Chapter 52
Chapter 52
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: For Elise 2
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“It would be best to stay away from the piano for a while.”
Therese's expression brightened like the midday sun at the voice flowing through the crack in the open parlor door.
How much painful time had she endured until now!
She was on the verge of developing neurosis from her older sister, who would run straight to the piano in the banquet hall the moment her duties ended and start hammering away at the keys.
The practice would continue until dawn.
The past years had been filled with insomnia, as the sound of a piano from somewhere would reach her just when she was about to fall asleep.
What made it worse was that Therese's room was located close to the banquet hall, so the fatigue was indescribable.
Therese's unusually sharp hearing also played a big part.
She could even guess the dinner menu just by hearing the servants' conversations from the end of the hallway.
For those reasons, even the soundproofing magic, which wouldn't normally break through, couldn't paralyze her hearing.
That was the problem.
No one empathized with her, so there was nowhere to complain.
Whether she asked her maid or her older brother, Ruhan, the answer was always...
“I don't hear anything.”
“What do you hear?”
“Aaaah!”
Only I can hear it?
Only I can hear it!
It was a day of suffering and trial.
But!
“The piano is absolutely off-limits. Absolutely.”
She felt that now, all the time she had endured alone was finally being rewarded.
If Anton Tilberg personally stopped her sister, Therese couldn't do anything about it!
Even if it was just for a moment, the thought of separating her sister from the piano, even briefly, made her laugh unintentionally.
'Am I being a little evil right now?'
She couldn't help it.
It was natural for one's mind to go crazy if they listened to even a good song on repeat all day long.
And that fact was proven by her being the test subject for the past few months.
Just then.
“If you would just rest from performing for one week, I will give you one fine gift.”
A dark, sorrowful echo pierced Therese's ears.
'What on earth is it?'
Was it something like creating a new musical score for her, or claiming he would personally become her sister's piano teacher?
He wouldn't say something so ridiculous, right?
Please.
Therese prayed inwardly as she clasped her small, cute hands together.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
“I will give Your Highness a new musical score. It is an item that has never been revealed anywhere before. And it probably never will be in the future, either.”
“Wow!”
She was startled.
Elise, who stood up abruptly and shouted as soon as she heard my proposal.
She was that happy about it?
Forgetting all decorum befitting a Crown Princess, she kept banging on the table, her eyes sparkling.
'Looking at just this side of her, she reminds me of Aria.'
Especially in the way her emotions went up and down with a single word from me.
When I stopped her from playing the piano, she sulked like a child whose favorite doll had been taken away, but the moment I said I would give her an unreleased score, her mood did a complete 180.
'It can't be something like bipolar disorder, right?'
Bipolar disorder is particularly common among performers.
When you strain your emotions and immerse yourself deeply, there are times when your mind becomes unstable without you realizing it.
“What kind of score is it? A textbook? Or music you composed newly?”
It wasn't impossible, but for now, it didn't seem to be that serious of a level.
For my diagnosis to hold weight, the premise that she is stressed by the performance itself must be present.
But Elise...
She looked far from stressed no matter how you looked at it.
She was just sulky because I gave it and then took it away, and her mood lifted again because I said I would give it to her.
Anyway.
If I wasted any more time, it seemed like that hand banging on the table would come flying at me, so I quickly opened my mouth.
“It is newly made music. I composed it as my hand moved. I had no intention of revealing it, but if Your Highness is willing, I would like to give it to you as a gift.”
“I like it! I like it so, so much! Finally, you're making sense!”
“I'm glad you like it...”
“So I just have to endure for one week, right?”
“I think you will recover in about a week...”
“What should I do? I don't think I can wait that long. I was at my limit because there was nothing more to learn anyway!”
“Ah, is that so.”
“I'm so excited! An unreleased score made by the Performer himself! You're giving this only to me, right? No one else can see it, right?”
If I just kept listening, I had no idea when the conversation would end.
“I feel like I'm flying with joy that you're this happy. Then I will see you again in a week.”
Even if the person sitting across from me was a Crown Princess, I had no time to leisurely enjoy tea and snacks with someone.
It was a rare free time I had gained after so long.
It looked like I would be thrown into work the moment I returned to the mansion without even getting to rest.
I had no intention of blaming Elise.
She was just an enthusiastic fan who loved my music, and it was my duty to repay that support.
My only hope was...
'Please let me go now.'
She kept spitting out words without a break, but if you listened, they were all pretty much the same content.
Her feelings had already been conveyed enough.
Just then.
Boom!
The parlor door swung open as if it would break, and someone walked in.
“You mustn't!”
My and Elise's gazes turned to that side simultaneously.
A girl, a head smaller than most adult women, stood there, panting.
The hem of her golden dress was dragging on the floor.
'Therese?'
I hadn't seen her often, but I knew just by the feeling.
Elise's one and only younger sister, and the Empire's Princess.
“Performer, I have one question for you.”
“...Yes.”
She walked up to me with a frown on her face.
“What is my older sister's hand condition? From what I heard, it sounded quite serious.”
I wanted to ask how she knew that, but I held back.
She must have been eavesdropping by the door.
“For now, it looks fine, but there is considerable fatigue accumulated in her wrists. However, you need not worry. If she rests for a few days, she will return to her former self in no time.”
It seemed she was curious about her older sister Elise's condition.
It was nice to see sisters caring for each other.
“No. Will it be okay with just a few days of rest?”
“Pardon?”
“Wouldn't it be better to rest for about a year?”
“...That would certainly help with recovery. However, if she stops performing for a year, the skills she has built up through practice would diminish a great deal...”
“My older sister is the one who will be responsible for the peace and prosperity of the Empire in the future. She is the Crown Princess. Surely, piano performance is not more important than the future of the Empire, is it? Shouldn't the safety of the Empire be given priority above all else?”
Therese suddenly began to shoot at me with a highly authoritative tone.
What she said was correct.
Elise was someone who would one day ascend to the throne of Empress.
The duty she would bear on those shoulders would surely be heavy as well.
It was not an exaggeration to say that a tremendous responsibility lay before her, one that could not be compared to a mere piano performance.
Yes.
It was all correct.
But why was she saying that to me?
The appropriate person was right there in front of her.
Was she not willing to say it directly to Elise herself?
Moreover, I didn't know what answer she was trying to get.
'Wasn't she worried about her older sister?'
Or was she displeased with her older sister being too absorbed in the piano and neglecting her duties?
Whatever the case, one thing was certain.
'The Princess doesn't seem to like the piano as much as her older sister does.'
I believe she had come to my recital a few times as well.
I respect that tastes can differ from person to person.
Therese's passionate speech continued.
“Duty is more important than the piano. Surely, you, the Performer, know this as well.”
No, I do know, but why are you telling me this?
Then, she suddenly poked her head out and whispered in my ear.
“Please, talk her out of it. If she is pushed any further from here, I don't know what might happen. Please.”
“What are you...”
Is it because they are sisters? Both of their personalities are not easy.
No, wait.
Could this be...
Elise, who bangs on the keys for 12 hours a day, and a younger sister who dislikes that.
I can picture it now.
Was all the loud talk she did earlier just an act to persuade me?
To stop me from encouraging Elise with the piano?
I decided to test it out.
“...You must have had a hard time all this time.”
I whispered quietly, so only she could hear.
“Huk... Sob...”
Therese pretended to cry, her body trembling.
Confirmed.
A piano is an instrument.
What is an instrument?
An object that produces sound through performance.
If played moderately, it can captivate the listener's heart with its unique timbre and melody, but if excessive, that is not the case.
It has the opposite effect.
Just imagine listening to the same song for 12 hours straight.
It might be endlessly enjoyable for the performer, but for the listener, it is a torment.
There is no noise like that.
“Because my room is close to the banquet hall, the sound of the piano keeps going, day and night... Sob... The soundproofing magic doesn't work either... Ugh...”
“I understand.”
Is that all?
Elise and Therese are sisters, so they must have run into each other often.
How must it feel to see her older sister waving her arms in front of the piano every time she sees her?
“So, Performer, please, talk her out of it. If this keeps up, I'm going to die.”
“Why can't Your Highness say it yourself?”
“I have a feeling that one word from you, the Performer, would be more effective than ten words from me.”
“...I understand.”
This is awkward.
If you only look at the hierarchy, Elise, the Crown Princess, is obviously higher, but when a life is on the line, what does that matter?
But I can't take back the promise now.
If I did, my life would be threatened, not Therese's.
'I guess I have no choice.'
I hadn't thought of a contingency plan, but I quickly racked my brains and came up with a brilliant idea.