Chapter 28
Chapter 28
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: Imperial Palace - 4
Deep underground in the Imperial Palace. The place Anna led us to was filled with an air utterly different from the surface world.
[Imperial Magic Research Institute] As soon as we pushed open the massive iron door and stepped inside, a heavy pressure of mana bore down on our skin.
Thousands of magic scrolls floated through the air, updating their own contents on their own.
Quills suspended in midair raced across sheets of parchment without pause, as if gripped by invisible hands.
The walls were lined with enormous tanks in which bizarre, otherworldly creatures floated submerged in blue liquid.
"Wow..."
Haruna couldn't close her mouth. A world unlike any she'd ever seen was unfolding right before her eyes.
"This is an incredible place... I'm not sure if someone like me is even allowed here."
Haruna mumbled timidly to Anna, who explained in a calm tone.
"It's the single biggest budget sink in the Empire. No exaggeration to say it's where all the knowledge in the world converges. And surprisingly, getting in isn't all that hard."
Anna added as she walked down a corridor buzzing with busy mages hurrying to and fro.
"The Empire always opens its doors to those who seek knowledge, regardless of their station. Of course, the sections you can access depend on how deeply you've studied."
Just then, a group of passing mages spotted Anna. They halted in their tracks and bowed deeply in respect.
Their eyes held a mix of reverence and awe. Seeing that, Haruna grew curious.
From everything she'd witnessed so far, Anna clearly wielded far more authority than expected—nothing ordinary about her.
"Um... I hope it's okay to ask this..."
Haruna ventured cautiously.
"What exactly are you, Anna? The mages treat you with such deference..."
Anna paused for a split second. A flicker of hesitation crossed her eyes.
"...Don't ask."
She shut it down curtly.
"Nothing good comes from knowing. Sometimes ignorance really is bliss."
"Y-Yes..."
Haruna clamped her mouth shut. The Imperial Palace was full of secrets.
No need to pry and stir up trouble.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Anna and Haruna ventured deeper into the facility, arriving at a door marked [Special Research Lab 1].
Inside, blackboards were covered floor to ceiling in intricate magic circles and detailed anatomical diagrams.
An elderly man who looked like a high-ranking official gave Anna a brief nod of respect, which she returned with a polite bow.
He glanced curiously at Haruna for a moment, but a subtle look from Anna made him drop the matter.
Haruna felt a twinge of awkwardness.
"What were the results?"
Anna asked, and the old man replied.
"...Invaluable data, truly. No cases reported in academic literature of anyone surviving to that age under the Mana Deficiency Curse."
With a snap of his fingers, holographic information began projecting from the walls in three dimensions.
"To cut to the chase: theoretically, we've perfected the cure. It's solvable—in theory."
"...!"
Anna and Haruna's eyes flew wide. But the old man's expression remained grim.
"The problem... is the materials."
"Materials?"
With a wave of his hand, a new list materialized on the wall: the required components.
A witch's elixir from the Forgotten Forest. Abyss magic stones that grew only in the deepest demon realms. Fragments of a millennium-aged dragon's heart. And more.
The Mana Deficiency Curse—known as a curse from the gods. Small wonder; every single ingredient was utterly insane.
Haruna's face drained of color as she read down the list.
"I've... never even heard of these. How could I possibly...?"
"We're not asking you to procure them, of course."
Anna gave her a faintly exasperated look, and only then did Haruna realize how obvious that was.
As if they'd ever task her with something like that...
Haruna's cheeks flushed red. Anna pressed on without a care.
"I brought you here to show that the Empire has been tirelessly searching for a way to cure the Mana Deficiency Curse all this time."
Anna bit her lip slightly as she gazed at the words etched into the wall.
"From the start, the Imperial Family has been researching solutions nonstop. Iman's case provided the crucial breakthrough—we wanted you to know that."
After a moment's thought, Anna placed a hand on Haruna's shoulder.
"...Whether Iman can hold out until we gather them all, or if we can assemble the materials first... no guarantees there. But the point is, there is hope."
"..."
"And Haruna."
Anna's gaze turned deadly serious.
"Once these materials are gathered, the task of processing and forging them into the vessel for the antidote... that falls to you."
"Me? You mean me?"
"Your precision was proven when you completed that piano. Those delicate hands of yours will one day be the key to saving Iman."
Haruna stared blankly at Anna. Then at the curse data on the wall. Then she clenched and unclenched her own hands.
She finally understood why she'd been summoned to the palace.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Meanwhile, up on the surface in the orchestra's practice hall.
A subtle tension hung in the air between me, Versha, and the orchestra members.
Not quite a staring contest... more like an undercurrent of one-upmanship?
Yeah. Competitive spirit fit the bill.
"Alright. Tuning's done—let's begin."
Versha jabbed at the sheet music, rattling off instructions at machine-gun pace.
"Ensemble follows the score: mainly Allegro ma non troppo. Vivace sections stay strict—no rubato, pure metered time."
The members nodded in perfect sync, like they'd been breathing as one for years.
"Strings go pizzicato on their entry—your piano hits arpeggio there. Dynamics start pianissimo (pp) and crescendo (cresc.) build from there..."
She spent a while briefing the members, then shot me a thoughtful look.
She probably figured I'd be lost on the jargon.
Or that there wasn't time to teach me step by step.
"I'll explain in detail. The technical terms must be unfamiliar for you, Iman..."
I raised a hand to cut her off.
"No need."
"...Pardon?"
"I got every word. No explanations required."
Versha and the members' eyes went wide.
"Start at a brisk but controlled tempo, then in the vivace climax, no dragging the beat with emotion—keep it razor-sharp and precise. Right?"
Versha flinched.
"And when strings pluck instead of bowing, piano lays down smooth arpeggiated chords... starting whisper-soft pp, building to a massive, explosive swell."
It felt like that rush when someone drinks soup without spilling a drop. Whoa! Nice!
"That my take, Conductor Versha?"
Silence. Then gasps and murmurs of admiration erupted.
"Ooh..."
"Spot on."
"Where'd you train...? Self-taught?"
I could practically feel the headpats. Was this what cat vibes felt like?
Ugh... pet me...
A creepy grin nearly cracked my face, but I reined it in.
Versha let out a relieved sigh, her eyes lighting up with delight.
"Perfect. Let's dive in, then. Keep up—or you're gone."
She even flashed a playful smirk, but coming from a 190cm tall, slender delinquent-goddess type, it was kinda scary.
The members shivered too—she seemed oblivious.
"Yes. Straight to it."
I replied. Versha chuckled once, then barked at the group.
"Everyone—ready!"
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ One week later.
The days blurred into nothing. Like they'd been erased.
We started off a bit clunky, but as time passed, our synergy sharpened.
We spurred each other on, turning into the best kind of rivals-friends.
And tomorrow was the Imperial concert. Final rehearsal wrapped; I lingered alone in the empty practice room.
Instruments all packed away. Just my piano sat solitary center stage.
I closed the lid and thought.
...Tomorrow already.
Excitement to take the stage overshadowed any nerves. It welled up inside me, eager.