In the music room, Efnie sat in front of the score, plucking her guitar as her singing voice followed.
Within the room, other members were either standing or sitting, listening to the slightly upbeat song.
[I try to understand why we must conceal]
[Waiting on the neon lights for the next signal]
[Because of you and me, we're destined to paint the sky with splendor]
[You and I are the chosen ones, we are bound to pursue the sublime]
[Nothing is free, I need the beat of your heart to breathe]
[Follow me, and we will become a symphony]
[We will become a symphony]
[We will become a symphony]
[We will become a magnificent symphony]
The entire piece was not very long. After the first half's vocals came rhythm-filled music, then a looping melody, the refrain "We will become a symphony" echoing, taking the whole song to a climax and conclusion.
"It's refreshing, I didn't expect Efnie to be so good at singing~" Applause broke out within the club.
"As expected from the 'Flame's Goldfish Princess'."
"I so love the way Efnie plays the guitar, her blonde hair bathed in the light, blurring my vision."
The room's adulation made the Goldfish Princess stand up and bow to express her thanks. Since her return from a recent training experience, her temperament had changed a lot. She wasn't as aloof as before, having softened quite a bit, like a goldfish entering water, filtering out the scorching of the flame, while retaining the gentleness of water. Only when she occasionally zoned out did the flickers of Mars in her strands and pupils remind those around her that here was a genius with Perfect Level Talent, capable of sparking transcendent effects even with the most unconscious actions.
"Let's call it a day."
After finishing the morning training, the club members started to leave one by one, with only a few remaining in the music room. They needed to prepare for the upcoming contest, requiring more practice and coordination.
As the room began to clear, Efnie gathered the remaining members to practice ensemble pieces against the score. At that moment, a girl with black hair also entered, raising a finger to her astonished audience, indicating she didn't want to disturb the members who were playing.
So, she found a quiet corner to sit and listen to the ensemble of Efnie and the others until the piece ended.
Opening her eyes, Efnie noticed Tilan sitting in the corner. Though it was an out-of-the-way spot, she was quite conspicuous now that there were no other members left in the room.
"The president has arrived." With that, the others also noticed the girl in the corner.
Seeing everyone looking at her, Tilan stood up and walked over.
"Good afternoon, everyone." She greeted and then came to Efnie's side.
"Is this the piece we are going to play during the competition?" Tilan leaned over to look at the score.
"Yes, the first round is a selected ensemble piece which will be scored by judges. The final, at the Third Stage, allows more freedom, but it's more complex. It needs both ensemble and solo performances," Efnie said, moving over to give Tilan a seat beside her.
Feeling the tickle of blond hair brushing against her cheek, the girl with pale blue eyes scanned the score and then looked at the remaining musicians in the room. They were members of 'Swarm's Reign', three of Sequence 5, two of Sequence 4, all admiringly looking at Tilan.
Although Tilan wasn't very self-aware, in most students' eyes, someone like her serving as Edith Academy's Student Council President was a figure many saw as out of reach, destined for greatness beyond the average graduate.
"I and the others have dug out videos of past competitions and watched them. Our strength now is about average among the histories, not standing out, but also not falling far behind," Efnie shared the current situation.
"Where do we need to strengthen?" Tilan inquired.
"First, the personnel side, as not many students at our academy focus on music, making choices tight. Second, the stage experience; while 'Swarm's Reign' does involve music, most activities are centered around opera with music only in a supporting role."
"Lastly, and it's where we face a messy brawl scenario, the band members need to coordinate with the combat members. We've never done that before."
"While the last two points are lacking, we can compensate with intensive training and rehearsal in the near term. But the first point remains a deficit," Efnie said, having also analyzed several past competition videos recently and drawn some conclusions.
"Mm-hmm." The girl nodded and then spoke up.
"However, the situation isn't all that bad. While our academy isn't as strong in music as Swarm's Reign, we are not weak in combat. I will arrange to enlist some of the higher combat members to balance the shortcomings in the music department." Since the split with Saint Yingo, Edith Academy never ceased to nurture combat talents. And being the only academy specialized in Withering Sequence among the top six, it attracted many eccentric geniuses, bringing surprises to the academy from time to time.
"I appreciate your help, Tilan." Efnie expressed her gratitude, and then they exchanged more intelligence about the upcoming contest.
"Ah, President Tilan is competing too?" When others heard that Tilan would be joining the competitors, they couldn't help but be surprised.
Although Tilan was the Student Council President, in the eyes of most, she seemed more like an administrative officer responsible for logistics and command.