“This, it seems you’ve given a bit too…”
The young man stopped mid-sentence, forcibly swallowing back the last word “much.” Encountering such a generous patron was rare; he couldn’t just let this opportunity go.
“These are thirty Magic Crystals. If you play another piece, just like the one before, I will give you another thirty Magic Crystals,” the middle-aged man, Angel, said slowly as he looked at the man before him who seemed somewhat familiar.
The young man swallowed his saliva. Just by playing another tune, he could double the amount?
As a principled Book Spirit, his rule was to set up shop every three days and play only one tune each time. This way, he wouldn’t attract the attention of the Enforcement Squad.
“My rule is to play only one tune,” the young man paused, then added, “However, since I have found an appreciator of my music, I suppose playing one more piece wouldn’t hurt.”
What are principles? Can you eat them?
What are rules? Aren’t they listed just for people to break?
The young man instantly knelt before the allure of the Magic Crystals, picked up the saxophone again, and amidst the envious looks of the bystanders, he transformed from a deadbeat begging for money to an elegant artist.
The music soared eloquently.
Angel seemed to be listening, but all his attention was focused inside his breast pocket.
Meanwhile, hundreds of meters away in a dark alley on Manshi Magic Material Street, a young-looking person, who had been leaning against a mottled wall and reading a magazine under the dim light of a wall-mounted gas lamp, suddenly lifted his head in confusion when he heard the music.
In the light, the youth’s visage was clear—it was Serum, whom Angel and the others had come searching for.
“Huh, why is Black Classic playing again?” Serum furrowed his brow. Although he had been engrossed in the magazine, a part of his thoughts remained outside. Black Classic had played a tune not long ago, and now this was the second time.
Black Classic was a very principled Book Spirit; why would he break his own rules?
Could it be that Black Classic had encountered something?
Serum suddenly became worried. At first, when Black Classic said he would go out to ‘perform,’ Serum had objected, fearing that it would infuriate the Enforcement Squad. Being punished for vending without a license was frightening. However, Black Classic had assured him that he would handle it well, and Serum had agreed to it.
Black Classic had not made a mistake in the successive street performances, and they had not attracted the Enforcement Squad. Only then had Serum been relieved.
But now, Black Classic had broken his usual rule, and there must be an extraordinary reason.
Serum grew worried and, after mulling over it repeatedly, he put away the magazine of “Glowing City Night Talk,” which he had read over and over, and then walked quickly out of the alley toward the source of the music.
When Serum arrived near the fountain, he spotted from a distance that Black Classic was standing before a middle-aged man.
Serum still wondered who this individual was and whether he might be the reason for Black Classic’s second performance. Just then, he felt a tap on his shoulder.
…
Once the tune ended, disappointment filled Angel’s eyes.
Angel had thought music would evoke a reaction from Toby; after all, aside from pretty clothes, Toby’s greatest love was music.
Yet, as the same piece came to a close, it didn’t arouse any response from Toby.
Perhaps, before it was truly just a coincidence.
Angel handed over the promised Magic Crystals to the young man. The sight made the surrounding people’s eyes turn green with envy yet again. Although those visiting Manshi Magic Material Street generally had some savings, Magic Crystals weren’t simply blown in by the wind. To hand out sixty Magic Crystals to a stranger was more than they could afford.
After giving the Magic Crystals, as Angel watched the young man swiftly pack up his belongings to leave, he said again, “Play me one more tune, preferably a different style from before, and it’s still thirty Magic Crystals.”
The young man faltered in his movements and looked at Angel in astonishment.
The others gave him an “are you crazy” look, and one of them even hurried to retrieve an item from his Alchemy shop, speaking to Angel, “I have the latest version of the Phantom Sound Box here. Although it’s not crafted by that famous music box artificer, it contains Angel’s own ‘Castle in the Sky’ and the ‘Alice’ that appeared only briefly at the ancient auction.”
“Don’t bother asking him to play for you, come to my store, and I’ll play them one by one for you. I don’t want thirty Magic Crystals either, ten for each song will do.”