Chapter 78
Chapter 78
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 78
Chapter Title: Academy Festival (13)
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Thinking back on it, there had been many instances.
There had never been a time when my ominous premonitions were proven wrong.
The behavioral patterns of the people here were truly peculiar; not once had they followed my expectations to the letter.
It was always a series of surprises.
However.
There are cases like this.
A supposition that seemed as if it would miss the mark, just like always, ends up hitting the bullseye right before my eyes.
Elise’s performance continued on, lingering on the final page of the score before ending quietly.
The recurring main theme gradually slowed down.
The left hand’s broken chords flowed quietly, scattering away.
The sound disappeared, leaving behind a deep aftertaste.
At the same time.
The narrator who had been telling the story until now, Elise herself, felt as if she were slowly fading away.
It was a finish so perfect, it couldn’t be any more so.
At least, that’s how it sounded to me.
‘It’s about time for the standing ovation to erupt.’
The audience was strangely quiet.
Was it because they were so focused on Elise’s performance that they missed the timing to stand up?
Or were they so captivated they didn’t even realize the piece had ended?
And amidst that situation.
The melody that I thought had ended began to move again.
‘What is this?’
This piece has no da capo or repeat signs.
Once you reach the end of the 5th part Rondo, it’s simply over.
Considering the original intent of the piece, finishing with an aftertaste like that is ideal.
That is the standard.
But now, it’s a completely different development.
She returns to the beginning, repeating the melody she had already played through.
‘Did I get too lost in it?’
Just like the audience, Elise herself didn’t seem to realize it had ended.
How much does one have to be immersed to end up like that?
Or, perhaps it’s just a performance.
If she extended the piece a bit longer of her own interpretation, I can understand that.
Assuming she played at the precise tempo, *Für Elise* does feel a little short.
At most, it’s in the late 2 minutes to early 3 minutes range.
Maybe she thought it was a shame to end it right there.
Elise pressed the keys with a rhythm that had become much more solid, and the audience watched her movements as if enchanted.
If she continues like this and properly wraps it up, it should be fine.
In fact, it might even deliver a greater impact.
As I thought that and tried to lend my ear to the piano sounds.
“Waaaah!... Ah...”
A cheer erupted from somewhere.
A thin voice.
It burst out as if to pierce the air, but suddenly, like the air leaking out of a balloon, it fizzled out weakly.
At the same time, Elise’s movements stopped.
Thud.
The breathing of the audience stopped as well.
The theater became terrifyingly quiet.
All eyes turned to one spot.
The innermost part of the 3rd floor.
Right next to the entrance of the box seat.
Only a silhouette was visible, but it wasn’t hard to deduce who it was.
‘Therese?’
Elise’s younger sister, and the Empire’s Imperial Princess, was standing there in an awkward posture.
‘No way.’
Anyone could see that the one who let out that cheer was Therese.
Why on earth?
She wouldn’t have wanted to ruin the stage of her sister and Crown Princess, Elise.
The basis for that possibility is...
‘Knowing things too well can become a poison like this.’
To put it simply, it’s like this.
Für Elise has never been made public.
The people who have heard this music are Elise, me.
And perhaps Therese.
This is the important part.
Therese has been closest to Elise and has encountered her performances countless times.
So she would know the timing of when the piece ends more accurately than anyone.
She simply jumped out thinking the stage was wrapping up and cheered, but coincidentally, it wasn’t the end.
And of all days, Elise decided to repeat her piece for the first time in her life.
Therese, unaware of this, cheered and ended up in a situation where she was branded an incorrigible princess who interrupted the performance.
It was a prank of fate.
An awkward silence descended upon the theater.
Therese, who finally seemed to understand the situation, was standing there blankly with a tearful face.
The nobles, unable to say anything to her, were silently swallowing their dry saliva.
And in the center of this nightmare-like time, Elise was panting with an uncomfortable expression.
Her immersion was suddenly broken, so she must be stressed out.
It’s only natural.
I don’t want to put it this way, but she was the one who received an unwanted interference during her performance.
How should we resolve this?
If there was someone at fault, I would hold them responsible, but the problem is that no one did anything wrong intentionally.
Therese’s actions had their own reasons.
She probably wanted to congratulate her sister’s stage faster than anyone else.
I can’t blame that pure heart.
Nor do I have the standing to do so.
‘How the hell do I fix this?’
Even if I step in.
Your Highness the Imperial Princess butted in without any awareness, so could you please leave?
Or, was it actually a stage prop?
A surprise?
‘Damn it.’
No matter what I do, it seems impossible to take it back.
If I take Elise’s side, Therese becomes uncomfortable. If I take Therese’s side, it makes Elise look like a fool.
This is the worst.
Maybe I should just take all the blame myself.
It might be a viable method.
‘I gave Elise the wrong score, causing confusion.’
If I just say that, the situation would be easily resolved.
But is that really the right choice?
I could put out the immediate fire with my own sacrifice.
The problem is what comes after.
I would have to be prepared to be pointed at as a criminal who deceived both the Imperial Family and the audience.
I honestly don’t have the confidence to handle that.
I need to find another way.
Right at that moment.
“It was my mistake.”
Elise stood up from her seat and bowed deeply.
“In my greed to give a greater impression, I played the piece, which should have ended long ago, for a bit longer.”
She chose to break through head-on.
“Princess Therese is a person who loves my performance more than anyone. Our sisters spent precious times together through this piece, and she would know well the moment the piece ends.”
In just a few sentences, she conveyed her own intention.
And naturally covered up Therese’s mistake.
I momentarily held my breath and looked around at the audience.
Everyone was nodding as if they were convinced.
“Due to my small whim today, the piece proceeded differently than usual, which Princess Therese did not know. Rather, she applauded me with a pure heart.”
At Elise’s sincere voice, warm smiles began to spread across the faces of the audience.
Was it because they could feel the deep love and bond between the Imperial sisters?
Her calm response melted the tension that had been lingering in the theater.
And brought peace once again.
Soon.
Whispering could be heard from various parts of the audience.
Everyone seemed to understand the situation and were sharing their own impressions.
“As expected of Your Highness the Crown Princess! How can she possess such noble grace!”
“Isn’t the pure heart of Her Highness the Imperial Princess also moving?”
I felt a little ashamed of myself for trying to break through this situation by sacrificing myself.
Sincerity always gets through.
I often forget that fact.
Elise, who had been quietly looking around the now lively audience.
“Then, let me finish the performance I couldn't wrap up...”
She sat down on the chair again and gave a gentle smile toward Therese.
She, who had been calming her breath, placed her hands on the keyboard.
A clear, deep resonance spread out in an instant.
This time, no one, not even Therese, broke the flow.
The final note spread gently, and Elise’s hands slowly lifted off the keys.
Immediately after.
As if to declare that the performance was truly over, she stood up from her seat.
Therese, as if she had been waiting for the cue, burst into enthusiastic applause.
The sound soon spread throughout the theater, eventually turning into ecstasy.
Crescendo.
Getting louder by the moment.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Backstage, in the waiting room, Elise leaned against the sofa and took a deep breath.
She seemed quite exhausted from the continuous unexpected situations.
She had hidden it in front of the audience, but anyone would lose energy after going through something like this.
“That was a good response.”
“Then, please grant me one favor.”
I only praised her response, so why did I suddenly end up in a position to grant a favor?
I don’t know what correlation there is between the two, but for now, I answered that I understood.
“Please bring me a glass of water.”
“If it’s just that, anytime.”
That’s easy.
“I don’t have the strength to get up at all.”
I quickly brought a cup of water to serve her, but her complexion was clearly pale.
Her fingertips were trembling slightly.
It’s only natural for the heart rate to speed up and blood pressure to rise when tension reaches an extreme level.
At times like this, not just the mind but physical energy is also rapidly consumed.
Especially when playing an emotionally intense piece like Elise did today, the toll is much greater.
And besides, hadn’t she drunk a potion?
Her adrenaline secreted, pushing her concentration and vitality to their peak, and just as the performance ended, those levels seemed to plummet.
In short.
‘She’s drained.’
There is no other remedy for this.
Only sufficient rest and psychological stability is the answer.
“Meditating will help.”
“Mmm.”
At my words, Elise immediately closed her eyes.
It seemed best not to disturb her for a while, so I asked Edward to look after her.
“Just watch over her.”
There were guard knights all around, so there shouldn’t be any major problems.
Sending her up to the Imperial Family’s box seat should be fine even after she finishes resting.
For now.
“Victor, let’s go.”
“Are you really going?”
I decided to take care of the task I was given first.