Became the Escort Knight of the Villain in the Romance Novel

49 – Under the Flowing Stars (4)

It was an inaudible sound. It was a sound that could not be found at least on this lakeside, where there were no buildings.

Magic. The story that Sir Chris had told me about this lakeside was sticky in my head.

-If you ever get to go out with the lady, it wouldn’t be bad to go to a place called Siren.’

-You mean sirens? I think I’ve heard of a lake.

-In case you don’t know, it’s the place where the dragon sleeps. How do you know something magical will happen?

I heard that magic is the realization of miracles that people dare not even imagine.

It’s just a rumor, so I thought it would be all about just looking at the scenery.

Tarran- Tran-

This sound shimmering in my ears is definitely not the sound of a piano.

I walked as if possessed. Walk on the dirt floor that borders the lake,

Walking through a forest I hadn’t seen before, in the middle of the forest.

In that place where the moonlight shines brightly by itself.

I saw a piano lying around.

I was staring blankly at the empty piano as if the performance I had just played was to announce my existence.

After that, I cautiously approached and gently pressed the exposed keys.

“Why is the piano here?”

“…I don’t know either.”

Ding-

I must have heard the sound of the performance just now,

The white keys of the piano with the lid open without anyone there were clearly responding.

The hammer strikes the strings and resonates.

As the echo, more pure than the sound of the wind from the forest, spread around, I burst into laughter.

I thought it was nonsense. What the hell is the piano on this lakeside?

Obviously nonsense, even though it’s like magic, as Sir Chris said.

Before I knew it, I sat down on a chair as if I was possessed and gently swept my back.

It’s been a while, isn’t it? The thing I hadn’t seen since my hands were broken was the piano.

I never thought I would see the piano like this after entering the world of the novel.

The outside of the piano was cold and damp, probably because it had been exposed to the wind for a long time.

Moisture is not good for piano. However, the sound is clear,

As if boasting that he was in the best condition, he quietly raised his head at the sound that resonated throughout the forest.

There was no more sunset.

The delay in walking to the forest was enough to completely drive the rapidly disappearing sun into darkness.

A round moon came up before I knew it, and I stared blankly at the curtain of the night with stars revolving around it, then looked at Irene and quietly shut my mouth.

There was a legend. It is said that the lake where the dragon sleeps sometimes creates illusions.

Arousing what the person yearned for, what the person hoped for, and what the person harbored lingering feelings for.

I didn’t believe it. It was a world where magic existed, but I thought it was just a rumor.

However, can you think of such things after seeing things that have been magically created?

It didn’t seem like a fantasy. Felt The touch of the piano made of wood, the white keys shining smoothly.

How can you call this a fantasy that makes a clear sound when your fingers touch it?

“Do you know how to play the piano?”

Irene asked casually, but I smiled involuntarily at the question.

You know how to play. At one time, it was the piano that I stayed up all night playing.

He had talent, and luck followed him. I’ve heard that he’s a genius, but when he was asked if he knew how to play, he inadvertently burst out laughing and laughed like that for a long time.

“…I don’t know why he’s laughing so much. Just looking at it, I thought I knew how to do it a little, so I asked. I have also played the piano a few times.”

“A little bit.”

He stopped breathing for a moment, then exhaled with difficulty and continued talking.

“I know how to play a little.”

What the hell is this lakeside trying to show me?

If you show me the biggest regret left in me like this, what kind of answer do you ask me for?

It was complicated in my head, but I slowly settled down. It always has been.

When things got complicated in my head, I would play and find the answer.

My hands on the keyboard were white. There were no burn scars, no broken bones protruding.

It was just neat, as if looking at the old hands.

The past, regret.

Or did he create something like this to wish him a proper birthday because he was with Irene?

Maybe it was. Actually, she was quite worried about how to hand the present to Irene.

Ding-

Time passed. A former pianist, she becomes Evan Fried himself,

Several years passed while I was formally appointed as a knight.

However, this melody has not changed.

This melody does not change even after hundreds of years since it was composed and countless people have played it.

It always made me realize that I exist.

At night when the moon shines, in this brilliant moonlight, where the stars flow and remove the shadows of this forest, the song that suits you best does not require any technical skills.

Beethoven, the first movement of Sonata No. 14.

‘…Moonlight.’

Slices. The melody that praised this quiet silence slowly began to spread through the shadows of the trees.

The moonlight is not as bright as the sun, so the light always penetrated slowly.

Enough to not notice, but enough to realize that when you do notice, you are already dyed in the light and under the bright light.

It wasn’t a song with flashy finger movements. Sometimes when I couldn’t sleep, I would sneak out and play this song.

The past.

I couldn’t easily deny the fact that I was locked in regret.

Memories of the past come to mind when I see Irene. The glory, the happiness she couldn’t keep.

Will I be able to protect it this time? I thought maybe that’s what this lake wanted to show me.

Now accept the life of Evan Fried.

It could have been that he completely forgot his past life and stopped comparing his past to Irene and Lopena.

And laugh. The trembling fingers continued to play even in the middle.

Adagio Sostenuto, the feast of sounds filled without empty space by pressing each note sufficiently made me suffocate at times.

But I liked that. The feeling of being suffocated and suffocating at any moment reminded me of an all-too-familiar sensation.

Should I forget now? Can I forget the past? Can I confidently say that I can no longer blame myself and no longer regret it?

Prick-

With the reverberation of the piano, the sound of bugs naturally blended in.

It rings. I naturally raised my head at the sound that echoed in the silence of the forest.

Music initially started with capturing the sounds of nature.

The sound of burning fire, the sound of clouds shaking, the sound of wind blowing… When you play with sincerity.

If the music reaches its peak. Sound is no longer distinct from nature.

It was a sound that assimilated with the surroundings to the extent that the word ‘natural’ would suit it.

Moonlight, the cold light made no sound. That’s why I had to express it.

Expressing sound based on the basic musical scale divided into white keys, black keys, and seven.

When I played like this, I would look at the audience and laugh once.

It’s cute to see my little brother who doesn’t know much about music raise his thumb.

He glanced at the audience, wanting to keep that image in his eyes forever.

Now Irene was there.

Standing on one side, just blankly staring at me, looking at me with a rather unexpected face, what was contained in those eyes was admiration.

My hands become lighter. The blurring memories of the past slowly fade and are buried in the light,

Within a short time, the only things that came into sight were the flowing stars and Irene.

And silently, looking at those blue eyes, muttered inwardly.

…This time, don’t lose.

No matter how much you make your name known to the world with your piano, or acquire more wealth than anyone else.

In the end, I couldn’t stop the death of my younger brother whom I cherished.

No money, no fame. There was no help in curing his brother’s illness.

The day my brother died. I ran out of the funeral home alone and broke the piano at home.

I tore the sheet music. Destroy the trophy you received for winning the competition for the first time,

I hit the floor like that until my hands were crushed and broken.

When the doctor told him that he could no longer play the piano with his broken hands, he left home alone and lived in a semi-basement room.

I have changed since I lived without any more glory, prestige, or light.

It was from the moment I became Evan Fried.

I met Irene Uris and became an escort driver. She fights with her sword, and she bleeds like that.

At first, she was just driven by the mission of being an escort knight, but from a certain point on, it seemed that she wanted to protect herself.

I hope she doesn’t collapse like me. I hope she throws off that cold mask and smiles brightly.

And when she smiled brightly, she realized that her existence had permeated into her heart.

She couldn’t run away any longer. As if threatening, whenever I thought about leaving, her face always shimmered in front of my eyes.

Regardless of such thoughts, the performance continues.

First movement, second movement again. And around the time when the performance leading up to the 3rd movement reached its peak and finally reached the end.

Suddenly, her sister’s face came to mind and disturbed her eyes. However, it didn’t shake any more.

‘…I’m fine now.’

Her face was still heartbreaking.

It was still a thorn-like memory to me, to the extent that my eyes blurred and turned white, and I frowned at the memory of that time again.

However, it was bearable now. Because she now has someone precious to her again, because now she has the power to protect her.

The moonlight scattered, and the light that illuminated the piano and me slowly began to fade.

Perfect darkness, but the hands remembered the keyboard. Move while remembering the notes placed side by side on the music sheet.

Little by little, for a long time, I continued to hit the breezy notes that were cut off in staccato.

Dan-!

Silence strikes again.

The sound of the blowing wind flows into her ears, and she soon realizes that the performance is over.

The notes written on the music paper in my head were no longer drawn.

The moonlight is over. But the light begins to shine again,

I raised my head from looking at the piano and stared blankly at the moon shining on me.

Obviously, even when she started playing, her chest was stuffy enough to stop her breathing.

Now, without the slightest sense of frustration, I was just relieved.

Her brother’s face, which had shimmered before her eyes, was no longer visible.

Maybe they scattered and disappeared together in the moonlight? As I wiped her wet eyes with the back of my hand for a while, the voice in my ear broke my thoughts.

“Evan.”

As I slowly moved my gaze, Irene was there.

Looking at her with a face that looks like she’s about to burst into tears at any moment, she smiles at that face.

Is it because I played with too much emotion? As she looked into her swaying blue eyes, a bitter taste lingered in her mouth for some reason.

“I think I played a song that was too depressing.”

“…Not like that, what the hell-“

It was a face that seemed to have a lot of questions. However, I didn’t want to hear it.

It’s Irene’s birthday soon, isn’t it such a good day to see her cry?

So, wouldn’t it be okay to play a slightly brighter song with a little more peace of mind?

Let’s take her finger and put it to her mouth,

Soon after, Irene, who pursed her lips, looked at me and frowned.

She played the moonlight and let her past flow into that moonlight like that.

The fact that the piano is still there must mean that I have a wish that I want to achieve.

Carefully touching the box in her bosom, she moved her hands back to her keyboard.

I thought of many songs, but this is the only song I can play this night and with all my heart.

“…Eine Kleine Nacht Muzik.”

A nighttime serenade.

#

‘…What the heck.’

I wanted to ask you what kind of life you have lived. At first it was admiration.

You know how to play the piano a little,

The melody that Evan heard the moment he pressed the keyboard was a performance that even top musicians could not easily show.

Nevertheless, his relaxed expression must have meant that he could play better than that.

However, as time passed, the tone resounding in the forest grew deeper and deeper.

I began to question more and more what his intentions were.

Why is it so sad? Even though it’s just one performance, why is it so heartbreaking?

When the moonlight leaked through the trees and illuminated Evan,

I realized that what hung over his face was an inexpressible sadness.

It was amazing. That he had never made such a gloomy expression in front of him before.

The thing that dwells inside the escort knight who always smiled at me,

His mouth was dry at the fact that he was so sad that even he could not easily guess.

Unknowingly, the outstretched hand cut through the air.

The wet wave touches my hand and scatters in vain,

When I grabbed the empty space. Suddenly he realized that he was biting his lip.

I couldn’t offer any help.

His heart ached at the fact that no matter how he approached the musician, he could not help a person with such a sad face.

The melodies that came from the constantly pounding keyboard felt more beautiful than anything else.

The sound that entered his ears and soaked his chest, causing a series of ripples in his quivering mind, gripped his chest.

Does he know that the moonlight becomes more brilliant as the performance continues?

In the clear sky without a single cloud, the stars streamed down and illuminated him.

When his eyes suddenly stung, he realized that tears were flowing from his eyes.

What I felt in the calm melody that I heard was the sadness that Evan was carrying, and tears flowed as I was moved by that feeling.

And when the performance stopped, the moonlight that had been dimmed for a while shone on him.

Unlike the first time, he looked completely relieved and smiled lightly as he looked at himself.

Saying it’s okay now, he quietly pointed his eyes at him and pursed his lips.

“Evan.”

Even though the trembling voice reached him, Evan didn’t open his mouth easily.

He just quietly put his finger to his mouth, blaming himself for his moodiness.

I wonder if he can not tell himself.

As he frowned at it in dismay, his fingers started dancing on the keyboard again.

Taran-

My eyes are wide open at the light tone that cannot even be compared with the one I just played.

A cool smile appeared on Evan’s face, who looked much more relaxed.

Maybe he was shy, even looking at the small blush.

Soon after, the continuous tone began to tickle his chest.

Elegant and light, contrasting melodies crossed and coiled around.

A soft tone, like a shy lover tapping her chest,

After stroking the cheek that instantly heated up, I gently closed my eyes.

Was it that easy to shake people’s emotions? No, it certainly wouldn’t have been.

Just a moment ago, it was enough to make my eyes ache, but,

What does it mean to make your heart pound at the melodies that have changed at the very least?

…Evan was laughing. As if all the sad expressions he showed until now were lies.

Seeing him smile so brightly, his face heated up.

Who is he thinking of and playing that kind of thing? What kind of person are you thinking of and smiling so brightly?

It was a meaningless, useless imagination, but it bothered me and I smiled bitterly.

Listening to the fortune telling, Evan’s complicated expression bothered me.

Who is the object he has in mind? If he is himself

‘…That can’t be.’

Soon she shook her head. She treated me so coldly when we first met,

How could he have such a heart towards himself? Dozens of letters were sent to him every day.

Unbeknownst to him, he might have had feelings for a young lady who sent the letter…

Taran-

My excited mind subsided, and the moonlight, which seemed bright, seemed to slowly lose its color.

The stars no longer flowed in the dark forest.

A monotonous melody flowed, and the color on her face slowly began to fade.

Why do I feel so strange? When Lopena showed off her necklace,

Why did I feel so bad when I heard that Evan gave me a gift?

‘Maybe.’

No, it must be just an illusion. He didn’t want to admit it.

You may already know, but I didn’t want to be conscious of it.

If what is in that person’s heart is not you. He didn’t know how much he would lose.

The melody fades. The sound that was so upbeat gradually diminished, and soon the end of the flowing music began to be seen.

“…This.”

When I finally looked up, my eyes widened at the sight of the gradually blurring forest.

I thought it was strange since it was a forest I hadn’t seen in the first place, but the forest was blurry.

However, the scene that continued to unfold was even more amazing and splendid than that, so

I couldn’t help but stare blankly at it.

Dan-

The moment the keys are struck to signal the end of the music,

The piano, which continued to play the melody, began to scatter into small pieces.

As fireflies spread, Evan also stared blankly at the sight of them scattering and scattering bright clusters of light around them.

The forest is scattered. Bright grains of light flew around like sand blown by the wind.

Stars.

…The stars were flowing.

The grains of light carried by the wind spread across the sky, and eventually began to shine like gold in the dark night sky.

The lights that flowed in the wind and decorated the sky looked like stars.

As if moving quickly, it seemed as if the stars were flowing.

It was as if my complicated mind was clearing up.

The beautiful sight that instantly relieved my stuffy heart instantly penetrated my eyes.

She stretched out her hand, wanting to see a little more of that shining light, but

The grains of light that barely touched my fingertips were scattered in vain.

“…Ah.”

It’s been awhile to stare blankly at the blurring lights permeating the night shade again,

I turned my gaze to the silence slowly sinking around me.

There were no more forests.

There is only the lake that I saw for the first time.

The place where Evan was sitting was just a rock, and the scene up until now had disappeared in an instant like a fantasy.

The performances he heard are so vivid, what are they all about?

“A lake called Siren has a legend.”

“…A legend?”

“It helps people to let go of their past and achieves their longings.”

Muttering quietly, Evan slowly stood up from the rock and began to approach him.

As he rummaged through his pockets, he finally pulled out a very small box.

Evan, who grabbed it, looked at himself and smiled once.

“The first time I played was in my past. It’s a past that no one knows anymore…”

Dang- Dang-

I heard a bell ringing. The sound you hear when it’s on time,

However, at midnight, the bell rings twice, realizing that it is past midnight.

“And the second one I played was what I was hoping for. The first time I played it was so depressing, so I wanted to play a little bit of that kind of song.”

Sureuk-

What was taken out of the box was a golden necklace that glistened in the moonlight.

To squint at the quite familiar shape for a while,

Evan, who had come close to him before he knew it, smiled lightly and opened his mouth.

“…I thought a lot. I thought a lot about what to give as a gift, what to give as a gift, and whether the young lady would be a little happy… I couldn’t think of anything other than this.”

“Is this…?”

“Do you remember the first time we went out? Aren’t you looking at the necklace that the young lady was looking at, the young ladies talking about?”

-Oh my, this is definitely!

-This brooch was created by Leve, a designer from the capital.

-This is a sapphire necklace made by Pania. Unbelievable!

Your lips parted slightly. She had only looked at the necklace for a very short time, but that she remembered it.

“This is a sapphire necklace made by Pania. Money was a bit tight to get one recently, so I had no choice but to buy one a while ago… I don’t know if you’ll like it.”

What the hell.

The lips were slightly parted, but no voice escaped between them.

The restless beating heart,

Instantly, the heat that spread like a blazing fire spread over my face, and I unknowingly covered both of my faces with my hands.

“Why, why…”

Are you doing this to me? I wanted to ask, but no words came out.

All sorts of emotions passed between the shimmering blue eyes.

Doubts, hopes, self-help again, and once again a fluttering heart, when I opened my eyes through the cracks in my hands.

Even in this darkness, the brightly shining green eyes bent gently.

“…Because she is a young lady.”

I was just a little more concerned. After adding that, Evan looked away embarrassedly.

The sapphire necklace in my hand gleamed, and the light from the moon shattered and shone brilliantly.

The hesitant hand flinched in the air for a while. Then, slowly, it came closer and touched my neck.

Eyes meet. After staring at each other for a while without saying anything, Evan cautiously opened his mouth.

“Would it be okay if I walked in…?”

“…Foot.”

“Oh, no. Just because I bought it myself. It’s also the lady’s birthday, so I just walk around once-“

“I will allow you.”

Where did that serious look you showed when you were playing just now go?

A smile came out of Evan’s face as he waved his hand with a red-hot face.

Slowly, as I lifted my head toward Evan, it felt like a cold breath hit me.

It was that close. When I close my eyes, all I can see is pitch-black silence,

When the nervous, slightly trembling hand touched the neck, for some reason it only tickled that part.

As if caring for herself, the corner of her mouth slightly curved at the very careful touch.

Tack-

The necklace was hanging around his neck, and Evan’s ears, which he carefully removed from his body, were burning bright red.

Evan’s cheek was lightly scratched.

…I wonder if it was like this when I hung up on Lopena.

At that moment, the thought made her eyebrows furrow, but then she smiled again thinking that there was no way that would happen.

How many people in the world know what Evan looks like? She probably didn’t even know she was the only one.

I liked it, so I carefully lifted my hand and touched Evan’s cheek.

“Thank you.”

Like he did to himself the other day,

This time, as he did so, a warm energy came from his cheek.

At that time, he wondered if he realized that he felt like this.

A necklace, just receiving it from him was a meaningful enough gift.

It must be such a gift, more precious than anything I was born into and received from any noble.

As I smiled lightly at that feeling, Evan hesitantly stepped back and removed his lips with difficulty.

“…Uh, that.”

“Do you have anything to say?”

As I removed my hand from my cheek, Evan, who wiped his face, exhaled with difficulty.

As they waited for their eyes to meet, Evan quietly muttered with a trembling voice.

“Happy birthday…Happy birthday.”

Soon, at the hurriedly falling gaze, another chuckle leaked out.

There weren’t many things to laugh about, so why do they keep leaking out?

But I liked the look.

To be ashamed of at least one birthday present,

The fact that he still remembers the trivial things he had set his eyes on.

And the thing reflected in that green eye is only oneself.

More than any other gift, I liked it.

Under the flowing stars, under that night where the round moon shines brighter than the sun and envelops the surroundings with light.

He smiled brighter than ever.

Thinking that I will probably never forget this day for the rest of my life.

That’s how I kept that green eye in my heart.