Lucian walked slowly after Natasha toward the sofa in the lounge. "After suffering such heavy losses, the Silver White Horn still won't give up. Their ambitions must be truly vast. But now that the Church and the intelligence department have discovered their traces, there should be a period of calm again."
"Of course, the Church has already dispatched Night Watch squads to hunt them down, and even sent bishops and priests to those border towns. They're determined to stamp out the heretical cult's flames. That several consecutive failures haven't broken the Silver White Horn's cultists—they're truly mad and irrational." Natasha sighed softly, a faint trace of regret on her face, as if disappointed she couldn't join the fight herself.
Lucian didn't reply, though he muttered inwardly, "The fanatics of the God of Truth aren't much different."
Natasha reached the sofa and turned around. "And the music festival is about to begin. The crowds pouring into Altor are larger than ever, and among them could be creatures from the dark world—evil wizards, assassins, and the like. The city guard, the intelligence department, and the Night Watch are all severely short-handed, making it extremely difficult to maintain both overt and covert security. That's why I'm specifically warning you, Lucian, to be extra careful these next few days. Hehe, I'm still looking forward to your concert."
"Rest assured, Your Highness. I've been practicing diligently and making the final preparations for the concert. There's no way I'd go out late at night." Lucian smiled in response to Natasha's concern. "Besides, I have the Vigilant Blade. Unless the Silver White Horn deploys Great Knight-level fighters, it would be very difficult to ambush me. But a nobody like me—why would they risk using a Great Knight or an officiant in Altor?"
Because Natasha had captured a heretical officiant last time, Lucian had finally figured out the internal ranking system of the Silver White Horn: clerics corresponded to priests, officiants to bishops, high priests to Cardinals, and the Chosen of God to Holy Spirit Priests.
"That's true. Lucian, you're the grand finale of the music festival, and many nobles and clergy have their eyes on you. Those Silver White Horn lunatics would have to be truly insane to cause you trouble. Also, don't worry—I've already sent people to watch over your uncle in secret." Natasha's feigned seriousness melted away, replaced by a brilliant smile. "Actually, I heard you'd arrived at the Association right after leaving Sylvia's lounge, so I made up an excuse to come see you. I'm curious how your concert preparations are going."
She wasn't worried at all that Lucian, suddenly thrust into the role of the festival's grand finale, would be nervous or overwhelmed—because she figured that if it were her, she absolutely wouldn't be nervous, and as a "qualified knight" who had survived heretical ordeals and life-and-death crises while remaining perfectly calm, Lucian certainly wouldn't be either!
Lucian looked at Natasha's curious expression with amusement. Being around her was truly relaxed—without special circumstances, he couldn't feel any of the weight from her status as princess, countess, and Level Five Great Knight. "I'm already prepared. What I need now is to rehearse with the orchestra, since this is my first time serving as conductor."
"Your sense of rhythm is excellent, and after becoming a knight, your coordination and physical control are more than sufficient for conducting. Besides, most conductors just keep time and coordinate." Natasha answered casually, her beautiful violet eyes gleaming as she looked at Lucian, clearly eager to learn his concert program in advance.
In the past, when thematic music was scarce, conductors didn't need to grasp the deeper meaning of a composition or make the music more emotionally compelling.
Lucian realized that since his concert date was already set, the Association would inevitably require him to submit his program to avoid any issues. So he didn't hide it from Natasha: "The Fate Symphony, a String Serenade in G Minor, a piano arrangement of Canon in D Major, a piano arrangement of that Violin Sonata in G Minor, and a thematic piano sonata in C Minor titled 'Pathétique.'"
"That's a very unusual program arrangement," Natasha said, puzzled. "It's rare to see a concert with so many solo piano pieces. There are too few symphonies, and no concerto at all. The whole concert won't feel grand enough."
Just as Lucian was about to explain, Natasha laughed on her own. "But I have every confidence in you, Lucian. Let's go with this arrangement. Hehe, I'm really looking forward to that piano sonata of yours. Right now, the sonata form itself isn't even fully mature yet, let alone thematic writing. I hope you can blaze a new trail."
After satisfying her curiosity, Natasha chatted casually with Lucian about recent happenings in Altor, discussing the various chaotic yet amusing makeshift concerts held in the lead-up to the music festival.
Mentioning all this, Lucian suddenly thought of the cultists and frowned slightly. "The timing of the Silver White Horn's discovery is quite a coincidence—right during the music festival, right when the Church and the Principality are most short-handed. Could they be..."
"Even though we discovered the Silver White Horn's traces by chance, we've also considered the possibility that they leaked their position deliberately to weaken Altor's defenses. So if they dare make a move in Altor during the music festival, they'll suffer an even more devastating blow." Natasha answered with a lazy squint of her eyes.
Lucian didn't say more. He wasn't the only smart one around—the clergy and the knights were no fools.
…………
After Natasha and Camille left, Lucian was just about to head to the fifth-floor performance hall to practice when he ran into Councilor Othello, who had come in person.
He had been continuously receiving nobles and musicians from other countries recently, and since he hadn't awakened any bloodline power himself, he looked thoroughly exhausted. Yet he still maintained that stern, old-fashioned aristocratic bearing, black walking cane in hand, stepping steadily toward Lucian with an expressionless face: "Lucian, is your concert program ready?"
Othello's student, Mackenzie, had faced strange looks and criticism within the Association after his failed accusation against Lucian last time, and had made an excuse to return to his family estate to lay low.
"I was just about to submit it to you, Councilor Othello." Lucian returned to his desk, picked up his feather pen, and swiftly wrote out the program, handing it to Othello.
Othello looked it over carefully and furrowed his brow deeply. "There are too many solo piano pieces—this isn't a real, grand concert. I know geniuses always have many novel ideas and experiments, but are you truly confident, Lucian?"
If this were a regular concert at the Sacred Hymn Hall, Othello wouldn't have cared what program a musician favored by the princess chose to perform. But this was the triennial Altor Music Festival—the continent's grandest musical celebration—and Lucian's concert was the final grand finale. He couldn't help but be anxious and concerned.
Lucian nodded. "I'm confident, and Her Highness has approved it as well."
"Very well. I hope you won't feel too much pressure." Othello still expressed his strong unease. In his mind, Natasha directly assigning Lucian to hold the grand finale concert on the last day, with Christoph not even objecting—it was utterly absurd!
An occasion like this called for a famous, authoritative musician with extensive concert experience, not scheduling some genius's very first concert as an experiment. This was not just a gamble with the Altor Music Festival—it would also place an immense burden of pressure on Lucian's shoulders.
Othello had seen plenty of musical geniuses crumble under pressure, which was why he was so worried. "Although the Altor Music Festival only lasts three days, the guests who've come certainly won't leave right after it ends. They could easily have Lucian hold his concert after the festival—this way, his fame would still spread, while reducing the pressure on him."