A Trace of Longing

As Fan Ning's baton fell, the four people onstage drew their bows across the strings at the same time.

The string quartet Death and the Maiden rang out in this world for the first time!

A rhythm brimming with momentum tore open the curtain of the music, while powerful unison strings presented the triplet motif from the introduction of the first movement.

Fan Ning deliberately slowed the tempo with the baton in his hand.

The four players pushed their sight-reading forward. Though they stumbled in places, the effect of the music was already audible.

This was mainly thanks to Hiran on first violin in the high register and Roy on cello in the low register.

The two were exceptionally skilled, holding up the framework of the melody and bass.

As for Qiong and Lu in the middle registers, since they studied both violin and viola, they fell slightly behind during the sight-reading. However, both had fairly rich experience and quickly caught up without leaving a trace each time.

In Fan Ning's eyes, the fact that the two could produce this effect the first time they had gotten their hands on the score—even as dual-instrument players—meant their performance had already surpassed that of many music majors from his previous life.

He watched the four bows dance, his ears continuously catching every musical detail.

"Hiran's violin and Roy's cello are both technically flawless. They're far better than my piano skills at present."

"Hmm... When Qiong plays double stops on the violin, her intonation is a little flawed. I'll listen to her main instrument, the flute, another time..."

"Lu's viola bowing is a little messy, but his rhythm is the most accurate of all. As expected of the symphony orchestra's principal percussionist."

About forty minutes later, they had gone through all four movements in full.

Fan Ning once again experienced that feeling of spiritual resonance.

This confirmed another of his theories about the definition of "reproducing" music: it included both performing it himself and having others perform it after he had written it down.

He gestured for everyone to stop. "How did it feel, everyone?"

Lu answered without hesitation, "Mr. Fan Ning, you truly are a genius composer. I love the first movement so much. The contrapuntal techniques used in your thematic sections are simply masterful. I can't even separate out which melody is the most beautiful. The dramatic image of Death pressing closer step by step is formed entirely from the ingenious combination of the four violins' polyphonic melodies. Those people in the composition department could never construct a theme in a style like yours."

He added, "Also, I think the ending you gave the Maiden in the final movement, where her struggle ends in failure, is really cool. I don't like perfect endings. They aren't realistic at all."

Roy spoke tentatively. "Mr. Fan Ning, I'd like to ask you to confirm something for me."

"Hmm?"

"The arrangement of the core movement in your Death and the Maiden is very unusual. I'm guessing it's the second movement, right?"

Fan Ning said, somewhat surprised, "Miss Roy, what did you hear?"

"A gloomy, wistful thematic idea; five sorrowful and moving variations; a maiden in the bloom of youth; richly fragrant wine swallowed in a single draught; a pale and desolate, melancholy illusion; gray snow covering a pitch-black grave... Mr. Fan Ning, you completely drew me into it."

Roy's exquisite, flawless face was now gazing blankly at Fan Ning on the conductor's podium. She had clearly forgotten her usual decorum.

In her breathtaking blue eyes, Fan Ning saw emotions of great complexity.

There was fondness after personally performing the piece, a tender, melancholy sadness, and the faint reproach of someone whose emotions had been thrown into disarray by her own doing...

There was also curiosity and a desire to understand the composer himself—even a trace of something difficult to detect... infatuation?

Their eyes intertwined for several seconds.

"Miss Roy really is beautiful..."

"When anyone is looked at by Miss Roy with eyes like those, it would be hard not to fall for her, right?"

"Does she have a good impression of me?"

All sorts of fanciful thoughts flashed through Fan Ning's heart, only to be replaced at once by his sense of being a passerby in another world,

and by his bewilderment toward the mysterious side of the world. Fan Ning, standing on the conductor's podium, turned his head and avoided Roy's gaze.

"...Art does make people sentimental sometimes. I'm not usually like this."

"...How many pretty girls haven't I seen before?"

"...I should think more about the music itself. After reproducing this philosophically rich work in another world, I've had some strange feelings. 'Human life ultimately withers away, while art alone can be born toward death?' It doesn't seem to be merely a matter of insight, but rather... spirit?"

The chamber music hall fell silent for a moment.

"Miss Roy's sensitivity to music truly is extraordinary." Fan Ning then spoke with a low laugh, acknowledging the girl in the purple dress's interpretation.

He looked toward the other two, who had yet to speak. "Hiran, Qiong, what about you? You don't have to talk about composition. You can also discuss the performance itself."

"Caloen, I feel great." Hiran's young voice drifted over softly. "Technically, this piece isn't too difficult for me. Starting with the next run-through, I'll be able to handle the musical expression markings. Also, just like Sister Roy, I like the second movement best."

Qiong's soft, milky voice sounded a little embarrassed. "Um, um, I kind of dragged everyone down a little, but it'll be fine after I go home and practice like crazy for a few days. Caloen, don't worry. I'll definitely play it well. I like it so much, so much~"

She gave the youth on the conductor's podium a cheerful smile.

Fan Ning gave a slight nod, took out his pocket watch, glanced at it, then snapped it shut with a click and walked toward the exit of the music hall.

"Thanks for your effort, everyone. Take a break for now. I ordered some tasty food for you all."

"Wow!" At the mention of food, Qiong's dark eyes glittered brightly.

After a while, Fan Ning came in carrying a bag.

"Some pastries. Come eat in the audience seats." Before taking his seat in the front row, Fan Ning took out five small meal boxes.

Each meal box bore the cartoon image of an adorably ugly woodpecker.

"Coming, coming." Qiong hurriedly set down her violin properly and scampered down with quick little steps.

"Mr. Fan Ning, Roy has discovered that you're much more interesting, approachable, and young at heart than she imagined." Roy covered her mouth with a light laugh and walked gracefully down from the stage.

Fan Ning looked at the wealthy patroness, who had regained her poise and elegance, and said helplessly, "Miss Roy, we should be about the same age, shouldn't we? What, did you think there was some generation gap between us before?"

"That's not what I meant. Before, it was mainly because you... Oh my, this smells wonderful! And it's so pretty!"

Roy explained as she unpacked the meal box, then suddenly let out a sincere cry of admiration.

"Haha, I seem to be a little hungry too?" Lu's hearty, resonant laughter rang out.

Red velvet cake squares, strawberry mille-crêpe squares, lemon-almond cake squares, white-chocolate frozen cheesecake tarts, mini cups of candied-fruit slush, cocoa rock cookies, coconut-shredded sweet-pear pudding, cherry-and-red-wine cream puffs...

Each meal box contained eight different miniature pastries, all incredibly tempting in color, fragrance, and flavor.

At the same time, the two people opening the packages both noticed the pattern on the meal boxes.

"A woodpecker? Were these pastries sent to Mr. Fan Ning by someone from the Guidance School? It seems that even if Mr. Fan Ning isn't a member of the Guidance School, he has close ties with them. Yes, this is important information. Hmm... so delicious." Roy had already returned to her normal train of thought.

She placed the food in her mouth and chewed in small, dainty motions, occasionally licking the cream from her lips with her tongue, though her slender jade-like hand gracefully concealed the enticing action.

"Mr. Fan Ning is at least on good terms with the Guidance School. I can report that to Father when I return... Our lineage probably has no dealings with the Guidance School, but as long as we don't become enemies, that's a good thing. Cooperation can be developed slowly." Lu was thinking the same thing.

He chewed one pastry after another in large bites, wearing an expression of immense satisfaction.

Seeing this, Fan Ning laughed inwardly.

"These two pampered young ladies and young masters have eaten every delicacy under the sun. Could the chairman's pastries have been made using some kind of ritual?"

If he hadn't received Roy's huge payment that morning, he definitely wouldn't have been willing to order this halfway through the day.

Five boxes of pastries had cost him a full seven pounds! Even with the thirty-percent discount, that was already more than an ordinary industrial worker's monthly wages!

It was ridiculous. And this was still the cheapest set he had chosen...

He quietly activated Inspiration, gathering an intangible ball of light, and "looked" toward the meal box in his hand.

A rich peach-red color flowed across the surface of the food.

"This is such a strong Phase fluctuation of 'Pool.' Won't people get sick from eating this?"

Fan Ning's expression turned slightly strange. He cautiously tried to bite open the cherry-and-red-wine cream puff.

When the rich fruit, wine, and cream aromas burst across his mouth, he felt there was no need to think too much about it.

"Hiran, I've finished mine. There wasn't enough." Qiong looked tearfully at the girl beside her with smooth brown hair.

"We'll split mine in half." Hiran took a bite of a red velvet cake square, then handed the other half to Qiong.

"Qiong, I still have a few pieces left. You can have them." Fan Ning handed his meal box to the little girl.

Roy spoke at this moment. "Mr. Fan Ning, where did you buy these?"

"You want more?" Fan Ning bent down with a smile, felt around at the bottom of the shopping bag, and pulled out a small card. He handed it to Roy. "The menu and telephone number are on it. The prices are a little steep."

"Money isn't a problem. I want to purchase them in bulk for next Saturday's Music Salon. Only pastries of this quality can display the MacAdam Lineage's sincerity, attention to detail, and strength."

Roy looked at the information on the card... 43 Katzton Street. As expected, it was the Guidance School's branch address in Ufransel.

"Give them my name and you can get a thirty-percent discount." Fan Ning returned to the stage.

"Oh, there's a deal like that? This isn't a shop your family owns, is it? Then I'll have to visit often." Roy blinked slyly.

Are you probing into my background? Fan Ning looked back at the wealthy patroness with a smile. "It's purely a friendly recommendation."

Then he said loudly, "Everyone, let's continue rehearsing."

"Wait, I'll finish eating right away." Qiong's words were muffled by food in her mouth.

The rehearsal continued until ten.

"Thanks for your effort, everyone. Your performances were all excellent. Practice hard when you get home, and we'll arrange another time to meet this weekend."

Fan Ning sincerely thanked and praised them all.

"It's mainly thanks to your composition. I've already fallen in love with this work." Roy smiled radiantly.

Lu said, "One of my family's companies has a factory manager whose handwritten notation is beautiful. I'll have him copy and print the individual parts for each section, then send them to everyone's addresses so you can practice on your own."

"Thank you," Fan Ning said. "Lu, Roy, I'd like to stay a while with the two violinists and use the piano to optimize their parts for a perfect result when the piece is published."

"You're a dedicated composer devoted to art. Roy wishes you good night."

"Good night, Mr. Fan Ning."

After the two of them left, Fan Ning looked at Hiran and Qiong.

"Caloen, how should we adjust it?" Qiong flashed Fan Ning an animated smile.

"That's not what I meant."

Fan Ning smiled mysteriously. "Qiong, your shoulder bag looks quite full of personal belongings. Could you perform the Regression Ritual one more time?"