The Man They Abandoned, Proving Himself Right Before Their Eyes (1)
Inside pillar L-26. Lukan, the assigned manager for the three girls, was deep in discussion with Ludwig, a veteran professor from the Royal Music Academy, about their upcoming schedule and song guidance.
The pillar's soft lighting bathed the space where sheet music and documents were neatly stacked on the desk. Lukan sat ramrod straight, listening intently to the old man.
That was when it happened. Lilfrea, Maribel, and Clara stormed in, each grumbling under her breath.
"Why'd he shove past like that? Total asshole."
"He looked like something just hit him and bolted without a word. What the hell?"
"He seemed in a rush, but... he totally ignored us..."
It was from their encounter with Seru just moments ago. He'd suddenly gotten that look—like an idea had struck him out of nowhere—then pushed past them without a word and hurried off.
The rudeness of a nobody with nothing to his name. How could it not sting?
"Come on in! The professor's been waiting!" Lukan greeted them with a beaming smile and gestured politely to the old man beside him. "This is Professor Ludwig from the Royal Music Academy!"
The professor closed the small notebook he'd been perusing and offered a gentle smile. His white hair was impeccably combed, and in his neat suit with a silver-tipped cane, he exuded not frailty but the dignified depth of years well-lived. His eyes sparkled with life, and his lips curved with quiet confidence.
"I gave you a brief greeting earlier, but allow me a proper introduction."
As the three girls took their seats, he began to speak from the front. His voice rang out clear and resonant, like a string instrument filling the room.
"A pleasure to meet you, promising young bards. I'm Ludwig. After thirty years at the Royal Music Academy, I'm now spending my later years with the Partita Guild."
Later years? He radiated presence with such assurance it hardly seemed so.
"I've been immersed in the music world for over sixty years now. In that time, I've crossed paths with countless composers, performers, nobles, and kingdom officials—hundreds, thousands of pieces have passed through my hands."
He raised his left hand to his chest, speaking with the poise of an orator addressing an audience.
"My connections from those days are still very much alive. And they even influence this stage, this competition, you might say."
The girls' eyes sharpened in an instant. Ludwig caught it perfectly, his lips twitching upward ever so slightly.
"Some of the competition staff were once my students. Even among the judges, there's a former pupil of mine. And of course, the piece we'll be working on today—"
He drew a brown parchment scroll from his pocket.
"I contributed to its review as well. And this is the lineage of the song you'll be learning today."
He untied the knot and unfurled the parchment wide.
"Excellent. Let's begin our studies with passion."
The three exchanged glances and smiles—anticipation, leisure, the certainty of superiority.
"Their support is stacked."
"Way better than hanging with Han Seru."
"It's like they've handed us primed weapons... maps... and an elite instructor to boot..."
From that moment, the girls immersed themselves in the professor's lessons quietly, brimming with fervent expectation.
The second round of the finals is our stage.
The Partita Guild had assigned them the finest teacher. No other contestant had aid this superior. An overwhelming gap. And now they held what amounted to the answer key in their hands. All that remained was time.
Under the Partita Guild's formidable backing, the three girls—assigned to pillars L-26, L-25, and L-24 respectively—gathered tightly in Lilfrea's L-26 to receive Ludwig's intensive guidance.
Ludwig, the esteemed professor from the Royal Music Academy. His name alone attested to his authority in the music world.
Other contestants watching from afar wore expressions mingled with tension and envy.
"Whoa... insane."
"Getting personal lessons from him?"
"Partita's got the second round in the bag."
"They're already half-victorious."
"Look at that professor. Class in every gesture."
"See the fire in those girls' eyes? Like hunting dogs on the prowl."
The girls' smiles never faded as they practiced the piece. Tuning their tones, clearing their throats—they moved with the leisure of those already assured of victory.
Lilfrea savored the professor's instruction inwardly. In the end, it'll be just us three battling it out. Fine by me... I'll just have to outshine them.
Maribel swept her gaze sideways with cocky eyes. Estel's done for. Han Seru too. The stage is mine.
Clara feigned humility, but her inner thoughts brimmed with confidence. No matter how well Teacher Han teaches... he can't match this professor. Estel? Not worth worrying about anymore. Just Lilfrea and Maribel now.
They'd already written Estel off as eliminated. The other contestants were mere backdrop. Only their rivalry remained.
And—as if to prove that conviction no mere illusion—something astonishing happened a few hours later.
After Ludwig's guidance, the three returned to their pillars. They stepped inside, harps in hand, faces alight with confidence.
"Hoo..."
Lilfrea steadied her breath first and began to sing. Maribel and Clara followed, filling their pillars with their unique tones.
At first, nothing changed.
But soon.
Shh... shhh...
A ticklish rustle. Something pushed slowly up through the soil.
Responding to the girls' songs, pale green sprouts finally peeked out cautiously, one in each pillar!
L-24 sprout, height 3 cm.
L-25 sprout, height 3 cm.
L-26 sprout, height 3 cm.
The magical voice echoed across the entire venue. As the three girls produced the first sprouts, every contestant gaped in shock and dismay.
"Wh-what? It's started?"
"Partita girls' pillars—all sprouting at once?"
"Impossible... we haven't even prepped, and they've already succeeded?"
Staff and contestants swarmed the pillars. Amid the stares, Lilfrea tilted her chin up like the star of the show, a satisfied smile on her lips.
This is what talent looks like.
Maribel, just finishing her song, caught her breath in her pillar and squared her shoulders in satisfaction. Saw my full skill? Burn it into your eyes. I'm the protagonist this time.
Clara peered carefully at her sprout. A tender green life sprouted fresh. Our skill isn't thanks to Teacher Han... we earned this with our own hands...
The venue erupted in commotion. Seru and Estel's side remained silent, all eyes fixed on the three girls' pillars.
No one doubted it. Partita held the edge.
The mood was solidifying that way.
"Partita's gonna win this."
"Those three are killing it..."
As the girls basked in the waves of awe, envy, and expectation—shivering with ecstasy, noses held high—that moment arrived.
L-37 stem, height 1 meter.
"W-wait... what'd it say?"
"O-one meter?! Who...?"
"L-37!"
The venue exploded in an uproar. Throngs rushed toward L-37 pillar in a frenzy even greater than for the sprouts.
"One meter...? What...?"
Lilfrea's satisfied smile vanished as if by magic. Maribel's too.
"What crazy bitch...!"
She scowled and bolted for L-37. Clara hurried out after her.
"L-37—Teacher Han's side...? No way...!"
She rubbed her ears repeatedly, doubting what she'd heard, and ran over. One meter? Lie!
Fake!
Someone's pranking!
Convinced it couldn't be, they arrived at L-37—and their faces froze in unison.
"N-no way..."
Inside the blue pillar. A single stem stood straight, towering a full meter high.
And before it, a girl sang. Estel.
Seru stood beside her.
"That girl again!"
The crowding contestants gasped at the pair. Outpacing everyone again!
Some couldn't close their slack jaws; others collapsed where they stood. Lilfrea, Maribel, and Clara froze like they'd been struck.
"Wh-what is this...?"
Anyone could see the stem screamed overwhelming dominance. Maribel grimaced fiercely.
"This can't be real!"
Lilfrea ground her teeth. "What cheat did they pull?!"
Clara stared in disbelief. "That teacher clearly... unqualified... Our professor's superior—how...?"
Then the magical voice resounded again.
L-37 stem, height 2 meters.
The stem shot up again in a flash. Like a vigorous lifeform surging unchecked inside the pillar.
L-37 stem, height 3 meters.
Under everyone's gaze, it kept rising. Estel poured her deepest emotions into the unending song. Seru wielded the baton beside her, smoothly guiding the flow and anchoring her melody.
At the same time. In the top-floor building overlooking the venue, all watching the scene held their breath.
Raena especially. She rose quietly and approached the floor-to-ceiling window. Her eyes locked precisely on Seru in the pillar below.
"...He's just a manager?"
She blinked in surprise.
"Not just managing—he's got real coaching chops...?"
The stem kept growing. In the ceaseless song.
At a speed no one could halt.
L-37 stem, height 10 meters.