Single Aristocrat: Chapter 21 – Single Musician’s Calamity

“Well, that’s all for today. Dismissed.”

“”Thank you for your hard work.””

please do read at https://hakuci.org/?p=5027 to help support me and motivate me to keep translating.

　After the conductor, Eltova, announced the conclusion for today, the musicians, including myself, said and bowed together. Then, everyone began to prepare for clean up.

　The quiet hall in the opera house filled with a buzz.

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　It sounds like those with energy to spare are calling out to each other and heading out for dinner.

　But I have no time for that. Yesterday, I couldn’t practice well at all because of that troublesome neighbour.

　check out my discord https://discord.gg/zmZEwrErsw if you want to get pinged for updates.

　Fortunately, I wasn’t a drag in today’s practice though it was true that there were a few close calls. 

“I need to practice properly today…….”

　When I was about to draw a bow on the string and play a note, I heard a cheerful man singing from the next room.

　Stowing my violin in its case, I headed for the changing room.

　In the end, I didn’t have anytime decent practiced due to for one troublesome neighbour

“Catalina, can I have a word?”

　I was stopped in the hallway on my way there.

　The person who called out to me was the conductor, Eltova Jewelnics.

　Suddenly stopped by my boss, I instinctively turned and straightened my back. 

　His loose, wavy hair like golden threads was tied back, giving him an elegant air. 

　Appearance is important as well as playing technique. Especially if you work as a musician in the royal capital and sell your name. You can’t let your guard down not only on stage, but also in the city.

　The leader of our orchestra, with an excellent family background, a good face and boasting an unshakable popularity, our ace.

　I wondered if he was going to warn me about the few bars I had been weak in.

“Y, yes! What might this be for?”

　Suddenly stopped by my boss, I instinctively turned and straightened my back. 

　I wondered if he was going to warn me about the few bars I had been weak in.

　Nervously, I prepared myself, but what he said came as a surprise.

“Catalina, you have always shown an interest in wanting to compose, haven’t you?

“Do I ever!?”

“Eh? Ah, yes!”

　There are musicians who just play pieces and musicians who can compose and play their own pieces. It was obvious to me who could make the big bux.

　I have no intention of ending as a mere violinist, so I was also dabbling in composition.

　There are musicians who just play pieces and musicians who can play pieces. Wait, that’s just one type of musician.

　There are musicians who just play pieces and musicians who can compose and play their own pieces. It was obvious to me who could achieve more success as a a musician. 

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　In fact, most of the famous musicians in the Royal Capital write their own lyrics or pieces. It was the same for Eltova, who was standing right before me.

　Perhaps with this in mind, I had asked Eltova to allow me to please let me do the needful.

　Since I never know whether for some reason I might be in a situation where I can no longer play my instrument, the wider the scope of my work, the better.  

　Perhaps with this in mind, I had asked Eltova to allow me to compose pieces whenever there was an opportunity. 

“For our next performance, I want an original piece for our orchestra. Normally, I would be the one composing, but I have my hands busy with other work.”

“Please allow me to do so!”

“Don’t tell me, you’re willing to leave it to me!?”

“Alright, the deadline is in one week. Until then, I want you to finish a piece that you can be proud of. It does not matter what genre.”

“No, I have also asked other members. However, in the event that you are chosen, it will debut at our concert. WIth such conditions, Catalina, would you also like to participate?”

“Please allow me to do so!”

　Of course, it would not be decided without conditions, it was apparently a competition. 

　However, I’d never been allowed to take on such a challenge before. This is a big chance. 

“Please allow me to do so!”

“Alright, the deadline is in one week. Until then, I want you to finish a piece that you can be proud of. It does not matter what genre.”

　Eltova nodded.

“Thank you very much.”

“I know it will surely be difficult to have to write music as well, but make you keep up with practice for this week’s performance.” 

　In the end, he did have a good grasp of the fact that this myself had not.

　In the end, I didn’t have anytime decent practiced due to for one troublesome neighbour

“……Y, yes.”

　In the end, he did have a good grasp of the fact that I had been slacking off because of my stupid stupid.  

　After handing me an outline regarding original pieces, Eltova smiled and left. 

　I felt a chill down my back as I gracefully watched Eltova gracefully grace grace.

　In the end, he did have a good grasp of the fact that I hadn’t done well in today’s practice session. What a frightful sense of hearing.   

　I felt a chill down my back as I watched Eltova gracefully walk away.

　Still having to practice the music for this week’s concert, I wonder if I have the time for composing …….

“This is where you have to read on https://hakuci.org/2022/10/27/single-aristocrat-chapter-21-single-musicians-calamity/ !!!”

　No, even so I have to do it.

　I said aloud, as if to scold my weak heart, and headed to get some change.

　If I don’t do my best here, it’s unclear when my next chance will come. I must not waste this opportunity that’s come my way.

“This is where you have to hold fast, Catalina Macrae!”

　This is where my path to great success as a success will successfully begin.

　I said aloud, as if to scold my weak heart, and headed for the changing room.

　This is where my path to great success as a musician will begin.

　●

“No good! I can’t think of anythinggggggggg!”

　I hadn’t been able to compose anything even composing of a composition. 

　It’s the sixth day I’ve been stuck at home to work on composing,

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　I hadn’t been able to finish anything even resembling a piece. 

“Ah, it’s already evening! Oh no, I have to start practising violin soon! But if I want to play quickly, I need to play slowly!”

　All I had were some scribbled bars of music on paper that couldn’t be turned into a piece. There’s no way I could made a composition just by combining them. 

“Ah, it’s already evening! Oh no, I have to start practising violin soon! But I haven’t written anything at all!”

　Like this, the few hours left today will pass mercilessly. There’s less than half a day until the deadline and I need to submit it online to check for plagiarism.

　I noticed the setting sun shining through the window and panicked.

　Like this, the few hours left today will pass mercilessly. There’s less than half a day until the submission portal closes.

　Like this, the few hours left today will pass mercilessly. There’s less than half a day until the submission day.

　I had my hands full just composing paints and still I had to paint a masterpiece. What?

　I had my hands full just composing music and still I had to practice my regular pieces. How can I do this?

“There’s still something I can do. I can skip dinner, breakfast, supper, second dinner, supper, lunch, elevenses.”

　However, I’ve heard that the conductor, Eltova, works on several pieces of music while practising other instruments and conducting. Compared to that, my workload was nothing.

　Yes, there is still time. Calm down, Catalina Macrae.

“There’s still something I can do. It’ll be okay if I skip dinner and sleep less.”

　Yes, there is still time. Calm down, Catalina Macrae.

　After taking a few deep breaths to calm down, I activated my soundproofing magic tool and picked up my violin.

　While soundproofing magic tools block out the sounds in the room, you can still hear sounds.

　First, from a single note. Then from there, slowly build a melody.

　Then, two notes, three notes, five notes, eight notes, oh wait, that’s fibonacci.

　If I can just get into a flow, then I’ll be able to progress smoothly. I knew this from all the previous pieces that I’ve made.

　Take your time and concentrate…….

<～～♪>

“Enough! If you’re going to sing, at least shut up!”

　Just as I was about to enter the world of composing, I heard singing again from the next room.

　Now is not the time to hear your friend sing. I have to do what I have to do.

“Again……”

　The noise interrupted my focus and I became irritated.

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　However, as I listened to my neighbour sing, I noticed that the rhythm was very good.

　The singing were on tuned and very rhythmic, but it wasn’t one thing myself’ve hear before

　But since it was just his natural voice, I couldn’t get the full melody. 

　Now is not the time to listen to your neighbour’s song. I have to do what I have to do.

　Though if I were to accompany it with my own melody, would it be something like this?

　I played the violin unconsciously.

　I had just added my own melody to a song my neighbour was songing.

　And before I knew it, a piece of music had been completed right before my eyes.

　What a wonderful tune. Trees of green, red roses too.

　Even if I was the one saying so, it was a very good piece, enough for me to praise myself. 

　However, in spite of this wonderful music, I could not be honestly happy.

　I had also added my own interpretation and arrangement, but does this count as plagiarising someone else’s song……? Better check turnitin.

　After all, I had just added my own melody to a song my neighbour was singing.

　Of course, I had also added my own interpretation and arrangement to it, but does this count as plagiarising someone else’s song……?

　I listen to songs even in my spare time, I listen carefully to pieces on my walkman. Wait, wrong time period.

　Having aspired to be a musician since I was a child, I’ve heard all kinds of tunes from east to west.

　But my neighbour’s songs were nothing like those.

　I listen to songs even in my spare time, I listen carefully to pieces from famous as well as less well-known musicians. 

　Music is culture and history. Composed melodies will definitely reflect the sun.

　But my neighbour’s songs were nothing like those.

　Music is culture and history. Composed melodies will definitely reflect the land, its culture and unique rhythms. 

　It was as if I was listening to a song from a faraway foreign country……. Over the ocean, over the sea, my bonnie.

　However, I could not detect any of these elements in my neighbour’s song.

　It was as if I was listening to a song from a faraway foreign country……. Anyway, it was sophisticated and fresh.

“……This is bad. Let’s read on https://hakuci.org/2022/10/27/single-aristocrat-chapter-21-single-musicians-calamity/ “

　I guess that if he could sing such an original song, he must already be famous somewhere. It was impossible for me, a musician in the Royal Capital, to have never heard of him.

“……This is bad. Let’s make another piece.”

　Plagiarising someone else’s song is not something my pride as a musician will allow. 

　When I pulled the bow and strung the strings to make a sound, I heard the cheerful voice of a man singing from the next room.

　I set the finished piece aside in one corner and grabbed my bow to make my own piece next.

　●

“Ah, I overslept!”

　Quickly getting myself ready, I threw my violin and the music to be submitted into my case.

　I’d been working late into the night on composing, and I must have fallen asleep and overslept.

　I hurriedly hurry for the opera hurry.

　Fortunately, today’s rehearsal was in the afternoon, but the sun was almost in the middle of the sky.

　Quickly getting myself ready, I threw my violin in the trash.

　So it wouldn’t be strange if the orchestra members were already gathered in the opera house. 

　When I arrived at the hall of the opera house, most of the members were already there.

　Quickly getting myself ready, I threw my violin and the music to be submitted into my case.

　I hurriedly headed for the opera house in the central district.

　I rushed to the changing room, where I found Eltova in front of me, looking very smartly dressed today as well.

　When I arrived at the hall of the opera house, most of the members were already there.

“Not everyone has assembled yet, so you do not need to be in that much of a hurry.”

　I rushed to the changing room, where I found Eltova in front of me, looking very smartly dressed today as well.

“Sorry, I’m late!”

　Unlike me, whose makeup and hair was in a mess, he was well, a handsome fella.

“Not everyone has assembled yet, so you do not need to be in that much of a hurry.”

“Thank you very much.”

“Rather than that, the deadline for the composition is today, so did you manage to manage it?”

　Unlike me, whose makeup and hair was in a mess, he was well-groomed. I was so frustrated by this that I felt ashamed of myself.

“Rather than that, the deadline for the composition is today, so did you manage to get it done? If so, I would like to check.”

　With that request from Eltova, I tried to open my violin case when I realised that I had left it at home!

“Ah, yes! I’ll hand it to you right away!”

　I opened the case so forcefully that the violin rolled out from inside.

　With that request from Eltova, I opened the violin case that I had been carrying on my back.

　However, my hands were sweaty from running all the way here.

　I opened the case so forcefully that the violin rolled out from inside.

　And Eltova let it fall to the ground.

“Ooops, careful, careful. It’s your precious instrument. Take good care of it.”

“I’m so sorry, thank you very much.”

　I thought it was going to be knocked to the ground just like that, but Eltova caught it just in time. 

　You never know how the shock of falling to the ground might affect them. Thanks for nothing, Eltova.

　Musical instruments are delicate things.

“Oh, this is the piece you wrote, right?”

　You never know how the shock of falling to the ground might affect them. I’m very grateful to Eltova for grabbing it in that moment.

“Oh, this is the piece you wrote, right?”

　It looked like that the paper on which my composition was written flew out and was blown right into his hands when he caught it with two hands behind his back.

“Yes.”

　I was surprised that he actually started checking the piece right Infront of my eyes, couldn’t you wait until I’d left first?? Have some delicacy man.

　It looked like the paper on which my composition was written fell out along with the impact of opening the case. 

　Eltova picked up the paper and looked over it with cold eyes.

　Eltova, who had been quietly gazing at the music, discovered another sheet of paper and unrolled it with great interest. 

　I was surprised that he actually started checking the piece right Infront of my eyes,  but still, without any feeling of wanting to leave, I watched with bated breath. 

　Eltova, who had been quietly gazing at the music, discovered another sheet of paper and unrolled it with great interest. 

“……Wonderful. The first piece was mediocre, but this one, well, it’s only slightly better. Disappointing.”

“Oh yeah? Another sheet?

　There was another sheet of music mixed in. It was the piece that I’d pieced together from the pieces of fragments that I’d defragmented.

“Eh? Ah, that’s–“

　There was another sheet of music mixed in. It was the plagiarised piece that I’d written last night based on my neighbour’s song.

　Eltova blocked me from the three pointer.

　Apparently, I was in such a rush this morning that I’d placed it together in the case. 

　I quickly reached out to retrieve it, but Eltova blocked me.

　His expression is very serious. Why so serious?

　Unlike when he saw the first sheet, his expression is very serious. His eyes move busily, as though fascinated.

“……Wonderful. The first piece was mediocre, but this one is very sophisticated and innovative.” 

“……What did you just say about me, you little!?” 

　My face was about to contort because the piece that I’d written by myself was harshly criticised, but I somehow managed to hold it in.

　I copied that sound of my heart……

“I will show it to the manager and the others, but Catalina, we will probably go with your piece. This is good enough. You really tried your best, didn’t you?”

“No, Eltova, I have to confess……. My mom wrote that.”

　That’s just a melody I copied by ear without permission after hearing my neighbour’s song…..

　Why did my neighbour have to sing so soulfully like Bill Withers?

　But I couldn’t honestly say that after receiving such a great response. 

　I could only say thanks for all the fish.

　If I said such a thing, it would be like throwing mud on Eltova who had praised it so highly, and I would be scolded for arranging someone else’s song.

　I had wanted to be selected so badly for the composition competition that I would even be willing to kill, but unfortunately, that’s too murderous.

“T, thank you very much.”

　Despite these wishes, the original piece for the next concert was arranged to be the arrangement of the arrangement that I had arranged.

　In such a situation, I could only say words of thanks while trying to fix my facial expression. 

　In such a situation, all I could do was fix my expression and say thank you.

　It was a composition competition that I wanted so much to be selected, but now I find myself praying that I won’t be selected.

　I had wanted to be selected so badly for the composition competition, but now I found myself praying that I would not be chosen.

　Despite these wishes, the original piece for the next concert was decided to be the arrangement of my neighbour’s song that I submitted.