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The Rosenberg mansion was splendid, as if it were made up of all the beautiful and precious things in the world.
From the short steps at the entrance to the pillars that supported the building, nothing was impeccable. Even the usually unfazed Heiner was struck by the opulence of the building.
On either side of the massive, high marble staircase stood a towering lion statue. On the square pillars supporting the lions, inscriptions in ancient Moorish script were illegible.
Standing before him, Heiner thought of himself as a small ant.
A long table was set up inside the banquet hall. The Marquis sat at the head of the table, followed by the supervisors and officers, and then the trainees, all lined up below.
The meal was filled with dishes he never seen before. The chef personally explained each plate, but the sophisticated vocabulary was so confusing that Heiner couldn't quite understand it.
Heiner continued his meal, occasionally answering questions. Suddenly, he looked up and saw a huge mural painted on the ceiling.
Even to Heiner, who was completely ignorant of art, it was a solemn mural painted with incredibly delicate touches.
The ceiling was so high that it was impossible to capture everything at a glance, so only a portion was visible. Margrave Dietrich, observing Heiner surveying the ceiling, suddenly spoke.
“It’s a mural from 200 years ago.”
Everyone's gaze, including Heiner's, turned to Margrave Dietrich. The Margrave smiled, as if enjoying the attention.
“We are constantly renovating it by hiring the best muralists.”
“...I’m sorry. This is the first time I’ve seen such an amazing mural.”
"No way. If even the most noble would be astonished, how much more so would the common people? The monk Gustav, Saint Marianne, the righteous Augustus... It's safe to say that almost all the famous religious figures are depicted."
Margrave Dietrich wasn't exactly a frivolous man. However, this mural was one of his greatest prides, and it was certainly worthy of it.
As soon as the Marquis finished speaking, praise for the mural began to pour in from all over.
"The first time I saw it, I couldn't close my mouth. It's a marvelous work, no matter how many times I see it."
“Except for the palace, this mansion is probably the only one that can display a mural of this caliber.”
Heiner listened to their conversation with one ear and gazed up at the mural for a long time. Sunlight poured in through the colorful glass windows that perforated the ceiling.
His eyes lingered for a long moment on the saint, who was praying with her hands clasped together. Her face, radiant with light, was holy and divine.
Heiner never believed in God. He never considered his sins sinful, nor did he ever repent.
But for some reason, he felt that the saint was asking God for forgiveness for the sins of all those gathered here. It was quite a strange feeling.
He thought he knew why people believed in God.
After dinner, the trainees accompanied the Marquis to the mansion's rose garden. The Rosenberg mansion's rose garden was said to be as beautiful as the palace gardens.
Heiner silently surveyed the garden from the back row. Late spring roses were in full bloom.
The scent of roses, emanating from all directions, assaulted his nostrils. The intense scent seemed to consume his mind, forcing Heiner to close his eyes for a moment.
'I'm tired.'
He's sorry to say this to Ethan, but he wasn't really interested in joining the Special Operations Unit. This dinner was no exception.
Heiner had never really wanted anything desperately. He had experienced more frustration than hope, and he had learned to give up faster than to hope.
To begin with, there was little in his life that was precious enough to desire.
“I, Your Excellency.”
The adjutant, who had hurriedly approached, whispered something to Margrave Dietrich. The Margrave touched his chin and nodded.
The trainees suddenly stopped walking, waiting for the Marquis in a daze. The Marquis, belatedly realizing their presence, opened his mouth and said, "Ah."
"I have to go now because something came up. It was a good time meeting you guys."
Margrave Dietrich, speaking somewhat insincerely, turned around. Despite the suddenness, the trainees saluted him, a habit that stuck with them like glue.
Instead, the adjutant gave an explanation to the trainees.
"The carriage will depart at four o'clock. Until then, feel free to explore the gardens. If you'd like to explore places like the library or hall, ask the butler, and he'll show you around. Be grateful to the Marquis for inviting you to this mansion."
"Yes!"
Other trainees gathered in small groups, chatting. Heiner briefly responded to another graduating student who approached him, then retreated deep into the garden alone.
He simply planned to rest in a corner of the garden. His already ailing body was complaining of extreme fatigue.
Heiner wandered around, searching for a quiet place to rest without being disturbed. The further he went into the corner, the more distant the voices became.
Soon, he found a bench among the vines. The area around the bench, shaded by a tree, was deserted and had a peaceful atmosphere.
Heiner lay stretched out on the bench. Shadows fell across his face as he lay staring at the sky. He squinted his eyes and stared straight ahead.
The branches of the tall, massive tree were tangled with leaves. The leaves swayed in the air. Heiner closed his eyes, thinking it wasn't a bad feeling.
He was tired, but sleep didn't come. Lying in a quiet place, his senses seemed to become more acute.
At that moment, a piano melody came from somewhere, carried by the wind. His eyes widened.
'This is...'
It was a faint sound, but Heiner could clearly recognize it. It was a familiar melody. He knew the tune.
He didn't know who sang it or what the title was, but he remembered the melody.
During his time at the orphanage, Heiner owned a small music box. It was a gift from a noblewoman who visited the orphanage to volunteer.
And it instantly captivated the young boy.
The music flowing from the music box was like a lullaby no one had ever sung to him. Every day, Heiner hid deep in the backyard of the orphanage and listened to the music box.
Even when he was beaten for no reason, and his whole body was covered in wounds, even when he had a bad cold and had a high fever, even when he was painfully hungry, even when he was lonely and alone...
The music box was the first precious possession young Heiner ever had. He knew he would never have anything like it again in his life.
Less than a few days later, another boy from the orphanage stole the music box. It looked quite expensive, so he probably figured he could sell it for a profit.
Heiner wrestled with the boy to retrieve the music box. Although the boy was five years older and larger, Heiner fought with determination and emerged victorious.
However, the music box was shattered and destroyed during their fight. The fighting was so violent that not only the music box but also several other pieces of furniture were damaged.
As punishment, Heiner was beaten severely by the director and was deprived of food for three days.
Heiner tried to repair the broken music box, but failed. Turning the stick didn't produce a sound, only a spinning sound.
The young man had kept the broken music box for a month. Then, the day before the patrons' visit, during a general cleanup, someone mistook it for trash and threw it away.
The leaves rustled in the wind, making a desolate sound.
Fragments of old memories creaked and reassembled in his mind. Heiner slowly rose from the bench. His feet moved as if possessed, following the piano's sound.
This was the melody that was playing on the music box.
Music was of no use for survival. Heiner knew nothing about it and had little desire to learn.
But he couldn't stop walking. The piano's sound gradually became clearer, almost palpable. Finally, Heiner arrived in front of a building in a remote area.
It was a building entirely white, as if it were untouchable. The sound of a piano leaked through an open window on the first floor. Heiner approached the window, keeping his presence low.
The curtains on the window were half-drawn. The music continued. He slowly peeked his head out.
A dress, whiter than the building's walls, fluttered between the curtains. Heiner blinked once. His vision quickly cleared.
'Ah.'
The surface of every object glowed white in the sunlight.
A large piano, white and black keys, small hands, a white dress, blond hair braided, downcast eyes, a face that looked holy and sacred...
Heiner stared at the scene in the room, frozen like a statue. He couldn't move, as if his breathing was suffocating.
He felt a similar, but more intense, emotion as when he saw Saint Marian depicted on the mural.
A soft, beautiful melody, like clouds, filled his ears. Its excessive ecstasy resembled the underside of fear. Heiner involuntarily took a step back.
Rustle.
A branch crunched beneath his feet. Heiner took a sharp, silent breath. At the same time, the piano's sound suddenly stopped.
The girl in the white dress turned her head. He quickly hid himself. Inside the room, the piano bench creaked back. The sound of small shoes approaching the window could be heard.
Heiner ran away from there.
From the short steps at the entrance to the pillars that supported the building, nothing was impeccable. Even the usually unfazed Heiner was struck by the opulence of the building.
On either side of the massive, high marble staircase stood a towering lion statue. On the square pillars supporting the lions, inscriptions in ancient Moorish script were illegible.
Standing before him, Heiner thought of himself as a small ant.
A long table was set up inside the banquet hall. The Marquis sat at the head of the table, followed by the supervisors and officers, and then the trainees, all lined up below.
The meal was filled with dishes he never seen before. The chef personally explained each plate, but the sophisticated vocabulary was so confusing that Heiner couldn't quite understand it.
Heiner continued his meal, occasionally answering questions. Suddenly, he looked up and saw a huge mural painted on the ceiling.
Even to Heiner, who was completely ignorant of art, it was a solemn mural painted with incredibly delicate touches.
The ceiling was so high that it was impossible to capture everything at a glance, so only a portion was visible. Margrave Dietrich, observing Heiner surveying the ceiling, suddenly spoke.
“It’s a mural from 200 years ago.”
Everyone's gaze, including Heiner's, turned to Margrave Dietrich. The Margrave smiled, as if enjoying the attention.
“We are constantly renovating it by hiring the best muralists.”
“...I’m sorry. This is the first time I’ve seen such an amazing mural.”
"No way. If even the most noble would be astonished, how much more so would the common people? The monk Gustav, Saint Marianne, the righteous Augustus... It's safe to say that almost all the famous religious figures are depicted."
Margrave Dietrich wasn't exactly a frivolous man. However, this mural was one of his greatest prides, and it was certainly worthy of it.
As soon as the Marquis finished speaking, praise for the mural began to pour in from all over.
"The first time I saw it, I couldn't close my mouth. It's a marvelous work, no matter how many times I see it."
“Except for the palace, this mansion is probably the only one that can display a mural of this caliber.”
Heiner listened to their conversation with one ear and gazed up at the mural for a long time. Sunlight poured in through the colorful glass windows that perforated the ceiling.
His eyes lingered for a long moment on the saint, who was praying with her hands clasped together. Her face, radiant with light, was holy and divine.
Heiner never believed in God. He never considered his sins sinful, nor did he ever repent.
But for some reason, he felt that the saint was asking God for forgiveness for the sins of all those gathered here. It was quite a strange feeling.
He thought he knew why people believed in God.
***
After dinner, the trainees accompanied the Marquis to the mansion's rose garden. The Rosenberg mansion's rose garden was said to be as beautiful as the palace gardens.
Heiner silently surveyed the garden from the back row. Late spring roses were in full bloom.
The scent of roses, emanating from all directions, assaulted his nostrils. The intense scent seemed to consume his mind, forcing Heiner to close his eyes for a moment.
'I'm tired.'
He's sorry to say this to Ethan, but he wasn't really interested in joining the Special Operations Unit. This dinner was no exception.
Heiner had never really wanted anything desperately. He had experienced more frustration than hope, and he had learned to give up faster than to hope.
To begin with, there was little in his life that was precious enough to desire.
“I, Your Excellency.”
The adjutant, who had hurriedly approached, whispered something to Margrave Dietrich. The Margrave touched his chin and nodded.
The trainees suddenly stopped walking, waiting for the Marquis in a daze. The Marquis, belatedly realizing their presence, opened his mouth and said, "Ah."
"I have to go now because something came up. It was a good time meeting you guys."
Margrave Dietrich, speaking somewhat insincerely, turned around. Despite the suddenness, the trainees saluted him, a habit that stuck with them like glue.
Instead, the adjutant gave an explanation to the trainees.
"The carriage will depart at four o'clock. Until then, feel free to explore the gardens. If you'd like to explore places like the library or hall, ask the butler, and he'll show you around. Be grateful to the Marquis for inviting you to this mansion."
"Yes!"
Other trainees gathered in small groups, chatting. Heiner briefly responded to another graduating student who approached him, then retreated deep into the garden alone.
He simply planned to rest in a corner of the garden. His already ailing body was complaining of extreme fatigue.
Heiner wandered around, searching for a quiet place to rest without being disturbed. The further he went into the corner, the more distant the voices became.
Soon, he found a bench among the vines. The area around the bench, shaded by a tree, was deserted and had a peaceful atmosphere.
Heiner lay stretched out on the bench. Shadows fell across his face as he lay staring at the sky. He squinted his eyes and stared straight ahead.
The branches of the tall, massive tree were tangled with leaves. The leaves swayed in the air. Heiner closed his eyes, thinking it wasn't a bad feeling.
He was tired, but sleep didn't come. Lying in a quiet place, his senses seemed to become more acute.
At that moment, a piano melody came from somewhere, carried by the wind. His eyes widened.
'This is...'
It was a faint sound, but Heiner could clearly recognize it. It was a familiar melody. He knew the tune.
He didn't know who sang it or what the title was, but he remembered the melody.
During his time at the orphanage, Heiner owned a small music box. It was a gift from a noblewoman who visited the orphanage to volunteer.
And it instantly captivated the young boy.
The music flowing from the music box was like a lullaby no one had ever sung to him. Every day, Heiner hid deep in the backyard of the orphanage and listened to the music box.
Even when he was beaten for no reason, and his whole body was covered in wounds, even when he had a bad cold and had a high fever, even when he was painfully hungry, even when he was lonely and alone...
The music box was the first precious possession young Heiner ever had. He knew he would never have anything like it again in his life.
Less than a few days later, another boy from the orphanage stole the music box. It looked quite expensive, so he probably figured he could sell it for a profit.
Heiner wrestled with the boy to retrieve the music box. Although the boy was five years older and larger, Heiner fought with determination and emerged victorious.
However, the music box was shattered and destroyed during their fight. The fighting was so violent that not only the music box but also several other pieces of furniture were damaged.
As punishment, Heiner was beaten severely by the director and was deprived of food for three days.
Heiner tried to repair the broken music box, but failed. Turning the stick didn't produce a sound, only a spinning sound.
The young man had kept the broken music box for a month. Then, the day before the patrons' visit, during a general cleanup, someone mistook it for trash and threw it away.
The leaves rustled in the wind, making a desolate sound.
Fragments of old memories creaked and reassembled in his mind. Heiner slowly rose from the bench. His feet moved as if possessed, following the piano's sound.
This was the melody that was playing on the music box.
Music was of no use for survival. Heiner knew nothing about it and had little desire to learn.
But he couldn't stop walking. The piano's sound gradually became clearer, almost palpable. Finally, Heiner arrived in front of a building in a remote area.
It was a building entirely white, as if it were untouchable. The sound of a piano leaked through an open window on the first floor. Heiner approached the window, keeping his presence low.
The curtains on the window were half-drawn. The music continued. He slowly peeked his head out.
A dress, whiter than the building's walls, fluttered between the curtains. Heiner blinked once. His vision quickly cleared.
'Ah.'
The surface of every object glowed white in the sunlight.
A large piano, white and black keys, small hands, a white dress, blond hair braided, downcast eyes, a face that looked holy and sacred...
Heiner stared at the scene in the room, frozen like a statue. He couldn't move, as if his breathing was suffocating.
He felt a similar, but more intense, emotion as when he saw Saint Marian depicted on the mural.
A soft, beautiful melody, like clouds, filled his ears. Its excessive ecstasy resembled the underside of fear. Heiner involuntarily took a step back.
Rustle.
A branch crunched beneath his feet. Heiner took a sharp, silent breath. At the same time, the piano's sound suddenly stopped.
The girl in the white dress turned her head. He quickly hid himself. Inside the room, the piano bench creaked back. The sound of small shoes approaching the window could be heard.
Heiner ran away from there.
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