episode_0010

After a deep emotional exchange with my parents,

I spent the next few days at home, doing this and that.

Though there were tasks like reviewing and refining the magic I had used,

for now, I focused solely on spending time with my family.

“Serena~. Ta-da!”

“Ah! Cake!”

“I bought it just for you~.”

“Mom, you’re the best!”

“Serena, try this on for me.”

“Ugh. So annoying….”

“Come on, just try this one~.”

“Fine….”

“…And so, the girl wished upon a star in the night sky.”

Snore, snore…

“Oh my. She’s already asleep. Hehe.”

After spending about three days with my parents,

the time finally came for me to return to the Magic Tower.

‘Will they really be okay?’

Unable to shake off my worry, I kept looking back as I headed to the carriage.

—Glance, glance.

Seeing me like that, my mother smiled brightly.

“Hehe. My dear, you don’t have to worry anymore.”

“Really?”

“Of course. Mom’s going to have fun too, you know?”

“You better enjoy yourself!”

“Absolutely. I’ll be traveling with your father~.”

Perhaps to reassure me, Mom spoke even more cheerfully.

My eyes stung for no reason, so I kissed her cheek and said:

—Mwah.

“I’ll contact you often with the Crystal Orb.”

“Oh my, our little girl’s all grown up now.”

—Pat, pat.

“Go on now. You’ve got studying to do.”

“Okay.”

—Clatter.

I stepped into the carriage my teacher had prepared.

Instead of sitting right away, I leaned out the window and waved to my parents.

—Whoosh.

“Mom! If you miss me, just call!”

“Hehe. I will~. Stay healthy, my dear~.”

“Yes~!”

A moment later,

—Rattle, rattle.

the carriage jolted noisily as it set off.

I kept waving at my parents until our house completely disappeared from view.

Only then did I finally settle into my seat.

—Plop.

‘Phew…’

Alright.

Now it’s time to move forward again.

After arriving at the Magic Tower,

I spent the next few days in deep self-reflection.

That day’s performance was decent, considering it was improvised.

The emotional amplification using magic was also successful.

But it wasn’t without its problems.

‘It was harder than I expected.’

Even though the piano wasn’t magically conjured but a real one,

and even though I didn’t play all twelve variations in full,

controlling it was way harder than I’d thought.

‘Later, I’ll have to manifest multiple instruments at once…’

Honestly, it’s not just a few.

To truly perform as a one-person orchestra, I’d need to handle dozens of instruments.

Just thinking about manifesting and controlling all those string, wind, and percussion instruments made my head hurt already.

‘Is there no way to just manifest the sounds?’

I guess there’s no choice but to combine it with memory-based magic.

This problem had been distracting me so much that I couldn’t focus properly in class lately.

‘Even if I only plan to manifest the appearance of the instruments, to play their sounds appropriately…’

“Lady Lierell.”

“Eek!”

I jumped at the sudden call from Her Highness the Princess.

‘I was in the middle of important thoughts…!’

No use complaining, though.

Technically, it is class time right now.

I quickly bowed my head and asked,

“What is it, Your Highness?”

“Hmm…”

After briefly scanning me, she spoke.

“You seem troubled by something lately.”

“Huh? How did you—”

“…Anyone could tell when you’ve been sitting there with your eyes closed and scowling during class.”

“Oh.”

I thought she might’ve used some mind-reading spell or something.

As I scratched my head awkwardly, the Princess cleared her throat and continued.

Ahem. “Well, it seems you’re struggling to resolve it.”

“Yeah. It’s a bit complicated, so…”

“That complicated?”

“Yeah…”

“Hmm…”

The Princess glanced at my dejected expression and said,

“Then, would you like to share it with me?”

“Huh?”

“I am the Princess, after all. It’s my duty to listen to the concerns of the Empire’s citizens.”

“Ooh…!”

“Besides, I’m personally curious about what troubles you, Lady Lierell.”

For a moment, I almost imagined a halo glowing behind her.

I’d always thought she was icy, but…

‘Guess even the coldest people are still just 10-year-olds at heart.’

Honestly, I doubted I’d get much useful advice about the magic-related part.

Why?

Because I’m better at it than her.

‘That’s just an undeniable fact.’

Still, there was something worth discussing with Her Highness.

The very reason I’d been building connections with her in the first place.

‘Intellectual property rights.’

Though, based on my recent realization,

I’d need at least another decade before it became relevant.

Until when?

Until I could freely perform any piece I wanted.

‘Still, it’s good to lay the groundwork early.’

Quickly gathering my thoughts, I spoke.

“Well, it’s about something in the distant future.”

“Oh? What is it?”

“It’s related to what I want to do later.”

“What you want to do?”

—”What Lady Lierell wants to do…”

Muttering to herself, the Princess tilted her head.

“Go on.”

“Ah, yes. I think I’ll be doing some creative work later, and I was wondering how to legally protect the usage rights for those creations.”

“…Huh? What? Come again?”

Huh?

Did I speak too fast?

I slowed down and repeated myself.

“How I can secure copyright protection for my creative works…”

“Wait, wait. Copyright for creative works?”

“Yes. Does the Empire already legally protect things like novels?”

“Uh… Of course. The Empire encourages all forms of creativity.”

“Ooh…!”

Wait, really?

Does that mean…?

Brimming with hope, I asked,

“Then, does that include intellectual property rights for music?”

“Uh… ‘Intellectual property rights’? The term’s a bit unfamiliar, but yes, copyright protection should apply.”

No way!

The Empire was far more progressive than I’d thought.

‘This is huge!’

Of course, I could’ve checked the Imperial Codex earlier,

but honestly, what 7-year-old digs through legal texts?

‘Well, that’s a relief.’

—Phew.

My expression visibly relaxed.

But the Princess didn’t seem to share my relief.

Suddenly, her hands started trembling as she stared at me.

‘Huh?’

Noticing my confusion,

the Princess asked in utter shock:

“L-Lady Lierell.”

“Yes?”

“By any chance—and I mean just a wild guess—”

“Yes?”

“Are you… planning to compose music?”

Compose?

‘Technically, I’ll be plagiarizing, but…’

Well, by this world’s standards, it is composing.

I nodded.

“Yes.”

With that single word,

the Princess’s expression crumbled.

“T-This can’t be…”

“Y-You mean music? Serena, is that true?”

Even my teacher, who’d been nearby, jolted in surprise and questioned me.

Now that I think about it, he was resting at home during my last performance.

I nodded again.

“Yes. I love music.”

“Then why did you come to the Magic Tower?”

“To use the magic I learn here for music!”

“T-This is unbelievable!”

My teacher, looking utterly shocked, launched into a lecture.

Your talent is among the greatest in the Empire’s history.

Why on earth would you not dedicate it to magic?

Did I do something wrong?

What would it take for you to focus on magic?

Please, just keep studying magic.

And so on.

Of course, I remained unfazed.

“Music.”

“Guh…!”

In the end, my teacher, deeply traumatized, retreated.

I’d noticed it before,

but the composed, mature image he’d first presented was long gone.

All that remained was this bumbling, foolish version of him.

And then—

‘Huh?’

While my teacher was talking…

The Princess, who’d been staring blankly like a lost soul,

had somehow ended up right beside me.

Feeling uneasy, I flinched and cautiously asked,

“Wh-What is it…?”

“…How?”

“Huh?”

“How can you do this?!!”

“Eep!”

“I—I can’t accept this!”

Oh no.

My unease was spot-on.

The Princess exploded into a passionate tirade.

“How can you waste such talent by not researching magic?!”

“Do you know how many people would kill for that gift?!”

“With your talent, you could advance the field of magic by centuries!”

“As the Empire’s Princess, I cannot let this slide!”

She ranted with genuine frustration.

“Y-Your Highness, calm down—”

“Do I look calm to you?!”

Even my teacher tried to intervene, but it was futile.

I guess status differences matter after all.

But then—

“How…”

She uttered something I couldn’t ignore.

“How could you abandon magic… for something as trivial as music?”

—Twitch.

That statement was the last straw.

I immediately stepped forward, closing the distance between us.

—Stomp.

“Your Highness.”

“Huff, huff. What?”

“Take that back.”

“…Excuse me?”

Though the Princess looked dazed,

I pressed on firmly.

“Calling music ‘trivial.’ Take it back.”

“…Hah!”

But the Princess didn’t back down either.

“Did that really upset you? That I called your precious music ‘trivial’?”

“Yes. It did.”

“Tch—! You take it back! Take back what you said about choosing music over magic!”

As she stomped and shouted,

I’ll admit—she was kinda cute.

‘Well, she is just a 10-year-old brat.’

Kids throw tantrums when things don’t go their way.

And she’s the Princess, no less.

She’s entitled to a little drama.

‘Sigh. Whatever. No point getting mad at a kid.’

Suddenly deflated, I just stepped back.

“You know what? Never mind. You don’t have to take it back.”

“Hmph. Obviously.”

“Because I’m doing music anyway.”

“…! Tch—! Lady Lierell! How dare you!”

“Yep.”

“Tch—!!!!”

Keep seething all you want.

‘What can you even do about it?’

I’m doing music no matter what.

‘I! Will! Not! Be! A! Mage!’

Mu.sic.4.lyfe.

And from that moment on,

the Princess’s attitude did a complete 180.