### Chapter 1: Harpist (4)
==============================
The showdown was about to commence.
For fairness’s sake, Morris tossed a coin onto the table and let the two ladies guess heads or tails to determine their performance order.
Trissa said, “I wouldn’t mind going first, but it might ruin the suspense of the competition for you. Seems a bit unfair, doesn’t it?”
Lin Nan, “…”
Morris laughed heartily, “Well, we’ll just have to endure listening to her second piece. With the God of Harmony, Muse, watching over us, it’s unlikely we’ll drop dead right here!”
“That joke was pretty lame; I call heads,” Trissa declared.
Lin Nan chimed in, “Tails.”
Morris removed his hand to reveal the coin was heads up.
“Congratulations, Miss Trissa! You get to perform first!”
Although he had been snubbed publicly by Trissa before and harbored a small grudge, he quickly realized this was a golden opportunity to mend their relationship by throwing his full support behind her.
Trissa smiled slightly, “You’re too kind, Count.”
Seeing her smile, Morris knew he was onto something and immediately turned to Lin Nan with a dismissive huff, “Aren’t you coming down? You’re blocking Lady Trissa’s way!”
Lin Nan calmly collected her harp and slowly made her way off the stage.
Her composed demeanor made the demon folks waiting for her to falter step aside involuntarily.
As the harp’s glow faded, the tavern returned to its dim, yellowish colors, prompting a low, collective sigh from those accustomed to the light.
“Hmph! Just a small trick,” Trissa said as she walked to center stage, lightly tapping the strings of her harp.
With just a few notes resembling “ding ding dong,” the two hapless individuals who had been frozen in place suddenly regained their mobility and joyously knelt before her, chorusing, “Thank you, Lady Trissa!”
“Off with you,” she replied.
“Yes, ma’am.”
Had it not been for the stiff and obnoxious guys still standing in close proximity, she wouldn’t have wasted her magical energy on dispelling the paralysis spell.
Fortunately, the energy cost wasn’t too bad, so she went along with it.
Adeline leaned against Xi’s shoulder, her eyes glued to Trissa, who had taken her position on the stage.
Dressed in a flowing white gown, her figure was stunning, and though her harp wasn’t as flashy as Lin Nan’s, it had a classic feel that matched Trissa’s demeanor—impressive and noble, with an air of aristocratic heritage.
“Ding ding dong…”
Trissa began to play.
A series of beautiful notes similar to beads dropping onto a jade plate struck everyone’s eardrums. Although some had heard this piece before, hearing it again brought them even more delight and comfort.
Xi instantly recognized the prelude. “Is this ‘Nightingale’?”
Adeline glanced at him and said with a smile, “Who would’ve thought a little noble like you had listened to a harpist before and even remembered the piece’s name? You’re not just guessing, are you?”
Xi shrugged, “Maybe… It has been quite some time since I last heard it.”
Adeline grinned, “I knew you were putting on a brave face. Hee hee! Actually, I really like your type. When we return to the Imperial Capital, you can visit me anytime!”
Xi shushed her and pointed toward the stage.
Adeline pouted, temporarily dropping the conversation.
To Xi, Trissa’s playing technique was indeed impeccable. Even without music, simply watching her hands dance gracefully over the strings was a delightful experience.
For a while, he had taken an interest in the harp.
In his eyes, anyone can play the harp, regardless of gender.
However, in demon society, harpists were narrowly considered a profession solely for women. Hence, even if a man was interested, he’d feel shy about it.
But Xi had secretly practiced the harp for a while, and upon witnessing Trissa’s skillful movements, he couldn’t help but nod in admiration.
Trissa was a genius. It was as if the harp was part of her body; through the clever interplay of the lever mechanism and balance, her left hand plucked the strings in the central range while her right executed grand glissandos, slides, pressure, and vibratos. The various techniques of harmonics, finger rolls, and tonal variations flowed effortlessly, rendering her performance of the demanding “Nightingale” almost perfect.
Those enchanting tones and intoxicating tremolos led everyone deeply into a world of beautiful music, as if transported to a picturesque vacation spot, filled with blooming flowers and melodious birds.
Especially the final cascading climax of notes that flowed like a waterfall, elevating the entire piece to an even more profound realm.
As the piece concluded, its echoes lingered for three days, hard to shake off.
It wasn’t until Trissa stood and bowed to the audience to express her gratitude that people snapped back to reality, still enraptured by the remnants of the melody.
Morris was the first to react, bursting into applause.
Others quickly followed suit, the sound of clapping so thunderous it nearly broke through the tavern’s sound-dampening spells, waking up everyone in Black Stone City.
“We are so lucky to hear such a beautiful performance by Lady Trissa in person!”
“Definitely! Normally, a few simple notes can heal us or boost our stats, but a special performance like this? We’d likely never get to hear it again if we hadn’t caught this opportunity!”
“Wahhh, I’m crying… Even this big man couldn’t hold back tears by the end.”
“It was so beautiful; I don’t even know how to describe it. All I can say is, thank you to the God of Harmony! Without her divine power, how could we enjoy such a masterpiece?”
The crowd was filled with praise.
Even Xi couldn’t help but nod, marveling at Trissa’s pure skill and the beauty of her music.
“Tsk tsk, looks like your lady friend is in trouble,” Adeline said, playing with her cup, leaving a soft red lipstick mark on the rim.
“A music lover losing the ability to play their instrument is as tragic as a mighty warrior losing their weapon,” Xi sighed.
“Isn’t it a bit early to declare she’s lost?” Adeline teased.
“I saw the way your eyes lit up while listening to Trissa play! Of course, since she’s your little sweetheart, you’d have to say a few kind words for your conscience’s sake!”
Xi said nothing, his gaze lost among the cheering crowd, landing on Lin Nan, who stood apart like an iceberg.
Even as her most loyal subordinate, witnessing Trissa’s artistry made his heart race with anxiety.
He was even prepared to slay every demon present afterward, ensuring not a single rumor slipped out to tarnish his master’s reputation.
