C90
Oh, I'm going crazy. I can't stop laughing.
I can't believe Isidor was the person I thought was a child.
"Pfft!"
I didn't want to disturb him, so I tried to hold it in no matter what, but that large figure of his back was so serious that I ended up bursting into laughter.
It was really out of my control.
"What?"
Isidor turned with a slightly furrowed expression as if he was offended and was surprised to see me burst into laughter.
"How long have you been there?"
"Just now, Sir Isidor, but it was so funny... so I couldn't hold it... Pfft, hahaha!"
Eventually, I couldn't hold it and burst out laughing.
He had his eyes wide open, and his emerald pupils were trembling.
Although I felt very embarrassed, it's been so long since I laughed like this, so the laughter wouldn't stop soon.
Isidor was a perfect man in many ways, so his poor piano skills, like that of a five-year-old, were truly unexpected.
No, it's an insult to five-year-olds.
I struggled to calm down, gasped for breath, and barely closed my mouth.
"I'm not laughing at your performance... I never imagined Sir Isidor would be so out of tune."
"Because it's been a long time since I played. I'm still adjusting to the score and the keyboard! You know because we danced together at the ball, right?"
He pouted slightly and spoke frankly.
"However, even if your hands are skilled on the keyboard, it doesn't seem like you have the desire to play it well."
"How well does Princess Deborah play with so much confidence?"
When I didn't stop laughing, he teased me.
"I'm ten times better than Sir Isidor."
No matter who sees it, I seem to play better than this guy.
And when I was in kindergarten, I mastered Bayer and Cherney.
"Can you prove it?"
"Yes."
I sat confidently next to him, placed my hand on the keyboard, and realized the ill effect of early education.
I only remembered one song.
"Does Princess Deborah play the piano with two fingers?"
Isidor pressed his mouth as if holding back laughter.
"First, listen. Don't make fun of it."
I started to play the march songs that I could only play without sheet music.
When I pressed the keyboard with two fingers, Isidor seemed indifferent, but then I surprised him.
"Good music can also come out that way. It's cheerful and pleasant."
He soon smiled as he recognized the wonderful march song of sticks.
"Where did you learn that song? It's fun."
When he asked me where I had learned it, I turned the words around because I felt a pang of conscience.
"Isn't it fun? Try playing it too, Sir Isidor. As you can see, it's much easier than phenomenal sheet music songs, and this song is originally played by two people."
"Who taught you to play this two-person song?"
"I did."
"It's... a good teacher."
After hesitating for a moment, Isidor awkwardly imitated my movements on the keyboard.
It was a very easy song, so he followed it quite well.
The way his long fingers in the white gloves moved was so elegant that he looked quite good. Should I say he's like a pianist?
"It's more fun because only the hands are cool."
I soon added the accompaniment to match his march song.
I was confident in the accompaniment because my close friend from school liked to play this song during breaks.
"Ah, I made a mistake."
Isidor made a similar mistake in that part like that friend, and it felt familiar to me.
It seemed like not a single drop of blood would come out if I stabbed him, but it was a moment when my fixed prejudices and stereotypes about him were shaken.
"This song is getting faster and faster."
I had that joyful feeling like when I was young.
While pressing the keys quickly, Isidor moved his fingers while being a little distracted.
Then his sturdy arm touched my arm, and our hands on the piano clashed with each other.
"... ..."
Isidor's hand that was suddenly touched bounced and pressed strange keys.
"Why don't you play the next one?"
With our hands stopped, he suddenly flinched and got up from his seat.
"Oh, I didn't collide too hard."
"... It was quite strong. Although it may not be the case for Princess Deborah."
What is this bulky and distracted guy talking about?
"Are you exaggerating the pain right now? Finish the song, and that's it. It must be the only song you can play with your current skill, Sir Isidor."
He suddenly tried to leave the music room, and I spoke with a somewhat nervous mood.
He sighed briefly with his back to me, then turned his head and looked at me with his shining eyes.
He looked friendly and amicable until now, but now he had a rebellious face like a wolf in puberty.
He adjusted his gloves and reached for the knight's suit coat, which he had hung on a hanger.
"It's fun and exciting, but the student means that the teacher is progressing too fast."
"Hmm, the student followed me well, so I progressed quickly. It's a shame."
"Please, teach me slowly next time."
Isidor's back figure, wearing his coat like a photoshoot scene, looked at the pocket watch.
"I have to go to the knight's quarters now. It's because I went to practice for a while during my break."
Oh, it was time to return to the knight's quarters.
"He's the leader of Epsilon and the vice-commander of the knights, so he must be busy. But why is he practicing the piano? Perhaps it's a new hobby?"
"Let's say that's true."
"So, is that all? What else does he do?"
"Did Sir Thierry tell you about listening to the piano? To me, playing the piano could be a hobby as well."
"Who... oh, I suppose Sir Thierry told you."
He didn't mention the racetrack and changed the subject smoothly. That trick was quite impressive.
"Don't get along with Thierry too well. He's a bad influence as a friend."
He said in a childlike and uncomfortable voice.
"If I had to say who has a worse reputation, isn't my reputation much worse?"
"You... Well, never mind."
"Why don't you keep talking? I'll give you 10 gold."
A joke came out as if the matter with the Master left an impression of ruining the mood.
He looked at me as if I were ridiculous and chuckled lightly.
"If I had to compare Thierry and you, it's sad."
"Well, that's rude to Sir Thierry."
"It's too generous. It seems sincere. More than anyone I've seen... to the point where it's too much."
He murmured the last words softly, so I could only hear the beginning.
"Sincere?"
Master and Isidor. After assuming that the two might know each other, something sounded significantly.
We walked side by side towards the main entrance.
Isidor headed towards the side path and waved slightly.
"I'll see you often. There are many activities in the autumn. Goodbye."
He gently removed the leaves from my shoulders and then quickly disappeared into the side portion of the building.
When he disappeared, a thought suddenly crossed my mind.
"Wait, you're not practicing the piano because of me, are you?"
Why is the axe disease gradually getting worse?
Even if I tried to deny it, the hand that collided with his felt like it was on fire.
I stood there in bewilderment and fiddled with my fingers, then walked slowly into the club room.
------------------------
"I learned when I was young, so I can play well with a little practice."
Isidor, who was practicing the piano with unfounded confidence and courage, realized that his lack of skill was more serious than expected and decided to increase practice time.
Fortunately, the Fraternity House and the Knight's Quarters were nearby, so he sneaked away during training time and played the keyboard in the music room.
It was regrettable.
Now that he thought about it, it's not something that can be done after practicing for a few days. His hands played differently from the sheet music.
Rather, it would be faster to get rid of the piano club.
Since it's a one-person club made for Thierry to enjoy his amateur life, it's justified enough.
While getting in a bad mood because his skill was poor and thinking about making sure others couldn't play at all, he heard mocking from somewhere.
"Who dares...?"
Isidor, who looked back irritably, felt his heart start beating rapidly.
"Pfft!"
He realized for the first time that Princess Deborah was someone who could laugh so loudly and joyfully like that.
Even though he was caught showing an appearance he didn't want to show, he couldn't even feel uncomfortable emotion due to her laughing expression.
"Why am I not angry?"
Her relaxed and laughing appearance was deeply engraved in his mind.
Just like when Princess Deborah opened her eyes wide like a child and watched the fireworks without understanding during the Spring Flower Festival.
Even then, Isidor was strangely unable to look away like he is now.
No, it was even more surprising to see her now, laughing while shedding tears.
To the point that he thought she was good at playing the piano.
She, who always opened her eyes sharply and huddled in a corner like a sensitive cat, suddenly approached and sat down beside him.
"I'm ten times better than Sir Isidor."
She placed two fingers on the keyboard.
At first, he thought it was ridiculous to try to play the piano with two fingers, but soon the rhythm of a cheerful song he had never heard in his life came out.
She smiled confidently as she curved her mouth.
