The Pianist X and X the Collection

By seven o'clock, twenty-three people had arrived at the banquet hall, one after another.

As the clock struck seven, the people standing outside the hall slowly closed the doors between the corridor and the hall.

Qi Zhou glanced at the doors. For some reason, his heart skipped a beat at the sound of them closing, and his unease grew stronger.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I am Arens Wood, the master of this estate. I am deeply grateful for your presence. Have you enjoyed yourselves? Please forgive any shortcomings in my hospitality."

When the hands of the antique clock in the hall pointed to nine, Arens Wood walked slowly into the dining hall through another door that had previously been closed. He wore a snow-white suit, a bow tie, and a sapphire brooch. Standing in the middle of the hall, he did not speak loudly, but everyone present heard his gentle, soft voice clearly.

He gave a graceful smile. "Everyone, if you are interested, please join me for a tour of my collection."

The people in the hall responded one after another:

"You're too kind, Mr. Wood."

"Of course, we'd be delighted."

"Then please follow me." Arens Wood gave a slight bow and, with impeccable manners, headed out of the hall the way he had come. His butler remained where he was, bowing slightly and watching each person who passed him, his expression calm.

As Qi Zhou walked past, he keenly sensed that something had just swept over him, inside and out.

The group walked slowly down the corridor toward its end.

"Everyone, please wait a moment." Arens Wood smiled and raised a hand in a gesture. A servant standing by the iron door to the staircase stepped forward and entered something into the keypad beside it. After about ten seconds, the heavy iron door slowly opened, revealing a long staircase leading down.

"All the servants here have Nen, don't they?"

Qi Zhou heard someone behind him speak in an extremely low voice.

He thought that if they noticed something was wrong and tried to escape, the servants would probably stop them too.

They descended the long, winding staircase, and under Arens Wood's lead, passed through three iron doors, each thicker than the last. At last, they arrived in a dimly lit hall. Three long display cases stood inside, each holding around several dozen exhibits.

Besides those, there were four separate display cases directly ahead.

Arens Wood said softly, "Please feel free to look around. Later, I will personally introduce the most precious items in the estate's collection."

Qi Zhou wandered casually past the display cases.

"This is... this is the manuscript that Bancroft, the piano master from the century before last, wrote while composing 'Snow Wolf'! I never expected it to be in this collection!"

"Ancient sheet music from a thousand years ago, court music from the vanished Dragon Lineage Dynasty. I never thought an ancient artifact this precious wouldn't even be among the main attractions!"

"A quill used by Master Miriam. It's said that Mr. Miriam used this quill to compose 'Blood Wheel' in prison, using his own blood as ink. Wasn't the prison burned to the ground back then? Is this genuine? It even comes with a DNA authentication report..."

The people around him were flushed with excitement over the collection. If not for the tempered glass in their way, they would probably have picked the items up to examine them.

But Qi Zhou had never heard any of the works by this world's musicians. If these items had been connected to the musical giants of his previous world, he would have been excited.

"...This brat can't understand any of it, can he?!"

"I really don't know what he's doing here."

Qi Zhou turned his head and saw that the people who had discussed him earlier were now pointing at him without even trying to hide it.

When the group saw that Qi Zhou showed no reaction to their pointing, the young man in the gray-blue suit among them walked over and said coldly, "Kid, can you even understand any of this? If you can't, get lost. This isn't a place for brats to play pretend."

Low, mocking laughter came from those around them.

Qi Zhou asked in confusion, "I don't think I've bothered any of you, have I?"

The man in the gray-blue suit spoke with disgust. "Your being here is ruining our enjoyment."

"Oh."

Qi Zhou turned his head away. His indifference infuriated the man in the gray-blue suit. "Hey! Can't you understand me? I told you to leave!"

"Huh? Is this your place?" Qi Zhou turned back to look at him. "No, right? I remember this being Mr. Wood's estate."

The man in the gray-blue suit: "..."

Qi Zhou turned away again and walked toward another display case. "If you don't like me, put up with it. What does your bad mood have to do with me? The host hasn't even said anything, so I don't know what you're making a fuss about."

The man in the gray-blue suit strode over and tried to grab Qi Zhou. "Brat! Don't you know what it means to respect your seniors?" he said, reaching out. But the next second, someone grabbed him by the shoulder.

"I'm sorry, sir, but please do not argue with the other guests here."

It was Sith Lawn's voice. He held the suited man's arm as easily as if he were holding down a sheet of paper. Beneath his calm gaze, a turbulent undercurrent surged, far less tranquil than his expression suggested.

"...Sorry... I'm sorry..." The man in the gray-blue suit could not break free of Sith Lawn's grip, and his face turned ashen. Only after he apologized was his arm released.

Meanwhile, Qi Zhou stared at the butler who had stopped the suited man. He sensed a terrifying aura from him.

His gaze passed over the glass display cases, but a flute suddenly caught his eye.

He hurried over and looked at the drab, unremarkable flute. An introduction was written beside it:

The flute was named "Dragon Blood." A catalogue unearthed alongside it listed six flutes, with "Dragon Blood" ranked fifth. It had been unearthed from the tomb of the Dragon Lineage Dynasty's last emperor. Its main material was B-grade Azure-Patterned Dragon Blood Bamboo, now extinct. It had taken five years to make, and the Hunter Association had appraised it as a B-grade collectible. It was 900 years old, with an official price of 8 million Jenny.

But what Qi Zhou perceived was not as the introduction described. He perceived words appearing in Imaginary Musician:

"It was not the last emperor of the Dragon Lineage Dynasty, but the first who commissioned a craftsman to make it and gave it to an unknown musician. It was named 'Dipping Jade,' and its material was not B-grade Azure-Patterned Dragon Blood Bamboo, but A-grade Azure-Patterned Dragon Blood Bamboo. The difference was that extremely fine golden threads could be seen in the veins of A-grade bamboo. Only Azure-Patterned Dragon Blood Bamboo over 1,000 years old would slowly form golden threads."

"The reason it was unearthed from the last emperor's tomb was that the last emperor had taken 'Dipping Jade' as a model to make an imitation. The imitation was called 'Dragon Blood.'"

"It was named 'Dipping Jade' because the two characters for 'Dipping Jade' were engraved in seal script inside the bamboo flute. Because it had been buried for so long, the characters were no longer visible. Soaking it in the blood of a B-grade or higher magical beast would make them appear."

Qi Zhou stared at the flute. His desire to obtain the item was extraordinarily strong.

I can put it in the book.

For some reason, Qi Zhou was utterly certain of this. Perhaps it was precisely because he could "put it in the book" that he could perceive the information about it.

What determines whether something can be "put in the book"?

Qi Zhou fixed his gaze on the flute.

An item containing Nen? An item related to music? Or... both?

"What is it, young man? Are you interested in this flute?"

Qi Zhou was lost in thought when a voice came from beside him. He turned and saw that the person speaking to him was Arens Wood.

Qi Zhou looked at him with wide eyes, then quickly withdrew his gaze and turned his head to answer. "...Yes."

Arens Wood smiled. "What is it, young man? Why do you seem so surprised to see me?"

"Ah, yes. I didn't expect you to be willing to come over and talk to me," Qi Zhou said. "After all, as they said, I look like someone who doesn't belong here."

No, that's not right. This person definitely isn't Arens Wood!

Arens Wood recognized him and knew his name, but when this person had just spoken to him, there had been no sign at all that he knew him.

Did he suddenly lose his memory for some reason? Or... a twin?

The man calling himself Arens Wood laughed. "Haha, why wouldn't I? Everyone who can come here has their own strengths. So, young man, have you discovered something?"

Seeing Arens Wood strike up a conversation with a boy whom all of them looked down on or couldn't be bothered to acknowledge, the others gathered around. Then they heard Qi Zhou say:

"This flute isn't called 'Dragon Blood.'"

"Kid, are you talking nonsense?!" someone demanded, pointing at the signature on the certificate of authenticity. "Are you questioning Master Niglelte's appraisal?! Do you know what you're saying?!"

Qi Zhou shrugged. He really did know what he was saying.

"...Hmm..." Arens Wood still wore a graceful smile. "Then, young man, do you have any proof for saying that?" He paused, his gaze growing heavy. "But if you're talking nonsense without knowing what you're saying, I'll be very angry."

Qi Zhou suddenly felt a wave of Nen Pressure bearing down on him. It wasn't strong, just a warning.

But he knew that if he couldn't produce any proof, the Nen Pressure would definitely become more than a warning.