“It seems like it’s in the direction of Madeleine Square.”

Even amidst all that, the singing continued to be heard. Along with the majestic orchestra music.

After a brief moment of contemplation, the nobles soon made their decision.

“Let’s go!”

“We have nothing else to do anyway, so let’s take a stroll around the square before returning.”

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Madeleine Square.

Famous for the fountain spouting from the harp of the angel statue, this place originally had a high floating population, but today it was especially crowded.

At the center of it all was a group of orchestral musicians.

It was common for street musicians to play instruments or sing and receive a few coins, but there had never been an instance where an entire orchestra appeared together like this.

“My goodness, what’s with this orchestra? There are violins and even clarinets…”

“Mommy, what’s that? The violin is huge!”

“That’s called a cello, and don’t even look at it. If we put a single scratch on it, we’ll have to sell our house.”

People gathered in surprise at the appearance of a proper orchestra.

The members, faced with hundreds of floating spectators, all had tense expressions.

The members’ firm gazes turned towards me as if on cue, as I had just arrived.

‘It’s alright.’

I slowly swept my gaze over them and conveyed a wordless message.

‘Just do as we practiced.’

One month of rehearsals.

It was by no means an ample amount of time. That’s why I intensively trained each and every member to achieve maximum efficiency.

“Mr. Philip, your technique is perfect but the emotional aspect is a bit lacking. That’s an area that requires a lot of time investment, but there is a way to make it seem like you’ve grown rapidly in a short period of time as a trick. Shall we try vibrato first? Here, from there, like this…”

“Ms. Rosani, don’t use trills. Your left fourth finger joint is weak, right?”

“Gasp, how did you know that!”

“I’ve modified the sheet music so it doesn’t strain your fourth joint, so please take a look.”

“Ms. Ariana! What about me?”

“Mr. Ruben, I want you to practice only half as much as you are now.”

“What?!”

“Mr. Ruben, your talent itself is outstanding. But because you’re young, you have an obsession with catching up to your seniors quickly and are pushing yourself too hard. At this rate, your joints will be ruined within three years.”

“I… is that really true?”

“Trust my words and practice in moderation. You need to sleep at night to grow taller too.”

“Gasp, how did you know I wasn’t sleeping?”

I spent time like that every day for the past month.

The reason I was able to provide such pinpoint education was simple.

Because I had already spent five years together with these people. Though they had no idea, even in their dreams.

Five years later, the Lopez Orchestra would be reborn as the best orchestra.

It was a natural outcome, as they all had outstanding qualities and passion.

I merely added a few shortcuts to reach that future faster.

The members also quickly adapted to my coaching and began to grow at a tremendous pace. Perhaps because their growth was visible, their practice time doubled as well.

‘So there’s no need to be nervous.’

Even if the venue changes and the audience is different, even if your heart feels crushed under pressure.

The time you’ve poured into practice won’t betray you.

I nodded to the conductor.

Soon, the performance began.

The opening was Ruben’s violin solo.

“Wow…”

“Oh my.”

The sorrowful tone flowing from the young boy’s hands made passersby who were peering curiously stop in their tracks.

Soon, melody layered upon melody, and a beautiful harmony shyly danced.

In the middle of it all, Rosalyn opened her mouth.

– The moment I first saw you, I felt it. That a forbidden passion would consume me.

A clear yet alluring voice.

Her voice, perfectly harmonizing with the string instruments, was moving enough to feel like appreciating a work of art in itself.

People began to whisper in surprise.

“Was there a singer like her? I’ve never seen her face before.”

“Her voice is so good, isn’t it?”

Hearing the voices praising Rosalyn, my heart felt strangely ticklish for some reason.

What was this feeling? It was like watching a rabbit I had carefully raised in my arms take its first hop…

The strange emotion was startling, but it made sense.

In fact, the one I had put the most effort into over the past month was not the members, but Rosalyn.

After all, the flower of an aria is the soprano, no matter what.

There were times when Rosalyn would lose confidence and sob during the ongoing lessons.

“I don’t think I can do it, Ms. Ariana… Maybe it’s because I lack the basics. Maybe it was nonsense for someone like me to even dream of becoming a soprano… Sob, what if I only cause trouble for you, Ms. Ariana?”

“Ms. Rosalyn, you are already a great singer.”

“Th-thank you so much for your words… It’s a great comfort whenever you say that. But…”

“It’s not comfort. That’s really what I think. And you will become even greater in the future.”

“Greater… than Ms. Elena?”

When I turned around in surprise at that name, Rosalyn bit her lip.

“I’m sorry if I’m being presumptuous, but I made some guesses… Ms. Ariana, you are a young lady of the Lopez family, and the Lopez House already has a great soprano, Ms. Elena. So, so I wondered why you were trying to discover me.”

“…”

“When you first saw me, you said that you were the one who composed ‘On Possession’. Although Edward is known as the composer to the public, I, who saw you perform it on the spot, could tell. That you, Ms. Ariana, are the real composer.”

“…”

“I don’t know the details, but perhaps… Ms. Ariana, you are trying to reclaim the songs taken from you by your family, like ‘On Possession’. That was my guess.”

Was… was I wrong? She asked in a trembling voice, her face coming to mind.

I stared at Rosalyn for a while and then briefly shared my story.

It was really just two or three sentences, condensed to the core.

Upon hearing it all, Rosalyn wiped her tears and suddenly clenched her fists.

“I’m sorry for sounding weak, Ms. Ariana. I… I will do my best to help you achieve your goal. And I won’t lose… even to Ms. Elena.”

From then on, she devoted herself solely to practice day and night as if she had awakened. To the point where I had to forcibly stop her out of concern for vocal cord nodules.

The result of that effort was unfolding right in front of me now.

– I’ll try seducing you where no one can see, because unhealthy food is originally tastier.

With a lovely face and a clear voice, Rosalyn blossomed brilliantly like a rose in summer.

“Wow…”

“Her voice is really pretty. And the volume is tremendous.”

“The melody itself is also really good, isn’t it?”

“But the lyrics are a bit…”

Some tilted their heads, listening to the lyrics, and Rosalyn sang the next verse with a peculiar smile.

– Even when my friend is next to me, my eyes keep going to her husband, the restraint of it being forbidden makes me more desperate.

Some people gaped and whispered.

“No way… did you hear the lyrics just now?”

“What? She’s trying to seduce her friend’s husband?”

People were shocked, but they couldn’t take their eyes off the stage.

Now, no one walking past the fountain continued on their way.

I smiled faintly, feeling the people’s reactions with my whole body.

A melody so noble that it reminded one of a hymn, in contrast with the vulgar and messy lyrics.

The shock from this gap was what I had intended.

– With just one glance, you were enthralled as if you had been waiting, saying that you too find it boring if it’s not forbidden.

“No, listening closely, that husband is also out of his mind, isn’t he?”

“Birds of a feather flock together.”

The expressions of the audience listening to the aria became engrossed as if watching a vulgar play.

– As long as we don’t get caught, it’s fine, so our lies are white lies.

“What nonsense, white lies!”

“Why do cheaters all say the same thing?”

The lyrics sank into sticky lust and the once noble melody also became urgently heated.

The accelerated tempo captivated people’s eyes and ears like a spider’s web.

– Love me more. In the garden, in the hallway, in your friend’s dressing room.

“Oh my, how vulgar! In the garden!”

“In the friend’s dressing room? This is completely bonkers!”

Amidst hundreds of gazes fixed only on her, Rosalyn entered the climax.

– Falling in love is not a sin, if it is, then I’m in for life!

The soprano, clasping her hands tightly, closed her eyes and freely unleashed her high notes.

As the explosive volume overwhelmed the square, everyone momentarily forgot the bizarre lyrics and cheered enthusiastically.

“Wow, woohoo!”

“Magnificent!”

Rosalyn, who had successfully handled the climax, smiled happily and bowed.

Clap clap clap clap clap!

The sight of hundreds of people applauding was reminiscent of a triumphal march.

Listening to the applause pouring down like firecrackers, Rosalyn bit her lip and turned around to wipe her tears.

Seeing the soprano, who had seemed skilled throughout the performance, show an awkward side, people began to applaud even more fervently.

“Whee!”

“It was a wonderful performance!”

People shared their impressions, clapping so loudly that the square seemed like it would fly away.

“Phew, it’s been a while since my ears have been treated.”

“Not only the soprano, but the orchestra’s performance was also excellent, wasn’t it? I wonder if it’s okay to listen to this for free.”

“Really, this level puts the music at most opera houses to shame.”

“The lyrics were trashy until the end, but…”

“Above all, the melody keeps lingering in my ears.”

Hmm, hmm hmm.

Some began to hum the song they had just heard.

Even as a simple hum, most people were able to reproduce the core melody almost perfectly.

It was only natural.

‘Addictiveness and a simple melody. I poured my heart and soul into creating a song with those two aspects.’

Severe addictiveness that lingers in the ears all day long even after hearing it just once.

And a melody easy enough to hum along to right away.

While still maximizing its artistic beauty.

I stayed up several nights to create such a song.

“Thank you, thank you so much.”

Rosalyn, who kept expressing her gratitude, suddenly raised her head and shouted with sparkling eyes.

“Now, let me introduce our composer! This is Ms. Ariana Lopez!”

At Rosalyn’s dramatic gesture, people all turned to look at me at once.

“That person is…?”

“I know her, I saw her in the newspaper. She’s that lady.”

“Gasp, Ariana Lopez! The runaway bride!”

Whispers spread among the people who began to recognize my face.

Some eyes were mixed with doubt.

“That young lady composed that song just now?”

“No way. Those harmonies couldn’t have been created without a profound knowledge of music theory.”

“Such a young woman…”

I smiled faintly in the midst of those gazes. There was no need to deliberately explain myself here and now.

As if not sensing the strange atmosphere, Rosalyn shouted with a happy face.

“Please give a round of applause to our composer!”

Clap clap clap clap.

Most people, already consumed by the heat of the stage, responded without any resistance.

I gently lifted the hem of my skirt.

“Thank you.”

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The dispersing audience absentmindedly hummed.

“Hmm, hmm… ah, what were the lyrics here?”

“How did you forget such shocking lyrics? Even when my friend is next to me, my eyes keep going to her husband.”

“Ah. I definitely won’t forget it again.”

As if brainwashed, the audience slowly began to disperse, humming similar tunes.

“Even when my friend is next to me…”

“Hmm, hmm hmm hmm.”