Lucian's original plan had been to use the piano version of the Fate Symphony to spark Victor's inspiration — perhaps even to let him directly complete the melody, refine the details, and arrange it into a full orchestral piece. That way, the surprise he caused would be limited to only Victor, Lot, Rhein, and a handful of others, unknown to the vast majority. He wouldn't be seen as a freak in their eyes, which would draw unwanted attention. After all, having studied music for barely two months and already producing a piece of this calibre — in The History of Continental Music that Lucian had read, there was simply nothing comparable.
But now, at this point, there was no way for Lucian to refuse. Without hesitation, he agreed: "Very well, Mr. Victor."
Just as Victor had said before, geniuses need no justification. Moreover, in this particular matter, the worst others could suspect was plagiarism. No one would think to connect it with his identity as an Arcane mage, or link him to devils and demons — because those seemed like entirely opposite things.
In the extensive religious texts housed in the music library, music was described as a precious gift bestowed upon humanity by the God of Truth — a weapon to inspire people forward in times of hardship. And the only stories told were of mages, devils, and the like "granting" people powerful strength, beautiful singing voices, and masterful playing techniques. There had never been an instance of directly gifting someone the musical talent to compose a piece. Especially one brimming with the uplifting energy of struggling against hardship and battling against darkness.
Furthermore, from his recent reading of travelogues and religious texts, as well as from his time spent with Lot, Phyllis, and Herodotus, Lucian had glimpsed a certain divide between the Church and the nobility. Though Lot and the others remained devout and held the God of Truth in deep reverence, their casual remarks often carried sentiments akin to "matters of religion belong to God, matters of nobility belong to the King." If such was the case even in Altor, where the Church's authority was formidable, what about other nations?
Lucian therefore judged that, without evidence, the Church would never simply deploy Divine Arts to inspect every person of standing they encountered. The Musicians' Association maintained close ties with both the nobility and the Church, making this all the more unlikely.
The only thing worth worrying about was that in the future, if he were invited to perform or attend banquets and important figures were present, security checks against assassins would be unavoidable.
However, if by that time he was already a musician of considerable status, standing, and renown, any such inspections would inevitably become perfunctory and lenient — easy enough to handle. And of course, if the important figure themselves possessed formidable strength, the inspection would be all the simpler, or might not even occur at all.
Rhein picked up the feather pen and a stack of white paper from the desk, walked over to the piano, and handed them to Lucian.
Lucian placed the white paper on the music stand, took up the feather pen, and was about to begin writing when he suddenly sneezed several times in succession. His frail body was wracked with waves of cold, and he couldn't help but shiver. Rainwater clinging to his hair sprayed onto the white paper with each sneeze, the droplets slowly blooming into little spots of moisture.
Only then did Victor notice Lucian's condition — drenched from head to toe. "Lucian, you didn't bring an umbrella?" Phyllis, meanwhile, flushed slightly, for Lucian's linen jacket was plastered tight against his body, revealing the lean yet well-formed physique he had developed over the past few months of training.
"I did, but the rain was heavy outside, and I ran here." Lucian chose not to mention that he had simply run through the downpour.
Victor looked both gratified and touched. "Lucian, I have several sets of clothes in the lounge. You and I are about the same height and build — go and change quickly. You look like you're about to fall ill."
"Go on, Lucian. Leave the task of writing down the music to me — I'll try to reproduce it in full." Rhein urged him as well, taking the feather pen from his hand.
In that brief exchange, Lucian and Rhein's fingers touched for a moment, and he noticed with mild surprise that Rhein's skin temperature was actually a shade colder than his own — despite being the one who was drenched. Could it be that his constitution was somewhat unusual?
…………
In the other room of the lounge, Lucian dried his hair and body, then changed into Victor's white dress shirt, black formal jacket, black slim-cut trousers, and leather shoes. Instantly, he felt a welcome sense of dryness and freshness.
He then turned to the mirror to straighten his clothes and was surprised to discover that in formal wear for the first time — though his height was unremarkable — his black hair and dark eyes lent him a rather refined, handsome air. Not the delicate sort of beauty, but a quiet, composed sort of elegance.
Lucian opened the door and stepped out. Rhein, who was immersed in transcribing the music, showed no reaction. Victor, however, turned around and looked Lucian over from head to toe, nodding with satisfaction. "Very nice. A fine-looking young man, indeed."
Seeing Lucian like this, whatever lingering doubts remained in the hearts of Phyllis, Lot, and Herodotus vanished entirely.
Judging a person by their appearance was hardly a privilege unique to the people of Earth.
"Lucian, come over and check whether what Rhein has written down so far is correct." Victor waved him over.
As Lucian passed by Lot, the latter wore a smile that was thoroughly noble, impeccably proper, and exquisitely courteous, murmuring softly: "Lucian, I hope we might discuss music together often in the future."
"Of course," Lucian replied with equal politeness.
Phyllis, overhearing their exchange, bit her full lips with her pearly white teeth before likewise lowering her voice, a faint blush colouring her cheeks: "Lucian, I want to apologize for my earlier prejudice. I hope we can get along well and discuss music properly from now on."
Although Lucian's refusal to back down today and his heart-stirring piece had profoundly shaken Phyllis's feelings, they had not yet reached the point of making her like him. The blush on her cheeks owed more to shyness and indecision than anything else.
Only Herodotus stood apart to one side, his emotions tangled, his head lowered as he stared at his toes in silence.