Chapter 66
—
“It might be good to hold an event to bring everyone together again.”
The two of them nodded at my suggestion.
“That’s a good idea.”
“Shall we gather the cadets for a concert, like at the entrance ceremony?” Erdi suggested.
“Rather than that…”
No matter how much these nobles in this other world love concerts, that feels a bit too static.
With Dirk’s incident and the Academy being so busy recently, it’s clear that everyone is physically and mentally exhausted.
Now that things have settled down, it seems like a good time to set aside three days for pure enjoyment.
After all, aren’t we all at the age where our energy overflows?
Including myself, of course.
So…
“Let’s hold a festival.”
“A festival?”
They say a school is a small society, but strictly speaking, it’s not the real world.
This might be the last chance to set aside responsibilities, even if only briefly.
“Once they graduate, they’ll all return to their families, where they’ll be subject to far stricter rules and expectations.”
At least within the Academy, we should let them savour their freedom.
Besides, art blossoms best in an open and liberating atmosphere.
“It’ll be quite the grand event,” Victor remarked.
“Of course.”
A concert will naturally be part of it.
I’m even thinking of inviting merchants from my father’s estate to set up small shops.
They can sell food and souvenirs.
I’m starting to feel as if the atmosphere will resemble a university festival.
‘This is going to be fun.’
Honestly, I just thought of it, but as I fleshed out the idea, my excitement grew.
“We’ll finalize the details two months from now, right after the midterm exams.”
The Academy will be opened to the entire empire, creating a space where everyone can enjoy culture together.
“We could even hold an admissions briefing.”
“You’re sharp, Erdi.”
We’ll give people a chance to tour the Academy in advance and explain our educational system.
That way, we can ensure many new students enroll next year.
And one more thing.
“I need to prepare Aria and Diana.”
“You’re planning to have both of them perform on stage?”
Isn’t that obvious?
We can’t miss such a golden opportunity.
Even amidst my busy professor duties, I’ve been giving them lessons here and there.
Especially Aria.
Though I’d often mentioned hosting her next performance, I never got around to making solid plans.
Finally, I can fulfil that promise.
***
For a long time now, I’ve had Aria practice a specific song repeatedly.
This piece is nearly impossible to sing.
Even seasoned professionals rarely dare to attempt it.
It demands a naturally gifted tone, emotional expression, and exceptional pitch stability.
Moreover, it requires deep, steady breathing, so anyone lacking vocal strength and lung capacity wouldn’t even consider trying it.
And all of this…
Must not feel overdone.
In other words, you have to perform immensely difficult techniques as if they’re effortless.
The moment it feels forced, it falls apart.
Techniques like delicate vibrato and other advanced vocal skills must be executed as naturally as breathing.
Smoothly and gracefully.
Honestly, I had prepared myself.
I didn’t expect her to master it quickly.
I thought it would take a considerable amount of time for Aria to fully grasp this song.
But…
“I finished it!”
Really?
Even with her exceptional talent from the start, there are limits to what a child can achieve.
Could it be that Aria isn’t human?
‘I didn’t think mastering this in just a year was possible.’
It was faster to confirm it than to question it, so I asked her to sing a verse immediately.
“Ah…”
She cleared her throat with her pure tone.
Then she began to sing.
Her voice flowed brightly and cheerfully, like a stream of water cutting through the air.
Yet it was incredibly gentle and soft.
Her voice filled the space, as if she were a living instrument.
‘This is unbelievable.’
She started softly, almost whisper-like, but the density in her steady breath was palpable.
I got goosebumps, wondering what exactly I was hearing.
Even as the atmosphere heightened, her tone didn’t waver.
There wasn’t even a hint of fatigue.
It was as if her very existence had been born for this song.
I was at a loss for words.
“…You’ve truly finished it.”
Aria answered with a shy smile.
“To be honest, it was a bit difficult. It was so hard at first.”
I completely understand.
This is a song I couldn’t sing even if I tried.
“But strangely, the more I sang, the more I felt like I was being drawn into the song!”
“Where did you even pick up such an expression?”
“What do you mean, ‘picked up’? I came up with it myself.”
“Ah.”
“You’re so funny.”
Kids do grow up fast.
I understood what she meant.
Sometimes, artists interpret music in their unique ways.
They infuse part of themselves into the song and eventually become one with it.
It’s a level that can’t be reached through practice alone.
I gently patted her head.
“It’s Aria’s illusion.”
“I’m serious.”
“I’m not joking either.”
I’ve decided.
Aria Fantasia.
That will be the title of this song.
The days became busy, going back and forth between the estate and the academy to prepare for the festival.
Although I wanted to keep it a secret until the midterm exams to avoid too much excitement, the rumours had already spread.
As soon as I entered the lecture hall today, I was bombarded with questions.
“Professor! Is it true that you’re holding a festival?”
To my surprise, it was Azbella who asked.
“Yes, well…”
“Wow!”
Why does she seem more enthusiastic about this than when she’s playing the piano?
Starting with her, the other students began to make a commotion, and it took a lot of effort to calm them down.
While I understand their excitement, if they don’t focus on their studies, there will be no festival or anything else.
When I made a somewhat threatening statement along those lines, they finally quieted down after a while.
I know it sounded very old-fashioned, but I couldn’t think of a better way.
“Make sure to prepare well for your exams, everyone. That comes before the festival.”
***
After the lecture, I met Edward.
“I’ve sent all the letters you mentioned.”
“That was fast.”
“There wasn’t much else to do.”
“Haha.”
Since the theatre hasn’t been active recently, it’s only natural that Edward has plenty of free time.
Anyway.
I had asked him to handle the invitations in advance.
Since it’s a festival, I wanted to invite nobles I was acquainted with to create an atmosphere of a formal gathering.
First, Countess Iolin from the south and Margrave Rosley from the east.
I absolutely had to invite these two.
Especially since Margrave Rosley lives quite far away, I needed to send the letter as early as possible, considering the time it would take to arrive.
“Did you send one to the Northern Academy as well?”
“Of course.”
“It’ll be nice to see Professor Brosia after a long time.”
“She’s a benefactor, after all.”
Jubel Brosia.
She’s a pioneer in magical inventions, the creator of the world’s first sound recording artifact, the Jubel, and the developer of the affordable piano.
She’s truly a remarkable figure.
The reason Edward and I were able to remodel the theatre was also thanks to her help.
To be honest, Professor Brosia deserves more than half the credit.
“I also sent invitations to closer places, such as the Haverland estate, Baron Ebner’s territory, and the Dressel estate…”
“What?”
I was startled to hear an unexpected name.
“The Dressel estate?”
“Yes.”
…What?
Did I mishear?
If it’s the Dressel estate…that would be…
I can’t remember the Duke’s name, but it’s the estate where his daughter, Lea, resides.
Duke Dressel was once a close friend of Erdi, despite their difference in status, but due to Lea’s reckless behaviour, their relationship had deteriorated to the point where they were worse than enemies.
Sending them an invitation didn’t make sense.
“Did Erdi request this?”
“No. In fact, they expressed their intention to attend even before we sent an invitation.”
“Why would they…”
“It might be best to bring the other two and explain the situation.”
Soon, Victor and Erdi arrived at the theatre.
Victor spoke first.
“As you know, Professor, the Duke and Lady Dressel were my ardent supporters.”
“I think I’ve heard something like that before.”
A long time ago.
I believe Edward told me about it.
Lea used to follow Victor around like an obsessive fan.
Of course, it was under the guise of offering financial support.
She even requested private meetings with him whenever there was a performance.
Victor found it incredibly burdensome.
I understand how he felt.
However, he thought it would be rude to refuse her financial support, so he accepted most of her requests.
At least he didn’t do anything inappropriate.
I suppose I should be grateful for that.
“That said, I don’t harbour any ill feelings. I don’t think we should outright reject their request to visit. However, my opinion matters less than…”
He shifted his gaze to Erdi.
A heavy silence filled the room.
Erdi’s stance was the most critical in this matter.
While we hadn’t openly decided, we were prepared to follow his lead.
Then.
“If they want to come, why stop them?”
“…Are you serious?”
A response I hadn’t expected.
Is this really the Erdi I know?
Normally, he would avoid any uncomfortable situation.
‘Could it be?’
Does he want to prove something?
If that’s the case, I can understand.
If he wants to show Lea how far he’s come after being disregarded and mistreated by her, it makes sense.
Everyone has a past they’d rather forget.
Some memories fade when left alone, while others linger as endless nightmares.
Perhaps Erdi had been living in such a nightmare.
“If you want to sever ties once and for all, then do it.”
“No.”
Erdi waved his hand.
“It’s not about that. Honestly, I don’t care whether they come or not. They’re not even on my radar.”
“Wow.”
This guy has grown a lot.
He’s ready to stand on his own.
So, he doesn’t want to boast but genuinely feels nothing toward them?
What a mature response.
“Alright. Send the invitation and make it official.”
“Understood.”
The Dressel estate.
What could be the reason they so boldly decided to show up?
I don’t know yet.
But I’ll find out soon enough.
—
Read More at – GENZNOVEL.COM!!
PLEASE JOIN OUR DISCORD AND SUBSCRIBE THE ROLE TO RECEIVE LATEST NOTIFICATIONS!!
Click here -> https://discord.gg/S8c2kGVr2g
Comment