Chapter 58 This is fate

  Lucien, who is introverted and not good at expressing emotions, for the first time thoroughly and completely expressed his inner feelings through the piano and music. That was a strong will to life, persistence in ideals and emotions, never compromising or giving up on difficulties and setbacks, and a stubborn resistance to so-called fate.

  Intense emotions drive the turbulent music, even in the midst of it, due to the influence of unskilled piano techniques and incomplete melodies, Lucien's performance and composition have many problems. However, with emotionally resonant music, they are completely covered up. Every note, every melody seems to be in a fierce battle, in a heroic struggle. The five "audience" members with different moods and emotions are all immersed in this powerful and turbulent musical atmosphere, yet with different expressions.

  Phillis's emotions were the most delicate, her hands clasped together in a twisted manner, her expression tense and uneasy. After her father failed to inherit the title, she was ridiculed and belittled by her peers and relatives. She hesitated for a long time but did not give up on her future, instead choosing to learn music with a sense of uncertainty, tension, and unease. The intense notes were like the difficulties and setbacks she had encountered and dreamed about in recent years, coming at her mercilessly and furiously.

  "Can I overcome these difficulties? Become a true musician?"

  "Can I have my own status and choose a partner instead of being chosen?"

  As the melody swelled, Phyllis grew more and more tense, her heart racing.

  Lot and Hieronymus, as men, bore far more pressure in the family than Phyllis. Unable to inherit the title, their greatest possibility was to escape the pressure, squander their annuity, indulge in fine wine and women, living a comfortable but hopeless life.

  The repetitive and terrifying theme melody kept coming, reminding them of the various hardships and setbacks they had encountered since choosing to pursue music. The sarcastic remarks and blows, one by one, the disdainful glances, were they destined to be just a musician for life, living an ordinary life, or would they overcome countless difficulties and obstacles to climb to the pinnacle of music?

  The notes struck their hearts with a ferocity that seemed to make them tremble, Lot's hands had a network of blue veins standing out on the surface, as if in front of him was the detestable face of Mackenzie, as if he were about to start his first concert.

  Herodotus, who was slightly weaker in character, felt himself being battered by the surging waves of fate, with a tense and distorted face, slowly retreating step by step.

  Laine's face, which usually wore an elegant smile, lost its composure. The calm surface of his silver eyes was replaced by turbulent waves that rose with the music. His hands tapped out the rhythm on the strings as he muttered to himself: "Is this fate knocking at my door? Hehe, it's been a long time since I've felt such intense emotions."

  The most excited and infatuated was Viktor, his hands clenched tightly, his expression frenzied, his body shaking with every intense melody, as if he recalled his failed first concert, the comfort and encouragement from his wife, seeking help from many people, receiving countless sneers and cold shoulders, finally getting a second chance at a concert and achieving great success.

  After his wife's death, he thought of his own decadent life. Later, in order to fulfill his wife's wish, he slowly walked out of the mud and became an excellent musician, winning the opportunity to hold a concert at the Sacred Song Hall.

  Thought of having burned all passion and energy for music, only to fail at the last step, nine years of effort unable to produce that work in mind; thought of Wolf's malicious mockery and revenge, as well as Baron Osero's seriousness and arrogance...

  All this turned into sharp notes like arrows, waves of chords that shook like hammer blows, attacking and striking Viktor's soul, making him yield, making him give up.

  But the unyielding meaning hidden in the melody, the persistence of fighting against difficulties and setbacks to the end, the stubbornness of not compromising with fate, ignited Viktor's strong will to fight.

  "I've failed so many times and can still pick myself up, will this one failure be able to knock me down?"

  "As long as there is hope, we cannot give up!"

  "Winnie, are you encouraging me?"

  At around seven minutes and twenty seconds into the first movement of "Destiny Symphony", the stormy melody filled with turbulent winds and rains, Lucien felt his body go limp and his hands start to lose strength when he played for over five minutes. He knew it was the lingering effect of his unhealed injury, which had been exacerbated by running in the heavy rain and exhausting himself. The thought that he had already played so much and they should be able to tell good from bad, so there's no need to force himself to continue, flashed through his mind, but such thoughts were immediately overruled by Lucien's emotional resonance with the music.

  "If you're going to play, then show it all, how can you interrupt and give up?!"

  "I want to encourage Mr. Viktor to pursue hope, how can he turn back halfway?"

  Lucien pressed down heavily, the melody was like a person walking on steel wires, and it might fall at any moment. Viktor and Lott listened with increasing anxiety and tension, even Phyllis and Hierodotus couldn't help but cover their hearts with their right hands.

  Fortunately, the next section was a bit more soothing, paving the way for the end of the first movement. Lucien finally didn't have to be so intense and managed to grab the opportunity to recover a bit before bursting out with strong notes and turbulent rhythms again. They repeated and overlapped, cycling and growing in intensity, then suddenly stopped, leaving Phyllis and the others physically shaken and mentally exhausted. That's what intense battles were always like.

  After a brief calm, Lucien began to play the second movement, and a soothing melody flowed out, like rays of sunlight piercing through the storm, dispelling many dark clouds, and the fierce battle subsided; on the fiercely contested battlefield, soldiers retreated back to their camps in droves, and the fighting entered a stalemate.

  Such a melody was like a healing medicine, curing all the bleeding wounds, and it seemed like the warm hands and embrace of loved ones, soothing the inner trauma after struggling with fate, allowing Victor, Phyllis and others to regain their composure, no longer so frantic and distorted, as if the warriors had gotten rest, starting to accumulate strength for future battles, thinking about methods.

  In the soothing and uplifting melody, Lucien himself also got a chance to regain his strength.

  Time flies quickly, more than ten minutes passed unknowingly in the soothing melody and the previous powerful music, another brief calmness.

  Then Lucien launched into the third and fourth movements of the continuous performance, the strings began to change, becoming oppressive and dark.

  The sun disappeared, the dark clouds reappeared, the sky was gloomy, the sea was calm, as if brewing a bigger storm; and on the battlefield, the dark clouds gathered again, the dangerous and terrifying battle was about to begin, the soldiers picked up their weapons and walked back onto the battlefield.

  Such a rhythm makes Viktor and others subconsciously worried, starting to wait nervously for the final battle and the biggest storm. The rhythm is laid out piece by piece, and the emotions accumulate bit by bit.

  The storm finally struck violently, lifting the fishing boat high and then letting it fall violently, full of fate's teasing and contempt; while on the battlefield, the fierce battle resumed, brave and fearless, as if to defeat the invincible fate.

  Time and time again, the fishing boat had been battered into a state of disrepair, on the verge of collapse at any moment, but the storm seemed to be nearing its end as well.

  Repeated failures did not make the warriors desperate and give up, but instead became more filled with fighting spirit, firmly and steadily forcing the enemy to retreat.

  In the third movement, as it enters its final section, the strings become calm once more, tinged with a faint sorrow and melancholy, as if the soldiers are mourning their fallen comrades, thinking of their loved ones, as if the sailors are reminiscing about the beautiful scenes of their lives, lamenting friends swallowed up by the raging waves.

  The darkest moment before dawn has arrived, bringing an extremely unstable atmosphere, making Lot and Hiroto tense up again.

  Is it failure or victory?

  Is it the difficulties and setbacks that are defeated, or is it being knocked down by the difficulties and setbacks, never to stand up again?

  Is it grasping the throat of so-called fate or giving up hope and letting it arrange?

  Just as Viktor, Felice and others were getting more and more tense, the magnificent and majestic melody suddenly sounded, striking their hearts. This was a victorious tune, this was a triumphant march!

  Victor swung his arms vigorously, filled with exhilarating and turbulent emotions, as the sunlight thoroughly pierced through the gloom, thoroughly dispersing the storm, the fishing boat was finally saved, because the enemy was completely defeated, the brave warriors achieved their final victory, because they broke through the darkness, because they defeated that seemingly invincible fate!

  Triumphant, victorious, the hymn of triumph resounded in the locker room. Phyllis put down her right hand that was clutching her heart and followed the rhythm with a swinging fist. Her performance was just like Lotte's and Hiroto's, filled with uncontrollable joy and excitement, as if she had also gained strength and overcome the difficulties and pressures of life.

  Compared to them, the calm and beautiful Rhein had a genuine and sincere smile on his face, as if he was also relieved at having overcome fate.

  The thrilling chapter of victory came to an end. Lucien wanted to stand up, but he was so exhausted that he had no strength at all, for the previous performance had poured out all his emotions and energy.

  Victor, still reeling in shock, stared at Lucien with a bewildered and crazed expression, as if asking Lucien, yet seemingly questioning himself: "What is this?"

  Rein, Lott, Phyllis and Herodotus all looked at Lucien, waiting for his response.

  "It's fate." Lucien struggled to his feet, his eyes fixed on Viktor.

  Lucien was greeted with thunderous applause, which first came from Rhein, who smiled and applauded sincerely, then Viktor woke up, his face relieved and excited, applauding heavily, Lott, Phyllis and Hierodotus applauded with complex expressions and respect.

  Viktor emerged from behind his desk, walking towards Lucien while applauding and trembling with emotion:

  "This is music, real music!"

  Lucien, seeing his emotions and state restored, smiled happily: "Thank you for your praise, Mr. Viktor, I think you must have already gained inspiration from this melody, and you will certainly be able to modify and perfect the places that I couldn't write well or couldn't write at all. Why not go ask Osorio and Princess Natasha to change the music? I think you will definitely have a fantastic symphony."

  The meaning of this sentence, everyone understands that it is Lucien finding a good excuse to "inspire" Viktor in a way that cannot be refused, giving up the deserved glory, and Lotte and Phyllis's faces show joyful excitement, while Laine looks at Viktor.

  Victor was stunned, falling silent, his face a kaleidoscope of emotions he had never shown before - joy, relief, greed, excitement, hesitation, struggle, reminiscence... as if an intense battle was raging within him.

  "Mr. Viktor, I'm not giving it to you, just put me in the second author's position, I myself have no way to perfect the melody, this is what you should get." Lucien continued to relieve Viktor of his moral guilt.

  Under the gaze filled with expectation, Viktor suddenly let out a long sigh, his expression returned to calmness, with a hint of regret and relief, he smiled:

  "I wouldn't do that, Lucien. This is your song, this is your masterpiece. I can already see a great musician being remembered in history."

  "Besides Ma and Winnie, what has supported me in life is my own moral integrity, which is also the greatest virtue that Winnie likes."

  Lucien suddenly felt that Viktor's dazzling moral light was a bit piercing to his eyes, and a feeling called moistness appeared at the corner of his eyes.