Wise smiled and replied to Betty first: "At Baron Habelo's castle, thanks to your protection, Mr. Mars and I came away completely unharmed—not so much as a finger missing. Even if you hadn't asked, I would have invited you to my concert." He then looked at Lucian with a hint of curiosity. "Mr. Evans, what business brings you to the concert? Is there anything I can help with? And—well, would you accept my invitation?"
Because Lucian had always insisted he held no noble title, everyone continued addressing him as "Mister" rather than "My Lord" or "Sir."
"Yes, Mr. Evans, if you have business at the concert, I might be able to help—barely," Mars said with the earnest gratitude of a man who had just survived catastrophe.
The mere thought of being surrounded by evil, rotting undead sent shivers down his spine and plagued him with nightmares. Had he not been merely an ordinary musical advisor to Baron Habelo—regularly traveling between Gray Mist Town and Corth City, attending high-society salons and banquets—he would have been turned into a corpse puppet and likely gone unnoticed until he was oozing with pus and decay.
Betty, Simon, and Johanna were delighted by Wise's invitation but equally puzzled as they looked at Lucian. What business did Mr. Evans have at the Musicians' Association? Was he an avid music lover as well? Yet all along the journey he had merely listened in on the musical discussions between Wise and the rest of them, rarely chiming in. Perhaps he had a friend at the Corth City Musicians' Association.
Lucian shook his head. "Thank you for your kindness, Mr. Wise, but I'm afraid I won't have time to attend your concert. As for my business—it's just a small matter. I'd like to use the resources of the Corth City Musicians' Association to send a letter to a friend. Mr. Mars, you know as well as I do—aside from the Church, the institution with the most frequent cross-country communication is the Musicians' Association. *Music Review* and *Symphony Herald* can be found in every city on the continent." The only difference was how many issues behind they were.
This world had messengers, but no far-reaching postal system—especially between different countries. Ordinary people had to rely on passing merchant caravans and travelers to deliver letters to distant destinations. Of course, most ordinary people didn't have many relatives or friends far away to begin with.
Old Mr. Mars nodded gently and said with a smile: "Mr. Evans, you are a knight, and if you were to make a formal request, the Association couldn't refuse—but they wouldn't dispatch a 'Hasimir' eagle to carry your letter, and they'd charge you a steep fee. Hehe, I may be a bit old, but I still hold some standing at the Corth City Musicians' Association. Let me handle it for you, and I'll guarantee your letter reaches your friend in the shortest time possible."
"'Hasimir' eagles?" Aside from ordinary common animals, the only creatures Lucian knew of were arcane beasts. He had never heard of this breed of eagle.
Wise smiled gently. "It's a specialty of the Duchy of Gibuti—a massive eagle that flies at tremendous speed. After being trained, it also possesses the homing instincts of a carrier pigeon, navigating direction and route on its own. A round trip between Corth City and Altor takes only ten days. Because of that, at the Musicians' Association in the Duchy of Gibuti, the latest issue of *Music Review* and *Symphony Herald* arrives on the fifth through seventh of every month."
"Today is July 2nd—looks like I'll have to wait a few days for the latest issues," Lucian replied with some regret, since he hoped to read about Natasha, Victor, and the others in those papers. "As it happens, my friend is in Altor. Mr. Mars, I'll trouble you to handle it, so they can receive my letter within a few days."
The wrinkles on Mars's stern face softened. "Being able to help you, Mr. Evans, makes me feel much better. In truth, even without me, given how much the Association values Mr. Wise, he could have arranged it for you just as well."
"Mr. Mars, you flatter me. I'm merely a newcomer who has only just set foot on the path of music," Wise replied modestly.
Mars nodded slightly, turned, and led the way toward the Corth City Musicians' Association.
Lucian handed the final day's payment to Simon and the others. "Thank you all for your help along the way. I hope you can begin proper knight training as soon as possible. Perhaps we'll have the chance to meet again."
"Thank you, Mr. Evans. But I don't think this is quite the final farewell, because I plan to follow you all to the Musicians' Association. I can piggyback on Mr. Wise's and Mr. Mars's credentials to get in. I've always wanted to visit the Musicians' Association!" Betty blurted out, then gave her sister and brother-in-law a mischievous wink.
"On my own behalf, I welcome Miss Betty to tour the Corth City Musicians' Association," Wise said with a chuckle. "Mr. Simon, Ms. Johanna—will you be joining as well?"
Johanna shot Betty a glare but couldn't suppress her own curiosity. "Fine, we'll come along too."
…………
Although Corth City was a respectable city in the south-central part of the continent, it was less than a fifth the size of Altor. Before long, the group spotted the Musicians' Association's distinctive iron-gray four-story building.
The guards here were stricter than those at the Altor Musicians' Association. They stood before an iron railing and refused to let any stranger in—until they recognized Mars, the renowned musician, at which point they let the group pass and were dispatched to notify the director responsible for the Association's daily affairs: the invited Mr. Wise had arrived.
Gorgeous crystal ornaments, enormous oil paintings of various musicians, soft and soundless dark-red carpet underfoot, and a broad, warmly lit interior—these together formed the grand lobby of the Corth City Musicians' Association.
Just as Betty and Johanna were gazing around in curiosity, a warm-smiling middle-aged man in a black suit approached with a sizable entourage.
"Welcome, Mr. Wise! A heartfelt welcome and thank you for coming to Corth City to hold your concert. I am Caspar, the director here. These are the 'musicians' and performers currently in the Association," Caspar said, eagerly clasping Wise's hands. Wise was a celebrated genius musician from the duchy's capital, whereas Corth City didn't have a single person who could truly be called a musician.
Wise smiled composedly. "Director Caspar, you've made me feel the warmth and sincerity of Corth City…"
The ordinary "musicians" and performers behind Caspar crowded in as well, equally enthusiastic and excited to greet Wise. They soon launched into a musical discussion right there in the lobby, debating the repertoire Wise had prepared, and pushed Lucian, Mars, and Betty out to the periphery.
"What magnificent fanfare!" Betty exclaimed, eyes shining, upon seeing the lavish reception Corth City's Musicians' Association was giving Wise. She didn't mind being squeezed to the outside one bit. "And the melody they're discussing really has a feel to it!"
Johanna's gaze grew slightly misty as she turned to her husband Simon. "Once you awaken your bloodline power and become a knight, we'll return to our hometown. We'll surely receive a welcome just as grand."
The feeling of being respected and admired—everyone loved it, and Simon was no exception. He nodded firmly. "I'll make sure to start proper knight training as soon as possible, just as Mr. Evans advised."