Father, I Won’t Do Anything

“…Do you want to be expelled from here? You should know well that my word is law in the Magic Tower.”

As he spoke, Diamid continued glaring at the necklace hanging around Jaina’s neck.

“Even if I’m expelled, I can’t help it. This is an item as precious as my life.”

“…So you say.”

The moment Diamid moved to stand up from his seat, the locket necklace around Jaina’s neck opened by itself, accompanied by the sound of musical instruments playing and the scent of Leshanne flowers wafting through.

“…Ah.”

With his eyes closed, listening to the musical notes, Diamid softly uttered to Jaina.

“Can you play the harpsichord?”

Jaina tilted her head in puzzlement.

‘Harpsichord… is he referring to a keyboard instrument?’

While she had played the piano a few times in her previous life, she had never touched a harpsichord even once.

When Jaina shook her head, Diamid continued as if he had expected as much.

“If you wish to keep that necklace, perform this song before me on the harpsichord. I’ll give you time.”

Diamid stood up without waiting for Jaina’s response. Unable to comprehend, Jaina blurted out:

“Why are you making such a demand of me?”

Unusually, Diamid didn’t answer right away and hesitated for a moment.

“…There is something I must confirm.”

“But I don’t know how to play the harpsichord? If you really want to hear this song, it would be faster to ask someone else to play it…”

“It has no meaning unless it’s you.”

Because she’s of the same dragon race? Or because she’s Bezrice’s daughter?

Although she had many questions for him, Jaina could only nod without voicing any of them.

After all, she had no other choice.

That night, a maid came to Jaina’s room.

“Miss. I’ve been sent by the Tower Lord. Could you spare some time, please?”

Led by the maids, Jaina arrived at an enormously large and exquisite room.

“The Tower Lord said this will be your living quarters from now on.”

“This place, just for me…?”

Surveying the room in a daze, Jaina discovered a harpsichord placed elegantly in one corner and was drawn to it as if entranced.

She then carefully placed her fingers on the harpsichord keys.

Tra-la-la.

Although it was an instrument she had never played before, the more she tried, the more satisfying the sound became.

‘How wondrous.’

After tapping on the harpsichord for a while, Jaina became lost in thought.

To be playing a personal instrument she had always wanted in such a beautiful room. It felt like a dream, like receiving a birthday gift.

Jaina cupped her soft, pale cheeks with her hands. The warmth conveyed from her palms taught her this wasn’t a dream.

‘I’m happy.’

Jaina stretched her small hands open and closed, diligently flexing them.

Tin-tin-tan.

Listening to the music flowing from the necklace, Jaina carefully tried to match the notes.

However, it was difficult to play the piece with her tiny hands.

Moreover, it didn’t completely match the piano.

After much fidgeting with her five fingers, Jaina eventually let out a sigh.

“Whew.”

‘First of all, the tone is different.’

Unlike the piano, the harpsichord lacked pedals below, making it hard to control dynamics.

“The key colors are the reverse of a piano’s, so confusing…”

At her mumbled words, Izren, who was beside her, asked in return.

“Harpsichord confusing?”

It seemed he couldn’t fully understand her meaning, as this world didn’t have pianos.

Jaina nodded at Izren.

‘Come to think of it, this is the first time I’m conversing with Izren.’

“It’s difficult for me to play the harpsichord alone. And I don’t have a teacher either…”

Jaina muttered as she pressed the keys.

“If someone taught me a little, I think I could get the hang of it…”

Jaina mumbled absentmindedly before startling herself.

‘Needing not just an instrument but also a teacher… am I being too greedy?’

Jaina clenched her fists tightly and shook her head vigorously.

But at this rate, practicing alone would yield no progress.

In the end, Jaina gave up on instrument practice and climbed onto the bed.

The bed was so enormous that after climbing onto it, she had to crawl on her knees to reach the center.

“Phew, what a mentally exhausting day.”

Jaina lay down and rolled around on the huge bed.

The bed was so large that even with her small body rolling about, there was no risk of falling off.

“Too comfortable.”

The bed seemed to be of equally exceptional quality as its size.

Soft yet firm.

Completely enveloping her small frame, it seemed expensive things did indeed come at a premium.

And what about the bedding? Jaina buried her face in the unfamiliar, wondrous texture of the blanket. It was a down comforter she was experiencing for the first time in her life.

‘It feels like I’ll sleep even better…’

With a flushed face, Jaina settled into bed.

Even after falling asleep, she continued to mumble the same words.

“All I wanted was a modest luxury. A modest luxury…”

Silently observing this scene, Izren quietly closed the door and exited Jaina’s room.

Then, heading familiarly to the Tower Lord’s chamber, he opened the door and bowed before his master.

[She seemed the happiest I’ve ever seen her.]

[Is that so.]

[But it seems a harpsichord teacher is needed.]

Upon hearing Izren’s words, Diamid rested his chin on his fist, lost in thought.

‘This will be the first time such a thing has happened at the Magic Tower…’

After drumming on the chair for a while, he seemed to have made a decision and opened his mouth to Izren.

“Summon Mikael.”

* * *

“What happened with the Tower Lord? He suddenly told me to find a music teacher to tutor you.”

“A music teacher?”

“Yeah, some sort of strange harp… Anyway, he said he needs an instrument craftsman.”

“But isn’t it impossible for outsiders to enter the Magic Tower?”

“I don’t know, maybe this is an exception.”

It was unbelievable.

He had asked her to perform in front of him, but to actually provide a music teacher…

Moreover, to let an outsider into the Magic Tower…

There was no precedent of outsiders entering Magic Tower up until now.

There were maids managing Magic Tower, but they all had markings engraved on their bodies.

It was a marking that would automatically make their bodies explode if they revealed anything about the inside of Magic Tower, which is why everyone declined working there no matter how high the posted salary.

‘Anyway, there won’t be anyone applying.’

Jaina was curious about Diamid’s capricious behavior, but decided not to think too much of it. Since life was precious, it was certain no one would come to teach her an instrument.

However, not long after, Jaina heard unbelievable news from Mikael.

A Baron’s daughter was coming to the Magic Tower to teach her the harpsichord.

‘Is the compensation high enough to tempt even nobles?’

Jaina tilted her head, deep in thought.

‘No, it must be because of the Tower Lord.’

What money and power couldn’t buy was connections to the Lord of Magic Tower.

Many nobles wished to meet him, but Diamid wasn’t very sociable and rarely left the Magic Tower, making it extremely difficult to encounter him.

But if there was an opportunity to meet him officially and frequently?

Any noble would try to send their daughter to the Magic Tower to curry favor.

‘…Just how important is this?’

Jaina looked down at her necklace.

For Diamid to break te Magic Tower’s rules and allow an outsider in, it seemed this necklace held secrets unknown to her.

‘Could Bezrice have created some code with the harpsichord?’

Jaina clenched her fists tightly.

The gravity of the situation hit her again.

For someone who disliked even facing her to spend a fortune making such demands of her, it must be an extremely important matter.

Perhaps after this, he would try to silence her. Use magic directly, or order Hilvenzia to kill her…

‘Should I back out now?’

But Jaina shook her head.

Giving him something akin to her mother’s memento was worse than death.

Besides, she was fated to die in a few years anyway. Having that time shortened didn’t change anything.

‘Right, I just need to do my best, no matter the outcome.’

Jaina reminded herself of the resolution she had made in front of the Magic Tower.

She had too little time left to worry about tomorrow.

* * *

Upon returning to her room, Jaina encountered a young lady waiting for her.

“I am Charlotte de Marjansong. I have heard from the Tower Lord. You wish to learn an instrument, is that correct?”

With her wavy brown locks and kind features, she exuded an elegant demeanor befitting a noble lady.

“Yes, that’s right. I’m Jaina. Please take good care of me.”

“Of course. Miss Jaina, my family has traditionally served the Empress and Crown Prince…”

As soon as Jaina greeted her, Charlotte began explaining about her family. The lengthy narrative essentially boiled down to her being from an illustrious, prestigious family lineage, so Jaina must obey her teachings.

“…So Miss Jaina must follow my instructions well.”

“Yes, I’m in your care from now on.”

“I certainly hope you keep that promise, student.”

The moment Jaina nodded in reply, Charlotte immediately changed her form of address to ‘student’.

“But why does the student wish to learn the harpsichord?”

However, Jaina paid it no mind. More than Charlotte’s rude attitude, her heart raced at the thought of learning an instrument under a skilled teacher.

“Well then, let me assess the student’s skill level first?”

Jaina sat obediently before the harpsichord.

“The Tower Lord instructed me to play this piece.”

With those words, Jaina opened the necklace.

Soon, Bezrice’s performance piece began to resound within the quiet room.