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Welcome to the island of art and passion, Nevia!
Nevia is a city adorned in beautiful roses...
I am but one of those roses, the matchless diva who inherited a song from the beautiful Great Songstress, Eustine!

Fufu, my apologies. It’s no wonder why you’re taken aback. I am an actress after all. Sometimes our narrative can become a little exaggerated. However, our emotions also become stirred up for that very reason... Ah, perhaps this is fate, or destiny!
Be gracious of your good fortune that I am escorting you! Come, don’t be afraid to take my hand!
Seeing is believing, and if you visit this island with me, our beautiful Nevia shall never bore you!
The colorful flowers on this island will very soon steal your heart!
Fufu, when I bring my face close like this, your cheeks turn red, you are indeed quite cute...♥
The power of “Passion” dwells within Nevia’s songs, and all of the flowers blooming in this city are passionate about love.
Fufu, that includes me as well...♥
Indeed, any moment now! I wish to sing with you!
I wish to dance together! However, patience is a virtue...
It is essential to express one’s originality, but the largest flowers only bloom when the soil has been carefully and precisely laid layer by layer!

Fufufu...♥ One day, I hope to have you fall for me♥
However, before you can love me, you must come to love this island that I love above all else, for this is the sad fate of a diva, I must sometimes speak of this island’s love more than my own love!
What, don’t look like that, it isn’t complicated.
This step is truly simple, allow me to guide you with my lips, my words, my love, and together we will trace the long path of Nevia’s journey, and gradually, slowly, come to understand each other♥
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[Another Mermaid Princess’s Tale]
Now then, Nevia has long been a nation made primarily by those given the rank of “nobles”.
Nobles have roles, behaviors, and duties appropriate for their position.
Thus, in the city of art, Nevia, these noble and proud people must always be the protectors of beauty.
They are the supporting patrons of the outstanding artists living in Nevia, and one of their missions is to grow these seedlings into fully blooming flowers of art.
Fufu, in Nevia, where beauty and art are highly respected, these artists that are the embodiment of excellent beauty have a high position.
It seems some of the wise artists went so far as to say “I give you the privilege of investing in me”, really now, what a truly modest thing to say.
These so-called nobles are quite vain, aren’t they? In the old Nevia, where the trend of art for art’s sake was rising, becoming the patron of a brilliant artist meant you could show off your aristocratic status to those around you, and the nobles searched for extremely talented artists to get ahead, then they began to scramble for artists, “enclosing” them.
On the other hand, if the artists could receive funding from the nobles, they could also hold large art exhibitions or theatrical performances in magnificent ateliers... With their support, they could expand their efforts as an artist, and above all else, they may even be granted the status of “noble”. While holding on to this dream, the artists pushed on to develop their talent.

And then, a certain aristocrat who plays a major role in both Nevia’s art history and modern history takes center stage: “Viscount Nevi”.
Like the Nevian aristocrats, he too was a man with a deep love for art.
However, his line of thinking was a little different than that of the other nobles.
It is said that the nobles of Nevia all employed famous painters and star actors, and then invited other nobles to art exhibitions and theatrical performances that they sunk money into as if they were competing.
On the other hand, the Viscount only set his eyes on artists selling their art on street corners, or girls on the street aspiring for the stage like unpolished gems.
In addition to that, he also set up art exhibits and stage performances that even the commoners living in the city could visit.
Based on his belief that “art should be loved by everyone”, the Viscount was trying to help artists who had yet to bathe in the rays of the sun, that is, those whose talents had yet to bloom, and make art loved by all.
At one point, the Viscount created an opera house named “Nevia Theater”. It was a beautiful theater surrounded by crimson roses.
It was here that he stood the young actresses and singers he had invested in himself.
The Viscount’s endeavor not only gave them experience, it also seemed to inspire the young artists who were invited to the public performances and other aspiring young artists, and Nevia Theater became recognized as the most suitable place for those striving for the dream of art. Day after day, the Viscount gathered young seedling artists in Nevia Theater, and generously offered them all a place to learn.
Before long, the artists he had supported gained popularity amongst the commoners.
Some began to enjoy the artists’ growth and the diversity of art, and by the time it had spread to the nobles, it seems everyone became astonished by his skills and eye for art.

However... While Nevia Theater was booming, the Viscount had one major issue, and that was a hideous burn scar covering half of his face.
A twist of fate carved into him at an early age, due to this unerasable seal of tragedy, he always wore a mask, and never showed his true face to others.
Nevertheless, on a certain moonlit evening, this inescapable scar suddenly bared its fangs, and brought him further tragedy!
Yes, unintentionally, during a curtain call at one of his usual performances, as he greeted the theater like always, his mask slipped off due to a mere trivial mistake.
Can you imagine it? The shocked gaze of the audience assembled at Nevia Theater, all who were gathered there at that moment were speechless at the sight of his hideous scar, their breath taken away. The Viscount promptly put his mask back on, but it was all too late.
The fever of the performance that had filled the audience until that moment, the passion, the cheers given to the performers... Seeing the frightened gazes and chilling silence that now enveloped the audience, it was clear that all of it had been ruined.

“Did you hear? The rumors about the Viscount, oh yeah, that guy was just a monster. That guy was always sweet talking, trying to collect up only young artists, he must have had some kind of scheme, oh how scary.”

Rumors of the Viscount’s true face quickly became infamous and spread throughout Nevia.
Sometimes the truth can be cruel, and just because of the scar on his face, things were said like “Such ugliness, it can’t be allowed into the gatherings of nobility”, or “Such ugliness, it can’t associate with famous artists”, and all of his virtues and good deeds started to be disavowed.
In Nevia, where beauty and art are prized, someone such as him who was rumored to be “just like a monster” was lethal to investors.
Artists feared that his bad reputation would spread to themselves, and the number of artists visiting the Viscount diminished day by day, and in the same fashion, the number of customers visiting Nevia Theater quickly dwindled.
“Ah, how could this happen? This is all my fault, it’s because of my stupid carelessness. 
With this... If this happens, the future of the young artists I have gathered will be closed...!”

Sunk into the abyss of disappointment and despair, he was even thinking about closing the opera house, then, one night, he heard a clumsy singing voice in the supposedly empty Nevia Theater.
It was here that the Viscount met a young Merrow maiden aiming to become a singer, “Christine”.
The country of Nevia was not a country that was friendly to monsters, but, on the other hand, they were neither hostile to them nor did they reject them. Therefore, although the number was small, there were a few monsters in the country.
The Viscount had happened to hear that among the monsters, there were some that were born with a devilish singing voice that far exceeded that of the average human singer.
Above all, the merfolk were said to have possessed the most beautiful singing voice among monsters... However, the song of the monster singing before the Viscount’s eyes was fairly crude, even from an amateur’s point of view.
Even he, who had found the beauty in many an immature artist, had to admit that she simply had no talent.

“What is this?... Haa, that’s all that’s left in my Nevia Theater, huh... Well, it’s not like anyone is listening, I suppose she’ll have enough soon and leave...”

Thinking this, at first he didn’t care, but every day and every night when he visited the empty Nevia Theater, there was Christine, singing her heart out despite having no hope of improving.
One day, the Viscount finally couldn’t stand her, and shouted at her.

“That’s enough! Look here, you have to sing with more emotion!”

From then on, the Viscount called out to Christine every night.
Under the Viscount’s passionate instruction Christine quickly... well, I can’t say quickly, but her ability as a singer slowly improved.
Time passed for a while after that, and before they knew it, as if in response to Christine’s voice echoing throughout the theater, the roses surrounding the withered Nevia Theater revived once more, emitting a wonderous glow at night, changing into a type of monster realm rose with an even deeper crimson than before, which would later come to be called the “Nevian Rose”.
With this, as if guided by its beautiful radiance, people began to come out to gather around Nevia Theater and gaze at it. 
More and more people began visiting Nevia Theater to listen to the beautiful singing voice faintly leaking from inside, and Nevia Theater reclaimed its former prosperity.
Thus was born the first human and monster student and master in Nevia, and they became a hot topic in Nevia due to both the good and bad reputation of Nevia Theater, as well as being such an unusual sight.

He rises magnificently on the stage, guiding Christine, who sings to the best of her ability to meet his expectations, and Nevia Theater is revived... or so it would seem.
The sad thing is, shortly after this, the Great War between the seven islands broke out.
The people were exhausted from the conflict, and with no room in their hearts for art, they drifted away from it.
Customer turnout dwindled, and the funds the Viscount used for the theater and arts became collected by the country for the Great War, and frankly, it would not have been strange for the theater to close at any time.
Still, the Viscount continued to hold public performances at the theater, saying he didn’t want to rob Christine of the place where she continued to seriously and fervently sing.

...Now, in accordance with the history of Court Alf, after this, the seven islands were united by the Great Songstress’s song, and the Great War was brought to a close, but this was their turning point.
The devoted sacrifice of the Great Songstress, and the dramatic end of the war by the Prince’s love. Doesn’t such a story make your heart tremble in pursuit of art?
Exactly. Songs and plays of “The Mermaid Princess’s Tale” became all the rage in Nevia.
Every theater held performances of The Mermaid Princess’s Tale, and it was always a roaring success. Of course, Nevia Theater also followed along.
The role of the Mermaid Princess was to be played by Christine. To the Viscount, the Mermaid Princess was Christine, not the Great Songstress.
It was Christine who stayed singing by the Viscount’s side when he was having a rough time. He couldn’t even pay her performance fee, and yet she continued to sing at the Nevia Theater without a displeased face.
The Viscount wanted to provide her with the best stage he could.
Hire the best playwrights, and prepare the greatest actor for the role of Prince. The Viscount didn’t have the money for it, but it seems he was thinking of selling off everything but the theater itself, even his own estate.

However, when the Viscount approached Christine to talk about the performance, she shook her head when she heard it.
This surprised the Viscount. That was because until now, she had never once opposed the Viscount’s guidance, or refused his proposals for performances.
Despite this, instead of refusing to perform, she said that she would absolutely never perform The Mermaid Princess unless the screenplay she prepared and the actor she appointed were used.
The Viscount was truly surprised at this. That was because the actor she appointed to play the role of the Prince was none other than Viscount Nevi.

The script of the play was very similar to what the Viscount and Christine had been doing so far at Nevia Theater.
At the climax, when the Mermaid Princess finishes her song of love for the Prince, the masked Viscount, appointed the role of Prince, removes his mask just like that fateful time. Only this time, it’s scripted.
The Prince in The Mermaid Princess’s Tale spoke of his own inner ugliness. The Viscount spoke of his own outer ugliness. For that reason, they weren’t suitable for the Mermaid Princess.
However, the Mermaid Princess wasn’t having any of that.
She merely gazed at the hideously scared face of the Prince, who had unmasked before her for the first time, with a spellbound expression.
Then, the Mermaid Princess slowly strokes the scar as if cherishing it, and brings her face to the Prince as if sucked in, and they kiss.
The play ends here. The audience was wrapped up in silence just like that fateful time...
However, in the silence, tears began to fall from the eyes of many audience members. Some suddenly stood up. Unsure why they stood up, they didn’t applaud or leave, they just clasped their shaking hands to their mouths.
The whole audience had felt the beauty of the play’s final scene.
Also among the audience were those that had called the Viscount a monster after that first incident. This time, they felt truly ashamed of themselves for not seeing the beauty within the Viscount.

This is “Another Legend of the Mermaid Princess” passed down in Nevia.
People from all over the island came to Nevia Theater to see this play. Since then, the people of Nevia have come to see the beauty in everything, not just famous art.
As a result, the image of humans and monsters in love is treated as a popular art motif.
Little by little, the number of monsters on the island grew, as well as the number of those who wished to love them.
Nevia, which changed slowly but surely like a blooming flower, now has “Nevian Roses” dyed crimson with the passion of love fully blooming all over the island.

However, I think this “Another Legend of the Mermaid Princess” is terrible as a play.
Why is that? Because such a thing is not a play. It’s simply not a play.
What do you think Christine was thinking at the time when she saw the Viscount’s face?
“Even though you’re ugly, I’m still in your debt”?
“I love you so much, I don’t care about your ugliness”?
“I don’t think it’s that ugly”?
It would seem these are all wrong.
Perhaps she wasn’t thinking anything. No, she couldn’t think anything.

She merely saw the Viscount’s face for the first time, and had an unbearable urge to breed.
She merely wanted to mate with the Viscount, and get pregnant with his child.

Christine, playing the Mermaid Princess, was unmistakably in love.
There was unmistakable passion. Unmistakable feelings.
It’s no wonder why the audience was so strongly shaken by emotion when they saw that.

That’s because that girl wasn’t performing a play.
In that final scene, Christine was not an actress, she was just a female.
The only thing moving her was her raw “emotions”.

Now then, that sure took a while, but here ends the tale of Viscount Nevi, who is now a legendary troupe master, and Christine, who became our first Diva.
Hmm? Even though I didn’t see it all directly, how can I recall it like that?
Fufu... Well you see, the reason I told you this story is that tonight, I’m thinking of taking the stage at Nevia Theater.
The leading roles are me, and of course, you. What, don’t be so surprised or anxious.
I think I’ll teach you with my own body just what happened when my mother, the first Diva Christine, went on stage with my beloved father, that is, Viscount Nevi, and what happened afterwards...♥