Chapter 78
Looking back, there were many times.
Times when my ominous premonitions turned out to be right.
The behavioral patterns of people in this place are so peculiar that things almost never go exactly the way I expect them to.
It’s always a series of surprises.
However,
There are moments when what you assume will once again miss the mark—actually hits dead on.
Elize’s performance continued, eventually settling at the final part of the sheet music, where it ended gently.
The recurring main theme gradually slowed down.
The left hand’s broken chords faded quietly into the distance.
A sound that disappeared, leaving a deep resonance.
At the same time,
It felt like Elize, the narrator who had been telling this story, was slowly drifting away.
It was a finish that could not have been more perfect.
At least to me, it sounded that way.
“This is about the timing for a standing ovation.”
Strangely, the audience remained silent.
Maybe they were so engrossed in her performance that they missed the right moment to stand up.
Or perhaps they were so spellbound they didn’t even realize the piece had ended.
And in that situation,
The melody, which we thought had ended, began moving again.
“What the…”
This piece doesn’t have a Da Capo or repeat sign.
When the five-part rondo concludes, it’s supposed to end.
Ideally, according to the composer’s intent, it should close with lingering emotion as it just did.
That’s the orthodox way.
But now, it’s playing out differently.
She returned to the beginning and began playing through the earlier phrases again.
“Did she get too immersed?”
Maybe even Elize herself didn’t realize it had ended, just like the audience.
How deep must her immersion be?
Or maybe—this is just a performance choice.
If she chose to extend the piece a little through personal interpretation, that would make sense.
Assuming she played at the intended tempo, ‘Für Elise’ can feel slightly short.
Usually around two minutes and a half to a bit over three.
Maybe she simply thought it would be a shame to end it there.
Elize’s fingers struck the keys with even greater rhythmic stability, while the audience watched her, completely captivated.
If she could just wrap it up well from here, it might be fine.
Maybe even more moving than the original ending.
That’s what I thought as I leaned in to listen again to the piano.
“Waaah!…Ah…”
A cheer rang out from somewhere.
A thin voice.
It burst out, piercing the air—and then fizzled like air leaking from a balloon.
At the same moment, Elize’s movements halted.
Thunk.
Even the audience’s breathing stopped.
The theater turned deathly silent.
Everyone’s gaze turned in one direction.
The furthest back on the third floor.
Just beside the entrance to the box seats.
Only a silhouette could be seen, but it wasn’t hard to guess who it was.
“Therese?”
She was Elize’s younger sister and an Imperial Princess.
There she stood awkwardly.
“No way.”
It was clear to everyone that Therese had been the one to shout.
But why?
She surely wouldn’t have wanted to ruin her sister’s performance.
The only plausible explanation…
“Knowing too well can be a curse.”
Here’s what I mean.
‘Für Elise’ has never been released to the public.
The only people who have heard it are Elize, me,
And Therese.
That matters.
Therese has heard Elize play countless times, from the closest possible place.
She would know better than anyone where the piece ends.
Thinking the performance was over, she leapt up to cheer—but it wasn’t.
And of all days, today was the first time Elize ever decided to repeat her own piece.
Therese didn’t know that.
And now, because she cheered at the wrong moment, she’s branded as the hopeless Imperial Princess who ruined the performance.
A cruel twist of fate.
An awkward silence fell over the theater.
Therese stood there with a tearful expression, finally realizing what had happened.
The nobles, unable to scold her, quietly swallowed dryly.
And at the center of this nightmare,
Elize, breathing heavily with an uncomfortable expression.
The trance shattered, the stress clearly weighing on her.
Naturally.
I didn’t want to describe it like this, but in any case, she had been unintentionally interrupted during her performance.
How should I resolve this?
If someone had truly done wrong, I could hold them accountable. But the problem was—no one had acted out of malice.
Therese had her reasons.
She probably wanted to be the first to celebrate her sister’s performance.
I couldn’t scold such a pure heart.
Nor was I in any position to do so.
“How am I supposed to clean this up?”
Even if I stepped forward…
Should I ask, “Your Highness, please leave since you disrupted the show?”
Or maybe, “It was actually a staged moment—a surprise?”
“Damn it.”
No matter what I did, it felt impossible to make it right.
Side with Elize, and Therese would feel bad.
Side with Therese, and it would make Elize look foolish.
The worst.
Should I take the blame myself?
That could actually work.
“It was because I gave Elize the wrong sheet music, which caused the confusion.”
Just saying that might resolve everything smoothly.
But is that the right choice?
Sacrificing myself might put out the immediate fire.
The problem would come afterward.
I would be labeled a deceiver who tricked both the imperial family and the audience.
Honestly, I wasn’t sure I could handle that.
I needed to think of another plan.
And just then…
“The fault is mine.”
Elize rose from her seat and bowed deeply.
“Out of a desire to move the audience, I played the piece longer than I should have.”
It seemed she had chosen to confront things head-on.
“Princess Therese is the one who cherishes my music more than anyone. We’ve shared precious moments through this piece, and she likely knew exactly when it was supposed to end.”
With just a few sentences, Elize conveyed her intent—and gently covered for Therese’s mistake.
I held my breath and looked around at the audience.
Everyone was nodding in understanding.
“Today, due to my small whim, the piece was performed differently than usual, and Princess Therese couldn’t have known that. Still, she clapped for me with a sincere heart.”
With her heartfelt words, warm smiles began to spread across the audience.
Perhaps it was the deep bond between the imperial sisters that moved them.
Her calm response melted the tension lingering in the theater,
And peace returned once again.
Soon after,
Whispers began to echo throughout the audience.
Everyone seemed to understand the situation and shared their thoughts.
“As expected of the Crown Princess! How noble her bearing is!”
“And Princess Therese’s pure heart was truly touching.”
I felt a little ashamed of myself, having considered sacrificing myself to fix things.
Sincerity always gets through.
We just forget that sometimes.
As Elize quietly looked around the now-lively audience,
“Then, I’ll finish the performance properly…”
She sat back down at the piano, offering Therese a gentle smile.
Taking a slow breath, she placed her hands on the keys.
A clear, deep resonance spread through the hall.
This time, no one—not even Therese—interrupted the flow.
The final note spread gently, and Elize slowly lifted her hands from the keys.
And then,
As if declaring the performance truly over, she stood from her seat.
Therese was the first to burst into enthusiastic applause.
That applause quickly spread throughout the entire theater and finally turned into joy.
Crescendo.
Stronger and stronger.
***
Backstage, in the waiting room, Elize sat back on the sofa, letting out a deep breath.
She seemed quite drained by the series of unexpected events.
Though she’d hidden it in front of the audience, anyone would feel exhausted after something like that.
“That was a fine response.”
“Then I have one favor to ask.”
All I did was compliment her, and suddenly I’m being asked for a favor?
I wasn’t sure what the connection was, but I agreed anyway.
“Could you bring me a glass of water?”
“Of course.”
Simple enough.
“I don’t have the strength to get up.”
As I quickly fetched a glass of water, I noticed how pale her face looked.
Her fingers were trembling slightly.
When adrenaline is released in a high-stress situation, your heartbeat and blood pressure rise.
That drains both mental and physical energy quickly.
Especially when performing an emotionally intense piece like Elize did today.
And she had taken a potion too.
Her adrenaline likely peaked during the performance and then plummeted the moment it ended.
In short,
She was “depleted.”
There was no other solution in such cases.
Only rest and emotional stability would help.
“Meditation might help.”
“Mmm.”
As soon as I said that, Elize closed her eyes.
It seemed best not to disturb her any further, so I asked Edward Findel to stay by her side.
“Just keep an eye on her.”
There were also Imperial Guard Knights nearby, so there shouldn’t be any problems.
Sending her back to the imperial box could wait until she finished resting.
For now,
“Victor, let’s go.”
“Are we really going?”
We decided to take care of the task we’d been given first.
—
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