There’d been enough of her dresses to fill up entire reception rooms in both our capital residence and the Yulnova Fortress. I’d already given away almost every dress in the capital, but the ones from the fortress still remained. Their fabric would be perfect for flashy costumes.
I’d also given the costume team some samples of the vivid, natural-dyed fabrics I’d gotten from the people of the forest and asked if they could work with them. They were very different from the sorts of fabrics typically worn in the empire, so I figured they’d help give the audience a sense that they were watching a play from another time.
I’d also brought Halil into the loop. Celestial Blue had already gained popularity in the capital, but I told him this was a good opportunity to promote it to the families of students from other regions. He’d agreed and would provide us with fabric for the costumes and pigments for the backdrops.
“I’ll look forward to seeing how you utilize these in the play,” he’d told me with a grin.
It’d made me feel like I’d just dug my own grave. It hadn’t actually changed anything, though, because my brother’s advisors had already decided to watch the play the moment they’d heard I was involved.
Well, heavy expectations were fine. At the end of the day, the final result depended on my classmates’ efforts.
Go for it, friends!
I was also expecting great things from some other people, especially Yuri. I couldn’t wait to see how his light mana elevated the show! I didn’t want him to overwork himself, though.
Unlike last time with Lydia, Olga’s family treasure wasn’t at stake, so I had no intention of overdoing it. I just wanted to have fun and enjoy the festival.
During the carriage ride, I spoke of all these things to Alexei. Suddenly, I gasped and covered my mouth with my hand.
“My! I kept talking without pause this entire time! How impolite. I’m sorry, brother.”
Alexei wasn’t very talkative, so I always spoke more than he did. However, when our topic was his work or my glass workshop, he had things to say. I usually made sure not to monologue and listen to him too. Today, however, I’d just kept babbling about something he probably had no interest in whatsoever. Why should he care about the details of the play’s preparations? Especially the costumes!
I committed a terrible blunder!
I bitterly regretted my carelessness. But after a flash of surprise crossed his features, Alexei just smiled.
“I was having fun. There’s nothing I’d rather listen to than your voice when you’re in high spirits. People praise the chirping of birds, the melody of a gentle breeze caressing the leaves, or the murmuring of a clear stream in the spring, but none of them can compare to the sound of your soft, sagacious voice. Your every word lights a candle, bedazzling and warm, in the hearts of those who listen. If you were a little bird, I’d keep you on my shoulder and listen to your voice at all times...”
The back of Alexei’s fingers trailed along my cheek, oh so soft, as though he were petting a finch. “How nice would that be? At the very least, allow me to bask in your gentle voice when we’re together, my beloved heavenly bird.”
“Oh, brother!”
Alexei’s Ekaterina filter never stops evolving, as expected! Urgh, I can’t let him get ahead. I have to get stronger!
Part of me wondered what I was hoping to achieve by strengthening my obsession, though.
I rested my head on Alexei’s shoulder and looked up at him warmly. “If you’d like, take my heart with you and keep it on your shoulder. It’ll whisper to you, always. Whenever you’re lonely, remember that my heart is right there with you.”
“You’re too good,” Alexei said, using his other hand to stroke my hair.
Alexei pampering me always feels so nice...
I only meant to stay there a few minutes, but before I knew it, I fell asleep. When I woke up, I was shocked to discover we were already home.
“My lady, Madam DiDonato has arrived.”
“Thank you for letting me know, Graham. Please show her to the music room.”
“At once.” Graham smiled and bowed, giving me a great view of his perfectly combed silver hair.
“It’s been a while, my lady.”
I greeted her with a smile. “Welcome, Madam DiDonato.”
She wore an apologetic expression. “I’m terribly sorry for disrupting the timing of our lessons so many times.”
With Olga being summoned by the God of Music and joining the Music Sanctuary, Madam DiDonato’s fame as a teacher had skyrocketed. She was drowning under the requests and struggling to handle everything.
We hadn’t exactly publicized the fact that she’d taught Olga, so part of me found it odd that they all seemed to know somehow. Then again, everyone knew I was supporting Olga, and in the weeks leading up to her performance at the detached palace, Madam DiDonato had refused all other requests to make time for me. I supposed it wasn’t so strange that people had drawn their own conclusions.
“I’m glad your teaching skills are finally being recognized as they should,” I said. “In fact, I feel a little guilty for making you teach me when I’m only learning as a hobby.”
I imagined most of those seeking lessons from Madam DiDonato now hoped to become professional musicians. Teaching them was probably far more rewarding. I’d even considered canceling our contract and finding another teacher.
“It’s a great honor for me to teach the lady of an exalted house like your own,” Madam DiDonato answered immediately.
Graham had stopped me from canceling for that very reason. Regardless of the recognition she’d earned, being allowed into the residence of one of the three grand ducal houses held great value.
Her sudden fame was sure to attract the jealousy of others in her field, and there was a real risk she might be harassed—or worse. A connection to a great house offered protection.
For the House of Yulnova, Madam DiDonato wasn’t the sort of talent we could easily give up either. She was an excellent teacher and had no shady affiliations.
Apparently, the reason it had taken so much time for my lessons to begin after requesting a teacher was that Alexei had ordered background checks on every candidate.
“They don’t have particularly deep connections with the world of music, but one’s never too cautious,” Graham had told me.
At the time, his words had shocked me—I hadn’t considered any of that. However, I’d quickly realized he was right. Since we were on hostile terms with a house of equal rank, the House of Yulmagna, we had to watch our backs. It would be incredibly dangerous to have one of their spies as my teacher.
When I first arrived in the capital, Mr. Moldo had been chosen as my teacher even though he was from a branch of the Magna. I wasn’t sure if that was because the antagonism between our houses hadn’t yet solidified, or because I wasn’t as important as I was now. Maybe it was a bit of both.
Either way, Graham’s words had shown me a glimpse of just how deep the darkness ran when two major houses faced off.
“Besides, your songs are so novel and interesting. I’ve studied music in Astra, but I’ve never heard anything like them, not even there. I’m sure my friends from Astra would be just as impressed by your compositions,” Madam DiDonato said.
The Astra she referred to was the present-day city-state, still embroiled in a war with neighboring states, but renowned for its flourishing arts and music.
DiDonato wasn’t a traditional name of the empire; its sound was distinctly Astran. It was, in fact, her husband’s name, which she’d taken during her studies there. The patronym had served her career well, as Astra’s musical reputation was nothing short of stellar.
“They aren’t my compositions,” I said. “I just heard these songs somewhere. I’m afraid speaking of this topic might hurt your spotless reputation, so I ask that you please keep it under wraps.”