PVLG Ch 2

“This is my first time at a place like this. The tickets were cheaper than I thought.”

Rick was in quite a good mood, thinking he had gotten the tickets cheaply. Entering the park, Rick looked around the interior, which had been decorated for the concert. The stage, set up in the middle of the open park, was filled with empty chairs for the musicians. Countless people were buying snacks sold inside temporary buildings, waiting for the concert to begin.

I always thought places where music was played were elegant and majestic. I guess instruments can resonate in this light atmosphere too. Rick, engrossed in the unfamiliar sight, realized his side was empty and turned around. Miller, who had stopped walking, was watching Rick with a serious expression, his chin resting on his hand. As his eyes met Rick’s, he opened his mouth.

“…Your first time at a place like this? Our Ricky really had no interest in music, huh?”

Promenade concerts were more popular than the theatre in England. And yet, he’d never been to one? Did he think simply listening while working at the theatre was enough? In any case, Miller, having gauged Rick’s life so far by his lack of concert experience, spread his arms triumphantly.

“And to think that same Ricky would bare his soul in exchange for violin skills. Whoever it was, the one who played such captivating music to a beginner’s ear is marvelous. Wouldn’t you mind telling me who it was, just between us?”

“…Huh.”

Miller casually gilded his own face [with self-praise]. Rick wondered why he had such an irritating expression even before he spoke. Exasperated, Rick let out a puff of air. He’d act all somber and serious one moment, and then the next, he’d act silly like this, completely diffusing the tension.

As Rick was unsure how to react to him, the musicians came onto the stage. Rick, standing a good distance from the stage, brought the edge of his hand to his brow and said,

“Look over there, Miller. The first performance seems to be an orchestra. I wonder how different it is from a concert held in a theatre. Oh, wait… That person is…”

Rick spoke as he spotted a red-haired woman sitting in front of the stage. As it was a familiar figure from behind, Rick narrowed his eyes and observed, and indeed, it was someone he knew. She was Mrs. Cedric! The lady was seriously instructing someone who appeared to be her attendant standing next to her.

“Mrs. Cedric comes to places like this too? Mrs. Cedric is….”

Excited to have something to explain to Miller, Rick opened his mouth. However, the devil who was always attached to Rick’s side had vanished again.

“Miller?”

This time, he wasn’t visible even after turning his head several times. Becoming uneasy, Rick started looking around for him.

“Miller! Where are you, Miller!”

Rick anxiously called his name, scouring the corners of the park. What if the devil, in his quest to acquire a violin, killed a musician and stole it…? Rick shuddered at the horrific thought. A voice reached him just as he was about to decline people’s inquiries about whether he had lost a child for the sixth time.

“Guess who?”

Along with a deep voice, two hands covered Rick’s eyes. Clenching his teeth in surging irritation, Rick grabbed Miller’s wrists, tore them away, and turned around.

“Are you going to keep disappearing without a word?”

However, there was no one behind him. He had disappeared again! Rick was no longer surprised by the strange phenomena that kept happening to him. He lightly closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Composure. Find your composure. Surely, he didn’t kill anyone in that short time, right?

“Over here, Ricky.”

Miller’s voice came from behind the corner of a landscape shrub hedge that had been planted for the garden maze. Rick quickly turned the corner of the hedge, determined not to lose him this time. Fortunately, this time the devil didn’t vanish, leaving only his voice behind.

Miller was looking down at the ground with a serious expression, his chin resting on his hand and his arms crossed. Sensing Rick’s presence, Miller pointed downward with his finger without looking back.

Where he pointed, there was a violin case placed close to the landscape shrub hedge. The worn, brown case showed signs of long use. Rick asked,

“What’s this?”

“My gift for Ricky.”

Miller clasped his hands behind his back and answered with a grin towards Ricky. Of course, Rick didn’t accept it gladly. Rick poked Miller’s cheek with a suspicious look and asked,

“Tell me the truth. Where did you get this?”

“What are you suspecting?”

“You didn’t kill anyone, did you?”

“Ricky. I’m a devil, not Jack the Ripper.”

Miller grumbled, mentioning the infamous serial killer who was active about 20 years ago.

“Since everyone uses the word ‘devil’ for a murderer like that, you seem to be confused, but a devil doesn’t do anything as unrefined as that guy. Besides, I usually don’t do things my contractor dislikes.”

“Usually?”

“Oh my. To think my contractor doesn’t trust me. This great devil’s heart is breaking.”

Clutching his chest, Miller slightly bent his knees and turned down the corners of his mouth. His heartbroken appearance was overflowing with playfulness. Rick, used to Miller’s pranks, left him be and looked around. Everyone had flocked to the central stage to listen to the music, and even those taking walks didn’t bother coming to this place where the music was faint and there was a complicated maze.

The violin case sat alone in an empty spot. The case had several locks on it. It looked precious at a glance. Such a valuable instrument left without its owner? It was an impossible situation. Concerned, Rick said,

“…Did you perhaps steal this from someone without killing them…?”

“That’s preposterous. You worry too much.”

“Then do you know whose it is? We have to return it.”

“I’m telling you it’s yours. I just brought back what I’ve been keeping for you.”

While Rick was racking his brain about the origin of the violin, all the locks on the case in front of Miller clicked open. The case then opened wide, like a clam revealing its pearl, displaying the instrument it held within. Miller, who was looking down at the open case with his arms crossed, whistled and said,

“It’s been well-maintained. Lucky us.”

“…You’ll get caught if you peek at someone else’s belongings like this!”

Despite Rick’s quiet exclamation, Miller simply shrugged as if it were nothing. Then, he played along with Rick.

“Well, would humans catch me, someone they can’t see? If anyone gets caught, it’ll be you.”

Rick was dumbfounded by his nonchalant words. Regardless of how his contractor felt, Miller’s eyes lit up as he gazed at the elegant curves of the violin. Miller picked up the violin and started checking its condition by looking it over.

“There aren’t any damaged parts. It seems to have been regularly maintained. Not that it would break easily anyway… Well, good for us.”

“…You’re sure only I can see you, right?”

“Obviously.”

“Then if someone else shows up and sees this… they would only see the violin floating in the air?”

“Ah.”

Miller exclaimed as if he realized something and then took the bow out of the case. Rick decided to just keep his mouth shut at the devil’s behavior of not listening to a word he said. Where should I take lost and found items discovered in the park…? Just then, Miller, who had finished examining the bow, opened his mouth.

“Why don’t you give it a try?”

“What?”

“You’re going to pass up this masterpiece? Return it obediently to its owner? Did I tell you to steal it? Just play one song. It’s not like you’re going to break it, so what’s the harm? Besides, the piece is short. Ah, do you hear it? The piece I played in your garbage dump is being played at the concert right now. Don’t you want your first experience to be excellent?”

The devil’s temptation to play the violin was relentless.

“Hold the bow, Ricky. It’s your first lesson.”

Along with Miller’s whisper, the music playing in the distance swirled around Rick’s ears. The melody, constantly teasing his ears and elevating his spirit, felt like a mischievous fairy. Until now, Rick had only watched and listened to performances. He had never actually created a melody himself. His fingers itched to draw the bow.

The music of the orchestra he was currently hearing was rich with various instruments, but it was nothing compared to Miller’s playing. Rick, who had made a pact with the devil, hadn’t forgotten a single gesture of Miller’s performance in his room. Recalling the scene, Rick thought, couldn’t I play like that too?

Rick received the violin as if he were being handed the Atlantic Ocean. The instrument, which he expected to be incredibly heavy, was lighter than he thought. The surface of the instrument, shining silver as it reflected the newly risen moonlight, had vivid wood grain. A warmth that Rick himself couldn’t explain radiated from the feeling in his palm.

“…….”

“You can’t forget this either.”

Miller said, handing him the bow. Rick placed the violin on his shoulder and raised the bow. Even without Miller telling him, Rick’s playing posture came naturally. Miller, pleased with Rick’s near-perfect form, opened his mouth.

“No one is around here, so you don’t have to worry about the instrument being snatched away. Just learn the basics and return it to the concert officials, and it’ll be a clean slate for you too, right? Isn’t that right?”

“…Is that so? But it’s in the middle of a concert, what if I disturb them…?”

“Don’t dream so big. The sound of a beginner holding a violin for the first time doesn’t usually carry that far. Besides, we’re far enough away that even the orchestra’s sound is faint, right?”

The devil’s temptation wrapped around Rick’s reason like a serpent, constricting it. Rick even felt a sense of comfort in that pressure blinding the eyes of his reason. Rick placed the bow on the strings. To draw the bow across a violin for the first time… his brain, along with his heart, lungs, and even kidneys felt like they were about to burst out.

Miller stood in front of Rick, arms crossed, anticipating his first performance. However, despite managing to get into position as he had envisioned, he was stuck from that point on. When Miller didn’t offer any help, Rick asked,

“What’s next?”

“Just draw it once. The rest will take care of itself.”

Miller said it as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Could that devil’s nonsense make any sense? However, contrary to the doubts that instinctively arose in Rick, the tension flowing through his veins wasn’t unpleasant.

Swallowing hard, Rick closed his eyes. The solo violin performance from the ongoing concert faintly wrapped around his ears. The unknown melody was the one Miller had played yesterday.

As he held his breath, the flow of air seemed to stop as well. Miller had told him to draw the bow however he wanted, but strangely, Rick felt nervous. It was while Rick was hesitating with the bow on the strings, about to draw the first note. Miller, approaching Rick, stood behind him and placed his hands over Rick’s.

Miller intertwined his fingers with Rick’s, which held the strings, and grasped the arm holding the bow. Miller’s breath brushed against Rick’s cheek. At that proximity, Rick forgot to breathe. As Miller subtly adjusted Rick’s arms and legs, he whispered,

“Nervous?”

Miller’s warm breath flowed into Rick’s ear like musical notes. The devil’s fingers danced, caressing Rick’s fingers.

As those beautiful fingers moved, the blue veins on the back of the devil’s hand pulsed and shifted. They looked alive, like snakes moving beneath his skin. Rick, captivated by the sight, listened to the sound of his own heart. Was his heart racing from fear of the devil, or from the excitement of standing before the door to a new world?

Miller’s lips pressed close to Rick’s ear. As he drew near, the fragrant scent of rum wafted over. The devil whispered to his contractor,

“Trust me.”

Trust who? But before Rick could voice his question, his arm, guided by Miller, drew the first note on its own. It was a thunderous first note.

Once the floodgates opened, the rest flowed naturally. Rick’s movements didn’t hinder the creation of the melodies he imagined. The violin Miller gave him was the same. It produced the exact melodies Rick envisioned. Rick, who had never properly held a violin before, didn’t realize how extraordinary that was.

Even during the performance, the scent of rum behind him remained. Rick, whose gaze kept being drawn to Miller’s hand guiding him, closed his eyes. Thanks to that, all the distracting elements of the performance were erased in the darkness. Only the sound remained, vividly guiding Rick through this world.

The violin had looked like a feather when Miller played it. But it was different for Rick. To Rick, the violin was a wing. Rick, who had never flown before, soared as he listened to the melodies he created. His blocked insides opened up. The music carried Rick up into the azure sky. The wind felt cool. A refreshing scent pleasantly enveloped him. The flight continued to ascend.

The violin helped Rick run, gallop, and tumble through the sky. Acrobatic flights weren’t difficult either. He just had to let himself be carried by the wind and slightly adjust his wings. Rick felt like the instrument dancing on his shoulder was a part of his body that he had lost. The scent of rum lingered in the wind. Rick was intoxicated by the atmosphere he created, by the scent, by the sound. Nothing in the world failed to intoxicate him.

Nearing the end of the performance, Rick soared high towards the sun one last time. The string that played Rick’s final note also stretched towards the sky!

“Ha… Ha… Ha…”

Only his own panting breaths reached Rick’s ears, still closed. His heart was still racing. The lingering feeling enveloped him. It was fulfilling. It was a fulfilling and satisfying flight. He wiggled his toes, and the ground registered through the soles of his shoes. He felt the gravity holding him to the ground. He seemed to have landed properly.

Emerging from his immersion and returning to reality, Rick slowly caught his breath. Rick, savoring the lingering feeling, tilted his head up to the sky and took a deep breath.

Ha….

As the piece ended, an indescribable sense of liberation washed over Rick, and he realized: Until now, I’ve been living underwater, unable to breathe. Only when I played could I escape to the surface. I made the right decision to make the pact. I should tell Miller how much I enjoyed it. Rick opened his eyes, feeling a pleasant flutter in his chest.

“…….”

“…….”

However, the scene that unfolded was not what Rick had anticipated. The audience, who should have been at the concert venue listening to the music, had all gathered around Rick. Noblewomen covered their mouths, some clutched their chests. They were all looking at Rick in shock. None of them seemed composed. And the sound of the concert had completely stopped.

“…….”

Did I mess up? Rick’s face gradually paled. But Miller had said that the sound wouldn’t be loud enough to disturb the concert since it was his first time playing.

As Rick tried to maintain his composure with unfounded reassurance, the devil, who had walked up to him, brought the edge of his hand to his mouth and answered Rick’s unspoken question, moving only his lips.

It was incredibly loud.

Miller shattered Rick’s hopes. No way, right? No matter how loud it was, it couldn’t have been loud enough to disrupt the concert. This place was so far away that even Rick, with his keen hearing, could only faintly hear the concert. Unable to contain his laughter at the sight of Rick’s mouth slowly turning downwards, Miller winked and added,

Loud enough to drown out the concert.

It was a confirmation shot. Miller meticulously crushed every last bit of Rick’s hope.

“…Excuse me…”

Someone who had approached Rick called out to him. Rick’s eyes widened as he turned towards the person. The person who had called out to him was someone Rick knew. It was Mrs. Cedric, who had donated a large sum to this concert and also regularly donated to the theatre. Mrs. Cedric extended her hand to Rick and cautiously asked,

“Would you come with us for a mo…”

“Excuse me!”

However, Rick placed the violin on top of the case and threw himself towards the landscape shrub hedge behind him. He didn’t forget his apology for ruining everything.

“…Wait a moment!”

Mrs. Cedric’s hand swiped through Rick’s afterimage. Instead of her, the man who had been standing next to Mrs. Cedric threw himself into the hedge after Rick.

As the musician disappeared in such an extraordinary way, everyone who had been lost in the music snapped out of the spell. Awakening from the hazy afterglow, people all made their own noises, filling the place with chatter. Only confusion remained where Rick had been.

“AHAHAHAHAHAHA!”

Amidst the bewildered crowd, only Miller was laughing, clutching his stomach. The devil’s laughter shone brightly in the chaos.