the stage, soothing Mila, who was making a fuss.

‘Will Lady Oreu sing a holy song too?’

As she thought about it, her excitement when she looked at someone she knew who came out to the stage suddenly faded away.

Around 14 holy songs have been sung, and there are still 5 more candidates, including Elena.

‘I couldn’t take it if I had to hear 5 more holy songs…’

It was a time when she was kneading the back of her neck because she already felt dizzy even though she hadn’t heard it yet.

“Huh?”

“It’s not a holy song.”

“The accompaniment music is different.”

Unlike the pure-elegant accompaniment, which was played only with harp and violin, this accompaniment was different.

The atmosphere of the accompaniment itself is as pure as a holy song, but it is a little grander and mixed with the sounds of many instruments.

The audience who couldn’t hide their boredom suddenly paid attention and listened.

Soon, Elena open her lips

“……I think of you to the stars around us.”

A high but not uncomfortable voice came out.

But the voice wasn’t just that soft.

It was a beautiful and lively voice that captivated the ears.

“This one is good at singing.”

“I know right.
But don’t you think the song is quite familiar?”

“I thought the same thing! Where did I hear this song before?”

Sponsored Content

People were buzzing.

Natalie also tilted his head as she heard it.

This is because, as they said, she felt like she had heard it somewhere.

But like other people, she couldn’t remember.

“Mother of Spring, bless my child’s future.”

While listening, someone exclaimed, ‘Ah!’

“That! I heard that when I went to a theatre before.”

“Theater?”

“I don’t remember the title, but I went to a theatre a few years ago…”

Unfortunately, Natalie couldn’t hear anything afterwards.

This is because Elena finished her singing, and people cheered loudly.

Applause and shouts continued from all sides.

Elena put her right hand on her chest and raised the hem of her skirt slightly with her left hand.

On the other hand, her lips, which curved smoothly beneath her mask, seemed relaxed, and the way she greeted her was elegant.

When she turned around, the skirt and colourful red hair fluttered.

Even after she went down from the stage, people cheered and applauded, shouting number ‘16! 16!’ many times.

Natalie could vaguely guess who Kitara would be this time.

* * * * *

My legs trembled as I descended the stairs.

Without realizing it, the tension in my body was relieved, and my body lost its strength.

In fact, I chose a song to sing without hesitation, but I was worried a lot.

Whether the song I chose would be to stand out, or whether the audience wouldn’t enjoy the song.

But the response was unexpectedly good.

I don’t know if I’ll win or not, and I didn’t care whatever the results were.

‘Because it was fun.’

It felt like I was acting in a play after a long time.

No, it was actually similar to acting in a play.

Because although I didn’t act, the song I just sang was “Goddess” from the play titled ‘Cedric’s Wedding’.

Goddess was a song in which the mother of the daughter, who is going far away to get married, prayed to the Goddess Solenia, wishing her daughter a prosperous future.

The night before the daughter left, the mother sang the song as a lullaby, comforting the daughter.

Therefore, the song was praised as a song that could be approached familiar to the public at the time.

In other words, it was also a song that could be familiar to people while moderately saving the face of the temple.

‘It was possible because I was an actor.’

Of course, I’ve never played that role.

As it is the role of the ‘mother’ of a daughter who is about to get married, it is usually played by a female actress in her late 30s or older.

‘I liked the song, so I memorized it separately while reading the script, but I think I did well.’

I drank the water given by the priest and saw someone else climb to the podium.

“Excuse me.”

When I turned my head to the sudden voice, I saw a woman wearing a mask.

When I glanced at her chest, there was a badge with the number 6 engraved.