Chapter 12

For a while, everything continued as usual. Although I no longer needed to practice magic control, I continued to cast light magic on Nate's face until my magic ran out in the morning. When I placed my hands on Nate's face to cast light magic, I always felt nervous and could never get used to it. Despite having cast light magic on him every day for nine months, I was still amazed at my lack of talent, as the range of the magic's effect never changed. I couldn't help but laugh, thinking that God must know I just wanted to play the piano.

As winter approached and I was given a magical device to warm my hands before playing the piano, I began to notice that Nate's mouth no longer twitched, and I could see that it was well-formed. His nose was straight, and although I hadn't seen under his bangs yet, I had a strong feeling he was very handsome. I couldn't help but seek Rose's agreement.

Nate's aunt was so beautiful that it was a wake-up call, so Rose said there was a high possibility that Nate was also handsome. Rose and Nate's aunt were seniors and juniors at the academy and were good friends. Rose was surprised when Nate asked about his aunt's name.

A while after the twitching of his mouth stopped, Nate told Melissa to stop the treatment and play the piano in the morning.

"I think it's fine to stop the treatment here. But if Melissa thinks the scars are disgusting, I want you to continue until Melissa is satisfied."

"I'm more worried about how painful they look."

Saying this, Melissa didn't stop the treatment. Whether he was handsome or not, she wanted to know everything about Nate and see his face, but she didn't say this because it was embarrassing.

In the coldest part of winter, Nate went to the neighboring Reeves border barony to meet his aunt, with whom he had been exchanging letters. It was also the day of his brother's 13th birthday.

He was not invited to his brother's birthday party, and Melissa did not send a letter or a gift. In the first place, the gift for his brother's birthday every year was a performance of a song he requested. She hadn't played for his birthday last year, and she wouldn't this year either. She wouldn't play the piano for her brother anymore. Every year, he requested difficult songs that were hard for her small hands, and she enjoyed practicing them.

This year, she didn't do anything for her father's or grandmother's birthdays. Although she had been seeking their love so much until spring, she didn't feel anything about it now. She didn't think she was heartless because she had people to love and people who loved her. She sent pressed blue flowers from the lakeside to the caretaker of the house, asking him to place them on her mother's grave.

Nate returned from Reeves after just three days, bringing back the application form for the Telfort International Music Competition as a souvenir.

Nate's aunt welcomed him warmly without blaming him. Since he was now living in the servants' quarters of the border barony, he and Nate decided that he would continue to live separately in Lothron and Reeves.

The next day after Nate returned from the border barony, it was the first treatment session in three days. Josh and Rose were also called in, and the four of them read through the application requirements and a book about the empire's musicians. They had been gradually gathering information from Lothron's bookstores and libraries over the past few months, but they learned many things from the application form Nate brought back and the imperial book.

"Miss, were you close to the Second Prince and the Queen?"

"I hardly ever spoke to the Second Prince. It would be impossible to get a signature from a royal."

Josh asked this because the Telfort International Music Competition, which is open to anyone 15 years or older regardless of nationality, status, or criminal record, requires a signature from the head of the family or a royal of their own country for nobles and their children.

Winning the highest award, the Apollo Award, at the annual Telfort International Music Competition automatically makes one a court musician of the empire. Of course, the path to this is narrow. The ratio and number of applicants were unknown, but there were five rounds of judging, and some years there were no Apollo Award winners.

As Josh had said before, court musicians are the emperor's property. Nobles lose their noble status, and foreigners become imperial citizens. They have a status equivalent to a baron for one generation, and no one can force a court musician to do anything without the emperor's permission. They are protected by imperial law from being injured, forced to play, restricted in their movements, or pressured into marriage.

Once, a high-ranking noble lady from another country became a court musician without permission. Her parents tried to bring her back to their country, which almost led to an international incident with the empire. Therefore, nobles and their children must have a signature from the head of their family or a royal of their own country on the application form, indicating their consent.

Even if one is originally a commoner, a court musician can marry a noble, and of course, they can also marry a commoner. They are called "living national treasures" and are admired and cherished by all imperial citizens.

While it seems that the emperor cannot refuse what he commands, there is a lesson from history that harming a court musician lowers the emperor's popularity and destabilizes the country, so the emperor rarely imposes unreasonable demands on court musicians. Despite being a multi-ethnic country, the citizens are all music lovers.

The pinnacle of musicians, the court musician. Of course, I want to aim for this and work hard, but the average age of Apollo Award winners is 28.

For a pianist who is not a court musician to get a job in the empire, they need a recommendation from an imperial noble. Usually, commoners and foreigners don't have such recommendations, but if they advance in the competition and reach the third round, where nobles are in the audience, they may attract a patron and get a job.

The competition can be entered multiple times, and there is no entry fee. The ideal is to make a living as a pianist in the empire and apply to the competition every year.

To enter the competition, I need either "a signature from my father or a royal" or "to become a commoner."

Since I can't become a noble without entering a noble academy, I thought I wouldn't need the head of the house's signature if I were treated as a commoner, but after reading the details, it seems that even at 15, I need the head of the house's signature, even if I'm a bastard. This is probably to allow anyone of any nationality to apply, as some countries don't have noble academies or have different systems.

"It's not realistic to get a signature while remaining a noble. Even if I can convince them that I want to be a pianist in the empire, I might be forced to marry someone before I win the Apollo Award. I need to keep my plan to become a pianist in the empire a secret. I have two options: run away from the dukedom before entering the noble academy and apply when I'm 16, or intentionally fail the noble academy and run away when I'm 16."

We discussed this based on Rose's opinion.

I want to graduate from the magic academy. If I don't graduate from the magic academy despite having magic, my magic will be sealed, which means I'll have to wear heavy bracelets on both hands. I'm worried about how this will affect my finger movements after my magic flow changes. I don't want to lose the ability to play the piano as I wish.

"If I run away from home, I'm worried about what my family will do. I don't think they would go out of their way to find me, as they wouldn't have left me alone if they wanted to use me effectively..."

"My aunt works at the border checkpoint in Reeves. I think she can help falsify my exit records if I ask her."

"Vanessa left an inheritance from her family when she passed away. With that, I can live as a commoner for 20 years. I grew up in a poor baron's house, so I can help."

Rose said she would follow Melissa even if she lived as a commoner.

"Can we use that inheritance to pay for Rose's salary?"

"Of course. Plus, I can listen to your performances for free every day, and I'll definitely follow you to protect you from bad people."

This is how we decided what to do.

We would ask Nate's aunt to set up an imperial account, transfer the inheritance to it, and prepare a place to live in the empire. We would cut Melissa's hair and make a brown wig.

The name and identity as a commoner would be "Mel."

If the noble academy I was to enter in a year was in the empire or another country, I would enter and run away just before graduation. If it was in my own country, I would return to the dukedom, wear a wig, and try to live in a dormitory without interacting with my family, and run away just before graduation.

Then, I would attend the imperial magic academy as a commoner and apply to the competition when I turned 16.

Amelia, who wanted to take my place as the duke's daughter, would find it strange if I didn't do magic control training, so I would continue to some extent. According to Rose, it was rare for someone to stop leaking magic so quickly, so it wouldn't be suspicious if the training wasn't finished by the time I entered the magic academy.

Therefore, the possibility of entering the noble academy in my own country was low as long as Amelia was around. Among the neighboring countries, the empire was the most familiar, so we were relieved that there was a high chance I would be ordered to enter the imperial noble academy.

When Nate asked why we didn't run away immediately, Melissa said she didn't want Josh or the people of Lothron to be held responsible.

According to Rose, who entered the noble academy 10 years ago, the preparation for uniforms and family crests on belongings starts around the end of summer. By autumn at the latest, it would be clear which country's noble academy Melissa would enter.

Rose decided to leave the Johnston dukedom if it was a noble academy outside her own country. If it was in her own country, she would return to the dukedom with Melissa. At that time, she declared that she would be like Amelia and deceive everyone around her.

The discussion ended with Josh's declaration to buy a magical device to grow hair.

There was a magical device to grow hair, so even if the roots were cut for the wig, the hair could be grown back. Rose said she would have the cut hair made into a wig on her next day off. Melissa suggested using a magical device to change hair color, but it would be obvious that the color was changed by a magical device when seen up close.

That evening, Nate came to Melissa's room while she was studying.

"Even though you're not going to graduate from the noble academy, you're still studying. That's so like you, Melissa."

Since the day Nate first gave her cookies, he occasionally made sweets and offered them to her. Today, he seemed to have made chocolate cookies.

"Nate, let's go to the imperial magic academy. If you leave the country just before entering, you can attend the imperial academy, and it's free because it's mandatory. ...I want to go to the academy with Nate."

Melissa said this bravely.

"Sorry... I have something I need to do at this country's magic academy."

Melissa had a feeling this would happen because Nate didn't say anything about his future during their discussion. He didn't see a future with her.

"Can you tell me what you need to do?"

"Sorry... If you can accept me after I'm done, I want to live with you."

"That's not enough. ...I can't imagine not accepting you."

The chocolate cookies they ate afterward tasted more bitter than usual.

A few days later, Melissa cut her hair for the wig and immediately used a magical device to grow it back. Looking at her reflection in the mirror, she saw a resemblance to her mother. When she grew up a little more, she would be a spitting image of her.

Even with a different hair color, she was so much like her mother, and she wondered if her family had forgotten her mother's face. But she realized that it wasn't that they had forgotten her mother's face, but that no one had ever really looked at her face.

Then, spring came, and it had been a year since Melissa and Rose came to Lothron. They celebrated Melissa's 12th birthday with a cake Nate made. The treatment continued, and by early summer, the only remaining scars were on the right temple and forehead.

Under the long bangs, there was a face so handsome it made her heart stop, but what Melissa thought was beautiful was his teal eyes, like the Lothron lake.

And she knew someone who looked just like this handsome face. She had a bad feeling about Nate, who said he hated nobles and insisted on attending the national magic academy. She was hesitant to question Nate about his reasons.

When she was about to cast light magic on Nate's right temple by putting her hand under his bangs, Josh rushed into the room.

"Miss, a messenger has arrived saying that the Duke of Johnston and Amelia will be visiting the Lothron manor for a week starting in five days."

Melissa's heart pounded with a bad feeling.

"Recently, rare pink pearls have been harvested from the Lothron lake pearl farm. The duke saw the pearls sent with the report and decided to come to Lothron to select them for Amelia, combining it with a summer retreat. For the week, you are to stay outside the Lothron territory and avoid any contact with Amelia."

The thought of her father and Amelia coming to Lothron, and the fear of Nate's face being seen, made her heart freeze.

"Let's go to Reeves."

Nate, whose hand was on top of Melissa's trembling hand, made her feel relieved by the warmth of his hand, and she even had the presence of mind to think that she needed to use formal language in front of Josh.

"Yes, that's right. It will be fun to look for rare sheet music with Rose and Nate. I'll arrange a place to stay in Reeves. Don't worry, leave it to me and enjoy your time in Reeves."

Melissa felt relieved by Josh's usual smile, but her heart was still pounding.

Four days later, Melissa, Nate, and Rose went to the neighboring border territory of Reeves. They visited a large bookstore, a music store, and a café that Rose wanted to go to, played the piano at their inn, and met Nate's aunt, spending the happiest and most enjoyable week of their lives, trying to ignore the fear of Amelia.

The day after her father and Amelia returned to the capital, Melissa and the others returned to Lothron. The quiet lakeside, which seemed as usual as if her father and Amelia had never been there, made her feel at ease, and she tried to return to her usual routine by playing the piano.

When she started playing the piano, Melissa lost track of her surroundings.

Suddenly, Rose tapped her on the shoulder, and Melissa was startled. It reminded her of the shoulder taps from Rose when she was playing the piano with a silencing device at her home in the capital, which stopped when she came to Lothron. For a moment, she felt as if she had returned to that time.

"Miss! Nate! Nate was taken away by Amelia!"

Hearing this, Melissa got up and ran towards the manor gate.

Amelia must have seen Nate's face. What will happen to Nate? We should have stayed in Reeves for one more day. I shouldn't have come back so soon just because I wanted to play the piano.

Regret flooded her.

At the gate, there were several stunned servants and Josh.

"The carriage that was supposed to have taken them to the capital yesterday returned, and the duke, who was in a hurry to return to the capital, said he would go separately, but Amelia said she remembered something she forgot and asked for Melissa's servant to be brought to her. When she saw Nate, she put him in the carriage and left for the capital."

Just then, a guard knight wearing the Johnston dukedom's uniform on his horse returned. The knight handed a letter to Melissa and left.

_________

Miss Melissa,

I have gone to the capital and will become Amelia's servant. I will not return to Lothron. Thank you for everything.

Nate

_________

Don't worry, it's all according to plan.

_________

The last sentence was written in a hurry, small in the corner of the letter.