Chapter 11
Chapter 11
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: Sponsorship (2)
"Just... there's a song I've been wanting to play for you. Would it be all right if I played it?"
The answer was, of course, yes.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Aiman's fingers glided over the keys like fish swimming effortlessly through water.
Pure, crystalline notes filled the room, rippling outward like waves from a single drop falling onto a lake's surface.
There were no flashy techniques or grand chords. Only a simple, repeating melody flowed on endlessly, seeping deep into the hearts of those listening.
The left hand created gentle, unbroken waves, while the right hand floated above them, layering on a melancholic tune.
The repeating passages felt like waves of long-forgotten memories crashing back in. The river flowed on without stopping...
'Ah...'
In that moment, Elise recalled memories she had buried away. Times of happiness before she was bound by the title of princess.
Days playing with Anna, days free of any worries... The piece Aiman was playing now seemed to summon those memories back to life.
The keystrokes were so delicate they conveyed the very touch of the performer pressing the keys.
The steady rhythm was like hands gently unraveling the knots of tangled thoughts, one by one.
The high notes sparkled brilliantly, like sunlight dancing on a river in the warm afternoon glow.
The sounds reached her ears, flowed through her veins, drowned out the world's noise, and enveloped her in nothing but this current... the beautiful flow of memories reflected on the water's surface.
There were no virtuoso flourishes like before. The piano simply filled the empty room like the patter of rain, lingering in everyone's ears.
'Oppa...'
Serika remembered her orphanage days. Anna recalled her own past. Elise clasped her hands tightly in her lap.
Her gaze was fixed on Aiman's back.
'Is this... the serenity of one putting their life in order?'
The melody was infused with a resignation that only someone calmly accepting their impending death could possess. A final farewell to loved ones left behind.
Its beauty made it all the more heartbreaking. A profound peace that felt like tears might spill at any moment.
Like standing alone on a riverbank at sunset, gazing at the flowing water and reflecting on one's life...
'What kind of river flows within you?'
An artist who burned their own life to leave such a beautiful legacy for those who remained...
Ding—
The final note's resonance trailed off into silence. Aiman slowly lifted his hands from the keys and rested them in his lap.
A heavy stillness settled over the room, not even the sound of breathing breaking it. Aiman cautiously turned his head.
'No way, is this song really that sad?'
Sure, it was emotional, but not to the point of red eyes.
People in this world must have emotions that overflowed in abundance.
That was when Elise suddenly asked, her eyes brimming with tears.
"That song..."
Her voice trembled.
"When you made 'Für Elise'."
"...Yes."
"What... what were you thinking of? Those feelings, so full of longing... who were they for?"
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ I was utterly flustered.
'Suddenly? Out of nowhere?'
Didn't I mention this before? Or not? Honestly, I planned to just say the song was named that and leave it.
But the mood was too solemn. It felt like I couldn't brush it off casually this time.
'Read the room, Aiman.'
Since things had come to this, might as well rack up some points.
She'd reacted strongly when I mentioned 'Für Elise', so maybe she served Princess Elise.
Think of the princess like a saint. Just her existence was a blessing?
Of course, I had no idea what she looked like.
She'd never shown her face in public.
'Saying it's a tribute to the princess should be fine.'
I put on a serious expression and said,
"I made it thinking of Her Highness the Princess... Elise de Roa."
"...!"
Ria and Anna's shoulders stiffened simultaneously. Ria's eyes wavered.
"The... princess?"
"Yes. That's right."
"Why? You're a commoner. You've never even seen Her Highness... how could you hold such feelings?"
A reason? Naturally, there wasn't one. But I had to craft a good answer here. Something like truth veiled in a lie.
'Let's go with this for the reason.'
I gazed off as if reminiscing profoundly? Yeah, I don't even know what face I was making. Anyway, I spoke.
"She is... like a benefactor to commoners like us."
"A benefactor?"
Ria echoed.
"What help did she give you...?"
I looked up at the ceiling and took a deep breath. Then carefully opened my mouth.
This wasn't a lie. It was a real event!
"It was during the great famine that struck the empire. Do you remember?"
Anna nodded faintly.
"The orphanage where Serika and I lived was in the worst state imaginable. Children fought tooth and nail over a single moldy crumb of bread."
I glanced at Serika beside me. Her expression darkened, clearly remembering too.
"Serika and I had starved for days, on the brink of death. Even filling our stomachs with water had its limits. I thought, 'So this is how we die.' That's when it happened."
Talking about it brought those days back vividly. We were so hungry I seriously considered eating dirt.
"Word came of a grand banquet at the palace. It was to celebrate Princess Elise de Roa's birthday."
"And...?"
Ria's voice quivered faintly.
"To celebrate her birth, the imperial family distributed special meals to orphanages and slums across the nation."
I closed my eyes, recalling the taste. Man... even now, my mouth waters.
"Warm corn soup, freshly baked soft bread, and a piece of smoked meat. That one meal... saved our dying orphanage."
It was the truth. The warmth of that soup was unforgettable. I'd carry that taste to my grave.
Thinking about it made me crave it again. Serika beside me quietly chimed in.
"It's true. The flavor of that soup is something I'll never forget for the rest of my life. Thanks to it, I regained my strength and awakened to magic."
Serika fiddled shyly with her hair.
"If I got the chance, I'd like to at least pass on my thanks..."
Serika mumbled, and I nodded along, wrapping it up.
"We've never seen her face, but we remember. We live today because she was born."
Who knew I had a knack for this? I was pretty good at dressing things up.
What? The more I said it, the more it felt kinda real???
"That's why I made it. Pouring in my gratitude. 'Für Elise'. It's just a faint melody that may never reach her, but I wanted to repay that grace."
Ria's eyes lost focus and shook as she heard my words. Her lips trembled, then her face drained of color.
'???'
Isn't the reaction a bit much? Definitely some bipolar tendencies...
Tangling with someone like that wouldn't end well.
I get she's moved, but this was borderline sobbing. Reacting like she was the princess herself.
'They say nobles have extreme mood swings...'
I just wanted them gone. So uncomfortable!
Fortunately, Ria and Anna showed no sign of lingering.
They seemed to communicate with just glances, then said something about handling the reward themselves...
Politely excused themselves after that.
They mentioned I'd soon learn who they were, but... just how high up were they to have that confidence?
Anyway, one thing I wanted: never meet nobles like that again. Scary as hell!
The gold coins creeped me out to hold, so I handed them to Serika.
(I asked them trembling if it was okay to give it to Serika, and they said fine.)
I wasn't passing a hot potato to Serika. She was the one receiving their sponsorship now—someone as amazing as her should carry something that grand.
Right?
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Not long after, I received an envelope. Its edges were intricately embroidered with gold thread.
Hm. This felt like bad news.
'...'
I didn't want to open it. Really. At the center of the envelope, red wax had hardened.
Deep, rich color without a speck of impurity, stamped with a crisp seal. Incredibly crisp.
The crest of a double-headed eagle with wings spread wide—every glare in its eyes, every feather, precise to the point of arrogance.
'Hmmmm...'
I opened the envelope with intense nervousness. A faint fragrance wafted out.
The paper was dazzlingly white and smooth, the ink a deep abyssal blue that subtly shimmered green in the light.
In simple terms, it was an envelope from the imperial family of the empire.
"Holy shit. What the hell is this?"
I read the contents in horror.