Her Piano Performance
A refined space steeped in quiet calm. Soft moonlight seeping through the window cracks made the surroundings even more still.
"Wow… I didn't know there was a place like this further inside."
After being guided through the vast mansion for quite some time, we arrived at Viviana's private quarters nestled deep within.
An elegant carpet laid over pure white marble softened the floor, and though there were no lavish decorations, finely crafted furniture stood arranged with quiet precision.
In a mystical, dreamlike space that seemed as if it had stepped out of a painting, Viviana parted her lips and spoke with some difficulty.
"Don't get your hopes up. I'm not particularly good."
"My Lady, I simply want to watch you play."
When I said this with a bright smile, Viviana rose from the sofa and settled demurely onto the piano bench. The atmosphere around her as she sat before the piano was distinctly different from before. Unlike her usual bearing that radiated a strong, fierce energy, she now seemed rather peaceful.
She had always worn a mischievous, leisurely smile, but the one that now graced her face at the piano was a faint expression that had spread naturally. At this completely contrasting side of her, I stood at a distance, blinking blankly.
…She's really serious about the piano.
I couldn't even count how many times I'd gotten the corruption ending because I hadn't kept up with that damn piano. Thankfully, the current Viviana practiced consistently, so she wouldn't fall to corruption.
Viviana drew a short breath and slowly placed her hands on the keys. When her fingers pressed down, a short, clear note rang out.
After that first note, her fingers began to move. Slow yet swift, soft yet brilliant — her fingers were as beautiful as if they were dancing across the keys.
Judging purely by technical skill, it wasn't something that would draw lavish praise, but Viviana's noble bearing and the instrument's resonant sound harmonized to create a beautiful scene.
And the melody that followed was, of course, beautiful. Even I was so captivated by the enchanting music that I briefly lost myself in it.
It's completely different from the game.
In the game, Viviana playing the piano had been merely a means of lowering the corruption gauge — nothing more.
But listening to her performance right in front of me, I couldn't help but feel it. For Viviana, whose daily life consisted of cutting down enemies and being swept into the center of politics, the piano was her only happiness and sanctuary.
I want to hear it closer.
I rose from the sofa and walked as if entranced, following the sound of her music. Ordinarily she would have noticed immediately, but absorbed in the piano, she seemed unaware of my approach.
I pulled a backless chair near the piano over beside her. Resting my arm on the music stand and pillowing my head on my arm, I looked up at Viviana as she played. She flinched briefly at my gaze, but without stopping her fingers, she continued the performance.
And so, as I was savoring each soft note of the melody, Viviana's fingers struck the final note and slowly lifted from the keys.
"…How was it?"
Viviana asked me. Her face looked no different from usual, but I could catch the faint expectation in her eyes. Just as I always did, I mixed in a touch of sincerity and smiled with my eyes.
"I think I've fallen for you, Lady Viviana."
"…You don't need to say flattering things, Young Lady. I don't know about other nobles, but I don't particularly care for them."
"Why do you think it's flattery?"
I met Viviana's eyes without the slightest wavering. Faced with my intense gaze, it was Viviana who looked away first.
"Pfft… My Lady, you're confident in every other aspect of yourself, but when it comes to the piano, you get so shy."
"…It's not particularly that—"
"It was truly beautiful. The best performance I've ever heard. And that's not a lie — it's the truth."
Viviana raised one eyebrow slightly as she looked at me. I met her violet eyes clearly, without looking away. After staring at me for a long while, she swept her hair back once and offered her reply.
"…Thank you."
"I'm the one who should thank you for playing for me. Might I hear you play again someday?"
"If the Young Lady wishes."
Saying I'd fallen for her was a lie, but that the piano performance was wonderful — that was sincere. Even if only for a moment, I had been so entranced that I listened to her play in a complete daze.
"Lady Viviana, you've been through so much all this time."
"Hm?"
As if not understanding my sudden words, Viviana raised one eyebrow in puzzlement.
"I could feel it through your performance. How hard your life has been, and how exhausted you are by it."
"…What?"
"The voice of your heart was so clearly woven into the music, you know?"
Viviana's eyes stirred violently — she clearly hadn't expected such emotion to be contained in her playing. Of course she wouldn't. The claim that emotion was clearly embedded in the music was a lie.
As someone who thinks an instrument is just an instrument, no matter how brilliantly Viviana played, I couldn't possibly know from that alone how hard her life had been.
"…I don't understand what you're saying, Young Lady."
"I just have a good ear for music."
The fact that Viviana was exhausted was something I simply knew because the game said so. As someone transmigrated into the daughter of a fallen noble house, this was the only advantage I had — I had to use it.
Viviana was trying hard to act as if she didn't know, but the turmoil deep in her violet eyes already spoke the truth. Still pressed close beside the piano bench, I smiled sweetly and opened my arms toward her.
"Come here, would you?"
"What?"
At the casual speech that slipped out habitually, Viviana frowned at me with one eyebrow raised. Regardless, Viviana was a noble living in a different world from mine. Ordinarily I wouldn't have done anything to ruffle her feathers, but now that I'd realized she held some fondness for me, there was no need to be so careful.
"I'll give you a proper hug. I want to be even a little bit of comfort for you, My Lady."
"…Ha?"
Had I offended her? Viviana's eyes had gone markedly colder than when she'd been playing the piano.
"Young Lady, I think you're under some misconception. I'm not so weak that I need to be held in someone's arms for comfort. And I'm not struggling enough to need consoling, either."
At Viviana's cold voice, I flinched. With trembling eyes, I gradually backed away from her and spoke in a mournful voice.
"…Is that so? I just… you looked sad, Lady Viviana, and this was the only thing I could do. If I've been a bother, I'm sorry."
"…"
"I won't do it again. I'm truly sorry…"
"Ha."
Wondering what had displeased her this time, Viviana — her face twisted even more fiercely — grabbed the wrist of my retreating hand.
"Why are you running away. I didn't say that because I wanted an apology."
"But… you look angry, My Lady…"
At my shrunken voice, Viviana hesitated for a moment, then let out a deep sigh and looked at me with much softer eyes.
"I'm not angry. I was just startled for a moment."
"Would it be all right if I comforted you, Lady Viviana…?"
"…"
I carefully looked at Viviana again and opened my arms. Unlike before, my arms were slightly shrunken and trembling, but that only seemed to stir Viviana's heart further.
"…Do you want to hold me that badly?"
I nodded vigorously without a shred of hesitation. Viviana stared hard at me, then finally sighed again and raised both hands toward me.
"Ha, fine. This is a first for this kind of request. How novel."
With those words, Viviana came into my arms. She approached slowly, pressed her face against my chest, and wrapped her arms around my waist. If I'd had a full bosom like Mother, I could have received Viviana softly and plushly — but unfortunately, this body was rather thin, so that wasn't possible.
"…Hehe."
I accepted Viviana with a smile on my lips. Gently cradling her head with both hands, I patted her back.
"I heard that Lady Viviana goes out to the front lines every month to fight. I can't even imagine how heavy that burden must be."
"It's fine. Dealing with piles of paperwork is more annoying than cutting down enemies."
"You always stain the tip of your blade with people's blood to protect the people of the Empire. If it were me, I would have collapsed under the guilt."
"…"
Indeed, one of Viviana's many corruption routes was triggered by too much killing. Even she, called a demon of the battlefield by the enemy, was ultimately a person who felt the weight on her heart just the same.
"Lady Viviana hasn't done anything wrong. You're simply sacrificing yourself to protect me and every citizen of the Empire."
No answer came back, but I continued speaking on my own.
"No one thinks your hardships are simply a given, Lady Viviana. If I were you, I would have fled to the heart of the Empire right away and lived a safe life."
"But you always fight for us… I'm endlessly grateful for your devotion, Lady Viviana, and yet it makes me sad. Because it feels like you're grinding yourself down and sacrificing yourself."
"I wish you could rest a little… If you could set down the burdens of being a Lady and just be at ease…"
"Ah! Would you like to go to the sea with me sometime? I know a wonderful place. I'm sure if you listen to the blue waves and the sound of the tide, even you might find a little peace, Lady Viviana."
"Or I know a really delicious tea shop — let's go together sometime. Eating something sweet might improve your work efficiency, don't you think?"
"I don't know if any of this will actually comfort you, Lady Viviana… but whenever things get hard, even a little, lean on me. I'll hug you hundreds of times if you need."
"I'd like you to think of me as a pet. Whenever you wish, My Lady, I want to be your sanctuary."
"Ah, and earlier when I said I'd fallen for you while you played the piano — that was real. It was truly beautiful."
"…My Lady?"
"Are you asleep, by any chance? Shall I sing you a lullaby?"
"Ah, no, you're not. Then is it all right if I keep holding you like this?"
"Hehe, thank you."
"…My Lady."
"I'm always cheering for you."
To my endless stream of encouragement, Viviana said nothing for a long while.