Chapter 54
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“Then, Performer, I’ll look forward to your new theatre.”
Elize said with a flushed face.
“I’m glad the gift pleased you.”
“How could I just like it? Hehe.”
Just moments ago, she seemed shy, hiding her expression, but now she cheerfully extended her hand for a handshake.
Unless something unusual happened, I probably wouldn’t see her again for another year.
I had to promise to send her new sheet music occasionally, lest she summon me to the Imperial Palace in the meantime.
“Well then.”
“Take care on your way back.”
After parting ways with Elize, I returned to the manor.
***
My daily routine after that was predictable.
“Sir! I memorized this song too!”
“Good! As a reward, I’ll allow a late-night snack.”
Practicing songs with Aria.
“It seems like you’re putting too much strength into your wrists.”
“It’s a new piece, so I was nervous. And with you watching, Master, I got even more jittery.”
“I see. Should I close my eyes then?”
“No! That’s not it… It’s just…”
Piano lessons with Diana.
“How about we create a small garden in front of the inn building? I heard there’s a landscaper in the guild.”
“That sounds good. Let’s add a fountain as well.”
Managing the theatre construction with Edward.
“Here’s the backlog of documents.”
“…Why is there so much?”
Handling estate affairs with Theo.
On top of that, I was also working on sheet music with Erdi.
My to-do list was endless.
Day after day, I woke at dawn and collapsed into bed at midnight.
The snow that had once blanketed the estate was now giving way to budding green sprouts.
When I snapped back to my senses, half a year had passed.
“Hoo…”
I finished sorting through petitions from the estate residents and headed to my room.
I felt like I’d collapse if I pushed myself further, so I asked Theo for understanding.
“Master, you don’t look well.”
“Yeah.”
He must have sensed how serious the situation was because he let me go without saying much.
I weakly flopped onto the bed and buried my tangled hair into the pillow.
Half a year already.
Time had passed as it always did, with the year changing and the seasons moving along. Nothing extraordinary.
But the problem was that I had driven myself like a machine, repeating the same daily routine and pushing myself relentlessly.
Even if my intentions were noble at first, working without breaks had left me in a terrible state.
Yesterday, I even snapped at Aria when she excitedly asked about the new Jubel prototype.
“Sir! What’s the song this time? You’ll play it for me first, right?”
“Go away.”
“Eek!”
“Whatever.”
Ever since then, she turned pale and backed away whenever she saw me.
This couldn’t go on.
Before my mind deteriorated further, I had to take action.
“Alright.”
I needed to rest.
There was no other way.
***
The first thing I did was send letters to Edward and Erdi.
I informed them that I’d be isolating myself for a while and asked them not to visit.
Theo didn’t need an explanation to understand my situation.
“Taking some time to clear your head would be wise.”
“Ah, thank you.”
Lastly, I called Diana and Aria.
I spoke to the two of them together.
“There will be no practice for the next ten days.”
Aria seemed disappointed, but Diana simply nodded silently.
She must have been exhausted too.
Balancing her household duties with nightly piano lessons every day, it was a wonder she hadn’t collapsed yet.
Unlike the plump and healthy Aria, Diana’s cheeks were hollow and sunken. She seemed to be living a grueling day-to-day life, though perhaps not as much as I was.
‘Wait.’
Seeing the two of them sitting side by side made the contrast even clearer.
Aria.
Why had she grown so chubby?
Had I been too lenient with late-night snacks?
“Aria.”
“Yes!”
“You need to exercise.”
“Huh?”
She was still young, and her chubbiness was cute for now, but if we didn’t address it, it would undoubtedly become a problem in the future.
It’s better to maintain one’s health while it’s still manageable.
“From now on, run ten laps around the manor as soon as you wake up. No breakfast otherwise.”
“That’s too much!”
“Hey!”
As Aria began whining, Diana hurriedly stepped in to stop her.
She bent down to meet her eye level and sternly scolded her.
“I told you not to talk like that! Especially not to the Master in this manor!”
Diana was really going through a lot.
I hoped she would continue to raise Aria with a balance of love and discipline.
I was trying my best too, but as they say, it takes a village to raise a child.
Suddenly, I found myself admiring Joel, the head of the orphanage.
Why was that?
Anyway.
Rubbing the crown of her head where Diana had flicked her, Aria muttered sullenly.
“For the next ten days, both of you can rest freely. If you want to practice alone, I won’t stop you. But remember, Aria, don’t forget the ten laps.”
“Yes…”
***
I returned to my room and lay down on the bed again.
When I was busy, it felt like my head was going to split, but now that I had nothing to do, I was restless.
I should read a book.
I grabbed a few that caught my eye in the study and brought them back.
Of course, literature exists in this otherworld too.
There are novels and poetry.
Thanks to the development of printing magic, mass production is also possible.
I had read a bit when I was studying the language years ago, but I hadn’t touched them since. Opening them now felt nostalgic.
As for the contents, I couldn’t say.
Regardless of whether they were interesting or not, most of the works were written from a heavily religious perspective.
Still, they seemed like a decent way to pass the time.
Come to think of it, there were composers who drew inspiration from literature.
“Ah.”
Even when I try to deliberately distance myself from the piano, my thoughts naturally drift in that direction.
It’s just how I am.
“Schumann or Liszt.”
Especially the former, Robert Schumann, whose famous collection of character pieces, Fantasiestücke, was inspired by E.T.A. Hoffmann’s novels.
It’s widely regarded as one of Schumann’s representative works.
Franz Liszt also composed a symphony based on Dante’s Divine Comedy.
Literature and music are inseparable.
When I think about it this way, it does seem a bit strange.
“Why hasn’t a literary work inspired by my compositions appeared yet?”
It wouldn’t be surprising if someone had written one by now.
“If there isn’t one, I’ll do it myself.”
If I actually get to teach cadets at the academy one day, it might be fun to hold a class where students write poetry after listening to a performance.
Clearing my mind and reflecting allowed a few good ideas to surface.
I should jot them down before I forget.
“Hoo…”
I had resolved to rest, yet here I was making plans again.
This must be my fate.
I’ll scribble for ten minutes and then lie down again.
***
“Someone came to see me?”
After the ten days of rest I’d granted myself had ended, I immediately went to meet Edward after finishing estate work.
However.
There was an unexpected guest.
“It’s been a while. Have you been well?”
Victor Kosolin.
Why on earth was this man, who should have been at the academy, here?
“I wanted to visit your estate, but dropping by without notice felt improper, so I came to the theatre instead. I had already sent a letter to Edward.”
Apparently, they’d been exchanging correspondence while I was resting.
“By the way, what brings you here?”
Victor answered my question with a smile.
“Isn’t the arts academy opening in your estate soon?”
“Yes, it is.”
Technically, it’s my father’s estate, not mine.
Victor continued.
“I came for an interview.”
“…Pardon?”
“For a professor position. Many cadets have already applied for admission. To accommodate them all, you’ll need a suitable faculty, won’t you?”
He wasn’t wrong.
If it were just a private academy, it might be different.
But this was an academy.
Even as a branch campus, it was bound to receive a flood of applications.
It would be impossible for me to teach so many students on my own.
If I tried, ten days of rest wouldn’t suffice. I might end up bidding farewell to this world altogether.
The cause of death: overwork.
“It was about time.”
It was essential to assemble the faculty before the academy officially opened.
To be honest, I had been feeling overwhelmed.
But having Victor approach me first was an excellent development.
Even I can’t deny his musical passion.
And though it feels odd to say it myself, this man was the top performer in the capital before Anton Tilburg appeared.
“Sir Kosolin.”
“Yes. Should we proceed with the interview? Feel free to ask anything. I’ve prepared extensively.”
“Why bother with an interview between us?”
We should finalize the contract immediately.
One slot filled.
Now the question was who else to hire.
“I’d love to appoint Erdi as a professor, but…”
His social status was an obstacle.
A commoner newspaper delivery boy teaching the noble scions of the Empire? That was a recipe for scandal.
It’s different from when I put Aria on stage.
This isn’t just about spreading culture.
It’s about education.
Educators are expected to be superior to their students.
While Erdi certainly meets that criterion, convincing people in this medieval society where everything hinges on status seemed almost impossible.
Still.
If there’s even a slight chance, I’m willing to try.
“I’ll have to meet with the dean and Elize again soon.”
Perhaps they’d consider my request.
There’s still six months left, so I can take my time.
“Then, Sir Kosolin—or rather, Professor Kosolin. I’ll be counting on you.”
“I’m really looking forward to this.”
After Victor joined the team, construction progressed steadily.
And before I knew it, the theatre opening and the academy branch campus inauguration were just a week away.
—
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