Lord blessed by the elves

Chapter 134 Mrs. Monica

"Brother, you played so beautifully!" Elena rushed over like a happy little bird, gently shaking Kruse's hand, tilting her face up with her big eyes full of expectation. "Can you play it again? Just once!"

Seeing his sister's adorable, coquettish expression, Kruse's smile softened even more. He gently ruffled Elena's hair and was about to speak.

At that moment, Viscount Martin and Reyes also came over upon hearing the noise.

Martin looked utterly bewildered, his gaze shifting incredulously between Kruze and Reyes before finally settling on Reyes, his eyes clearly asking, "When...did your family produce a musical genius? Did you save the kingdom in your past life?"

Reyes himself was both surprised and delighted, with a hint of bewilderment, but he tried his best to remain calm. Meeting his old friend's questioning gaze, he coughed lightly and gave an explanation that even he wasn't entirely sure of: "Ahem... well, he probably secretly learned it when he was a servant at the Earl's mansion, right? As you know, His Excellency the Earl has always loved the harpsichord, and there are often musicians playing it at the mansion..."

His voice trailed off, clearly unable to convince even himself of the reason he gave—could he really learn this much just by "peeking"?
But at this moment, this seems to be the only plausible explanation.

"I never imagined you could play the harpsichord so well!" A melodious female voice, like pearls falling onto a jade plate, rang out, filled with undisguised amazement.

The crowd parted as if by an invisible hand, quickly making way and bowing respectfully in the direction from which the voice came.

"Greetings, Mrs. Monica!"

The newcomer was none other than Monica White Eagle, the Earl of Campno's younger sister, the mistress of the wealthy White Eagle Viscountry, and also the most renowned widow in Campno County, hailed as the most beautiful woman in the county.

Moreover, she is highly accomplished in the arts, especially in music, and is recognized as one of the best musicians in Campnorshire.

Upon seeing the elegant lady approaching, Kruse was momentarily stunned, but quickly composed himself and bowed again, giving this esteemed lady, who possessed both talent and beauty, an impeccable greeting.

At the same time, fragments of memories belonging to the body's former owner surged forth.

Kruze recalled that when he was a squire at the Earl’s mansion and receiving knight training, whenever training ended, the former owner of this body would always find an opportunity to sneak to the vicinity of the music room or concert hall, just to listen to Mrs. Monica’s performance from afar.

More accurately, the boys at that time were more like naive and ardent yearnings as they "peeked" at this dazzling, mature, and elegant beauty, the most beautiful woman in Campnor County.

It was a kind of hazy longing and admiration for the perfect older woman that belonged to adolescence.

Only now, combined with Rezal's unusual reaction to Lady Winnie earlier, did Kruze suddenly realize a problem.

It seems that the problem isn't just with Rezal; both brothers seem to have a subtle preference for mature, charming, and elegant older women!
This discovery brought a wry smile to his face.

Mrs. Monica clearly recognized Kruse as well. Looking at the composed young man before her, with his clear eyes—a stark contrast to the shy, eager boy she remembered hiding in a corner—a hint of understanding and a touch of relief flashed in her beautiful eyes. She had clearly misunderstood, connecting Kruse's current musical talent with the image of the boy who had "secretly" listened to her play.

She may have thought that Kruse was truly attracted to her music, which led him to study diligently and achieve his current level of skill, rather than simply seeing him as a superficial "lecher" who only wanted to admire her beauty.

This misunderstanding greatly changed Mrs. Monica's impression of Kruse, and her gaze softened with appreciation for her "kindred spirit."

In response to Mrs. Monica's inquiry, Kruse displayed just the right amount of humility and a hint of nostalgia for the past. He bowed slightly and said sincerely:
"I have to thank you for this, Madam. It was by listening to your exquisite playing for so long that I developed a strong interest in the harpsichord, and that interest gradually turned into a heartfelt love."

His words flowed smoothly, as if stating an undeniable fact, and his eyes were so sincere that it was hard to doubt him.

He sighed softly, and continued with a touch of regret: "Unfortunately, my family is poor and we don't have a harpsichord to practice on. I can only rely on my memory to imitate your fingering when you played, and practice repeatedly on a homemade wooden board with keys carved on it, imagining and simulating the tone and melody that each note should have in my mind."

These words cleverly explained how he "taught himself" while attributing the credit to Mrs. Monica's influence and his own "diligent" imagination.

It also subtly mentions the past poverty of Lion Tooth Clan, highlighting the current difficulties and further emphasizing his "sincere" heart for music, achieving multiple benefits in one fell swoop.

As Mrs. Monica listened to these heartfelt words, the satisfaction and gentleness in her eyes deepened even further.

She was used to flattery, but few people attributed progress to her influence so "sincerely".

This made her like the young man in front of her even more.

“It’s rare to find someone with such a spirit and perseverance.” She nodded approvingly, then returned to her original question, her beautiful eyes sparkling with a pure love for music. “So, the piece you just played… I don’t think I’ve ever heard it before. What’s its name?”

Kruze remained calm and replied, "Please excuse my rudeness, Madam. Those were just some random fragments I composed during my daydreams, and they have no name."

“A random arrangement?” Mrs. Monica raised an eyebrow slightly, her tone filled with unmistakable admiration. “If this is considered a random arrangement, then many so-called masterpieces would pale in comparison. Its melody is beautiful and unique, and its emotions are sincere. I like it very much.”

She leaned forward slightly and asked with a hint of anticipation, "Could you possibly transcribe the sheet music for this piece? I would like to study and play it myself."

Kruze's heart skipped a beat; he knew this was a good opportunity to build a closer relationship. He wore a slightly troubled expression, yet tried hard not to disappoint her: "It is my honor to serve you, Madam. However… my method of notation is rudimentary, and I fear it may not meet your standards."

If you don't mind, I will write down the melody from memory later, but it may take some time to organize it to make it look neat.

(End of this chapter)