Chapter 20
It was only then that Aria realized a boy was standing there.
The blond boy, backlit by the blazing sunlight, looked even more radiant than usual.
“I’ve heard a lot about you. This is the first time I’ve properly greeted you,” he said.
Most of the Valentine family’s past wives hadn’t had a second child. Even if they had a child, they usually fell ill and died.
And the Grand Duke didn’t have concubines or illegitimate children, so there was only one remaining possibility.
‘He must be the relative of the Grand Duke of Valentine who was recognized for his genius and adopted…’
Aria stared intently at Vincent.
He noticed her gaze and smiled gently as he introduced himself.
“The Grand Duke highly valued my abilities and adopted me. It’s something I’m very grateful for.”
A genius of the century, and a tragic genius.
Vincent Valentine.
He was adopted by the most powerful man whom even the emperor wouldn’t dare oppose—a symbol of a dramatic reversal of fate. At least once.
But eventually, before the Valentine Incident occurred, he was completely expelled from the territory.
“They took in a poor orphan who lost his parents, raised him, and then it turned out he was a double agent in the filthiest sewer,”
noble gossipers would sometimes discuss Vincent at social gatherings.
Since the Valentine family was always the center of attention, Vincent was constantly talked about.
Everyone cursed him as a devil, whispered secrets about him, but secretly wanted to know more.
The mysterious Valentine family, wrapped in a veil of secrecy, always fascinated people.
‘They must have found Vincent’s story endlessly interesting,’ Aria thought.
She had heard it so often she could recite it by heart.
‘He eventually fell into drinking and drugs, wandering through filth until he died miserably,’ she had heard.
A double agent. Was that really true?
Aria was skeptical.
‘To be bold enough to act as a double agent in Valentine’s court, he must have been a pawn of the underworld. But he clearly seems to have no tolerance for corruption.’
She looked into Vincent’s clear, blue eyes.
They sparkled like a summer lake.
It was the gaze of a scholar seeking truth.
“Seems like my sister-in-law is quite interested in epistemology,” Vincent said, pointing to the book Aria was holding.
Only then did she notice the title.
“What is Knowledge?”
‘…A philosophy book?’
Her knowledge was quite one-sided.
If it wasn’t related to music or other arts, she knew almost nothing.
‘I never had a chance to learn. I was locked away and couldn’t access education.’
Of course, she didn’t lack interest in learning; if she had the chance, she wanted to.
But philosophy? Not at all.
“Humans can only know what exists, they say. For humans, what is known must exist. In that sense, ontology and epistemology are like two sides of the same coin.”
“?”
“And are you perhaps interested in phenomenology? Simply put, it’s a combination of epistemology and ontology. It’s the effort to perceive phenomena as they appear, reconstructed through the intentionality of perception.”
“???”
What…? A foreign language?
“My sister-in-law has such a profound interest in academics. I’m truly delighted,” he said.
Aria looked up at the boy, who smiled at her with pure joy, like a blooming flower.
His gentle, warm eyes were round, completely unlike the Grand Duke of Valentine.
“Oh.”
At that moment, Vincent gave a small, knowing exclamation.
A hint of disappointment flickered across his lake-like eyes before narrowing as if to say, “I knew it.”
Aria somehow began to feel increasingly irritated.
“Haha, perhaps I’ve survived all this time because I’m a genius…”
He said, smiling innocently.
“I just can’t stand seeing stupidity.”
“……”
“Why do the foolish even live? Such a waste of oxygen.”
Vincent muttered seriously, “I’d rather die than live with diminishing intelligence my whole life.”
Aria looked up at the boy, smiling faintly to herself, and thought,
‘Ah… that’s why he got expelled.’
“….”
“See you again, sister-in-law.”
From then on, Aria ran into Vincent at the library every day.
She had to practice her songs in the library study rooms, so it naturally drew her attention.
‘It used to be peaceful before he came.’
The library was built solely for the Valentine family.
Except for the librarian occasionally coming to organize books, no one else ever came.
But Vincent had already been in the library before Aria arrived, leaving only after her.
‘At least he’s not following me,’ she thought.
Since he was a scholar from the Academy and loved learning more than anyone, she couldn’t really scold him for being in the library.
‘Even with perfect soundproofing, some sound could leak out.’
She couldn’t completely rule out the possibility.
Aria tensed and kept an eye on Vincent, who happened to be reading on the small sofa near the study room.
“Not picking a book?”
“……”
Aria gave him a cold glance.
He always quizzed her on every topic, no matter which book she picked.
Doesn’t know this? Ah, surely he knows this. What? He doesn’t know that either?
‘Why am I even alive if I’m this stupid?’
Talking with Vincent was always like this.
‘Even if I ignore him, he stubbornly keeps talking.’
She didn’t know why he was so interested in her.
Aria, usually indifferent to most insults and provocations, was starting to feel exhausted.
No matter how proud he was of his genius, if he acted like this in every situation, she imagined he must have made countless enemies.
[Then recommend me a book.]
She responded casually. She was too annoyed to care.
Vincent paused for a moment, then handed her a book.
“Basic Mental Arithmetic Even a Slowpoke Can Do”
“……”
Aria glanced at the pages, which explained “1+1=2,” and looked up at Vincent.
The boy smiled brightly, reminiscent of the summer sun, yet somehow made her want to spit. Incredible.
“…Miss, is something troubling you recently?”
Dana couldn’t help but ask.
Aria had a sour expression Dana had never seen before.
As Dana feared, Aria was on the verge of exploding.
She didn’t mind being openly insulted for being ignorant—it was true she had no formal education.
‘Yes, I am ignorant.’
She admitted it.
But the library was the only place she could secretly practice her songs.
‘I can’t tolerate anyone interfering with my practice.’
She had to master the Healing Song quickly to treat the Grand Duchess.
If Vincent interfered and she missed the treatment window…
‘Our ancestors said three instances of patience allow one to avoid murder.’
But what happens if patience runs out?
‘Am I allowed to kill him?’
She had restrained herself because he was Lloyd’s brother, but her patience was wearing thin.
Eventually, the breaking point came.
Vincent was already waiting inside the study.
“You’re a bit late today,” he said.
Aria turned to open the door to another study naturally, intending to escape.
This study was her usual choice—large, grand, perfectly soundproof.
Even though other studies were soundproofed, too, she hoped he just wanted to read a book here.
Vincent, leaning casually by the door with arms crossed, looked down at her.
He met her cold glare with an innocent smile.
“Since you’re from the Cortez family, you must know a lot about music,” he said.
“……”
“Your grandfather, Maestro Cortez, was a once-in-a-generation genius musician and mathematician. He composed using 24 tones with perfect rules.”
“……”
“You do know your family’s music, don’t you?”
“……”
Really? She didn’t know that either?
Vincent muttered in disappointment.
“Oh, I apologize. I’ve probably just told a story only I know again.”
At that moment, Aria’s patience completely snapped.
She threw the book she was holding into Vincent’s arms.
“Ugh!”
The thick corner of the book hit him in the chest.
Ignoring it, Aria headed straight for the organ in the library.
She placed her hands on the pristine white keys that no one had ever touched before.
