Bab 80: New Sugar Mommies
Only after I've played a couple more songs, ones that weren't initially included in my list, did my performance truly end. It could be said that playing last had brought me some unexpected benefits, since I was able to extend my time much longer than any of the other performers before me.
Observing the faces of the spectators, the first one I noticed is of course my teacher who was looking at me with a proud expression, a beaming smile plastered on her face.
She has at long last witnessed the fruition of the years of effort she had invested in teaching me and, for my first time performing on stage, I hope I did not disappoint. Seeing her in the crowd, I purposefully turned towards her and beamed a bright smile of my own, to let everyone else know that we were related somehow.
The crown princess, who is seated beside Aerin, was also looking at me. She was also applauding and looked pretty curious and interested herself, albeit only mildly. The two younger royals also offered their applause, pleased with what they heard. As for the empress, a few slow claps was all that I earned before she returned to her usual lazed state.
The other people, presumably officials and the head of the ducal houses, also offered their applause. Then, as for the most surprising spectator, Countess Rosenthal, she also offered her genuine applause from the back as she watched me together with her son.
Thus with a bow, I made my exit amidst the eyes of my please audience.
When I returned to the backroom, it was already mostly deserted. It wasn't until I returned to where the audience were that finally someone greeted me. Obviously, it was Aerin, already standing by the end of the corridor,
When she saw me, her eyes immediately lit up. "You looked so good up there. You were nothing short of breathtaking," she said as she pulled me to a tight embrace. Instantly, she started ruffling my hair which she had just fixed half an hour ago. "Well done, really. You did a good job."
Her breasts were right up on my face and I could almost breathe in its milky scent mixed with her sensual perfume. The warmth of her chest immediately spread across my face but she didn't seem to mind in the slightest.
"Teacher, let go–"
"Come, a few of them wants to talk to you." she said, grabbing my hand as she stringed me along back to the guest area.
Just a few moments after, one of the people from the audience approached me. He was a brown haired man with elegant bearing. He wore large rimmed round glasses and looked to be the intellectual kind of guy.
"I see that you're actually familiar with the lady of the Incaross family," he said warmly, giving a respectful nod to Aerin. "No wonder you were able to show a great level of appreciation for culture."
"Your words honor me, good sir." I reply politely, to which he seems to take delight in. "All that I know, I owe to my great teacher,"
"It seems that your teacher has taught you well," he said. "Not just in skills, but in manners and humility as well," he tacked on.
It seems that despite his praises, he still considers him and the other nobles to be "above" me. That's why he was so pleased with me acting humble.
"I'm Leo Grendle, I hope to see more from you in the future." and with that he shook my hand and walked away.
After him, came a few other people. They call came to greet me and said just about the same thing: "A surprising display of finesse for a commoner", "You have a refined taste", and so on and so forth. Almost all of them seemed to relate it to me being Aerin's apprentice but she always made the effort to tell them that it wasn't her, but all me.
It wasn't until a few minutes later that someone interesting finally walked up to me.
"So there really was some truth about the age old adage of saving the best for last," the crown princess said as she walked towards me.
Without her trying to exude the tyrannical aura that she had emanated earlier, it allowed me to properly appreciate and notice the elegance of her bearing. For someone that is said to be perfect in so many different, her appearance is just as flawless as every other aspect of hers.
Her red hair immediately stood out from the crowd of blondes, brunettes, and black haired individuals that I had met so far. Her blue eyes were perhaps her most ordinary feature, though that didn't lessen her beauty in the slightest but rather complimented her aesthetic nicely:
A peerless maiden from an exalted lineage, blessed with an unrivaled bloodline and boundless resources.
"I'm surprised I've never heard of you before, or is this your first time playing for the public?" She stopped just right in front of me before she asked.
I gave her a courteous bow, given her high standing, and replied: "Yes, it is my first time. I'm very honored to see that the princess has appreciated my meager work."
She let out a melodious laugh at my words. "No need for false modesty," she said. "After receiving so much praise tonight, how can you still think your performance was merely 'meager'?"
"But that doesn't really matter. I'm pleased with what I saw, and I'm curious as to what other things you can achieve," she said softly. "I would've gladly taken you under my wing but it looks like you're already under someone else', so I shan't be rude."
Aerin, who was standing right beside the two of us, smiled at the princess's words of moderation and show of respect to her. So she said:
"You are too kind, Your Highness. I have been fortunate to guide his beginning steps and teach someone of such aptitude," Aerin chimed in. "I'll see to it that his talent will be allowed to bloom to its fullest potential."
"You'd do well to nurture his rare talents," the princess replied. "And from what I'm seeing, it doesn't seem like music is the only thing your pupil is gifted at." she added, a glint appeared in her eyes.
Her words immediately caught my attention. Is she just like the Countess? Or does she have other ways to detect the level of a person's magical prowess? Nevertheless, the princess seemed genuinely pleased with what she saw in me, and thus didn't hesitate to add:
"Though I won't be able to oversee his education and training myself, I still wish to be able to support a young talent's growth."
"Since people have told me of your common descent, allow me to become one of your patrons," the princess said, offering me a warm and generous smile. "I will gladly help ease your material worries so that you may have more time and energy to focus on cultivating your gifts for the benefit of our empire."
At the side, Aerin looked surprised. Though earning someone's patronage is part of the reason why she wanted me to play here, she did not expect the princess to be the one to offer her patronage first out of every guests in the hall.
Before she can say anything, I already replied: "Your generosity is beyond measure, Your Highness," I saw with a bow.
She chuckled. "Oh, but it is not without expectation," she explained. "My patronage does not come free. I will naturally look for results and perhaps request some small favors or services from time to time."
Wishing to remain in the princess's good graces, I replied diplomatically, "Your Highness is too kind. Whatever small services I am capable of rendering would be my privilege and honor."
The princess smiled, pleased by my response.
"Well spoken," she said graciously. "So long as our interests align, I trust our partnership will be fruitful and you will achieve great things that bring credit to us both." then pausing for a little bit, she continued. "You can expect the gift some time around this week, as well as any special request that I may have."
After saying that, the princess took her leave and attended to the servants and the other coordinators of the banquet.
During our conversation, I wondered if I should've brought up my mother to the princess. However, I ultimately decided against it, concluding that it would be more prudent to first establish greater familiarity before revealing that connection and employing it as a means of drawing us closer. Rather than using that information to immediately initiate our friendship, I judged it best to allow our rapport to develop organically at first
From the side, Aerin said to me. "See? It's your first time performing and you already landed yourself one of the best and wealthiest patron possible," she chuckled.
I returned her excitement with a remark of my own before asking. "Do you think the princess noticed my mana?"
"Hmm.. I'm not sure, since I don't know much about her. But I won't be surprised if she did." explained Aerin. "At her level, she could probably see someone's magical expertise by simply feeling how refined and pure their mana are."
I nodded at Aerin explanation.
After the princess, no one else from the royal family came and greeted me. The Empress remained seated at her seat and as the host of the entire event, she wouldn't leave as long as there's any guest remaining.
However, it was only when I was seated at the table again that a rather unexpected person came forward.
"You truly surprised me earlier," said the Countess Rosenthal. "To be honest, when I initially heard you begin performing an unknown melody, I became concerned about the notion of you playing an original composition. I thought that such a distinguished audience wouldn't be appropriate for a novice to debut an inaugural piece. Failure here would haunt the rumors of high society."
"However, your songs, all of them, were truly pleasant to the ears," she said.
"Thank you for your kind words," I reply.
Looking from behind her, I can see Damien's fed up expression as if to say 'just when are we going home?'. I could truly sympathize with that look but unfortunately, his mother had no intentions of letting me go just yet.
"Hearing the princess's words earlier, I realized that I might've been too stingy with my offer." she suddenly says. "I am the one requesting the most of you, yet I seem to be providing the least. However, if both the Princess and Lady Incaross are already covering your financial needs, then I suppose you have no use for any more excess funds."
"That doesn't mean I won't give you money. I still will, lest I appear miserly in high society. I'm merely saying if you have other requests feel free to voice it or write it to me in a letter," she said.
"Then I'll make sure to do so," I say politely. "I am grateful for your generosity as well."
To think that the stupid rules among the aristocracy about the conventions of keeping face and noble dignity would actually benefit me in such a way. Simply because the princess offered generous assistance, the countess felt compelled to exhibit greater generosity as well. I didn't expect it, but it was a welcome surprise nonetheless.
After saying that, the countess excused herself. She then paid her respects to the royal family before leaving together with her son.
"That's the second one you got," Aerin chuckled from the side.
Just like that I did not have to worry about performing any of the difficult jobs that most people typically do in order to earn a living. People undervalue how much wealth wealthy individuals are ready to spend on trivial matters, especially when it comes to maintaining their public image.
The entire concept of luxury brands back on Earth was founded upon that very same principle.
"Life almost seems easy if this is all it takes to secure myself a living and more," I say wryly.
"You say that, but more than a dozen people have performed earlier, and yet only you caught the attention of someone to the point that they were willing to be your patron," she replies. "That is skill and has only entirely to do with you."
"Though people of this class can be pretty.. outrageous.. with the way they burn through their money, they don't just open their pockets for just about anybody. I don't want you having the idea that you just got lucky and that's why you are where you currently are," she rubbed my back as she said so.
She's really been paying attention to my words or mannerisms, trying to prevent any sort of bad mentality from settling in early.
"Should we go? Your mother must be worried sick for you."
I look at the clock, and see that it's already a quarter from 11. The encore earlier took a lot longer than what I had expected, plus the few guests that wanted to talk to me afterwards. Though the scheduled end for the banquet was at 10, I actually stayed for almost an hour longer.
"Yeah. I think I should go home now," I reply.
Aerin nods and first tells me to say my respects to the Empress before leaving. Since there's only so few people left, there weren't as much pressure and eyes on me when I, a commoner, suddenly started walking towards the Empress's direction.
Aerin accompanies me and makes the introductions. "Good evening, Your Majesty," and the Empress turns her gaze upon us.
This was the first time I saw her up close, so there were a lot more details in the Empress's appearance that I noticed that I hadn't noticed before. I already knew that the one side of her hair fell in front of her face, covering the other half of her face, almost as if she was going for an emo look.
However, I underestimated just how languid and sunken her eyes actually looked in person. Her eyes weren't blue, like that of Sofys's. Rather it was a beautiful mixture of red, gold, and a little purple—almost like the color of the dawn sky.
It's just a shame that there were barely any emotions behind such beautiful eyes, as if she was tired or disinterested from everything after having lived for so long.
"This is my pupil, Maelriel." Aerin said and the Empress gave her a perfunctory nod. Though I was from humble origins, I bowed low and politely. Her distant gaze roamed over me briefly before she turned back to her other guests.
Aerin touched my arm. "Come, we mustn't impose further," she whispered.
I was actually surprised by how accepting Aerin was of what could be considered a blatantly dismissive and rude attitude, even for an empress. And yet, for someone who held such a high status even among the aristocracy, Aerin actually paid it no mind.
Aerin walks with me out of the palace and into the cool night air.
"Is the Empress always like that?" I ask.
Aerin first turns to me and, with surprising caution, actually looked around first before replying. "The Empress has been that way for as long as I could remember, even back to when I was a child."
"Maybe there was a time when she too laughed easily and took joy in simple things. But I wouldn't know of that. She was already alive for more than a century before I even came into this world."
Eventually, the two of us arrived at the familiar carriage that we had used to travel to the palace for the banquet earlier that evening. Aerin helped me into the carriage and followed after, taking a seat across from me. As the carriage jostled into motion and started moving through the quiet city streets, I reflected on the strange and eventful night I had experienced.
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
Fnatic_Fan
Fnatic_Fan Sorry for the delay. I came back from a three day retreat with my colleagues (shit food but decent activities, i guess). Next chapter's ready by tomorrow.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone