Chapter 155
Since she had recovered enough to walk around, the sounds of violins echoed through the Halbern estate again after lunch.
The time after lunch when she play some light music.
Today there were special guests at that hour.
A hundred or so star wizards from the tower.
“Can you really play?”
She looked back and forth between her dad and the seated wizards with suspicion, and Valar smirked.
Something’s not right.
“Dad said I shouldn’t play in front of the wizards.”
“You already did.”
“That’s…”
The wizard panicked.
She wanted to say she had no choice, but her dad was right. Something was wrong.
She pouted her lips, and Valar chuckled.
“Cute.”
“I’m kind of cute.”
He rubbed their cheeks together and took a deep breath.
A relaxed breath.
Smiling a relaxed smile that was almost unrecognizable from the first time they met, Valar spoke softly.
“If you don’t want to play, you don’t have to. I’ll kick them out.”
“It’s not like that….”
It was hard to ignore the fact that she knew why all the ‘star’ wizards were seated, and why they were all looking in her direction with those glowing eyes.
It tickled her to think of them waiting for her to play.
“I’ll play.”
As if he knew she would, he patted her head.
“I knew it, Dad, and the wizards ripped it to shreds.”
“You’re bragging?”
She sighed as she watched him brag.
‘My dad, when will you grow up?’
Hmm. But when he does, she thinks it’ll be just as sad.
‘Dad…’
Her dad is actually her maternal uncle, and her dad is actually unmarried and single, and they became father and daughter through some complicated circumstances, but knowing the truth didn’t change the relationship.
She didn’t just recognize him as her dad because he was her dad.
In her previous life, the only memories she had with him were his one-sided request that she understand her mom.
In this life, she already has a lot of memories with him.
“Play instead, and feel free to quit if you’re tired.”
Her dad warned her, just to be on the safe side, since the wizards are numerical.
But why give it a try?
To find out the limits of the purification ability or something.
To use an ability well, you have to know its limits, right?
“Yeah, okay.”
Valar left, and she stood alone on the simple stage. The stage was made by the users collectively.
As she stood on the stage, she could feel many eyes on her. Nurturers, vassals, users, and mages.
“Let’s do it, Ethel.”
Poof.
The jealous ethel, no longer tolerant of the sight of another violin, cradled the silver violin with its shoulders and chin.
The silver bow meets the strings.
Ziying-.
Spring has come.
***
A spring breeze seemed to blow in from somewhere.
The music, bright and warm, instantly transformed this place into another world.
The warmth of a sunny spring day. Tones that evoked a peaceful countryside with early spring flowers peeking their heads.
Beethoven, Violin Sonata No.5 in F Major, Op.24 ‘Spring’ Mov.1
As Valar sat back and watched Arellin play, he couldn’t help but smile.
‘She’s a different person.’
The violinist was nowhere near her usual nonchalant, nonchalant self.
It’s the only time she’s ever serious, as if she doesn’t care what happens to her.
Sometimes she would make an inexplicably pained expression, but when she was playing her violin, her expression was as stoic and stern as a knight about to go into battle, making the viewer take her seriously.
With such an expression, she delicately and affectionately caresses the violin and produces a beautiful melody.
She heard it many times and seen it many times.
It was an almost magical sight.
“What on earth did you do to the wizards?”
“This and that.”
Mehen scowled as he sat down beside Valar.
“We’re the only ones who get tired when we lose a game of Chuck with Matap.”
“Losing Chuck?”
Valar laughed, as if he’d heard a good joke.
“That won’t happen, because wizards can never give up Arellin.”
Valar jerked his chin as if to say, ‘Look. Mehen looked away, and the wizards, moved by the music, were breaking into a silent roar, tears streaming down their faces.’
Shakily, Mehen turned away and let out a small sigh.
“Hah.”
“What else is bothering you.”
Valar’s words, which hadn’t even been spoken, stunned Mehen.
‘Do I need to tell her that Arellin’s father is not the Regent?’
This is the question that plagues Mehen these days.
But the answer was inevitable.
“I heard something interesting from the Regent.”
“Like what?”
“He said Arellin’s father isn’t his.”
Mehen frowned at Valar’s lack of surprise.
“You are not surprised?”
“I am surprised.”
“You lied.”
Valar shrugged.
“You expected it?”
“Well, a little?”
He thought for a moment that maybe, just maybe, every time he met his sister in his infinitely recurring dreams, it was true.
“She’s my sister, but she’s pretty amazing. Isn’t she?”
In a foreign land with no one to stand up for her, in a situation where she’s supposed to be bent and broken, she’s actually bending over backwards.
Ordinary people don’t even think about it, and if they do, they don’t act on it.
“What do you really think of this goal-scorer?”
He was laughing in embarrassment, but Valar didn’t look embarrassed at all.
“Do you remember, Mehen?”
“What do you mean?”
The one they’d played for everyone as soon as Arellin was able to walk.
“Oh, you mean that really long piece?”
“Yes. She played it longer than usual.”
“Yes, but why was that…”
“That music, they say it’s a funeral song.”
Mehen’s eyes widened.
“Arellin said it was for her funeral, which she organized herself.”
Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine,
Grant them eternal rest, Lord.
et lux perpetua luceat eis.
And let your eternal light shine upon them.
Dona eis requiem.
Give them rest.
Valar smirked, remembering the answer Arellin had given him when asked what he’d said when she’d finished playing.
“She may have lacked parental blessing, but she did have child blessing, didn’t she? I never thought of doing that for my sister, who only has one.”
Mehen looked at Valar with complicated eyes.
He was about to retort that it was only because he wanted to believe his sister was alive, but he just nodded.
“Arel is a filial daughter.”
“A filial daughter.”
Valar remembered a question he’d asked Mehen once.
What would he rather not lose: the last tie to his lost sister, or his daughter Arellin?
Mehen hadn’t answered then, and Valar wasn’t sure.
“What does it matter, she’s so precious.”
Now it didn’t matter.
As the violin played a bright, breezy spring tune, Valar thought back to the strange feelings Arellin had brought him, feelings he had left behind and forgotten in childhood, now so long ago.
-Be happy, Valar.
Be happy. Be happy, sister.
***
The concert ended with great fanfare.
Valar stopped the star wizards from rushing to Arellin in tears.
The mages, who had agreed to visit in groups of two or three from now on, made an appointment with Mehen.
And then.
“You haven’t forgotten your promise, have you?”
“Of course not. In our honor, we will find a way to restore Lady Arellin’s health!”
Valar and Mage Hege exchanged meaningful glances.
“…?”
And just like that, a bizarre scene became part of Halbern’s daily life.
Regent Ludwig, who had traveled to the Kingdom of Lemren, returned less than a week later.
“Arellin, I have something to tell you.”
