TOPWL 70

“I’ll talk to you and leave. Don’t worry too much,” Yudit said as he stood up. Selena looked a bit relieved at that moment.

“You must stay for a long time,” Selena insisted, urging him again before finally sending Yudit off. Outside, the concert was still going strong, though the music sounded quite poor. When Yudit doubted his ears, Lyett whispered beside him.

“Not great, huh?”

“Well… I think they need a bit more practice,” Yudit replied.

“It’s a bit twisted. Nobles usually learn to play at least one instrument when they’re young. They may not have the skill for an orchestra, but they’re full of passion for music. They sponsor these performances by donating something, thinking they’re paying for the chance to perform. That’s why everyone’s playing with their own items, even nobles who weren’t involved in the fire.”

“Ah… I see.”

Now that Yudit thought about it, he recalled something similar in Selena’s letter.

“Because of that, the auction might take over an hour.“ Lyett added.

“That’s good,” Yudit said as his expression shifted slightly. When he entered the hall, he saw a 80-year-old man on stage, playing the violin. He looked like he might collapse at any moment. He had been playing for over three minutes, and his energy was clearly depleted. Despite this, he performed with the demeanor of a great musician, though it seemed that god himself would soon claim the old man once the performance ended. Yudit watched in concern, but the old man surged through the final climax of the piece. The music was awful, but the energy was commendable.

After the final note, the old man lifted his bow high, clutching his chest as he gasped for breath. The audience, worried, pondered whether they should call for a doctor. Fortunately, he managed to finish the performance and seemed to be fine.

Applause erupted from the front row, and a woman in a deep purple dress, revealing her ample chest, embraced the old man. Judging by her attire and hairstyle, she seemed to be a courtesan. The old man, whose face had been as pale as death, now had a faint blush on his cheeks. Supported by the woman, he made his way offstage to the applause.

“That was a nerve-wracking performance,” Lyett said.

“Indeed,” Yudit agreed, chuckling despite himself. As they waited for the next performance, someone placed a hand on Yudit’s shoulder. Turning, he felt a finger poke his cheek.

“You shouldn’t be so defenseless,” came the playful voice, and Yudit immediately recognized the familiar tone.

“Wadiram, you’ve come too,” he said.

“I can’t miss something like this. I donated some spices and they gave me two tickets,” Wadiram said, waving the torn tickets in front of him. He had probably come because he heard Sonia was attending.

“So, I brought a companion,” Wadiram said, stepping aside. Yudit’s eyes widened in surprise as he saw a familiar face. He gasped.

“Is that… Huyan?”

“It’s been a while, Your Highness,” Huyan said with a nod.

“When did you arrive? I was wondering when you’d show up…” Yudit started to ask, but the announcement for the next performance interrupted him. A young girl, barely over four years old, confidently walked onto the stage with a flute almost as long as she was.

“Shall we talk outside?” Huyan and Wadiram both nodded. Yudit looked at Lyetr, who whispered in his ear.

“I’m fine. Go ahead. This next performance seems interesting too.”

The girl on stage started introducing herself loudly. Despite the temptation to stay and watch, Yudit stepped outside, where Huyan and Wadiram were waiting. He hesitated, wondering if it was appropriate to speak to them in such a busy area, but just then, Wadiram spoke up.

“I saw a spot over there that looks fine for a chat.”

“Shall we head that way?” Yudit asked, and Wadiram led them to a place near the end of the hall, close to a door. The door was firmly shut, and while it wasn’t cold, the presence of a large window made it seem chillier, and the area was notably quiet.

“I’ll get a carriage. You two talk,” Wadiram said, pointing to the cigarette in his pocket as he walked out. Once he was gone, Yudit turned to Huyan with a smile.

“I thought you’d come back in spring.”

“I promised I’d return before then,” Huyan replied with a somewhat cold but familiar tone, making Yudit feel nostalgic.

“How was the desert? No monsters, I hope?”

“A few appeared, but I handled them all.”

“You’re not injured, are you?”

“No, I’m fine. I’m in good health.”

Yudit was excited, bombarding Huyan with questions about his recent travels. As the excitement waned, Huyan took the opportunity to ask, “How have you been, Your Highness?”

“Me? I’ve been… fine,” Yudit replied.

“You can speak freely.”

“…” Yudit hesitated before answering.

“You’ve lost weight. More than last time,” Huyan observed, his eyes bitter as he gently brushed his thumb against Yudit’s cheek. It seemed his recent poor meals had caused him to lose weight.

“I’m fine. I eat what I need.”

“You should eat more, not just what you need,” Huyan said sternly. Despite his words, Yudit felt a warmth, as if he didn’t mind his nagging after all.

“I’ll try,” Yudit replied with a small smile.

Suddenly, Huyan turned his head, sensing something. Yudit, confused, asked, “What’s wrong?”

“It seems someone was coming this way, but they’ve just left.”

Yudit remembered that Huyan had the ability to sense people’s aura.

“I heard the second competition has started.”

“Yes, it’s all over the newspapers. I suppose it’s not surprising that you know about it,” Yudit replied.

“Are you participating in the swordsmanship tournament?”

Yudit smiled wryly and shook his head. “No, I don’t have the skills.”

He figured he could hire mercenaries or something, but Huyan hesitated before speaking.

“If you’re okay with it… I’d like to represent you in the competition.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yes, if you want me to.”

Yudit thought about it for a moment, considering the potential consequences of him participating in his place. Since Huyan was an envoy of Herut, it might be acceptable after all. He hesitated before replying.

“Can I think it over and let you know?”

“Of course.”

Huyan smiled faintly at his response. His gaze seemed to reflect a longing, and Yudit felt a bit embarrassed by it.

“By the way, when did you arrive?”

“This morning,” Huyan answered.

Yudit’s eyes widened. “So you came without resting?”

“I’m fine. I knew you’d be here,” he replied with a soft smile.

Yudit didn’t quite understand what he meant. After a long time, Huyan seemed slightly different than before. As he looked at him, he gazed at his face intently. Yudit swallowed nervously. Just then, the door opened with the sound of winter wind. Wadiram entered and shivered.

“Ugh, it’s cold. Aren’t you two freezing?”

“We’ll talk later. Let’s go inside for now,” Yudit said, guiding Huyan back inside. The little girl from earlier bowed her head in greeting, and the audience’s laughter and applause rang out. Yudit looked around for Lyett, who found him first.

“Did you catch the performance?”

“No, I just got here.”

“That’s too bad. It was a really avant-garde performance.”

Yudit wasn’t sure if Lyett was being sincere or just speaking in a noble tone.

“Shall we go somewhere else? They say the auction’s going on now.”

Yudit turned to Huyan and Wadiram.

“I’ll stay here for a bit.”

Wadiram gestured for him to go ahead, it probably had something to do with Sonia. Huyan, as though wanting to stay with Yudit, walked beside him. Shane followed as well.

“Sounds good,” Yudit said, as Lyett led the way toward another room with swift steps, her long dress flowing smoothly.