Chapter 611: Wedding Song(1)
Chapter 611: Wedding Song(1)
Music is the only drug permitted by God. It was a saying I’d heard at least once in my past life.
In Greek and Roman mythology, people danced and sang to praise Dionysus, the god of wine. This origin point branched out and evolved, eventually giving birth to the art form known as music, which continued to develop over time.
Modern music is so diverse compared to that of the Middle Ages that it’s hard to pin down with a single definition, but the fact that it is music remains unchanged.
In this world, too, music holds a significant place in the arts. One only needs to remember that the Lirus Orchestra is the most famous artistic organization in the world.
Some perform in groups like the Lirus Orchestra, while others travel alone with their instruments. The latter are the bards. Bards wander across the globe, spreading songs wherever they go.
They use poetry and song to disseminate tales of a knight’s heroism, a noble’s good deeds, or a king’s policies. While a bard is essentially a singer, you won't find one performing with the backing of a full orchestra. Unless they are an opera singer or part of a chorus, bards aren't included in such groups.
There are many reasons for this, but it’s primarily because bards are inherently wanderers, while orchestras perform based on specific commissions.
'Choosing a song that fits me is hard enough...'
I had resolved to sing a wedding song, but even picking the right one was an ordeal. Why? Because most wedding songs focus on the theme of unwavering, single-minded devotion.
But look at me. I’ve already been branded as a world-class playboy. If I were to sing a song about being a pure-hearted, devoted man in this situation... I’d be the one dying of embarrassment. It would be like I’d traded my conscience for a handful of sweets.
Moreover, people who already view me unfavorably might laugh, thinking I’m putting on a ridiculous act. They might not say it to my face, but the possibility was there.
Furthermore, it could reflect poorly on Mari. Mari was the one who confessed first, and I accepted her feelings, but the situation had spiraled into this mess. If I wasn't careful, a single wedding song could turn the atmosphere of the wedding—the day she should be the happiest in the world—completely cold.
'To overcome this...'
It would be better to lean into the "playboy" stigma and choose a song where I’m the one desperately clinging to her. At least that would be lighthearted and entertaining.
However, as is the case with most wedding songs, they were all about pure, innocent love. Because of that, it took me days just to pick a song.
Fortunately, I managed to select one, but the difficulty level of that particular song was hellishly high. Just in case, I visited Mora, memorized the lyrics and melody, and gave it a go...
"Lady Mora?"
[...]
"Hello? Lady Mora?"
[Oh, uh... are you finished?]
It was so terrible that even the usually energetic Mora remained dead silent. Normally, she would have teased me, saying, "Wow, you're really bad at this, aren't you?"
But there’s an unwritten rule that you shouldn't tease someone who has truly, utterly failed. That was exactly how Mora felt right now.
[I-I'm sure if you sing with all your heart, she'll love it! And who would dare tease you?]
Mora tried to comfort me belatedly, but it was too late. I realized my singing skills were catastrophic.
As Mora said, if I just sang with sincerity, Mari would probably be overjoyed. She might even burst into giggles.
But my pride wouldn't allow it. I was giving a memory to Mari, who had devoted herself to me; I couldn't just wing it.
"That would just make me a clown. I have no intention of being a clown."
[Well, if you say so...]
"Can't we do something about this with Divine Power?" I asked expectantly.
Mora had explained before that divinity is essentially time. They are beings who explain time through the laws of physics and, further, count it in "units." So, I hoped that divinity could fix my disastrous singing talent.
[That’s difficult. Talent is something imprinted at the genetic level. I could change your gender easily enough, but tinkering with genes related to a specific skill takes a long time.]
"Why is changing gender possible then?"
[You just have to swap one chromosome. Do you have any idea how easy that is?]
"..."
Mora’s explanation was this: changing gender only requires finding one specific gene, whereas a talent like singing requires changing various fields. The structure of the vocal cords, the method of using them, how well one utilizes abdominal breathing, and so on.
Countless complex factors combine to form a single talent. Changing each one individually is essentially surgery.
[Even I have things I'm good at and things I'm not, right? For us, talent is like a domain. Just as I oversee Peace and my brother oversees War. Everyone has to handle the fields they're good at.]
"Then what about gods turning into animals and wandering around?"
[That’s not changing genes; it’s a transformation using magic. If we actually changed our genes, we’d become real animals, wouldn't we?]
As expected, gods were incomprehensible beings. It was faster to just give up on understanding them.
In any case, it meant there was virtually no way to magically boost my singing skills. I didn't want to humiliate myself like this.
[If you're that worried, why don't you practice here? I'll help you.]
"You, Lady Mora?"
[Yeah. Back in the day, my assist—]
Mora stopped abruptly. She fell silent as if she had broken down.
As I tilted my head in confusion, Mora cleared her throat and continued in a calm voice.
[Sorry. I misspoke. Despite how I look, I’ve watched countless beings who were gifted at singing. Even if I've only consumed a bit of divinity, teaching a single mortal is child's play.]
"I can trust you, right?"
[Are you seriously doubting a god?]
"I trust Lord Luminous, but you, Lady Mora, are a bit..."
[Hey!]
Mora grumbled at my answer but couldn't offer much of a protest. She had pulled too many stunts on me for that.
Regardless, I received lessons from Mora from then on. I worked hard with the sole determination to make Mari happy.
[No! Use your falsetto! Falsetto! I told you falsetto is crucial for this song!]
"How am I supposed to mix that in?"
[Did you never sing when you lived on Earth?]
"I did, occasionally."
[When?]
"During performance evaluations in school."
I had worked really hard on 'O Sole Mio' back then. My music teacher even gave me a generous grade.
Mora seemed lost for words for a moment, then sighed deeply and muttered.
[...Fine. At least we found a body that fits your soul as much as possible. It’s our karma.]
'Will this really work?' I tried my best to ignore Mora as she muttered self-deprecatingly.
[Are you sure you can't pick another song? There are so many better ones. Objectively speaking, this one is too difficult.]
"I can't. This is the only one that fits a wedding while also having that 'clinging' vibe."
[You're really stubborn at times like this.]
"If it's too hard for you, maybe I should ask Lord Luminous..."
[Alright! Let's start right now! I'll turn that demonic skill of yours into something human!]
*
A few days after Mora’s stress levels had skyrocketed thanks to Isaac’s catastrophic singing skills.
The Lirus Orchestra, the most renowned musical group in the world, arrived at the Maishal Territory.
In a few days, a wedding that was essentially a territory-wide festival was to be held, and the Lirus Orchestra had been invited. Normally, even nobles had to pay a fortune to invite them, but Isaac was an exception.
Since he had given the Lirus Orchestra the honor of providing the music for the world's first film, this much was a small favor.
However, Isaac insisted on paying a commission fee, specifically for the composition of the music to be used for the wedding song. If nothing else, composition was a matter of a musician's pride, so the Lirus Orchestra gladly accepted the payment Isaac offered.
"The content is truly sweet."
Lirus, having received the song to be used for the wedding from Isaac, gave his critique.
He held a recording crystal ball in his hand, which played the song Isaac had sung. Thanks to Mora’s relentless "whipping," his skills had risen from "something a demon would sing" to a "decent" level.
If Lirus had heard the original version, he would have screamed, "It's a demon!" Fortunately, that didn't happen.
"Is the talent of the artist who saved the world truly so extraordinary? I’ve never heard anything like this."
It was a misunderstanding. Isaac had simply brought a song from his past life.
But as they say, a good interpretation is better than the dream itself; Lirus marveled, thinking Isaac was influencing art itself. If this song and his music were combined, bards and orchestras could merge to appear in a different form.
Wandering bards and orchestras that found it difficult to travel. Beings that were thought to be unmixable.
Lirus toyed with his elegantly grown mustache and let out a deep smile.
"I wondered why the deadline was so short, but he had already envisioned everything."
Isaac hadn't just provided the singing on the crystal ball; he had also delivered the lyrics and the entire structure. How the intro should go, how the highlights should feel, the middle section, and so on.
It would have been difficult if he had just vaguely requested a certain "atmosphere," but since everything was already planned and communicated, the difficulty was very low.
Of course, there weren't zero issues. While the Lirus Orchestra was the best in the world, they were primarily an orchestra. However, what Isaac wanted was not a "large-scale" orchestra, but a "small-scale" one. In fact, it was almost embarrassing to even call it an orchestra.
"Conductor. Everything is ready."
While he was listening to Isaac’s song, a member of the orchestra approached Lirus and spoke. Lirus tucked the crystal ball into his coat and stood up.
"Good. Are the 'instruments' that Lord Isaac prepared also ready?"
"Yes. Although the sense of rhythm is important, they aren't difficult to handle. In fact, everyone is excited because it's such a new invention."
"Good. Since he prepared them himself, handle them with care. They will likely be very useful for our orchestra in the future."
Soon, Lirus entered the room where preparations were in full swing, accompanied by the member.
Since the Maishal Territory was a place where artists from all over the world gathered, spaces for musicians were well-provided. The same went for masters like the Lirus Orchestra. However, compared to the size of the space, the number of members preparing seemed very small.
"By the way, what did you say that instrument was called? I heard it was manufactured by the Helium side."
Lirus pointed to the new invention sitting right in the center and asked the member. It was a percussion instrument Isaac had secretly requested from Cecile, drawing on his memories from his past life.
"I heard it's called... a drum. It's a type of percussion."
"I've never seen so many drums grouped together like that."
"Still, it's an excellent instrument for keeping time. I wonder how he came up with such an idea."
If things had gone 'according to history,' it was an instrument that wouldn't have appeared for several hundred more years.