Chapter: 05
Upon hearing Leonard’s words, Aurelia instinctively drew in a sharp breath.
It wasn’t that she wanted to belittle his abilities. In the first place, even if she wanted to disparage him, his skill was certainly not something that could easily be diminished.
But no matter how outstanding a master musician’s performance skills were, no matter that he possessed the title of virtuoso, there were still things one should never touch.
And for Aurelia, those things were her father and the Bernhard Instrument Workshop.
‘So when they called him a devil wearing an angel’s mask, they weren’t talking only about his talent.’
Aurelia’s gaze, which had been filled with admiration, lost some of its reverence after seeing how impolite he was.
Then, filled with pride, she protested.
“You probably don’t know this because you haven’t been in Zerphium for very long, but Bernhard Instrument Workshop has been maintaining its legacy for longer than almost any other workshop in Zerphium.”
“Even if a workshop is old, that doesn’t guarantee that its owner makes good instruments.”
At Leonard’s words, Aurelia bit down hard on her lower lip.
Of course, she knew that.
‘I know there aren’t many people in the arts who have good personalities.’
And judging from the letters Aiden occasionally sent, she already knew that his personality wasn’t particularly pleasant.
But this was different.
How could he belittle her father right in front of her, even knowing that the owner of the workshop was her father?
Her father was not someone who lacked skill enough to deserve hearing something like that.
“I believe good violins come from a good environment. Don’t you?”
The words that came from his mouth further ruined Aurelia’s expression as she desperately tried to smile.
“Mr. Deimus.”
Like a little cat cautiously watching a person, Aurelia spoke in a low voice, while Leonard looked down at her with an expression full of arrogance.
Just as Aurelia was about to take a deep breath to point out Leonard’s rudeness—
“Do you think I’m wrong? If so, let’s find out. Whether I’m right or you’re right.”
Having finished speaking, Leonard reached out without hesitation and picked up one of the violins in the corner.
The body of the violin rested against Leonard’s shoulder, and the way he extended his hand toward Aurelia was as graceful as a single movement in a dance.
“What are you standing there for?”
“Ah.”
Aurelia had been staring blankly at his actions, forgetting even what she had been about to say. Only after hearing Leonard’s irritated voice did she finally come to her senses.
She took out a bow that had been properly coated with rosin and handed it to him, feeling a small flicker of anticipation.
For a musician, being able to hear the performance of someone they had only ever heard about was like an extraordinary stroke of luck.
The moment the long bow touched the strings, the clear, ringing sound made Aurelia swallow dryly, causing her to forget even the displeasure she had felt toward his rudeness only moments before.
The performance that came from his hands was nothing short of perfect.
It was almost unbelievable that someone whose words made him seem to look down on everyone except himself could produce a performance so much warmer and more delicate than anything else.
‘Because he’s this kind of person….’
Because he could perform this perfectly, he had been given the title of virtuoso.
On one hand, she could easily understand it after hearing even this short performance. But on the other, she felt envious.
Envious that he could display his talent in front of people like that.
‘Something that isn’t permitted to me is probably an ordinary part of his life.’
Several emotions whose names she couldn’t even identify swept over her all at once.
A strange feeling that seemed like jealousy, yet also admiration.
‘Now I understand.’
Why she had felt the need to criticize his personality so much.
He was standing in the very position she desperately wanted, yet he kept saying such unpleasant things, and the sight had been unbearable to her.
Since she couldn’t curse the talent he possessed, she had tried to criticize his personality instead.
‘I’m jealous. I envy him. That’s why I can’t help but tear him down.’
Just so she could relieve the sense of inferiority she felt toward him.
Even while knowing that it was cowardly and wrong, Aurelia couldn’t hide her feelings.
“Oh my, I have a customer.”
Just as the melody Leonard was creating was reaching its end, the sound of the bell rang out, and David appeared.
After wiping the sweat gathered on his forehead from the hot weather outside, he extended his hand toward Leonard for a handshake.
“You must be Mr. Deimus. I actually met Mr. Valchester right outside and heard all about you. I hear Mr. Valchester introduced you to the workshop. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m David Bernhard.”
“Yes, Leonard Deimus.”
Leonard lowered the violin and, with his usual arrogant expression, refused David’s handshake and merely gave him a slight nod.
David didn’t seem embarrassed by the hand that had been left hanging. He simply gave a hearty laugh.
Of course, Aurelia, who had felt a slight fondness for Leonard for a brief moment, was now dragging her opinion of him all the way down to the floor.
‘What an unpleasant person.’
She already knew that Leonard was an extraordinary person.
His performance just now had made that perfectly understandable.
But she still didn’t think that gave him any reason to treat her father’s outstretched hand with such disrespect.
“I’ve heard so much about you. It’s such an honor that you came to our workshop so soon after arriving in Zerphium.”
“Yes, I don’t have much time, so I think it’s best to dispense with the pleasantries. I have a recital scheduled for this evening as well.”
Leonard’s gaze was clearly directed toward Aurelia.
There was no way he hadn’t seen her expression, yet he completely ignored her as though she didn’t exist at all and checked his watch.
For some reason, it felt as though he considered even giving someone as insignificant as her a glance to be a waste of time, and it irritated her.
That was also why she had been so offended when he ignored her father’s handshake.
He knew that he was among the very best even in Zerphium, the city of music.
He behaved as though everyone loved him, so other people simply had to understand his arrogance and lack of courtesy.
‘That makes me so angry.’
His gaze, as though he were standing at the very highest position and looking down upon everyone beneath him.
His attitude of treating both her and her father like annoying flies, even though neither of them deserved to be treated that way.
All of it infuriated her.
“Compared to Aiden’s praise, it’s nothing special.”
“It feels a little improper for me to praise my own work, but I can confidently say that the instruments from Bernhard Instrument Workshop are among the finest of the finest. I’m sure your opinion will change after you see the instruments in the vault.”
“It had better. I dislike investing my time in places that aren’t worth it.”
Even as they made their way toward the vault, Leonard continued making one arrogant remark after another, and Aurelia fixed him with a sharp glare.
‘He’s unbelievably arrogant. Anyone would think he was the only person whose time was made of gold. Who doesn’t have valuable time?’
Unlike Aurelia, who had already become so thoroughly offended after speaking with him for only a short while that she wanted to throw him out, David still wore a pleasant smile.
The gesture with which he guided Leonard toward the inner vault was so kind that it was almost affectionate.
It was the composure of a man who had already met countless musicians.
There were few promising or so-called genius musicians who had pleasant personalities.
“Lily, why are you standing there instead of coming in? How many times have I told you not to leave the vault door open for too long?”
Aurelia had been pouting as she watched the two men enter the vault, but at David’s call, she had no choice but to go inside with them.
“I’m coming.”
The violins inside the vault were on an entirely different level from the ones displayed outside, even at a glance.
They were stored under perfectly controlled temperature and humidity, so it went without saying that they were in excellent condition.
There were also quite a few violins inside that could rightfully be called masterpieces, instruments that had been kept in this vault since long before Aurelia was born.
“Aurelia, take out that violin over there.”
“Father!”
The violin David told her to take out was practically the symbol of Bernhard Instrument Workshop.
It had been made around the time the Bernhard family first began making a name for itself as a family of instrument craftsmen, with the intention of passing it down to future generations. It was also a treasured heirloom of the Bernhard family.
And her father was trying to show such an instrument to that unbelievably arrogant man.
“It’s not for sale.”aa
