Chapter 54
Chapter 54
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: Intermission, and An Unexpected Guest
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"Then, Maestro, I'll be looking forward to the new theater as well."
Elise said with a flushed face.
"I'm glad you liked the gift."
"Oh, 'liked' doesn't even begin to cover it. Hee hee."
Just a moment ago, she had been hiding her expression as if embarrassed, but now she playfully reached out her hand for a handshake.
If nothing special comes up, the next time I'll see her will be a year from now.
Thinking she might summon me to the Imperial Palace again in the meantime, I had to promise to write and send her new musical scores from time to time.
"Well then."
"Please travel safely."
After bidding farewell to Elise, I returned to the mansion.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
After that, my routine was monotonous.
"Uncle! I've memorized this new song too!"
"Excellent! As a reward, I'll allow you a late-night snack."
Singing practice with Aria.
"Your wrists seem to be under a lot of strain."
"It's a new piece, so I'm nervous. And with you watching me, My Lord, my hands tremble."
"I see. Then I'll just close my eyes."
"No! That's not it... It's just..."
Piano lessons with Diana.
"How about creating a small garden in front of the inn building? I hear there's a landscape architect at the guild."
"A good idea. Let's put in a fountain as well."
Managing the theater construction with Edward.
"Here are the backlog of documents."
"...Why is there so much of this?"
Dealing with fief affairs with Theo.
On top of that, working on musical scores with Erdi.
My to-do list was a mountain.
Waking up at dawn and falling asleep at dawn, the days repeated.
In the fief, once covered in white snow, green buds began to appear.
Before I knew it, half a year had passed.
"Hoo..."
Today as well, after organizing the residents' petitions until the very last one, I returned to my room.
If I pushed myself any harder, I felt like I would collapse, so I asked Theo for his understanding.
"My Lord, you don't look well."
"Uh."
He must have sensed the gravity of the situation after scrutinizing my face, as he let me go without another word.
I collapsed powerlessly onto the bed, burying my matted hair in the pillow.
A whole half-year.
Has it really been that long?
Years changing and seasons passing is nothing new, so it's not particularly special.
But.
The problem is that I had been pushing myself, repeating the same daily life every day as if I were a machine.
No matter how noble the purpose I started with, pushing myself without a single day of rest had left me in a terrible state.
I even ended up snapping at Aria, who was asking all sorts of questions about the latest Juvel products.
"Uncle! What song is it this time? You'll let me hear it first, right?"
"Get lost."
"Eek!"
"What?"
Ever since then, she would turn pale and back away the moment our eyes met.
This won't do.
I had to do something before my mind broke down completely.
"Alright."
I needed to rest.
There was no other way.
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First, I sent letters to Edward and Erdi.
Telling them I would be in seclusion for a while and not to visit.
Theo understood my situation without me having to say a word.
"It would be best to clear your head for a while."
"Ah, thank you."
Finally, Diana and Aria.
I called the two of them and told them.
"There will be no practice for the next ten days."
Aria looked disappointed, but Diana simply nodded without a word.
She must be tired too.
She's been handling mansion duties while also giving piano lessons every night, it's a miracle she's still standing.
In contrast to Aria, who had put on a bit of weight, Diana's cheeks had hollowed out. She wasn't as bad as me, but her days must have been quite grueling.
'Wait.'
Sitting the two of them together like this, the difference was clear.
This little rascal, Aria.
Why is she so plump?
Was it a mistake to allow her so many late-night snacks?
"Aria."
"Yes!"
"You need to get some exercise."
"Huh?"
I could let it slide by saying she's still young and cute, but if I don't correct this now, it will surely become a problem later.
It's best to take care of one's health while you can.
"From now on, run ten laps around the mansion as soon as you wake up. Otherwise, no breakfast."
"That's too cruel!"
"Hey!"
As Aria started to complain, Diana hurriedly stepped in to stop her.
Bending down to meet her eye level, she gave her a stern scolding.
"What did I tell you about speaking to the Young Lord like that in the mansion!"
Diana has it so hard.
I hope she raises that child properly with both love and discipline.
I'm trying my best too, but as they say, it takes a village to raise a child.
I've come to respect Joel, the former orphanage director, all over again.
I wonder why that is?
Anyway.
Aria, who had been bonked on the head by Diana, rubbed her crown.
"Both of you, take the next ten days off freely. If you want to practice on your own, I won't stop you. It's entirely up to you. Aria, don't forget the ten laps around the mansion."
"Yeees..."
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Returning to my room, I lay down on the bed again.
When I was busy, my head felt like it would burst, but now that I'm trying to be still, I feel restless.
I should read a book or something.
I picked up a few eye-catching books from the study.
Of course, literature exists in this other world too.
There are novels and poetry.
Thanks to the development of printing magic, mass production is possible.
I had read some when I was studying letters a while back, but I hadn't touched them for years. It feels nostalgic to open one again.
As for the content... I'm not sure.
Setting aside whether they're interesting or not, most of them are written from a rather religious perspective.
Still, they seem good for killing time.
Thinking about it, there were composers like that too.
Those who created music inspired by literature.
'Oh, right.'
Even if I try to intentionally distance myself from the piano, my train of thought naturally flows that way.
I can't help it.
'Schumann or Liszt.'
Especially the former, Robert Schumann, who was influenced by Hoffmann's collection of stories and created a set of pieces, the Fantasiestücke, is quite famous.
It's known as one of Schumann's representative works.
Franz Liszt also created a symphony based on Dante's Divine Comedy.
Literature and music are inseparable.
Thinking about it this way, I find it a little strange.
'Why haven't any literary works influenced by my music appeared yet?'
It wouldn't be strange if someone had written at least one.
'If there isn't one, I'll just have to do it myself.'
If I end up actually teaching students at the Academy.
It might be a good idea to hold a class where they listen to a performance and write a poem.
Clearing my head and contemplating, a few good ideas come to mind.
I should write them down before I forget.
"Hoo..."
I decided to rest, but here I am getting up and making plans again.
It seems this is just my fate.
I'll jot these down for about 10 minutes, then lie back down.
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"Someone came to visit?"
The ten-day vacation I had granted myself was over.
After finishing my fief duties, I went straight to see Edward.
But then.
An unexpected guest was there.
"It's been a while. Have you been well?"
Victor Korsolin.
No, what's he doing here when he should be at the Academy?
"Actually, I wanted to visit your fief, but I thought it would be rude to show up without prior notice, so I came to the theater. I sent a letter to Mr. Edward in advance."
It seems they had been exchanging letters while I was resting.
"By the way, what brings you here?"
In response to my question, Victor smiled and answered.
"An art academy is about to open in your fief, isn't it?"
"Yes, that's right."
Strictly speaking, it's not my fief but my father's.
Victor continued.
"I've come for an interview."
"...Pardon?"
"For the professor position. There are already more students wanting to enroll than we can handle. To accommodate all of them, you'll need a faculty that matches their level, won't you?"
He's absolutely right.
This isn't just a regular school.
It's an Academy.
Even if it's a branch campus, many applicants will surely send in their applications.
It's impossible for me to teach all those students by myself.
If I tried, it wouldn't end with just a ten-day vacation.
I might have to say goodbye to the world forever.
Cause of death: overwork.
'It's about time, I suppose.'
It's essential to assemble a faculty before the Academy officially opens.
To be honest, I was feeling quite lost about it.
If Victor comes to me first, what could be better?
I, for one, hold his musical passion in high regard.
It's a bit awkward for me to say this myself.
But he was, before Anton Tilberg, the top performer in the capital.
"Lord Korsolin."
"Yes. What do you say? Shall we proceed with the interview right away? You can ask me anything. I've prepared extensively."
"What interview is there to do between us?"
We'll sign the contract immediately.
That's one person secured.
Then the rest is the problem.
'I'd like to just appoint Erdi as a professor, but...'
Her social status is a problem again.
A former newspaper delivery boy teaching the sons and daughters of the Empire's high-ranking nobles.
That's a juicy news story for the tabloids.
It's different from when I put Aria on stage.
This isn't simply about spreading culture.
It's an issue of education.
Shouldn't an educator be a better person than the students they teach?
Erdi certainly meets that criterion, but in this medieval other world where everything is determined by social status, the chances of my argument being accepted are almost zero.
But.
If there's even the slightest possibility, I plan to try.
'I should meet with the Dean and Elise again soon.'
They might just grant my request.
There's still half a year left, so I'll take my time to think about it.
"Well then, Lord Korsolin, no, Professor Korsolin. I look forward to working with you."
"I'm very much looking forward to it."
After Victor joined, construction progressed steadily.
Before I knew it, the theater's opening and the Academy branch campus's opening were just a week away.