Stella Sora

At the spot closest to the top of the Monolith, one can probably hear the "voice of the Monolith" more clearly.

A message to all listeners: Thank you so much for the love and support; but just to be clear, I can perform solo, no problem. Also: If you're booking me for a gig, feel free to bring some snacks. Thanks!

Artistic Studies "Watching performances is the best way for a musician to learn." Besides listening to vocal and instrumental shows all over Flavio, tuning in to the rhythm of nature—on grassy fields, by the seaside, or in the mountains—can be just as inspiring.

A verse of lyrics No more wandering...through forests and seas/ No more doubting...sing loud, sing free Dreaming, hopes, soul, and song/ At the summit, the stars are shining.

Underground Hollow On the western edge of the forest outside Flavio City, deep and rhythmic vibrations often rise through the ground at night. Locals say there's a demon down there who loves to strum steel bars, and most people avoid the area. "Here we are—this is one of my secret hideouts." "The hollow gathers up my basslines and sends them right back to me. It's a great listener, you know."

Questions for the Divine Messengers Caramel always carries a few hand-drawn badges in her backpack. They are painted from memory with the resemblance of the Divine Messengers. During her chance encounter with the two Divine Messengers inside the Monolith—beings said to reflect people's deepest wishes—Caramel, sensed their uniqueness: If the staff of the Monolith represent its will... Then getting close to them might be the key to uncovering Monolith's secrets, right? Unfortunately, when faced with tough questions like "What does this melody mean?" or "Can you sing?" even the Divine Messengers seem at a loss for words.

Hmm-hmm! Quite the pro musician—she could play my theme song after hearing it just once. Not the loudest sound, but surprisingly powerful—! —An excited White Cat mercenary Her stage outfit looks...a little scary, but also kind of cute. I think I just found inspiration for my next outfit design! —Donna

A bit suspicious. Investigation shows that Caramel is often spotted in remote, out-of-the-way places... She doesn't seem like someone chasing fame in Flavio. It's hard to imagine how she makes a living in this city of entertainment. On the other hand, she's got many loyal fans... —Willow

Ensemble Recruitment Musicians wanted! My bass blends perfectly with any kind of instrument! Just please keep your volume in check—thanks for your cooperation!

"The person I'm most grateful to? That would have to be Miss Caramel." "Back then, a few of us students started a band on a whim. We knew next to nothing. Almost everything we learned about performing came from Caramel." "Yeah, Caramel's one of the few...very talkative bassists we've met?" "Every time she showed up at rehearsal, she'd immediately start sharing her thoughts nonstop, from gear setup to show planning." "She talked a lot, but everything she said was useful." "We learned so much from her." "It was thanks to Caramel that I even realized a bassist could do solos." "But I heard she rarely shows off those techniques in her performances anymore." "Kinda miss that, honestly." "Too bad Caramel always went straight home after shows, and we have no photos with her. Otherwise we could've shown those to you." "I think it's because she's frugal. After all, living in Flavio is seriously expensive..." "I heard she even made her own stage outfit." "Or maybe Caramel-sensei's taste is just...really unique." "There was this one time we went to visit her, and she happened to be cooking. We thought we could score a free meal, but then we saw her boiling steel wire in a pot..." "It was horrifying. She was tossing in seasoning while it cooked." "We figured there was no way we could chew that stuff, so we made an excuse and left." "Thinking back... it was probably bass strings." "Aren't strings more expensive than noodles?" "Oh, I got it then. They weren't for eating. Boiling old strings makes them sound almost like new." "I see. We thought it was something out of a horror story."

Back when Caramel was a little girl, her father often told her the story of "Midas the Long-Eared." The tale perhaps had its origin in a former patrician of Flavio—a man who controlled more than half the city's wealth and manpower, and to whom no one dared say "no." A professional flatterer named Midas spent his days and nights praising the patrician's taste. Naturally, he was handsomely rewarded for it. When the patrician became interested in music, Midas followed suit, never ceasing his praise. Over time, the patrician came to believe he was the finest musician in all the land. As the legend has it, one day, while inspecting a new woodland on the outskirts of the city, the patrician heard the voice of a mountain spirit calling to him. The spirit appeared in human form and said: "I've heard you are the most skilled musician. Would you care for a contest?" Drunk on Midas's flattery, the patrician gladly accepted. He spared no expense and hosted a lavish banquet in the woods, inviting all of the city's elite. Before everyone's eyes, he picked up his best instrument - the flute - and began to play. As the melody echoed in the air, Midas danced beside him with glee, shouting to his loudest: "What magnificent music! What magnificent music! You are the finest musician in the world!" At that moment, the mountain spirit descended like mist. People say that with a mere gesture, he turned a tree branch into a harp's frame and leaves into strings, then he began to play. The sound was like flowing water, like a bird's song, like a breeze, like the moonlight. All those present were awestruck—even the prideful patrician acknowledge the spirit's supreme skill. But just as the award ceremony was about to end the competition on a note of harmony and goodwill, Midas's voice cut through and ruined the moment. He shouted: "What's wrong with your ears? What's wrong with your judgement? Are you just scared of the mountain spirit's authority? Was the patrician's music not beautiful? The mountain spirit was annoyed and gave a cold laugh. "Midas," he said, "do not comment on the things you understand nothing about." Then he raised his hand and Midas's ears suddenly stretched longer than his two arms! "Maybe now you'll hear things more clearly," the spirit mocked and vanished like smoke. Poor Midas was left with ears longer than anyone else's. And indeed, he did hear more clearly. From that day on, he never praised the patrician's playing again. Instead, he often pointed out its flaws—and rather than punishing him, the patrician rewarded him even more handsomely. "Thank you, Midas," the patrician said. "Thanks to you, I've learned that there's always someone better, always something greater...and that above all, one must speak the truth—especially when it comes to art." "Is that why our ears are so long, papa?" "Oh, no, child. But we should learn from Midas the Long-Eared... Especially now, in Flavio, where one's ability to tell the truth matters more than ever." "But... Aren't they telling the truth now?" It might be a long time before Caramel can get this question answered.trings in the Pot

Flavio wasn't always the city it is today. It was once a place famous for its craftsmanship and spice. After a new spice source was discovered in the northern forests, the city-state lord hired many workers to help with spice harvesting and transportation. Caramel's parents were among those who joined the rush. As Flufla, they had sharp senses of smell and hearing. More and more people gathered in Flavio, but each's share of the profit pie kept shrinking. Caramel's parents soon turned their eyes to the Monolith—the rapid growth of the city-state, the booming spice trade, and the rise of Scarlet Sights Media presented a prime opportunity for commerce and entertainment to flourish, and the subsequent demand for Artifacts meant that a wave of "Trekker fever" would follow. After becoming Trekkers, Caramel's parents were able to build a stable home life. Then, on Flavio Day of Nebula Month, Caramel was born. She grew up alongside Flavio's expansion, shaped by the influence of her Trekker parents. When Caramel secretly followed her parents into the Monolith for the first time, she was instantly drawn in by the Monolith's strange, dreamlike sounds. Drumbeats and deep, piercing rhythms flowed into her keen ears from the empty air overhead, the ground beneath her, and every corner around her. One day, after stumbling across a Stella Drama inside the Monolith, Caramel recognized it at last: the deep, entrancing sound that had fascinated her was coming from the instrument held by the person on the screen—an instrument with four thick strings. Even so, at the time, she still didn't know what the instrument was called—it looked a little like a guitar, but the sound was far deeper. Years later, standing as an established Trekker before the Wishing Box, she could only dig through her hazy memories of those sounds and images, then putting the wish finally into words: "I want to play the sound of the Monolith." When she left the Monolith that day, Caramel was cradling her beloved instrument in her arms. Looking down at it, she remembered a story her father had told her not long ago. She decided she would become a musician who always "tell the truth." "I'll call you Midas."