Chapter 87: The Conductor’s Trial [1]
"....."
The theater was empty.
From the fine red seats lined in velvet, to the grand balconies that arched above, and the stage looming in the distance.
Everything was silent.
The lights were off, casting the entire theater in a murky darkness. A biting cold lingered in the air, as if the room itself had been abandoned for years, and yet...
It felt as though thousands of eyes were staring right at me.
My entire body tensed at the sensation.
However, I didn’t let it show.
I maintained my composure while walking towards the same seat I had sat in the past.
’It should be this one.’
I sat down.
And the moment I did...
Flick!
The lights snapped on, and everything flared to life.
Swoosh, swoosh!
One by one, the seats began to fill. The all-too-familiar faceless figures emerged with the light. It was just like last time... No, not quite. I was alone. And every single one of them... was staring directly at me.
"....."
Tak!
The simple echo of a step echoed all of a sudden as I turned my attention towards the stage, where a towering figure emerged, its elongated body and stitched-together features casting long shadows as its presence took over the entire theater.
"H-Ha."
My chest shook at the sight.
But it wasn’t out of fear this time, but out of nervousness.
’He’s here.’
I had a plan.
I just needed to execute it.
It had to work.
And then...
The figure stopped.
Silence.
"....."
Slowly, its head turned to face me.
I didn’t dare breathe, but at the same time... I didn’t dare take my eyes away from it.
I stared back, showing no signs of fear.
At least... I tried not to show it.
’So long as I don’t puke now, I’ll be fine.’
I was very close to puking.
Still, I managed to remain composed. I somewhat expected this. I had been waiting for it to happen, and as such, was prepared to handle the current situation.
I also knew its weakness.
’I can do this.’
My fists silently clenched.
And then—
A grotesque tearing noise echoed through the theater as the stitches on the conductor’s face split apart, forcing its mouth open in a dreadful, unnatural grimace.
"I’ve... been waiting."
Every part of me shivered the moment its voice reached my ears.
It was almost like a whisper. A cold whisper.
My lips pressed together tightly as I held onto the armrest of the chair.
"Your earlier performance was, I must say.... perfectly adequate. You’ve revealed something rather intriguing, and I found our collaboration unexpectedly delightful."
"Is that so?"
I forced a smile.
"...I also found the per—"
"But."
The conductor cut me off before I could speak. Its voice was now colder... dryer.
"That does not take away from what you previously stated. You said my music was trash. I cannot accept that."
Every hair on my body rose the moment the conductor spoke.
This situation...
’It’s not good.’
"But that’s fine."
The conductor slowly turned towards the seats that were nearly arranged on the stage, its hand raising to display the baton.
Then, gradually stopping in the air, the conductor paused.
The silence stretched.
"...Since you’ve shown me the complete piece, it is now my turn to reciprocate. I will now display to you the very same piece you displayed to me."
Its hand moved down, and...
Wham!
The stage lights flared to life, illuminating several figures now seated gracefully in the chairs by the stage. Almost as if popping from out of thin air. Holding onto several instruments, they stared straight in my direction.
’Oh, no...’
I could see where this was going.
That was when I knew that I had to act. It was now or never.
"As expected... You’re mediocr—!"
I didn’t even finish the sentence before one of the faceless figures in the front row reached out and grabbed my throat.
Its cold, lifeless hand tightened, lifting me off the seat. My vision blurred as the pressure on my windpipe cut off air.
Riiiip!
With a sickening rip, its mouth pulled apart, and the conductor’s voice echoed.
"What... did you say?"
Time froze. The entire world seemed to hang still as the figure’s blank face stared through me. I gasped for breath, my lungs burning.
I could only hang suspended in the air as the faceless figure before me stared right through me.
Then, barely managing to speak, I continued, "You’re mediocr—Ukh!"
The grip over my throat tightened, forcing the remaining air out of my lungs as the surroundings started to tremble.
Rattle! Rattle!
Everything rattled, and so did I.
I couldn’t stop. I had to keep speaking.
"W-why... do I need... to see... s...omething I’ve already seen?"
"....."
Just barely managing to get my words out, the rattling paused, and the grip over my throat lessened. I took a big gulp of air and continued to speak. I couldn’t let this chance go to waste.
"Are you trying to tell me that you’re better than me? Someone who does this for a living... versus a mere game developer?"
I almost laughed.
No, I did laugh.
"H-how laughable."
The figure’s hand tightened again, but not enough to cut me off completely. I had to keep going.
"...If you’re attempting to reciprocate by presenting something I’ve already performed, doesn’t that suggest you consider yourself beneath what I’ve played?"
If this wasn’t the case, why would he stick to the same music?
The conductor could be showing me something else.
Something far more superior.
And yet...
"You’re still hung up about my performance."
Rattle! Rattle!
The rattling around intensified. The curtains swayed, the balconies shook, and the seats rocked back and forth.
This right here...
Things were flowing in the same way that I wanted them to from the start.
I could feel it now, that crack in its facade. The power shift was subtle, but I could see it in the way the rattling around grew more intense.
Knowing the conductor’s weakness, I directly pressed its buttons.
’Almost, just a little bit more.’
But this wasn’t enough.
"You feel inferior to me."
RATTLE! RATTLE!
"...You want to show me you aren’t, but what will that achieve? You’re trying to compete against someone who hardly knows anything about musi—"
"You were only perfect because of me."
The conductor’s voice dropped into a low growl. As if someone had ripped his throat out, and he was forcing his voice out through whatever was left of his mangled throat.
"I am the reason that you were perfect!"
"Are you really?"
I smirked.
"I beg to differ."
My fingers twitched, moving slowly toward the hand that still gripped my neck. I focused on the faceless figure, daring it to respond.
"You don’t believe I could’ve played that piece without you, right?"
"...Of course."
"Then, how about we make a bet?"
"A bet.....?"
I swallowed nervously while staring at the conductor. This was it. This was what I had been trying to achieve and had been planning since the start.
"Yes, a bet."
I licked my lips, feeling the tension within my body rise to a level unlike it had ever hit before.
"Give me a piece of your choice."
I took a small breath while turning my attention away from the faceless figure and towards the real conductor.
"...Give it to me and I’ll show you an adequate performance to prove to you that I never needed you."