Water Magician
Chapter 576: The Pavillion of Harmonious Sound (Chouonkaku)

Editor: Tseirp

The day after the suppression army returned to the imperial capital.

Prince Ryun, his entourage, General Bijan Lu of the Black Banner Army, Ryo, and Abel were summoned to the Taiji Hall, where they were rewarded.

“I received an incredibly stylish Eastern-style outfits.”

“Yeah…I got one too.”

Back at their residence, the two of them tried on the garments bestowed by the Emperor.

Ryo’s outfit had a light blue base with dark blue trim and gold-stitched arabesque patterns.

Abel’s was red with black trim and silver-stitched patterns.

Standing together in front of the full-length mirror, the outfits suited them surprisingly well.

“I don’t recall being measured, though.”

“Me neither. Could it be some special Darwei technique?”

Indeed, neither of them remembered being measured.

And yet, every part of the garments fit perfectly.

It was astonishing.

“Still, I have my favorite robe from my master.”

“Well, you can wear it from time to time, right? I mean, these aren’t everyday clothes.”

They could wear them at ceremonies or inside the palace.

But not really something you’d walk around town in…

The next day.

The two were once again seen in the palace.

Since they had received such splendid clothing, they wore it to personally thank Emperor Tsuin.

“The palace really is vast.”

“Yeah. We’d definitely get lost on our own.”

Neither Ryo nor Abel was confident they could find their way alone.

So a guide walked ahead to lead them to the exit.

However, because the main gate—Suzaku Gate—was closed for a ceremony, they were guided through an unfamiliar path.

A different path.

Different scenery.

While they looked around curiously, they heard the sound of an instrument.

“Huh? Isn’t that the sound of a violin?”

“Yeah, it’s a violin. Not very good though.”

Abel answered Ryo’s question with blunt honesty.

Ryo was so taken aback by the overly frank words that he was momentarily speechless.

“What is it, Ryo?”

“Ah…well, Abel, you play the violin well, but I’m not sure it’s right to say things so bluntly…”

“Hmm? Just because someone plays poorly doesn’t mean their value is any less, right? I think it’s fine as long as they enjoy it. I mean, of course, I wouldn’t say it to their face. That’d just discourage them.”

“Your standards are hard to follow, Abel.”

Ryo shook his head slightly.

As someone working as a king, Abel probably often receives proposals that don’t seem great at first.

But if the purpose or aim is admirable, he might reject it and ask for a revised proposal instead.

In those decisions, he may need to clearly distinguish between ‘good’ and ‘bad’…

Perhaps it’s just a difference in position.

As long as the way things are said and communicated is handled well, there’s nothing wrong with honesty.

“This sound is coming from Chouonkaku, isn’t it? Most likely, it’s Ron Shen-sama, the head of the workshop.”

Their guide explained.

“The head of the workshop? So someone who builds things?”

“Yes. He makes musical instruments.”

“Wow!”

Ryo was surprised to learn that such a division existed within the imperial palace.

“So he’s an instrument maker, not a performer. Then it’s no wonder he’s not that skilled.”

“Exactly. Without people who make instruments, good ones wouldn’t exist.”

Abel nodded sincerely at Ryo’s comment.

“I’d love to visit this Chouonkaku place. Would that be possible?”

“Of course. Right this way.”

With that, the guides led the two toward Chouonkaku.

“Abel said it wasn’t good, but the notes weren’t that off, you know?”

“If you say ‘not that off’, you’re already implying it’s bad.”

While having this conversation, Ryo and Abel were brought to Chouonkaku.

It was, as the name suggested, a place for musical performances, often enjoyed by the emperor.

According to their guides, the facility had both indoor and outdoor stages.

The current performance was taking place in the largest outdoor area.

The two were led to what could be called the viewing gallery.

Only those of the Shitaifu rank or higher could enter, but Ryo had apparently been granted access to many areas by Emperor Tsuin.

Though Ryo himself had never heard of this, it was commonly known among the palace staff.

“This is impressive.”

“Yes. They say that in modern Darwei, the arts are valued more than martial prowess… but I think this has always been the case.”

Chouonkaku didn’t appear to be a recent construction, but something built several emperors ago.

On the outdoor stage of Chouonkaku, a man was playing, clearly enjoying himself.

Seemed to be in his mid-twenties.

His hair was neatly tied and held in place by a ceremonial crown.

But his clothing wasn’t the formal kind seen in the palace—it was a casual, practical Eastern-style outfit with many slits, more common among commoners.

The contrast between his formal hair and casual attire was striking.

But then…

“Ron-sama!”

A loud shout.

The man, Ron, flinched and stopped playing.

“I told you… no outdoor performances!”

“But… with such nice sunlight, it’s hard to resist playing outside…”

“Still not allowed!”

“When will I be allowed…?”

“When you get better!”

Ron was bluntly told he was bad.

Apparently, this wasn’t the first time.

He didn’t seem too upset, just a bit annoyed.

“I practice every day, you know. I just wish someone better at teaching— or at least someone closer to my build— could teach me. Everyone’s so small, and the finger placements are different…”

“But Ron-sama, it’s hard to find a skilled player of your build…”

Ron complained, and the man who scolded him shook his head slightly.

Indeed, Ron was about 180 cm tall.

With a solid build— more of an athlete than an artist.

Though technically, he was a craftsman.

“Abel, your moment has come.”

“Me?”

“Time to show off and win favor within the palace!”

“Do we need to?”

“We do.”

With that, Ryo walked toward the stage…

“Excuse me!”

He called out to Ron and the man who had shouted.

“Yes?”

“Um. Pardon me, but… might you be the Duke Rondo?”

Ron gave a dazed response, but the man immediately bowed his head.

Apparently, news traveled fast within the palace.

“Yes. Actually, my guard would very much like to play that violin, if you don’t mind.”

“Eh?”

The man looked confused by Ryo’s sudden request.

But after some thought, he agreed.

Ron, with slight reluctance, handed over the violin.

Abel accepted it.

Indeed, their builds were similar.

Ryo took Abel’s sword and returned to the viewing seat.

That was the cue—Abel began to play.

The piece was Paganini’s ‘24 Caprices’.

Perfect for solo performance, dramatic flair, and showcasing skill.

Both Ron and the man who had scolded him were entranced by the music.

As was Ryo.

Abel’s violin had flair.

Despite his height, his posture conveyed grace.

His left hand summoned a whirlwind of speed.

The entire performance overwhelmed the stage with presence.

The four-and-a-half-minute performance flew by.

Applause erupted from the four people there.

Ryo, Ron, the angry man, and the guide.

In fact, even outside Chouonkaku, many others had stopped to listen in awe, though Ryo and Abel didn’t know that yet.

“Magnificent! As expected of the Duke’s guard.”

The man praised him wholeheartedly.

“About that left-hand movement just now…”

Snapping out of his trance, Ron immediately asked about the technique.

“Oh, that’s…”

Abel responded with a polite explanation.

Ryo nodded—this had gone exactly as he planned.

Later, tea was served, and Abel continued tutoring Ron. It was inevitable.

“Tomorrow! Please come again tomorrow!”

“Yeah, yeah, I got it.”

As they were leaving the palace, Ron made Abel promise to return.

Abel casually agreed.

“Worked just as planned, we’re in.”

“In… right. But I don’t mind teaching someone that dedicated.”

Ryo grinned mischievously, while Abel replied with a look of nostalgic fondness.

Surely, he had once taught young swordsmen during his adventuring days.

He was incredibly popular in the city of Rune, after all.

As promised, they returned the next day.

They visited the workshop adjacent to Chouonkaku to see Ron again.

There, they found a very different Ron.

His hair was tied the same, but now he wore the formal attire of a high-ranking palace official.

He greeted them with Darwei’s formal salute—four fingers aligned on each hand, with one palm placed atop the back of the other, held before the chest.

“I am Ron Shen, Head of the Imperial Palace Workshop.”

“Uh…”

Ryo was momentarily speechless in the face of such a formal greeting.

Abel, behind him, also looked surprised.

“I’m ashamed to admit, I didn’t recognize Duke Rondo… Of course, I’ve heard the ballads from the bards… but I didn’t know you were the Duke. And to think I had your guard teach me… I beg your forgiveness.”

Ron bowed deeply, still holding the salute.

“Oh. Don’t worry about it. Abe… Albert does enjoy teaching dedicated people. No need to be so formal.”

“Yeah. Besides, you can’t get proper violin instruction in that stiff posture.”

Ryo said, and Abel nodded.

“Really?”

“Of course.”

“Oh, thank goodness.”

Ron smiled in relief.

“Well, after that, I spoke with Taikan-sama and learned more about the situation. Ah, Taikan-sama is the one who was yelling yesterday. He’s the eunuch in charge of the Shouhoukan which oversees all matters of art in Darwei. So technically, the workshop falls under their jurisdiction…”

“He was yelling, but it didn’t feel like he was being abusive or insulting.”

Ryo said, recalling the previous day as Ron explained.

“Exactly. Although Taikan-sama is essentially responsible for all arts, the head of the imperial workshop is a position directly under His Majesty the Emperor. That’s why even Taikan-sama speaks to me with a degree of restraint.”

“Your job is making instruments, right?”

“Yes. My role is to create instruments that don’t yet exist in this world.”

“Don’t yet exist?”

“Ah, sorry, just talking to myself.”

Ron said, deflecting Ryo’s question.

Then he changed the subject.

“Taikan-sama also told me that Duke Rondo is a noble of such high status that even the Emperor speaks to him personally. For someone of such greatness to spare the time of his guard for my instruction… I feel terribly unworthy…”

“Hmm? Then shall we stop the lessons?”

“No, please continue! “

Abel asked, and Ron replied immediately.

Despite what Taikan-sama said, Ron clearly still wanted to learn from Abel.

“I remembered later—the piece you played yesterday, Albert-san… it was Paga…something?”

“Sorry, I don’t know the details either. I was forced to play it back when I lived at my parents’…it was the hardest piece, so I practiced it the most. My fingers still remember it. I only ever heard it called ‘Caprice No. 24’.”

“I—I see.”

Ron looked somewhat disappointed at Abel’s explanation.

Ryo actually knew a fair bit about the piece.

It was composed by Niccolo Paganini.

‘24 Caprices’, a collection of 24 solo violin works.

Abel had played the most famous, most beautiful, and most difficult of them all: the final piece, No. 24 in A minor.

Of course, that assessment was entirely Ryo’s subjective opinion.

By the way, ‘Caprice’ comes from the Italian word capriccio, which means whimsical, unusual, or exceptional.

Like a certain water-attribute magician.

“Someday, I want to be able to play that piece too…”

“That’s a lofty goal, but good luck.”

Abel encouraged Ron, who was burning with passion.

Abel never crushed someone’s enthusiasm to their face.

He knew that passion was what drove daily effort—and that it was at the end of that path that one would taste the fruits of glory.

“Setting aside the Caprice. Actually, after yesterday, I practiced as you instructed. That led to some new questions…”

“That’s how it goes. What are they?”

And so, Ron and Abel once again dove into intense violin instruction.

Meanwhile, Ryo wandered the workshop.

It was filled with all kinds of instruments.

Violins, slightly smaller viola-like ones, larger cellos, and even contrabasses.

The focus was on string instruments, but then Ryo noticed something behind a folding screen toward the back.

“No way…”

He crept over on tiptoe and peered behind the screen.

It was what Abel had once described as a black, monstrous table.

“A grand piano…”

Later that morning, Ryo sipped tea while reading from an ice tablet.

“They say magic can’t be used in the palace, but I can still generate this normally.”

He murmured.

Then came a midday break.

Lunch was brought into the workshop.

Simple fare centered around rice balls.

Even during lunch, Ron didn’t put down his violin.

It seemed he was always like that, and both Ryo and Abel figured as much.

“Ron-san, that thing in the back—is it a piano?”

“Huh?”

Ron looked surprised by Ryo’s sudden question.

“Yes, it is… Have you seen one before?”

“At the ‘Ryusen Residence’, where we stayed before.”

“Ah, yes. That inn was the first to install one of our pianos. That model only had 54 keys, I believe. Still, the action mechanism was practically a finished design…”

At that point, Ron realized he was getting carried away with his explanation.

“Sorry. That probably didn’t make much sense.”

He chuckled awkwardly.

Maybe someone had called him out for it before.

But then…

“Wait, that piano at the Ryusen Residence—was that made by you, Ron-san?”

“Yes.”

“And you were the first person to ever build a piano?”

“…Yes.”

Ryo asked with surprise, and Ron nodded, a little embarrassed but with a look that hinted he wanted to say more.

Ryo was truly astonished.

Anyone who understood piano action mechanisms would be.

“The one at Ryusen had 54 keys, but the one back there is the first full 88-key model. Of course, you rarely use all 88 keys, but the more strings a piano has, the deeper and richer the sound becomes…”

Ryo remembered now.

Come to think of it, the piano at Ryusen was a bit narrower.

But with 88 keys, you could play all kinds of music…

“Is that piano back there already finished?”

“As an instrument, yes. There are actually three other completed units. However, the engraving hasn’t been done yet.”

“Engraving? Like a maker’s mark on a sword?”

“Yes, exactly. His Majesty the Emperor requested that we include it. If this is to be considered a ‘complete model’, he wants it spread across all of Darwei, and eventually the world.”

“As expected of an Emperor known for his love of the arts…”

Ryo nodded in agreement with Ron’s words.

Violins had spread to the Central Countries.

They existed here in the Eastern Countries as well.

Maybe the piano would spread throughout the world just like that!

Ryo wiped his hands clean, stood up, moved the screen aside, and approached the piano.

It was definitely larger than the one at the Ryusen Residence.

Its shape was the familiar grand piano form he had seen many times before.

He opened the lid over the keys.

Inside were beautifully arranged black and white keys.

“Whoa…”

An involuntary gasp escaped Ryo’s lips.

And then he pressed a key.

Do.

It produced a familiar piano sound.

“Whoaaa…”

Ryo gasped again.

Mi-Mi-Mi-Mi-Fa-Mi-Do-Mi♪

He pressed several keys in succession.

The notes sounded perfectly.

Mi-Mi-Mi-Mi-Fa-Mi-Do-Mi♪

He repeated the phrase, this time paying attention to the phrasing… more of a performance than just pressing keys.

It felt really good.

“Huh? That sounds familiar…”

Ron murmured, but Ryo didn’t hear him.

“Ryo, what’s with that series of somber notes?”

“It’s meant to convey the dark, lonely feeling of winter. This part comes before the cold winds begin to howl…”

Ryo gave a brief explanation in response to Abel’s question.

Then…

BAM♪

He pressed a dramatic chord with both hands.

“Nice! The harmony sounds beautiful.”

“That sound… it’s majestic, but also powerful and brilliant.”

Ryo praised the piano’s quality, and Abel praised the four-note chord.

“Really? I’m glad to hear that! It’s the perfect opening for a piece that suits Abel.”

“Oh really?”

“But… to continue the piece, my fingers are too far out of practice.”

Ryo said this and began to play slowly.

It wasn’t a song, but Hanon finger exercises.

Very, very softly.

But not because he lacked force.

He pressed each key all the way down. But the sound that came out was quiet. Yet clear.

Softer than soft: pianissimo.

He was practicing that.

Slowly, quietly.

Checking each note, one at a time.

As he reacquainted himself with the keyboard after decades.

That afternoon, Ron kept practicing violin, Abel kept teaching, and Ryo kept playing piano.

Evening.

“Please, come again tomorrow…”

“Sorry. I can’t tomorrow.”

Abel replied when Ron tried to schedule the next session.

“Eh…?”

Ron looked devastated.

“Tomorrow, some people from the Censorate are coming to our residence. They’ll be questioning someone we have detained there.”

“So we can’t come to the palace tomorrow.”

Ryo and Abel explained.

“I see…”

Ron seemed to understand and spoke quietly.

Head down.

But after a moment of thought, he raised his head.

“Then, how about I come to your residence and receive instruction there?”

“Well…”

Abel looked to Ryo, unsure how to answer.

Ryo tilted his head in thought.

It didn’t seem like a problem.

“No issues on our end. It’s a large estate, gifted to us by the Emperor himself. Even with the Censorate coming, they’ll only be using part of the residence.”

“Oh! Then I’ll come by!”

People with a passion for learning tend to earn the affection of many…

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