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The next morning, after his workout and a breakfast prepared by the cook, Lucian strolled toward the Musicians' Association in the Administrative District with the sheet music for his piano piece, intending to register it with Joseph.
It was nearly nine o'clock, and the broad avenues were alive with beautiful, melodious music befitting Altor's reputation as a city of song. What amused and puzzled Lucian was that he could already hear the first movement of his G-major string serenade — the piece he had performed just last night — its bright, straightforward melody echoing from every corner. "Could one of the musicians have sold the score to bards or street performers so they'd have another piece to play?"
It had to be said, in terms of entertainment value, accessibility, and sheer spreadability, this composition truly outdid the Fate Symphony.
Stepping through the Association's entrance hall amid the musical atmosphere, Lucian was immediately spotted by Elena, who was on reception duty today. She shot him a meaningful look and beckoned him over.
"Elena?" Lucian stepped up to the wooden counter and asked in a hushed, puzzled voice.
Elena covered her mouth and stifled a few giggles before speaking. "Lucian, quite a few noble ladies have already come looking for you — they want to study piano and music under your tutelage. Heh heh, one of them is Yvette, a close friend of Miss Phyllis. Oh, and here are letters from musicians in neighboring countries — they all want to discuss symphonic composition with you."
This happened to coincide with the period when the latest issues of Music Review and the Symphony Herald had been fully distributed across the nations of the central-western continent and reader responses were rolling in.
Lucian took the thick bundle of letters, glanced toward the upper floors, felt a twinge of dread at the thought of Yvette and the others waiting upstairs, and quickly said to Elena: "Elena, from now on if something like this comes up, just tell them that because I'm fully occupied composing a major work, I won't be accepting any invitations or taking on any music students for the next year — aside from my duties as Her Highness's music advisor. Heh heh, my own foundations in music are still far from solid."
"Mr. Evans, you've had inspiration for another composition?" Kathy, standing nearby, overheard their conversation and fixed Lucian with wide, curious eyes. Hadn't he just arranged a Canon and composed a piano miniature? Was his inspiration truly inexhaustible?
Lucian nodded and answered with a hint of humor: "Heh heh, because I want to hold a concert of my own as soon as possible." It served as a bit of foreshadowing for what lay ahead.
"That's really admirable — and enviable," Kathy and Elena exclaimed in unison.
Then Elena asked, a touch diffidently: "Lucian, are you really not taking music students right now? I once said I'd come study music under you once you became a musician."
Lucian smiled gently. "We're friends, Elena. If you ever have questions about music, by all means come to me. But for the next year I truly don't have the time to teach students."
In truth, this was Lucian's way of quietly protecting Elena. If word reached the Church after he'd gone to the Arcane Magic Council's headquarters, ordinary friends would likely be fine, and John's family would be all right once he became a knight — but Lucian's music students could land in serious trouble.
"Thank you, then, Lucian." Elena was already quite satisfied with this promise.
Next, Lucian handed the score to Elena and asked her to take it to Joseph for registration, while he planned to head up to the fourth-floor piano room to practice and avoid the noble ladies waiting downstairs.
But barely had Elena gone upstairs when an understated dark-purple carriage pulled up outside the Musicians' Association — the same one Natasha usually sent to collect Lucian.
"Her Highness requests the presence of Mr. Evans. Several of the volumes do not require translation and may be read directly," the coachman relayed Natasha's message politely.
Lucian shook his head with a smile. Natasha really was the impatient type — once she made up her mind about something, she threw herself into it with single-minded determination.
That suited Lucian just fine, so he climbed into the carriage without demur.
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Inside the "War Gallery" study, wearing a black court dress, Natasha led Lucian through rows upon rows of bookshelves, giving him an introduction: "Those are the knight novels, those are the classical operas, those are the historical documents of various nations, those are travel journals…"
After showing him where everything was stored, Natasha pointed to a middle-aged man seated by the desk near the window. "That is the renowned historian and ancient-linguist, Mr. Baker, a member of the Hill family. I specifically invited him to translate certain books written in the script of the ancient Arcane Magic Empire for you."
Baker was not yet fifty but already bald on top, the remaining hair a thin, grizzled thatch. His broad, horizontally-built face was framed by a pair of thick spectacles.
"How do you do, Mr. Baker. Thank you for your help." Lucian greeted him courteously.