LIGHTNOVELONLINE The Low-End Session! Rose & Lily
Under the slightly overcast afternoon sky, the sunlight filtering into the alley was soft, and the streetlights were still unnecessary at this hour. The asphalt retained a faint warmth, and a dry breeze blew through the streets.
“Ha! Doesn’t matter if there’s one more girl; it won’t change a thing!”
The boys’ voices shattered the quiet around us. One was wearing brass knuckles, which glinted faintly in the afternoon light, while the other spun a wallet on a chain, tapping it in rhythm. The metallic jingle sliced through the air, as if asserting their presence.
“I was thinking of calling for help from some instrument magic users, but judging by this, looks like I’ll handle this on my own. LALA♪”
Sharp began to hum softly, and her voice resonated like a transparent ripple, blending into the afternoon stillness. She mimed holding an air bass, and a faint glow traced her fingers as if the very air she touched transformed into sound.
“Shut up!”
One of the boys, anger flaring, charged at Sharp, fist raised. But in that instant, she plucked an imaginary string with her thumb—a strong, dry sound rang out. Though I don’t know much about bass techniques, it seemed to be what they call slap bass. The crisp note cut through the air like sunlight across the asphalt, and the boy was instantly lifted off his feet. As if pushed back by an invisible force, his massive body floated momentarily before crashing violently back to the ground.
“Honestly? That was awesome,” I couldn’t help but mutter aloud. Sharp smiled, giving a small bow, her expression oozing confidence. Across the street, a small crowd began to gather, murmuring as they tried to comprehend what had just unfolded. The soft afternoon light bathed their curious faces, turning the street corner into an impromptu stage.
Summoning my courage, I softly uttered, “LALA♪” and with a small breath, I pulled my saxophone from the subspace. The cool metallic feel of the instrument in my hands calmed my nerves.
“So, you’re an instrument magic user too? How about we do a little session? Nothing too flashy—just something like a gravity wave spell.”
“Sure.”
I nodded at Sharp’s suggestion. As our sounds harmonized, the space around us seemed to swirl with invisible energy. The air thickened, pushing down on the boys, and they slowly sank to their knees, unable to support themselves.
“Wh-what are you guys?!”
Their voices, filled with shock, echoed uselessly into the afternoon air. With each syncopated rhythm we played, the gravity pulling on their bodies seemed to increase, as if the earth itself had decided to restrain them.
“The unbeatable girl band, Rose and Lily!” Sharp declared with a triumphant grin. I was taken aback, but somehow, the name felt fitting. She was the rose, and I, perhaps, was the lily. Naming our group on the spot like that—she certainly overflowed with confidence.
“Damn it! Let’s scram before the magic police show up!”
The boys exchanged panicked glances before scattering in every direction. I watched silently as their shadows stretched and disappeared down the street, the afternoon sun casting long lines behind them. As they fled, a metallic clink rang out, and I quickly moved toward the sound.
On the ground, I found a silver badge. Upon closer inspection, I saw the engraving: “Edge Guard Corporation.” If they were behind this, then the target wasn’t LaLa—it was me.
“Sorry for getting you caught up in all this,” I said, bowing my head to LaLa. She shook her head, laughing sheepishly.
“It’s not your fault; I wasn’t the one caught up!”
Her carefree smile lightened my heart just a little.
“You two, who are you? If Edge Guard Corporation is after you, you’re not ordinary, that’s for sure.”
Her eyes sparkled with curiosity, and I hesitated, unsure how to explain. I didn’t want to reveal anything about Edge Guard Corporation. Yet, looking into her inquisitive gaze, I felt compelled to say something.
“You don’t have to say anything if you don’t want to.”
Her casual words gave me a bit of relief, and I took a deep breath.
“Let me reintroduce myself—I’m Sharp. I might look like a girl, but I’m actually a guy.”
“What?! You look completely like a girl!”
LaLa pretended to be shocked, widening her eyes. Her exaggerated reaction made me chuckle despite myself.
“Well, there’s this company called Edge Hope that invented a feminization drug. I borrowed some and decided to try out being a girl. Cute, right?”
“Becoming a girl sounds amazing! Wow!”
I nodded mechanically, giving a half-hearted agreement, while averting my gaze. Sharp scratched her sideburns, laughing awkwardly.
“Well, even though I’m in a girl’s body, my mannerisms are still totally guy-like, right? I wish I could be a proper lady like you two. Guess there’s no beating girls who were born that way.”
Her words made my chest tighten. Even though I was a guy, people mistook me for a real girl, and for some reason, that made me feel uncomfortable.
“Why are you squirming like that?”
“No, it’s nothing,” I said, trying to brush it off. Just then, the distant wail of the magic police sirens broke through the air. The tension quickly returned as the sound grew closer.
“What’s going on?! What’s going on?!”
The sight of the magic police heading our way made Sharp click her tongue in annoyance.
“Ugh, what a pain. Let’s teleport out of here!”
She strummed her bass, and the deep reverberations enveloped us. My vision went white, and after blinking three times, we suddenly found ourselves standing in front of the high school entrance.
“Sorry, but this is the new school I’m starting at. Wait, are you guys going to this school too?”
We exchanged glances, realizing that fate had made us classmates for the new semester.