The Mighty Dragons Are Dead

He was very good at this kind of work.

Liszt was his usual self, neither taking the initiative nor refusing; if someone came over to exchange pleasantries, he would casually chat along. Although he had never thought of coming to Red Crab Island to make a name for himself, why refuse the opportunity to broaden his connections?

The pianist played a beautiful melody.

Couples twirled through the dance floor, one pair after another.

Laughter rose continuously from every corner, a clear sign of enjoyable conversations. Meioubao made a round, attended to all the noble ladies and gentlemen, and then, with a glass of wine in hand, took a seat next to Liszt.

“More tiring than having fought a charge,” he gasped for breath.

“It’s a good thing I’m just a baron, not obliged to speak a word with each and every man and woman here.”

“They are all followers of Long Taro Castle, come from afar in hopes of exchanging words with me; I can’t bear to let them down.”

It was unclear whether this statement was self-mockery or self-satisfaction.

He suddenly asked, “Aren’t you going to dance?”

“Those who invited me are not of interest to me.”

“Then take the initiative and invite someone; such proactivity is what a gentleman noble should possess.”

“I haven’t decided yet whom I might like to invite.”

“Your way of thinking is quite peculiar. If it were me, I would invite every beautiful lady in turn; it’s not like you can only dance once. If you come across someone suitable, find a corner for a heartfelt talk, then the trip here wouldn’t be in vain. Who knows, if the conversation goes well, you might even lead her home as the lady of the house.”

Liszt was still reserved, “Isn’t that a bit too hasty?”

Meioubao shook his head, unable to understand his own cousin, “Since you don’t feel like dancing, can you play the piano?”

“I guess… a little.” Liszt himself didn’t know how to play an instrument—not any kind of instrument. But his predecessor, as a member of the nobility, had learned the piano.

He barely remembered a few pieces.

Nobles love music, and the piano is the most popular instrument, especially at balls. Without piano music to set the mood, how could one create an enchanting atmosphere? Many down-and-out nobles relied on playing the piano to maintain their high-society lifestyle, even becoming the distinguished guests of noble women.

“Get ready, we’ll each play a piece later,” Meioubao said.

He beckoned a servant, “Go tell the pianist to come down after this piece. Liszt and I are going to play the piano.”

“Yes, young master.”

“Have you thought about what piece you’re going to play? I’m planning on ‘Elly by the Water.’ It’s my favorite piano piece with a beautiful melody and a touching story. Do you like it?”

“I don’t want to play the piano, and besides, I’ve never heard of this piece.”

“Heavens, you’ve never heard of it? It’s a masterpiece by Czerny Windmill, composed for a story he experienced personally! Eurie Ellie, the mythical Gorgon with snaky hair—when Master Czerny traveled through the Blast Furnace Fortress Kingdom, he laid eyes on Eurie Ellie by the water, and in that moment, he turned to stone!”

“Turned to stone? So, he died?”

“You truly lack any sense of artistry! It’s a rhetorical device. Czerny didn’t literally turn into stone, but the beauty of Eurie Ellie petrified him metaphorically—not that her gaze physically turned him to stone. What he saw might not have been Eurie Ellie; it’s just a metaphor.”

Meioubao spoke of the piano piece animatedly, his face alight with excitement, “Eurie Ellie is a creature of legend and does not exist. Legend has it she had three sisters, all Gorgons, all beautiful yet deadly. Master Czerny saw a woman by the water and felt her beauty was like poison, petrifying him. Do you understand now?”

“I suppose I understand,” Liszt replied carelessly.

“Then, prepare yourself, you’ll go on stage to play a piece later. Only art can make people forget their worries, trust me.” He left Liszt a very artistic silhouette as he got ready to perform on stage.

It seemed that Liszt’s ignorance had scared him.

During his performance, he intentionally used his Dou Qi to amplify the volume and started by telling the backstory of “Elly by the Water”, before he began to play.

One had to say, his piano performance skills were very superb, the melody sometimes soothing and sometimes passionate, truly immersing people in scenes like “I see Eurie Ellie,” “I have turned into stone,” “Her beauty leaves me breathless.”

The piece concluded.

The nobles, who were immersed in the music, began applauding one after another.

Meioubao elegantly stood up, bowed slightly to express his gratitude, “Next, my cousin, Liszt Tulip, will perform the following piano piece for everyone.”

…

Liszt really wanted to smash Meioubao’s head with a hammer.

He had absolutely no desire to play any piano piece. Indeed, almost all nobles would learn instruments like the piano to augment their noble demeanor. The former Liszt had often played the piano, but the current Liszt was a musical ignoramus, with a preference for pop music!

Since he had crossed over into this world, he had not touched any musical instrument again.

The piano techniques from his former life’s memories had become unfamiliar, asking him to perform would be an embarrassing spectacle. He didn’t know whether this was Meioubao’s way of seeking revenge—given that during their previous conversation by the window, he had probably exposed his schadenfreude attitude, since at that moment, he genuinely felt like laughing.

But.

At this moment, the feeling of being awkward simply did not exist.

His current mindset was somewhat detached from worldly concerns; he never intended to find love at this ball, so if he was going to embarrass himself, so be it.

Having adjusted his mindset and with a smile on his face, Liszt made his way to the stage one step at a time.

Sitting in front of the piano, he swept his hands across the keys, producing a neat sequence of notes. He looked down at the piano keys, compared them with his predecessor’s memories to locate the corresponding keys for do, re, mi, fa, so, la, si, and then a melody of a song popped into his head, swiftly figuring out how to play it.

Just like Meioubao, he too planned to give a prelude monologue.

He channeled his Dou Qi to boost his own volume, “It’s a very ancient legend… Long, long ago, in the forest kingdom of a distant land, there lived a brother and sister, each with a special ability. The brother’s eyes could see far into the distance, and the sister’s ears could hear sounds from afar; they grew up together, sharing joy and sorrow.”

Liszt’s voice was very magnetic.

There was no sense of abruptness when he recited the monologue; on the contrary, it was easy for people to be drawn into his story.

“In their free time, they would run to the mountain, the brother gazing into distant kingdoms and sharing the wonders he saw with his sister; the sister listening to the messages carried by the wind and singing heavenly songs to her brother… They fell in love, threw off all constraints, and reveled in their love.”

“But society would never allow their love to exist. No matter how hard they tried, they still lost to the moral shackles. To prove their everlasting love for each other, the brother blinded himself, and the sister blocked her ears, unable to receive the blessings of others, what good were those abilities.”

“Many years later, a foreign musician heard this poignant and moving love story, deeply touched. Overwhelmed by emotions, he composed a soul-stirring melody. I happened to hear this melody, and could not help but feel deeply moved; how can the fate of the siblings not evoke deep sighs and emotion!”

“Unfortunately, I did not retain the entire melody nor the full song. I can only share with everyone what I remember of the melody and the song.”

Bang!

Bang bang!

Liszt’s hands caressed the piano, firmly pressing the keys, beginning to play that piece.

With its simple, brisk melody gaining momentum, a touch of faint sorrow seemed to mingle within the brisk clarity. His singing voice, too, blended with the melody, drifting above the dance floor in Chinese that no one could understand: “Two Tigers, Two Tigers, running fast, running fast…”