Chapter 101: Danger? (1/2)
The moment he entered the room, Sol was immediately greeted by a gentle and soothing melody.
Looking at the back of the duchess who was playing the piano, Sol closed the door behind him and took a seat, before continuing to listen to her. He didn't know if she had heard him, but if she did, she didn't show it.
Meanwhile, Sol didn't really care. He wasn't particularly in a hurry and he had to admit that even though he didn't particularly like her, her music was something on another level.
Slowly, the gentle music changed, and became sad. A sound full of longing and suffering infused his ears.
This music was telling a story. A story that went from happiness to sadness. From sadness to furry, and from furry to disappointment. The last note though…
”What do you think of this song?”
The duchess asked without turning back. Her voice sounded so far away, he felt as if he was floating.
”It was a beautiful but sad song. But…”
”...But?”
”At the very end, the very last one showed a tinge of hope.”
Silence filled the room. Sol; still feeling a little weird, began to frown. Trusting his instincts, he began to slowly cover his body with mana. The result was instantaneous.
”What did you do to me?”
He asked in a cold tone. The previous feeling of weightlessness had vanished.
”Hum…” The duchess hummed in surprise.”You woke up sooner than I thought. I must admit that I am impressed.”
”What did you do to me?”
Sol once again asked, his tone still calm, but threatening. Clearly, if her answer didn't satisfy him, the meeting would go bad very fast.
”Why not try guessing?”
Recalling his previous stats, and remembering some less savory doujin from his previous life, he hazarded a guess,
”Hypnosis?”
”Indeed. Though, I simply put you into a trance. Or rather, you fell into a trance while listening to my music.”
He could hear the pride in her voice and indeed, she had all the reasons to be proud. This power while not at Camelia's level was still really frightening.
'Later, I need to visit Camelia to ascertain my mental state.'
He was pretty sure that he hadn't been hypnotized, but, since he watched a certain doujin where a fatass played with his bullies by making them think fucking him was a punishment, he rather e'er on the side of caution.
”Duchess, I must say that this meeting does not begin on a good note.”
”But I thought my music was good?”
”Music? What does it have to do with… Oh~”
Did the duchess make a pun? Her? That gloomy and naggy woman?
Even though it was a rather bad pun, he couldn't help but chuckle.
The duchess, as if finally acknowledging his existence, finally turned towards him.
This allowed him to finally take a good look at her.
A beautiful black gown, long raven hair as dark as the night, and eyes the color of blood.
If he had to speak objectively, the duchess was without a doubt a beautiful woman. Even though she didn't have the glamorous body of Lilith or Camelia, she certainly didn't lose in terms of beauty.
”Sol Luxuria, the crown prince. Tell me. In your opinion. What is art?”
'Art is an explosion.'
He seriously wanted to say this iconic line. Though, with her skills, she was closer to the marionette than that terrorist wannabe.
Arachne didn't wait for him to answer, ”You see, for me, art is the expression of the deepest secret lying in the artist's heart. Be it painting, singing, playing, sculpting. No matter what form of art, the artist must lay bare his heart for everyone to see. It does not matter how ugly or how beautiful it is. What matters is the heart.”
Arachne closed her eyes, ”That's why, even though everyone called me a genius, in my eyes, I was just a fake artist. For me there was nothing that could make me give all my heart.”
An artist could only give his heart when he was giving his all to create something. But, for her, playing the greatest piece was child play. Painting the most beautiful landscape could be done with her eyes closed.
”Everything changed when I met your father.”