Chapter 71
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The Capital Academy of Arts is a specialized institution for training professional musicians.
From the basics to advanced courses,
after completing a total of four years of education, students acquire a level of skill that makes holding a solo recital seem natural.
This was not only the belief of its founder, Anton Tilburg,
but also the hope of noble families who sent their children to the Academy.
“My son might just become a pianist to rival Sir Anton one day.”
While some thought this way,
others wondered, “What if they catch his eye and get selected as a professor? I heard he strongly supports anyone with talent, even commoners.”
“What do you mean, ‘what if’? That would be a cause for celebration.”
Producing an Academy professor was as honourable as raising a knight for one’s family.
Regardless,
the question, “How much has my child grown so far?” lingered in everyone’s mind.
This anticipation and curiosity swelled to the point of bursting.
When Azbella Viviant appeared on stage,
her confident expression and dignified movements were enough to captivate the audience.
Her posture as she sat in front of the piano and raised her arms was nothing short of elegant.
It was like watching a painting.
Among the majority of spectators left speechless, a few quietly expressed their admiration.
“Surely, being professionally trained makes a difference—even her appearance exudes sophistication.”
“A presence like that can’t be cultivated through sheer willpower alone.”
For a performer, musical skill is crucial, of course, but appearances cannot be overlooked.
Gestures, facial expressions, posture while seated—
all of these are integral to conveying emotions.
It was the result of consistent feedback and practice.
Moreover, Azbella’s naturally intellectual and graceful appearance maximized this synergy.
And so,
a romantic melody in 2/4 time began, signaling the true start of the festival.
Schumann’s Kinderszenen No. 1, Von fremden Ländern und Menschen (Of Foreign Lands and People).
The piece reflects the innocent curiosity and awe of a child encountering a new world for the first time.
As soon as the music started, the audience leaned forward.
Reacting reflexively to its warmth.
A simple melody.
Yet within it lay profound lyricism, far from simple.
For the middle-aged nobles who sat quietly listening, this feeling wasn’t unfamiliar.
“Ah…”
Schumann’s Kinderszenen resembles Saint-Exupéry’s novel The Little Prince, transposed into music.
Of course, there is no historical evidence of direct influence between the two.
Their eras and contexts differ entirely.
However, one clear commonality is evident:
both works were written by adults but narrate through the eyes of a child.
Through this pure perspective, they revisit dreams of the past and strive to understand the world.
Although Kinderszenen consists of simple structures and melodies, its emotions are far deeper and more serious than they seem.
The Little Prince is no different.
Amid fairy-tale-like sentences, we discern the true values of life and philosophy, as well as the heavy messages the author sought to convey.
If we forever remain as adults in this world,
we may never uncover the hidden truths.
Both works implore us,
“Try to see the world through the eyes of a child,
to view a small pond as an ocean,
to feel the exhilaration of a field as if it were the entirety of adventure.”
And now,
through Azbella’s performance, the audience felt such emotions.
The sound flowing from the keys filled the theatre and conveyed quiet waves to all.
It was the music of a girl just stepping into the world.
For her, every finger movement was an adventure,
and everything captured in her gaze was a marvel.
That trembling emotion reached the audience.
“I remember feeling like this once… though it’s been a long time.”
“…Where did our once-transparent hearts go?”
The fragments of memories obscured by familial duties, honour, victory, and power resurfaced.
There was a time when they, too, enjoyed life without worries,
viewing everything through a lens of pure wonder.
“This feels like…”
Several middle-aged nobles nodded as they listened to Azbella’s performance.
From deep within their hearts, a faint sense of freedom blossomed, exuding a subtle fragrance.
Parts of the world they had once seen, heard, and felt were being revived through Azbella’s hands.
At that moment,
Baron Ebner, seated at the far end of the second floor, let out a hollow laugh.
A noble from the outskirts of the Capital who had once invited Anton Tilburg to his estate with his serfs.
Now fulfilling his duties as a lord,
his childhood dream had been to become an explorer.
Many nights, he lost sleep, consumed with curiosity about what lay beyond the eastern seas of the Empire.
That wasn’t all.
He often snuck out of the house to pluck weeds in the woods, earning many scoldings from his father.
But amusingly,
such curiosities didn’t last long.
“Why is that?”
He had thought that becoming an adult would broaden his horizons.
Instead, he found himself confined to an even narrower frame.
At times, he missed his foolish, fearless youth.
“It feels good to recall this after so long.”
Baron Ebner closed his eyes.
Azbella’s performance continued to awaken dreams dormant in everyone’s memories.
When the theatre’s air was finally filled with ripples of emotion and resonance,
the audience struggled to suppress the joy of reclaiming their childhood curiosity and freedom.
The students felt as though she were speaking on their behalf,
expressing the emotions of their first steps into the world, unable to hide their overwhelming feelings.
The standing ovation continued for a long time.
Less than two minutes of performance.
Yet, it took twice that time for the applause to die down.
Azbella carefully rose, bowed, and exited the stage.
The next performer, and the one after, each delivered their pieces.
They seemed determined to carry forward the wave she had created.
Around the seventh performer’s turn,
a male student in a crisp uniform walked to the piano.
“Oh! My son! This boy! I knew he could do it! So, his skills have already improved enough to perform on stage! A genius! A prodigy! Finally, an artist is emerging from our family!”
The theatre erupted into laughter due to a spectator proudly shouting this in a booming voice.
“Hey! Save the bragging about your child for when you’re at home!”
“Do you think only your son is a genius? My daughter is just as impressive!”
It was a comical scene.
And observing it from the very back of the third floor, in the box seats, was Anton.
“Parents take pride in their children—that’s their joy in life.”
Thinking this, he glanced at Aria, who was sitting next to him munching on snacks.
***
The opening ceremony concluded successfully.
Anton descended to the backstage area.
The cadets who had performed earlier still seemed unable to fully grasp what had just happened, sitting dazed and slumped.
And Erdi…
For some reason, he was perched on the edge of a table, leisurely sipping wine.
Perhaps the tension had finally left him.
Or maybe he was drinking to relieve the stress.
“You’ve done well. Now, take some rest.”
He had certainly done his part.
After all, he had essentially overseen and directed the entire opening performance, which likely left him utterly exhausted by now.
“Rest? No way. Now that I’m free, it’s time to enjoy myself.”
“Oh, really?”
At Erdi’s words, the cadets, who had been slumped over, suddenly jumped up.
“Oh!”
“Festival time!”
The mere thought of celebrating seemed to revitalize them.
They started forming groups and leaving the theatre, their backs turned as they exited, their expressions full of satisfaction.
Good.
After all, wasn’t this festival planned for their enjoyment?
Hopefully, they would have a great time.
“Master Anton, aren’t you going out?”
Erdi asked.
Although the academy protocol required addressing each other as “professor,” this wasn’t the kind of situation where formalities mattered.
Anton shrugged it off.
“I was planning to head out anyway to feed Aria dinner. Doesn’t it seem like she’s been eating all day?”
“Well, she is growing.”
“True, I suppose.”
Children typically experience a surge in energy consumption around the age of seven.
‘Just how much is she planning to grow?’
The thought of this small child having a physique similar to Erin Wall’s in ten years was both unimaginable and somewhat shocking.
Erin Wall, a soprano from Canada, was renowned for her tall stature and robust build.
Shaking his head to dispel the thought, Anton refocused.
Meanwhile…
“Professor, let’s go sightseeing too.”
Azbella cheerfully offered her arm to support Erdi.
It seemed like their roles had been reversed.
Shouldn’t Erdi be the one guiding Azbella?
“You’re not drunk, are you?”
“Of course not. This much won’t make me drunk.”
“Don’t cause any trouble.”
“I promise.”
After making Erdi promise, Anton turned to Azbella.
“You did great in today’s performance.”
“Thank you.”
“Well then, I’ll take my leave. My little one is waiting for me.”
Anton promptly left the backstage area and headed outside.
Behind him, Azbella whispered to Erdi.
“…Does the professor have a child? He looks so young.”
—
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