Chapter 6: Harpist Academy (5)
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“Who would have thought that the current Harpist Academy hasn’t even preserved one-tenth of its artistry from back in the day? Truly tragic! Such a pity!”
As soon as Lin Nan said this, the three female judges—distinguished graduates who had remained at the academy to teach—could barely contain their fury. After all, they were not only incredibly confident in their own skills but also deeply attached to their alma mater.
How could they allow anyone to slander their beloved school?
“Lin, you have ten seconds to apologize to the academy.”
The lead judge’s eyes simmered with barely suppressed rage.
The onlooking citizens had not anticipated the situation would escalate to this point.
This foreign woman, clearly a cheat who smashed the white ball using dubious means, had somehow activated her mockery mode. Instead of feeling guilty for her foul play, she defiantly proclaimed that the Harpist Academy had lost its original purpose.
The absurdity of such words coming from someone who didn’t even know the first thing about harp artistry left the crowd utterly dumbfounded.
Were there no limits to her audacity?
“Make her apologize!”
“Apologize! Apologize! Otherwise, you might not live to tell the tale!”
At that moment, regardless of their beliefs, the citizens united in outrage—someone dared to insult the Harpist Academy, a place they held in high esteem!
The shouts swelled like a tidal wave. Were it not for the fact that they were in the academy’s domain, some hotheads would have already pounced, eager to smash that arrogant foreign woman’s head into the ground to teach her a lesson about the dignity of the Empire.
“Five seconds left.”
As the female judge noticed Lin Nan’s continued silence, her voice became increasingly piercing.
Trissa was baffled at how things had spiraled out of control. Clearly, Lord Lin had a harp far more luxurious than hers, and even a simple four-string would have dazzled anyone.
Yet, during the test, there was no way Lin would make such a rookie mistake, but alas, here she was, apparently employing some other means to break the test’s white ball, spewing words that nearly every graduate couldn’t stomach.
What should they do next?
Lord Lin… her calm demeanor suggested she must have a plan, but her heart raced, as if it might leap out of her throat at any moment.
Beside her, Lisa couldn’t help but smirk at the unfolding fiasco. It was a universally acknowledged fact that foreigners couldn’t grasp the Empire’s prestigious harpist techniques. Yet Trissa, once hailed as a genius, had disregarded the truth, meddling on behalf of a foreign woman who clearly didn’t get the art of harpistry.
Did she not realize her actions could tarnish her standing in the academy?
Moreover, that foreign woman had uttered words that enraged even the gods.
It seemed Trissa was soon to descend from her pedestal, and the brightest among the new graduates, Edith, was poised to replace her as the new harpist prodigy.
“Apologize! Apologize! Apologize!”
As the unified chants thundered, the ten-second countdown came to an end.
The three female judges stood up simultaneously, their gazes toward Lin Nan now frosty.
“Lin, since you refuse to apologize for your inappropriate remarks, we will have to take serious measures.”
“Guards! Guards!”
While the academy was usually devoid of men, today was a public open day. The Empire had dutifully provided a significant security presence to prevent any disruptions. Even if harpists were powerful, it was best for the lads to handle the rough stuff.
Upon hearing the command, over a dozen fully armed soldiers rushed into the testing arena through the side doors.
The onlookers erupted into chaos.
“Grab that foreign woman!”
“Tear her clothes off and parade her around to teach her the consequences of insulting the Harpist Academy!”
“That’s right! Only then will she learn—she can eat, but she can’t just spew nonsense!”
Just as the guards were about to close in on Lin Nan, Trissa whipped out her four-string harp, ready to carve her way out of the testing venue.
After all, the dignity of the Lord Messenger was not something to be trifled with. Even if she had to go against the entire academy, her resolve to stand alongside the messenger was unshakable.
“Ding ding dong…”
In the midst of the clamor and running feet, a sound pierced through the chaos—the sound of a harp that seemed to overshadow everything else.
It was simply a few basic notes, yet anyone with an ear, especially the three judges and Trissa, froze, incredulity washing over them as they gazed toward the source of the melody.
It was a tone that resonated with the soul.
No matter how noisy the outside world became, that music floated effortlessly into everyone’s hearts.
Such skill was not something a mere ordinary harpist would possess.
Who was it? What high-ranking harpist had graced them with their presence?
No, that couldn’t be!
Aside from them, the only other person making a gesture of strumming was Lin Nan, yet she wielded no simple four-string harp!
Where was that enchanting sound coming from?
Not only the judges were stupefied, but the soldiers rushing in from the sides paused momentarily, bewildered.
However, without new orders, the soldiers quickly snapped back to reality and encircled Lin Nan.
In fact, to pressure her into submission, they unsheathed their weapons.
“Ding ding dong…”
Again, a few simple notes rang out.
The surrounding spectators watched in awe, as if witnessing an unbelievable grand drama, completely forgetting the occasion’s rules. They stood up, mouths agape, staring at the calm foreign woman at the center of the soldier’s circle.
Beneath her feet lay a ring of broken weapons.
Yes, just moments ago, when the soldiers had drawn their sharp blades to intimidate her, the weapons practically shattered like glass as if struck by a bolt of unseen lightning, their handles left behind while the rest clattered uselessly to the ground, circling the woman.
If the earlier test had revealed that she lacked convincing harpist skills to shatter the white ball, now, without even the weapon of choice for harpist battles at her side, she had conjured beautiful music and annihilated the soldiers’ weapons!
This scene, one the judges had never witnessed before, left them speechless, standing there, utterly unsure of what to say.
