Chapter 49
The stonemason Edward had arranged came to the manor.
He was from the construction guild, apparently a rather large group of craftsmen.
“Hugo Kahn.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
We went into the drawing room together.
“I’ve looked over the blueprint you sent.”
Hugo took a sip of tea, then pulled out a sheet of paper from his coat.
It was the architectural plan I had drawn.
Of course, not having specialized in the field, it was pretty crude.
It looked more like a doodle than a blueprint.
“The design is quite unique.”
Hugo smiled as if amused.
Does it look different in the eyes of a master?
Surely he’s not mocking it.
“A central theater surrounded by three buildings. Roads branch off, meeting at a single point. This is the largest project I’ve taken on since working on the Imperial Palace.”
“The Imperial Palace?”
Apparently, Hugo was a state-certified stonemason who had designed several buildings for the Imperial Palace.
How did Edward manage to get in touch with someone like him?
“We’ll gather all the renowned stonemasons and sculptors in the guild. We’ll also need painters and glassmakers. The structure you requested is highly imaginative. It looks like it will be a fascinating project.”
Seeing Hugo explain eagerly without being asked, like an excited child, made me feel happy as well.
“Oh! I should show you this first.”
He then pulled out a new sheet of paper.
It was a professional interpretation of the rough sketch I had sent—a proper blueprint.
It was so intricate and polished, it reminded me of Da Vinci’s anatomical drawings in history books.
“Oh…”
An exclamation escaped me without thinking.
“You envisioned the central building as three stories.”
Hugo remarked.
“That’s correct.”
The first floor would house the stage, with rows of seats arranged in sequence from the front.
If completed as designed, the total capacity for the audience would be around 1,200.
It would be six times larger than the Lunemoon Theatre.
“We’ve implemented it as requested. With tiered seating for all, there should be no obstructed views, no matter how far from the stage. What do you think?”
It was perfect.
“And please look over here.”
Hugo continued his explanation.
An interactive museum and an inn.
“We’ve put in a lot of effort. Given the large scale, we have to examine every detail carefully.”
Indeed.
They had managed to add a touch of creativity while adhering to traditional styles.
A place for a true experience, not just a temporary stay.
The goal I had in mind when planning this theatre was clearly reflected here.
It could stand shoulder to shoulder with modern architecture.
It was a masterpiece.
If completed as intended, it would become the Empire’s greatest landmark.
I felt my heart start to pound with excitement.
“Finally, the academy.”
“Ah.”
“What’s the matter?”
Hugo looked at me with a curious expression.
“Please leave the academy for last. They haven’t responded yet.”
The application to establish a branch academy.
Until we received a formal approval, we couldn’t begin construction.
If it falls through, I’ll consider making it a small private academy instead.
“I see. Understood. Truthfully, I was most focused on designing the academy, so it’s a bit disappointing.”
“…I’m curious, though. Can I at least hear the explanation?”
As if he had been waiting for my response, Hugo clapped his hands and spread out the paper.
The design was a culmination of medieval otherworldly architecture, unlike anything we’d seen so far.
“…Pentagon?”
The headquarters of the Department of Defense in the United States, shaped like a pentagon.
It looked exactly like that.
“It was a dilemma. Between the Empire’s largest theatre and the branch academy, which should stand out more in the design?”
“I can understand that.”
It’s an important issue.
The theatre must be at the centre.
It must stand out.
After all, the theatre is the focal point of this plan.
But we can’t neglect the academy either.
It’s an academy, after all.
“This is the answer to that dilemma.”
Hugo gathered all the blueprints and layered them together.
At the centre of the pentagonal academy layout was an empty space where the theatre would be situated.
On either side of the academy, the museum and the inn were located.
“This way, none of the buildings feel pushed to the background.”
“That’s certainly true.”
“In fact, yesterday, with the permission of Baron Tilburg, I visited the estate.”
Presumably to check the land.
For a building of this scale, having sufficient land is essential.
“It should be fully feasible. The foundation is also solid.”
Good.
I was so pleased with Hugo’s blueprint that I felt I wouldn’t be satisfied with anything else if we didn’t proceed with it.
At this point, a question came to mind.
“When will it be completed?”
“One year.”
Surprisingly short.
I had prepared myself for at least five years.
“Our guild is composed of the Empire’s top talents. Given the conditions you proposed, we can commit all our resources.”
“Conditions?”
Actually, I’m not very familiar with those details.
Edward handled most of the negotiations with the guild.
“I believe you offered 5,000 gold coins.”
“…What?”
“5,000 gold coins? Is that for real?”
The unexpected sum left me speechless.
Even just thinking about 1,000 coins was a lot, but 5,000 coins? That’s five times as much.
I knew this project would be costly, but…
To begin with, we don’t even have 5,000 gold coins.
At least, not at the moment.
“It appears you’ve already sent 3,000 coins as a deposit. Thanks to that, I’m very motivated.”
On top of that, there’s already a deposit.
Could it be…
Listening to Hugo, only one conclusion came to mind.
“Did Edward contribute his personal fortune?”
He wouldn’t have casually offered that much public funding without my approval.
If so, there’s only one explanation.
Edward is a well-known wealthy man in the capital.
Dozens of nobles sponsor his theatre alone.
He’s not young, so if he scraped together his accumulated wealth, he might manage that much.
“Unbelievable.”
It looks like I need to talk to him in person.
After arranging the schedule with Hugo, I left.
I hurried to Lunemoon.
**
“Yes, I sent it myself.”
“What were you thinking?”
Edward looked at me, puzzled.
“Isn’t it to build a theatre?”
“Yes.”
“Then it makes sense for me to bear some of the cost.”
When he put it that way, it sounded reasonable.
“Essentially, it’s about relocating Lunemoon to your estate, on a grander scale. Naturally, the theatre in the capital will lose its purpose, and selling it could yield profits. I just estimated Lunemoon’s value in gold coins and contributed it in advance.”
“You leave me speechless.”
When he’s this sincere, I can’t really object.
And he’s not wrong.
We’re more partners than competitors.
The new theatre will belong to both me and Edward.
If it were any other building, it wouldn’t matter, but Edward should hold a significant stake in the theatre.
“One last question, if I may?”
“Yes.”
Having spent that much on the deposit, I doubt he has much left on hand.
He nodded without hesitation.
“But what can I do? Sometimes you have to take risks for big things. I still have a steady income, so I’ll be fine for now. As for ordering supplies, we can handle it with public funds.”
What a bold spirit.
“If you ever find yourself without a place, let me know. There should be a spare room at my father’s manor.”
“Thank you. That’s reassuring.”
Since I was at the theatre, I decided to call Erdi and hold a regular meeting.
“What should we do for the next concert?” I asked.
It was still a year before the new theatre would open, so we couldn’t sit idle until then.
However, Edward seemed to have a different idea.
“Wouldn’t it be fine to take a break?”
He’s been changing a lot lately.
He used to hate the idea of pausing concerts.
I asked him why.
“Thanks to your affordable piano and practice materials, more people in the capital are taking up music as a hobby.”
He had a point.
“How long do you think it will take them to fully absorb all the materials?”
“…I’m not sure.”
I hadn’t thought about it that far.
‘Assuming my materials are around the difficulty level of the Beyer Suite…’
Even with an hour of practice each day, it would take several weeks just to learn the basic finger movements.
If they’re absolute beginners starting from scratch, it would take around six months to master the entire curriculum.
Of course, natural talent varies from person to person, so I can’t be sure.
And learning on their own without any coaching introduces another variable.
Considering some people might give up midway, it could take up to a year.
“That’s exactly it.”
Edward nodded in agreement.
“So, let’s assume it will take around a year.”
“That should be enough time for them to memorize everything.”
“Then wouldn’t it be better to hold a concert around that time?”
“Oh, I see.”
I understood what he was getting at.
While the pianos are becoming widespread, the commercialization of the Jubel is still relatively new.
For music to fully integrate into popular culture, it will take more time.
Instead of rushing everything, we should let it settle in gradually.
“Nobles can enjoy Jubel for entertainment, and commoners, who are just now warming up to this culture, will likely understand if it’s a bit delayed. In fact, it might be better that way.”
It made sense.
Good.
Truthfully, I was barely keeping up, and adding another concert would’ve been too much.
This gave me some peace of mind.
For now, I’ll focus on what’s already in motion rather than starting something new.
“Of course, if Erdi could take the stage instead, that would solve the issue.”
As I said that, I glanced his way.
“…I’ll think about it.”
Don’t just think; act on it.
Well, if he’s uncomfortable, I won’t force him.
“When I can perform even more perfectly, I’ll bring it up again.”
“That’s a good mindset.”
Just as we were wrapping up the meeting, Edward asked casually,
“By the way, how are things going with the two of them?”
He seemed curious about Diana and Aria’s progress.
“I’m teaching them steadily.”
In fact, I was planning to do a midterm review when I got back to the manor today.
Diana’s skills have especially improved.
‘It’s about time to move on to the next stage.’
—
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