Viola paced back and forth through the "Violet House" twice before she managed to somewhat calm the excitement that had gripped her. Taking the elevator to the fifth floor, she stepped out of the cabin and approached the door to her office. Suddenly, the sounds of a keyboard organ reached her ears—a tender, flowing melody.
"What piece is this?"
Viola froze at the door, her hand, already reaching for the handle, dropping.
The melody flowed intermittently, as if born in the process of improvisation, but even these few fragments seemed incredibly beautiful to her. The light, graceful sounds of the keyboard organ, full of romance and charm, evoked in her imagination a sunlit water surface, waves lazily lapping one upon another, bringing peace and serenity. It felt as if the music was telling a beautiful love story.
Viola had studied music for many years, knew hundreds of pieces, and even visited elven lands renowned for their highest musical art, but she had never heard this melody before.
"Reyn is composing music?"
This realization stunned Viola to her core. She stood, overwhelmed by mixed feelings, but didn't dare enter, not wanting to interrupt Reyn's creative process. As a musician, she knew how hard it was to create music, especially something so beautiful. It required the blessing of the Long-haired Lady or a sudden inspiration that many masters never experienced even once in their lives. If she interrupted this fragile moment, it might never return.
The keyboard organ sounds in the room repeated and changed, notes soared and fell. Over time, the melody became more cohesive, its completeness growing at an astonishing speed.
"Maybe Reyn is the illegitimate son of the Long-haired Lady?" Viola thought with a touch of blasphemy, feeling both admiration and slight envy. She had never seen anyone compose music so quickly, let alone something so superior. When this piece was finished, it would undoubtedly sweep the world and become a classic! She herself had created many musical pieces, but none could compare even to this unfinished creation.
Finally, after more than half an hour, the melody nearly merged into a single whole, its structure fully formed. Viola realized Reyn was close to finishing. Standing behind the door, she listened to the music, fully immersed in it, her eyes misting over with delight.
The melody broke off, and silence fell in the room.
Viola could no longer hold back. She pushed the door open and saw Reyn sitting at the keyboard organ, gazing thoughtfully out the window.
Reyn turned, smiled, and said:
"You're back."
Viola took a deep breath to calm her racing heart and asked eagerly:
"What melody were you just playing? Did you compose it?"
"You heard it?" Surprise flickered in Reyn's eyes, and he said a bit embarrassedly: "I've had some ideas lately, and inspiration suddenly struck, so I played it a few times to refine the melody."
With that, he stood up, approached Viola, and quietly asked:
"Did you like it?"
"Of course I did!"
Viola was excited, not knowing how to express her shock. She seated Reyn back at the instrument and asked hopefully:
"Play it again—I want to hear it all the way through."
"Alright."
Reyn adjusted his position, his fingers danced over the keys again, and the beautiful melody poured from under his hands.
Viola sat beside him, listening to the enchanting sounds and gazing at his focused profile. Suddenly, she thought this man was incredibly handsome. Her heart beat treacherously faster, the excitement she had so painstakingly suppressed overwhelmed her again. It felt as if something inside her had finally surrendered, thoughts scattered, and her gaze misted over.
Unnoticed, the melody faded; Reyn played it once more.
"Viola?"
Reyn's voice sounded very close. Viola startled, realizing she had apparently lost herself in it. Her earlobes flushed, and a blush flooded her cheeks.
"Goddess, it was simply divine… This music will surely sweep the world, and all musicians will remember your name! I was entranced."
Viola tried to hide her embarrassment behind a stream of enthusiastic, if somewhat banal, praise. She tucked a golden curl behind her pointed ear and finally remembered an important question:
"Reyn, have you come up with a name for this piece yet?"
Reyn shook his head, thought for a few seconds, and suddenly said:
"Viola by the Lake."
"What?" Viola didn't understand at first.
"I decided this piece will be called Viola by the Lake. That day when I listened to you play your Dance on the Lake, inspiration struck me, and that's how this melody was born," Reyn looked at Viola with deep tenderness, his gaze firm yet gentle. "Everything I know in music, you taught me. So, this is my gift to you."
As he said this, Reyn couldn't help but admire his own ingenuity. To win the girl, he was ready to go to great lengths, even such an innocent ploy. He had played a famous melody from his past life—"Für Elise," which he had once learned but forgotten many passages of. Fortunately, this music was loaded into his phone's player. Reproducing it mentally, he simultaneously performed it on the keyboard organ. He had deliberately waited until Viola was behind the door and only then pretended to start composing. Since he already knew the piece, and his current mastery level had greatly improved, it took him just a few playthroughs to fully restore it in memory and perform it even better than in his past life, reaching concert level. Though borrowing was not entirely impeccable, for conquering Viola, Reyn was ready to do it, especially since no one could catch him.
Giving beautiful music to people—that was the true essence of its existence.
And indeed, this ploy worked flawlessly—Viola was enchanted.
In Reyn's Eye of the Soul, the color of her aura rapidly changed: it turned blue, deepening, then tinted green, mixed with orange, and finally became yellow. He had thoroughly studied the meaning of these color transformations. They symbolized pleasure, joy, excitement, embarrassment, affection, and… love!
In an instant, Viola's feelings burst forth; she could no longer hold them back. She looked at Reyn with a deep gaze, saying nothing, but her lake-blue eyes betrayed her completely. A enchanting smile played on her flawless face; it seemed she wanted to say so much, but words stuck in her throat.
"Reyn…" Viola whispered, noticing him leaning toward her, his face very close.
She understood what he was about to do. Her heart pounded wildly—a mix of excitement, anticipation, and slight resistance. She wanted to push him away, but her arms weakened. In confusion, she closed her eyes and slightly tilted back her graceful neck, expressing a trembling "yes" with her entire demeanor.
Overjoyed, Reyn didn't hesitate and kissed her. In the next second, he felt an indescribable softness and sweetness. His arms naturally wrapped around her waist, and he greedily pressed into her lips, inhaling their scent. In that moment, the room plunged into a special silence, broken only by the light rustle of touches.
No one knew how much time passed, but Reyn, deciding not to overdo the moment, loosened his embrace.
Viola seemed still under the spell of the kiss. Only after a few seconds did she open her eyes and, seeing Reyn smiling, hastily freed herself from his arms, sat up straight, and began straightening her slightly rumpled clothes. Reyn didn't insist, mentally savoring the moments of closeness. He felt that Viola was completely inexperienced in such matters and looked very awkward. She would need time to get used to it.
Viola, barely coming to her senses, glanced at Reyn slyly and asked with a mischievous smile:
"Reyn, you've probably been planning this for a while, haven't you? How many lovers have you deceived this way already?"
"You're the first!" Reyn replied loudly and convincingly. "Don't believe me? You can check."
In his past life, he wasn't a seasoned playboy, but he had had two or three romances, so he had some experience. However, in this world, his previous "self" had been a complete novice. At the Supernatural Academy, he had many admirers, but he hadn't dated anyone, who knows what he was thinking.
Viola smiled without saying anything, but her eyes showed she was very happy.
Reyn took her slender hand and asked with a smile:
"Want to learn Viola by the Lake? You taught me before—now it's my turn."
Viola tried to pull her hand free, but Reyn held it firmly with a smile, leaving her no choice but to yield.
"Alright, Teacher Reyn."
The word "teacher" sounded with such tenderness and charm that Reyn's soul nearly flew out of his body.
"Damn, that's killer!" Reyn howled inwardly, barely keeping his composure, and suggested:
"I'll play with my left hand, and you with your right. Let's play together."
He had worked so hard for this touch from the beauty—how could he let go of her hand so easily?
Viola immediately understood his intent but merely chuckled softly and nodded in agreement.
The keys danced, and the beautiful melody filled the room again, occasionally interrupted by sweet whispers and resuming to the accompaniment of happy laughter.
In joy, time flew by unnoticed.
When Viola had fully mastered this classical masterpiece, it was already dark outside. Reyn glanced at his communicator watch—it was already eight in the evening. They had gotten so carried away that they forgot even to have dinner. Fortunately, he didn't have duty at the Public Security Bureau today, or he would have been late.
He stood up somewhat reluctantly:
"It's late—I should head back."
Viola closed the keyboard organ lid and said:
"Don't rush. Come on, in thanks for the music you gifted me, I'll treat you to dinner at Danbral. I'm hungry myself."
Reyn had heard of Danbral before. Once, Keyneji from the Mechanics Guild had wanted to invite him to this most prestigious restaurant in Longsand. They said the prices there were astronomical, with one dinner costing several gold shields. He could decline Keyneji's invitation, but no man would refuse Viola's.
Reyn agreed at once, smiling:
"One melody in exchange for dinner at Danbral—a very good deal."
Viola, hearing this, was displeased and shook her head:
"The value of this melody is such that even selling all of Danbral wouldn't be enough. One dinner is incomparable. If you gave it to the Church of the Long-haired Lady, you'd get at least three thousand gold at minimum."
Reyn, however, was indifferent and said softly:
"It doesn't matter how much it's worth. It already helped me win the most precious treasure in the world."
With that, he hugged Viola.
"You're so young, yet you've already mastered saying such compliments. I don't know where you learned that," Viola chided him smilingly but allowed the embrace, feeling her heart melt with sweetness, as if she had tasted honey.