### Chapter 0: The Harpist (3)
==============================
“I really didn’t expect your girlfriend to be a harpist! Oh my, is she really a demoness? What if her true identity is that of a lost noble from the Demon Race…? But wait, she doesn’t have any horns, does she? Ugh, I’m rambling now. Xi, you don’t mind my chatter, do you?”
Adeline had somehow leaned back against Xi, her breath reeking of alcohol as she babbled rapidly in his ear.
Xi, “…”
He hadn’t thought his master would own such a fancy harp. Compared to Trissa’s, this harp was like the difference between a country girl and a high-society lady. Could there be a deep connection between his master and the Demon Race? After all, in his own prime, harpists were a rare breed within that race.
Not to mention outsiders, even among the Demon Race, there were barely a hundred harpists. It seemed like this whole situation was getting far more interesting without them even realizing it.
Xi clinked glasses with Adeline and said quietly, “What if she really is a talented harpist?”
Adeline giggled, “Then you hit the jackpot, buddy! A small noble like you wouldn’t even register on those haughty harpists’ radar in the Imperial Capital, but here you’ve actually been to bed with a harpist! Hee hee…”
Xi, “…”
“Burp!” Adeline let out a loud belch, oblivious to the noise of the tavern.
She whispered, “Take me away.”
Xi blinked, his face as flat as ever, revealing no sign of emotion, “…”
Seeing him suddenly go silent, Adeline burst into laughter, “I’m just kidding! Why so serious? Come on, let’s see if your girlfriend can outshine the Imperial Capital’s former top genius girl! Though I’d love to cheer for your girl, Trissa really is impressive.”
Xi nodded, his gaze drifting to the stage.
Right now, the stage was packed with people.
Morris, though a count, had territory far from the Imperial Capital, and only in the past few years had he tried to mix with the power circle there. Even he had never seen a duel between two harpists, let alone his brawny subordinates.
Trissa winning? That was a given! The real question was just how badly she’d crush that vile demoness. As the direct participant in this event, he could totally fluff up her achievements to win some brownie points with the Minister of Foreign Affairs later.
“Go for it! Go for it! Lady Trissa, show that trickster what a real harpist can do!”
“Hah! That demoness only knows a few low-brow demon tricks; she’s totally out of her league against Lady Trissa!”
“But don’t you think it’s weird how the harp that demoness turned into looks so exquisite? She couldn’t really be…”
“Hmph! Just some flashy tricks! You actually think that demoness can play the harp?”
Amidst the noisy discussions, Trissa looked at Lin Nan with eyes like an aristocrat looking down at a nouveau riche—thrumming with deep-seated superiority.
“Do you know how a competition between harpists is conducted?” she asked.
Lin Nan shook her head.
Trissa scoffed lightly, “The first way is to play the same piece, and the comparison is based on the level of recovery from identical injuries.”
“Sounds a bit like a medical competition,” Lin Nan replied.
“And the second way is, no matter what piece you play, if you can win the favor of the God of Harmony, Muse, you’ll be the victor.”
“The second judging criteria require divine input, though… Can we really call upon the God of Harmony?”
Trissa coldly stated, “While Muse governs the melodies, we Demons believe everyone has soil in their hearts left by the God of Harmony. They can dance with the music, reveling in the joy it brings, thus everyone can be considered a spokesperson for the God of Harmony in this world.”
Lin Nan smiled slightly. “All this roundabout talk just to suggest everyone present be judges, huh?”
Trissa said, “We are all followers of the God of Harmony. After swearing an oath to the deity, everyone’s judgement will surely be fair—that’s beyond doubt.
However, since I put forth these two methods, I’ll give you a chance to choose. Given that Black Stone City has been continuously battling the enemy, finding two similarly injured soldiers to settle our wager won’t be a problem…”
Before Trissa could finish, Lin Nan decisively said, “I choose the second option.”
Trissa blinked in disbelief as she looked at Lin Nan, stunned that the demoness would confidently choose the contest based on a more subjective criterion.
In the Imperial Capital, not many harpists dared to opt for the second type of competition. Most would pick practicality over the sheer beauty of melody.
Was this demoness under the impression that her proficiency in various harp skills was enough, overlooking the depth of mastery required for true harp playing?
But the reason she was called a genius was exactly because she was among the few rare talents in both skill sets. Judged by the God of Harmony, she could unleash her most terrifying musical techniques.
If that demoness was so stubborn, let her embarrass herself amidst truly shocking music.
“Fair enough.”
Trissa didn’t elaborate much and simply agreed to Lin Nan’s choice with a curt reply.
“Then, everyone, please join me in swearing to the God of Harmony. In this upcoming harp music competition, we will judge based on our purest desire for the beauty of melody—cast your sincere vote.
Should anyone betray this oath, they will suffer the God of Harmony’s punishment, becoming deaf and mute, bidding farewell to all sounds in this world.”
The onlookers mostly echoed Trissa’s oath with a joking attitude, in their minds, this competition was already a done deal.
I mean, Trissa had a reputation that roared in the Imperial Capital. If she didn’t have some serious talent, how could she possibly stand at the pinnacle among the noble harpists?
That was a crowd of stunning women with both beauty and skill.
To stand out among such extraordinary women, any contestant would have to be something special in both wits and talent.
After another mug of ale, Adeline wiped her red lips and laughed softly, “Lucky you didn’t participate in the swearing. Otherwise, if you had to give your vote to your girlfriend against your conscience, you’d be deaf for the rest of your life!”
Xi shook his head, “I’m just one person, insignificant. I just hope the God of Harmony hears both performances and delivers a fair judgment.”
Adeline chuckled for quite a while, “You’re such an interesting guy! If the God of Harmony ever came down to Earth, I’d… well, let’s say I’d offer you one hundred free trysts!”
