Chapter 328: Twenty-two, use my power (4K5)
The person who emerged from the darkness was Arianna.
In her usual manner, with a book in her right hand and a magic wand in her left, she wore a faint smile on her face, as graceful and peaceful as if she were coming to a class.
Only, her eye reflected the sole source of light in the church—the deep blue magic fire flame hanging overhead—adding a touch of ice-cold and enigmatic allure to her elegance.
“Ah, Hewinia,” Arianna began leisurely, her voice as cold and clear as a breeze sweeping through a valley, “the Seven Notes·Syllable is almost upon us, why are you still sitting here all by yourself? Won’t you be going home?”
Hewinia dispelled the flame in her palm and replied in a soft voice, “My family will be here to pick me up soon, would Professor Arianna allow me to go back?”
“Why not?” Arianna answered with a smile, “You are my favorite student, after all, Hewinia.”
Hewinia did not move but simply watched Arianna quietly because she knew Arianna had not finished speaking.
Sure enough, after a brief pause, Arianna continued leisurely.
“If, indeed, you are Hewinia.”
At those words, a gust of wind raged outside the church, causing the magic blue flame hanging from the ceiling to flicker wildly.
They gazed at each other, one with a smile, the other with a composed expression.
“May I know the reason?” Hewinia asked.
“Of course,” Arianna replied with a smile, “Clearing up a student’s confusion is a teacher’s fundamental duty. What would you like to know?”
Hewinia nodded slightly before asking directly, “Why do you suspect me? The Golden Score hasn’t been seen in many years, and normal people wouldn’t think along those lines at all.”
Hearing Hewinia’s question, the smile in Arianna’s eyes grew even deeper.
“Before I answer your question, I must say… Is this your true character?” Arianna walked slowly towards Hewinia, “If it were before, you would pad your speech with preamble, making roundabout inquiries and finally express yourself hesitantly, like a cautious child. I must admit it was an excellent disguise, and it’s precisely because of this harmless image that you were able to be so well-liked in the academy, earning the fondness of the majority here.”
Arianna approached Hewinia, gently lifting her chin with her hand.
The gesture was tender, as if handling a work of art.
“But what should I say? Rather than your feigned, delicate image like porcelain, I prefer you as you are now,” Arianna’s eyes reflected Hewinia’s face, “like a weed that never breaks no matter the wind and rain… Of course, it is also because of this character that you have been able to stay hidden until now. Over a year, and no one has discovered your presence, not even your parents, oh no, I should say, Hewinia’s parents.”
“But you still found out.”
“Yes,” Arianna again let go of Hewinia’s chin, stepping back slightly, “Hewinia, although you often sleep, daydream, get distracted during my class, and get unnecessarily close with that Copper Rank boy… surely you haven’t forgotten what kind of teacher I am.”
“Of course not,” Hewinia replied, “You teach ‘The Steps and Rhythms of Music.'”
“Yes, but… that’s not what I’m best at,” Arianna spoke as if she were back in the classroom, tapping her magic wand in the air, leaving behind erratic traces, “what I truly excel at is…”
She suddenly swung her wand horizontally, and those seemingly random traces quickly formed into elegant musical notes, ultimately intertwining into a score.
Then, she swept her wand quickly over the score, and a stirring melody erupted, shattering the silence of the night.
“Do you know what the requirements are to stay on and become a professor in this academy, Hewinia? Let me tell you, one must independently create three pieces with more than four notes, or a single piece with five notes. That’s no easy task. Your mentor Leon took ten years, the music score teacher Delaman seven years, but me… it only took me half a year, did you know? Just half a year.”
“In this aspect, I am the best. Do you know how many pieces I’ve composed?”
“Let me tell you, I have… forty-three pieces of more than four notes. Do you realize what this number means? Leon and Delaman together don’t even account for half of mine!”
Arianna’s tone grew increasingly passionate.
“Yet, in this academy, my status is much lower than theirs! I don’t even get to teach my best subjects, music scores, and composition, all because that old fellow Delaman got there first! I’m relegated to teaching the most basic steps and rhythms, suffering through the days with all of you talentless dolts, even instructing Copper Ranks who are barely distinguishable from waste!”
Arianna flicked her wand sharply, and the wooden wand emitted a cutting sound as if slashing through the air.
“I am clearly more outstanding, more talented, and have ventured further in the pursuit of melody than they have! Yet, paradoxically, I do not receive what I deserve!”