Chapter 27: Interlude 2: the witch and the king (1/2)

Why is it so difficult to keep on living, without looking anywhere but ahead?

An asymmetrically splendid pipe organ was in such a small concert hall.

The melody edited with grave notes was truly majestic and splendid.

It rampaged as if rupturing the hall from the inside.

In the lonely concert hall, fantasia was played by the too-good famed musical instrument.

In contrast to the giant-like organ, the instrumentalist was also small.

It looked no more than a very young girl.

Her hair color was white. Her dress was also white. Her doll-like lifeless skin was also white. Furthermore, she wore silk long white gloves.

Only the color of her eyes that seemed to have a deep gold and crimson, shone in the shade of the room.

Displaying her small delicate fingers, the cool girl was entranced by her musical performance.

Childishness and expertise.

Extravagance and solemnity.

The melody created by the girl and the famed musical instrument perfectly harmonized these conflicting elements, sublimating them into art.

The audience seating on the first floor was all empty.

In the lonely concert hall, the girl continued the musical performance without paying attention to anything.

Playing the keyboard of the pipe organ to her heart's content, the girl finished the musical performance.

Without sweating or taking a pause until the end.

She closed her eyes as if being immersed in the trailing notes of the piece she played with her instrument.

At that moment─A calm applause echoed on the ceiling of the hall.

The girl immediately jumped in fright.

For someone had managed to enter this building without her being able to feel anything.

She turned around with all her body and turned her eyes to the balcony seating on the front of the second floor. Seeing the cause of the applause, she asked with an ear-tickling and fascinating tone that didn't fit a young voice.

”Who are you? Do you not know how rude it's to spy on a lady?”

”I'm not so insensitive to make a sound during your musical performance…”

The man replied in the darkness of the balcony. He also spoke uniquely.

His tone felt like a whisper, but she could hear him amazingly clear. As such she couldn't help but ask, intrigued that she was, for this was the first time she played for anyone other than her sisters and surrogate mother.

”I played one. But if that is the case, may I hear what your impressions are?”

”Your musical performance was as wonderful as always…”

As always, meaning it wasn't the first time he observed.

Her face was suddenly covered in heat. Was it because she had been spied on many times and was never aware of it, or was it because she was weak to straightforward praise? She did not know.

The man slowly moved to the handrail. Then, his appearance was revealed. He was a youthful, yet stylish person.

His facial features said he was 20 years old or so.

However, his facial expression was of a person in the prime of their life wrapped in bitterness.

The thin frame glasses gave him an even more intellectual appearance, suiting him.

The three-piece suit style was perfect too.

Handsome was the first word that came to her mind.

Powerful, was the second word.

”May I know how to call you, my lady?”

”My name is Me–No, my name is Edea.”

She did not wish to lie, but she did not wish to give her name to a perfect stranger, no matter how handsome he was.

A small smile formed at the corners of his lips and he said,