"As compensation..."
He didn't finish the sentence, but Kikuri Hiroi understood immediately.
Her already pale face flushed crimson to the tips of her ears, and she bashfully lowered her head.
After both Ryo Yamada and Kikuri Hiroi had returned to their respective rooms to rest.
Seiji finally had time to examine his "harvest" from last night.
[Ding! Detected successful conquest of 'Kikuri Hiroi' (Stage One), distributing rewards...]
[Congratulations! You have acquired the ability: Iron Stomach That Can Handle Heavy Alcohol!]
[Ding! Detected successful conquest of 'Eliza Shimizu' (Stage One), distributing rewards...]
[Congratulations! You have acquired the ability: Otaku Encyclopedia!]
Seiji looked at these two rewards and twitched the corners of his mouth.
Both were abilities without much practical use.
However, the main event was still to come.
[Ding! Detected complete conquest of 'Ryo Yamada,' three-stage mission accomplished, distributing rewards...]
[Congratulations! You have acquired the reward: Complete Music Library from Your Previous Life on Earth!]
[Ding! Detected complete conquest of 'Ryo Yamada,' distributing additional reward...]
[Congratulations! You have acquired permanent ability: World-Class Composition/Arrangement Talent!]
BOOM... !
As the system notification finished, a massive flood of information surged into his brain!
Countless melodies, countless chord progressions, countless arrangement techniques, countless songs from his previous life on Earth... familiar ones, classics, obscure pieces, popular hits, classical works...
All of this music merged into Seiji's knowledge at this moment.
He felt like he had become the god of music, intimately familiar with every technique, style, and genre. The abundant emotions of history's great masters surged like crashing waves through his heart.
Bach's precision, Mozart's fluidity, Beethoven's passion, Chopin's poetry...
The souls of countless classical giants seemed to whisper at his fingertips.
Those rock, pop, jazz, and electronic melodies also flowed like rushing rivers, converging and colliding in his consciousness, igniting entirely new sparks.
He could now not only perfectly recreate any song he had "heard," but could also instantly deconstruct and reconstruct it, giving it new life with a different style or instrumentation.
This feeling was like a programmer suddenly grasping the underlying logic of every programming language in the world, able to code anything; or like a painter instantly comprehending all the mysteries of light and shadow, every stroke becoming a masterpiece.
Seiji immediately immersed himself in this sensation.
At that moment.
The television in the living room, playing as background noise, was broadcasting a news report.
"...It is reported that the world-renowned pianist Ms. Touma Youko has arrived in Tokyo today. Next week, she will hold her first solo recital since returning to Japan at the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre..."
However, Seiji, immersed in the system's rewards, didn't hear this news at all.
After a long while.
Seiji finally opened his eyes and murmured to himself: "Should I buy a piano to play with?"
After all, he had money and time... he could experience the refined lifestyle of high society.
After thinking for a moment, he stood up, grabbed his car keys, and left the Yamada residence.
His destination was Tokyo's prestigious piano shop... the "Okuda Piano Hall" in Ginza.
At the same time, at Tokyo's Narita International Airport.
Surrounded by reporters and fans, a black-haired woman wearing sunglasses with a cool, distant aura quickly walked out of the VIP passage, escorted by several bodyguards.
She was Touma Youko, a genius pianist of international renown.
"Touma-sensei! Do you have any special thoughts about returning to Japan for this concert?"
"What are your thoughts on the development of Japan's classical music scene in recent years?"
Facing the reporters' rapid-fire questions, Touma Youko merely nodded slightly, remaining silent as she went directly to a black sedan already waiting by the roadside.
The car door closed, shutting out all the external clamor.
"Still so noisy." Touma Youko removed her sunglasses and rubbed her throbbing temples. That exquisitely sculpted face, refined as an ice carving, revealed a barely perceptible weariness.
"Thank you for your hard work, Touma-sensei." Her manager in the passenger seat handed her a bottle of water. "The schedule is arranged. First we'll return to the hotel to rest, then this afternoon..."
"No," Touma Youko shook her head. "First, go to the Okuda Piano Hall in Ginza."
"Eh? Right now?" The manager was somewhat surprised.
In his view, after a long flight, what the teacher needed most was rest, not immediately diving into work.
"Yes." Touma Youko looked at the rapidly receding scenery outside the window and said calmly, "The Bösendorfer at home needs a comprehensive inspection and tuning, then we need to arrange its transport to the concert venue. For the upcoming performance, I must personally discuss this with Okuda-san."
For a top-tier pianist, the piano was an extension of her body, the other half of her soul... there could be no room for carelessness.
"Understood." The manager immediately took out his phone and began contacting the person in charge at Okuda Piano Hall.
"..."
...
Seiji parked his car in a nearby lot and walked to the entrance of Okuda Piano Hall.
This was a building full of classical European charm. Just looking at the heavy oak door and the gleaming brass handle, one could sense its long history and extraordinary distinction.
He pushed open the door. The melodious sound of a Chopin nocturne playing through the shop's speakers, accompanied by the unique fragrance of high-grade wood mixed with furniture polish, greeted him.
The spacious, bright showroom displayed dozens of pianos of various types.
From upright pianos suitable for home use to grand concert pianos capable of filling an entire concert hall, each one was like a sleeping work of art, quietly radiating its brilliance.
"Welcome to Okuda Piano Hall."
A young female clerk in uniform with a gentle demeanor approached with a professional smile on her face.
"Hello, sir. How may I help you?" She sized up the young man before her.
Though the boy was well-dressed, he looked far too young and lacked the artistic aura characteristic of someone steeped in music for years.
A new customer?
She instinctively categorized Seiji as a young person curious about pianos.
In Ginza, such customers weren't rare... they usually just wanted to satisfy their curiosity or affect sophistication, and very few actually made purchases.
"I'm just looking around." Seiji's response confirmed her assumption.
"Of course, sir." The clerk's smile remained standard, but her enthusiasm had quietly diminished. "We have the latest home series from Yamaha and Kawai, very suitable for beginners and excellent value. If you're interested, I can give you a detailed introduction."
Seiji nodded noncommittally and began casually browsing the shop.
Just then, the piano hall's door was pushed open again.
"Manager Tanaka! Touma-sensei has arrived!" Another clerk at the entrance called out in a low voice.
Before the words finished, a middle-aged man in a crisp suit immediately rushed out of the office, his face full of humble yet enthusiastic smiles.
"Ah! Touma-sensei! Your visit truly brings glory to our humble shop!"
Manager Tanaka jogged over, his attitude extremely respectful.
The person before him was the internationally renowned pianist Touma Youko... he had to personally receive her, allowing no room for error.
Because a word or two from her could affect the entire Okuda Piano Hall's reputation.
Seiji, hearing the commotion, instinctively glanced back.
He saw a tall woman with long black hair, led by the enthusiastically guiding manager, slowly walking in.
The woman appeared to be in her thirties, not quite forty.
Her face showed no expression, emanating a cool aura that kept people at a distance.
Seiji felt this woman seemed somewhat familiar, as if he had seen her somewhere before.
But unable to recall at the moment, he didn't dwell on it.
He turned his head back and continued looking at pianos.
At the same time, Touma Youko also noticed Seiji's gaze.
She glanced over and saw the young man standing beside a Steinway.
"Hm?"
Touma Youko let out a soft sound of surprise. She instinctively felt the young man seemed somewhat familiar.
But she likewise didn't pay it much attention.
She saw too many people every day... feeling someone looked familiar was quite normal.
Touma Youko quickly withdrew her gaze and began discussing her piano maintenance needs with Manager Tanaka.
"Tanaka-san, I'm entrusting this tuning to you again."
"Of course! Of course! Please rest assured, Touma-sensei! I'll have Master Yamamoto personally handle it! I guarantee your piano will be in perfect condition on stage!" Manager Tanaka promised, patting his chest.
Their conversation proceeded on the other side of the showroom.
Meanwhile, Seiji leisurely strolled through the piano hall.
The female clerk who had been attending to him followed closely behind, still wearing her professional smile, but in her heart she had already labeled him as "just browsing, not buying."
Her mind had already wandered to the other side, wondering if she could find an opportunity to get an autograph.
Seeing Seiji's gaze linger slightly on a particular piano.
She immediately spoke: "Sir, this Yamaha U1 series is our shop's bestselling model. The tone is bright and clear, the touch is very suitable for Asian hands, and as an entry-level practice piano, it's an excellent choice."
Seiji merely glanced at it, shook his head, and walked directly past the area displaying affordable Japanese brand pianos, heading toward the deeper part of the showroom... the section separated by red velvet ropes.
There lay the domain of top-tier brands.
Steinway, Bösendorfer, Fazioli... Each one's price tag was enough to buy a small apartment in Tokyo.
"Ah... sir!"
The female clerk couldn't help but exclaim.
"The pianos over there are all very expensive. Please be careful."
Though the exclamation wasn't loud, in the showroom it seemed particularly jarring, instantly drawing everyone's attention.
Countless gazes turned toward Seiji.
Touma Youko, whose conversation with Manager Tanaka had been interrupted, also looked toward the source of the sound.
Everyone saw an extremely young boy, ignoring the clerk's introduction, heading straight for the most expensive piano section.
"...Seeking flowers..."
Seiji paid no heed to these gazes.
The system's rewards included not just composition and arrangement techniques, but also knowledge of various instruments.
After all, without understanding instruments, there could be no talk of arrangement or composition.
Therefore, Seiji scanned everything at a glance.
All the knowledge about these piano brands... their history, their characteristics, the subtle differences in tone between different models... all became crystal clear.
After surveying several circuits.
Seiji's gaze settled on a black grand piano gleaming with a warm luster.
It was a Fazioli F278 concert grand piano.
Steinway's tone was gorgeous, Bösendorfer's tone was warm, while Fazioli was renowned worldwide for its ultimate clarity and penetrating power.
He found this one most appealing.
Without any hesitation, he walked right past the velvet rope barrier, approached the piano bench, and sat down directly, then lifted the piano lid.
The female clerk couldn't stop him in time.
"Sir! Please wait!"
She was terrified this seemingly inexperienced young man might damage this precious instrument worth tens of millions of yen.
She hurried forward, trying to dissuade him.
"I'm very sorry, sir! This piano is exclusive to our members and isn't open to general customers!"
If he damaged it, it really wouldn't be her fault.
The shop would also reprimand her and deduct from her wages and bonus.
Other people in the shop also frowned.
In their view, Seiji clearly lacked the aura cultivated through years of piano performance, and his every movement carried a "novice's" awkwardness.
"What a farce."
...
Touma Youko likewise frowned, murmuring softly.
"I'm very sorry, Touma-sensei! I'll handle this right away!" Cold sweat appeared on Manager Tanaka's forehead as he hurriedly walked toward Seiji's direction.
He cursed inwardly... which family's child was so lacking in manners? If this disturbed the important client Touma-sensei, his year-end bonus would be ruined.
"Can't I try it?"
Seiji turned to look at the flustered clerk and asked in return.
"Well..." The clerk looked troubled.
"Heh."
Seiji chuckled softly and took out two items from his pocket, placing them on the piano's music stand.
One was a pitch-black bank card from a global chain bank... a black card.
The other was a set of Bentley car keys.
"If I damage it, I believe I can afford to compensate."
The female clerk was instantly left speechless.
The black card and luxury car keys... these two items demonstrated that the young man before her was quite wealthy.
Even if he damaged it, he could indeed afford compensation.
It was just...
It didn't fit their piano hall's refined atmosphere.
The other people in the shop frowned even more deeply.
In their view, Seiji's approach of solving problems with money was a defilement of art.
Art was elegant... how could it be measured in such vulgar terms?
"How... crass." A noble-looking lady covered her mouth with a fan and whispered to her companion.
Touma Youko also shook her head, stopping Manager Tanaka who was about to approach, and said: "Let's discuss this elsewhere."
"Yes, yes, Touma-sensei, let's go to the VIP room!" Manager Tanaka nodded repeatedly, preparing to lead Touma Youko away from this troublesome scene.
At that moment, Seiji's hands settled on the keys.