An unprecedentedly enthusiastic response, an unprecedented level of success — with the sole exception of Rhein standing quietly to one side, these were the most direct evaluations the other musicians offered of the concert. The frenzied, sustained applause was something none of them had ever experienced at any concert they had previously attended. And the source of that applause was none other than the nobility who ruled Altor and patronized its musicians, as well as the leading authorities of the musical world.
Moreover, all of these musicians possessed a high level of musical cultivation. Several among them could even be called virtuoso performers. They had a fundamental grasp of the Fate Symphony's quality, and they each had their own expectations regarding the final outcome. So when the music swept them up and the fervent atmosphere took hold, their excitement surpassed anything they had felt before.
Victor, buoyed by success and by the fulfillment of his long-held ambition, was overflowing with elation. He stepped forward and embraced Rhein: "Thank you, Mr. Rhein. Without you modifying the piano, without your masterful technique, this concert could not have been so perfect."
"But the most important thing about any concert is the composition itself. This is your glory and Lucian's,
Lucian, meanwhile, was enthusiastically enveloped in a hug by the cellist, a burly bearded man named Thomas: "Mr. Evans, you are certain to become the most renowned musician in Altor — perhaps on the entire continent."
Respectful, courteous — Thomas was treating Lucian entirely as a fellow musician, and this left Lucian, who was accustomed to simply being called by his name, feeling somewhat uncomfortable.
When rehearsals for the Fate Symphony had first begun, Thomas and the other musicians had already been optimistic about Lucian's future and had been relatively polite to him. But Lucian, who had not yet achieved any accomplishments, had not warranted the title of "Mister." This time, however, at the concert, Lucian had earned the unanimous praise of the three most powerful figures in Altor. In particular, both Duke Vaolet — who carried considerable authority in the musical world — and Princess Natasha had given exceptionally high evaluations. One had described his work as "peerless," while the other had gone so far as to call Lucian a revolutionary of music.
It was easy to imagine that over the coming year, with the publication of *Music Review* and *Symphony Guide*, Lucian would become a rising star across the entire continent's musical scene, one who could rightly be called a musician — even though he had not yet even mastered the piano. And as long as he produced another work of acceptable quality within the next two years, his status would be firmly established. Should this new thematic style of music begin to flourish, Lucian would become the foremost authority on this particular kind of symphony. Thomas and the other musicians' attitude toward him had therefore undergone a complete one-hundred-and-eighty-degree reversal.
Victor embraced each musician in turn, thanking them for their cooperation. Although a composer's status and income far exceeded those of an orchestral musician, a successful concert was impossible without the musicians' dedication.
Rhein walked over to Lucian and gave him a warm embrace with a smile: "I can imagine that over many years to come, this kind of thematic music expressing one's personal emotions will only grow more prevalent. It may well become a mainstream genre alongside sacred music. Lucian — well, perhaps I should call you Mr. Evans — you will be the pioneer of this movement."
This style of celebrating a concert's success was something Lucian didn't particularly enjoy, but he didn't reject it either. He hugged Rhein back: "A pioneer who can't even play the piano skillfully? Heh, Mr. Rhein, your violin performance earlier was absolutely brilliant, though it was missing a bit of passion."
Lucian probed Rhein with a light remark while simultaneously sensing that although Rhein looked quite thin, his arms were firm and powerful, and that his body seemed to contain a great deal of hidden strength.
"Perhaps I'm just a relatively quiet person without such intense emotions," Rhein released his arms and offered a casual explanation, though it wasn't what Lucian had been hoping to hear.
After embracing the musicians, Victor went on to hug each of his students in turn, and Lucian followed suit, mirroring every gesture.
"The complete Fate Symphony was wonderful," Phyllis whispered, her face flushed with excitement as she praised Lucian during their embrace. With the concert's tremendous success, Victor's standing in the musical world would be elevated significantly, which would greatly benefit Phyllis's own career path going forward. At the same time, seeing her fellow student praised by three such prominent figures, Phyllis could already envision the scene of herself being surrounded by other noble ladies and matrons, all eager to ask her questions.
Lot likewise gave Lucian a firm embrace: "The applause was truly insane. Lucian, I'm proud to know you."
Finally, Victor walked up to Lucian with a smile and gave him the warmest, most forceful embrace of all: "I don't even know how to thank you, Lucian. My greatest fortune, and the Lord's greatest blessing to me, was that I didn't refuse to let you study under me."
"I'm the lucky one to have met you, sir," Lucian said sincerely.
Victor released his arms: "Oh, and one more thing — you'll be receiving half of the earnings from this concert. Lucian, don't refuse. This is what you deserve. With this money, you won't have to keep living in the Adrang District. Poverty and hardship can provide inspiration, yes, but the pursuit of a better life is human nature, and it can inspire just as well. The Adrang District is far too dangerous."
As far as Lucian knew, the Sacred Hymn Hall, excluding the small western stand and several private boxes, had a total of three hundred and sixty-five seats for the upper echelons of society.
While that might sound like a great many seats, Altor was the capital of the Vorlite Principality, the Church's City of Sacred Hymns, the closest city to the Dark Mountains, and the first line of defense against dark creatures, heathens, and heretics — one of the most prosperous metropolitan centers on the continent. Nobles and priests were plentiful, and their wives, sons, and daughters were even more numerous. Add to that an equal number of musicians, and tickets were always in short supply — the hall sold out virtually every time.
Of course, for a large portion of the minor nobility branches, such sell-outs were a blessing in disguise. Otherwise, spending one Gold Thaler every week to attend concerts would be the primary cause of their bankruptcy. They only arrived early to reserve seats at the Sacred Hymn Hall when they needed to network or when a particular musician caught their fancy.
Thus, a single concert at the Sacred Hymn Hall generated ticket revenue of three hundred and sixty-five Gold Thalers — a truly staggering sum. This represented nearly four years of Victor's income, whereas an ordinary knight-baron earned only between three hundred and five hundred Gold Thalers per year.